Midwest Book Review
2005-06-04 11:26:16 UTC
The Needlecraft Shelf
Simple Soft Furnishings
Katrin Cargill
Firefly Books Ltd.
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
www.fireflybooks.com
155407018X $24.95 1-800-387-5085
Sewing projects can transform a home, especially with Katrin Cargill's
Simple Soft Furnishings: 50 Stylish Home Sewing Projects To Transform
Your Home in hand, which provides 50 projects ranging from cushions to
fine curtains and table linens. Five key areas of the home where soft
furnishings apply are reviewed in the course of project tips, which
include how to avoid common problems. Materials list, color photos, and
step-by-step instructions make Simple Soft Furnishings particularly
accessible to beginners.
Special Knits
Debbie Bliss
Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
157976302X $25.00 1-800-423-4525
Hand knitters who want to produce classics for babies and toddlers will
find Special Knits by knitting expert Debbie Bliss to be an outstanding
collection by a someone who has over a dozen books on children's
knitwear to her name. All types of designs, from pullovers and caps to
wraps, clover classic styles and include patterns appropriate for all
levels of knitter. Lovely color photos of kids wearing the finished
products provide inspiration and illustration.
Knitting
Anne Bartlett
Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 92116
0618499261 $23.00 1-800-225-3362
Admittedly, Knitting is a novel and could be reviewed under our
'Fiction' section - but it's featured here for its specialized
background and potential interest to knitting enthusiasts. Two talented
knitters are polar opposites in other ways: widow and teacher Sandra is
still adjusting to life without Jack when she meets a fellow knitter
who appears to have adjusted well to her own grief. The two form an
uncertain friendship when an exhibition of knitting involves them, with
some unusual revelations evolving from a professional interest. Plenty
of knitting insights and references throughout make Knitting an
intriguing novel -- especially for needlecraft enthusiasts!
XRX Books Inc,
Box 1525, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-1525
www.knittinguniverse.com
Five excellent sewing guides from XRX Books offer a range of projects
and applications not to be found in competing titles. Take Bags: A
Knitter's Dozen (1893762-203, $15.95): gorgeous photos by Alexis
Xenakis provide colorful visual embellishment to projects which are
zippy and original in design and colors. Knitted backpacks, totes and
handbags are intriguing and patterns and variations for each will
appeal to any with basic knitting skills. Those with such skills will
also relish the 'Best of Knitter's' title Arans & Celtics (189376205X,
$19.95): from crossing cables and producing refined Aran styles to
producing a Celtic pullover. Each project receives a full-page color
photo of a model wearing the finished result, patterns, step-by-step
instructions and more. Narrow the focus even more with Ethnic Socks &
Stockings: A Compendium Of Eastern Design & Technique by Priscilla A.
Gibson-Roberts (0964639106, $28.95): lovely designs from Bulgarian
floral motifs to Turkish stockings which look almost like miniature
rugs make for intriguing projects out of the ordinary in appearance and
presentation. As colorful socks are a fad at the moment, Ethnic Socks &
Stockings promises to be of even more interest. Madelyn van der Hoogt
edits The Best Of Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump (1783762-114, $28.95):
third in the 'best of weaver's' series, and packed with articles and
tips from the magazine. Unusual textures are the focus of The Best Of
Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump: design and weaving theory for all weave
structures which defy the usual flat fabric will especially appeal to
experienced fabric crafters who have textured fabrics they wish to use
for projects. From waffle dishtowels, to honeycomb pouches, to pleated
scarves, The Best Of Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump is packed with
ideas. Meg Swansen gathers A Gathering Of Lace (18937-62246, $29.95), a
collection of both traditional and modern lace knitting patterns for
sweater, vests, gloves, socks and more. Each comes with a pattern,
close-up shots of the lace-like kni, and model wearing the knit, with
shots of both front and back. From unusual feather and spiral shawl
lace patterns to Shetland, Mediterranean and Bridal Knots, A Gathering
Of Lace is packed with gorgeous ideas. Ginger Luters' Module Magic:
Creative Projects To Knit One Block At A Time (1893762165, $19.95)
shows how to use knitted squares or triangle pieces to produce finished
projects. The 'one block at a time' approach is perfect for a range of
sweaters, pillows, and many other projects: projects include photos of
finished results, patterns, and tips on piecing together swatches and
triangles for a range of results. Ponchos & Wraps: A Baker's Dozen
(1933064013, $15.95) presents a wide range of poncho styles for
knitters, displaying both finished products on models and the close-ups
of pattern charts which lend to their creation. Add step-by-step
instructions to the variety mix and you have a knitter's treasure trove
of poncho ideas.
Quilted Bags In A Weekend
Ellen Kharade
Creative Arts & Crafts
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
1580112420 $19.95 www.amazon.com
Quilted Bags In A Weekend: 25 Purses, Totes, And Bags That You Can Make
In No Time by needlecraft expert Ellen Kharade is enhanced with more
than 250 color photographs, illustrations, and templates showcasing
charming, contemporary designs that can be created by even the most
novice needlecraft. Replete with practical "how to" advice with respect
to crating stylish shoppers, purses, totes, and evening bags from old
scraps and leftover pieces of fabric, each individual project is
provided with clear, step-by-step artworks and a techniques section
with start-to-finish expert instruction. From a floral beach tote, to a
ribbon-motif flannel satchel, to a leaf-print evening bag, there is a
wealth of imaginative creativity in Quilted Bags In A Weekend!
Creative Decorating With Ribbons
Mary Jo Hiney, et al.
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
1402713541 $24.95 1-800-805-5489
The collaborative work of renowned needlecrafters Mary Jo Hiney,
Marinda Stewart, Katheryn Tidwell Foutz, and Vanessa-Ann, Creative
Decorating With Ribbons showcases fifty-four superbly presented ribbon
projects. Using a simple-to-learn, classic needlecraft art to add color
and style to special household objects and gifts, readers will be able
to create a Linen Pillow, Mini Chair, Lace Shoes, Sachet, Brocade Lamp,
Lily Wreath, Romance & Love Pillow, Angel Wreath, Floral Purse, and
dozens of other simply beautiful ribbon projects. Each of these
projects offers fully illustrated, "user friendly" instructions on
using basic embroidery stitches and ribbon-work techniques. Creative
Decorating With Ribbons is the perfect addition for a well rounded
personal or community library Needlecraft collection.
Passing On The Comfort
Lynn Kaplanian-Buller and An Keuning-Tichelaar
Good Books
PO Box 419, Intercourse, PA 17534-0419
www.goodbks.com
1561484822 $14.95 1-800-762-7171
Nazi occupied Holland found An risking her life caring for war-time
refugees, including hiding a Jewish baby in her hand-luggage when on a
ferry that draws gunfire -- distracting a German guard at a bridge so a
fugitive without a pass can be bicycled across; and at one time
stuffing documents under a body lying in state in a room in her home
when German soldiers suddenly launch a raid. During those years of
occupation, there were groups of women across North America meeting in
sewing circles to make quilts for devastated families throughout
Europe, doing what they could to provide comfort and courage during an
horrific war. Twenty years later Lynn comes to Amsterdam, discovering
that the quilts her grandmother, her aunts, and other older women in
her childhood church had made for war ravaged families in Holland still
survived and warmly regarded. Lynn goes searching for the owners of 19
of these work-worn these quilts and their individual stories. This is
how she encounters An with whom she collaborates to tell these stories
enhanced with war time photos revealing these quilts to be more than
just needlecraft treasures from a desperate yesteryear, but enduring
testaments that will inspire today's needlecrafters not to turn away
from helping others with the fruits of their own handmade labors.
Passing On The Comfort: The War, The Quilts, And The Women Who Made A
Difference should be read by every needlecrafter in every generation.
Taunton Press
PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
www.taunton.com
Sewers will welcome two excellent basic guides which should become
standard references. Stephanie Valley's Embellishments A To Z
(1561583073, $19.95) covers applique, stitchery, fringing, devore,
ribbons and more: virtually any kind of embellishment technique needed
to accent a sewing project. Each technique receives an explanation,
supplies list, photos and step-by-step, clear directions to provide
explanations on usage and how to create. Sandr Betzina's Fast Fit: Easy
Pattern Alterations For Every Figure (1561584-940, $24.95) is even more
useful: it's simply a 'must' for any sewer who works with clothing,
simplifying the process of pattern fitting and alterations for all
bodies. Problems and fast fit solutions provide step-by-step tips,
fitting fact sidebars, and solutions for everything from large upper
arms and twisted sleeves to rounded bodies and princess seams.
Martingale Company
20205 - 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
The difference between Linden Eard and Beryl Hiatt's Handknit Style:
Contemporary Sweaters From Tricoter (1564775801 $34.95) and competing
titles lies in its focus on spectacular yarns and the Tricoter style.
Sixteen patterns in this style focus on color work and added features
from ruffled cuffs to fringes, ribbing, and styles such as the kimono
which can translate to other fashions. From sizing and material options
to fold-out pages of patterns, Handknit Style is packed with lovely
contemporary style options. Sandy Bonsib's Tried And True: New Quilts
projects use easily-made, familiar blocks as foundation patterns for
new ideas. Beginning knitters will love Luise Roberts and Kate Haxell's
First Knits: Projects For Beginning Knitters (1564775607, $24.95): it's
packed with techniques which take beginners from the first loop to a
finished project, using illustrated project 'workshops' as a basis for
demonstrating techniques and their knitting applications. The close-up
color step-by-step photos of knitting moves in action allow beginners
an easy format to follow: while lie-flat binding may have helped the
process, First Knits is still an exceptional recommendation.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to
promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We
accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to
post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites,
newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational
newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book
Review a credit line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines
"Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch",
"Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
If you would like to submit a review for inclusion in our Midwest Book
Review publications, please send an email request to ***@execpc.com for
our "Reviewer Guidelines". We invite your comments, questions and
suggestions.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129
Simple Soft Furnishings
Katrin Cargill
Firefly Books Ltd.
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
www.fireflybooks.com
155407018X $24.95 1-800-387-5085
Sewing projects can transform a home, especially with Katrin Cargill's
Simple Soft Furnishings: 50 Stylish Home Sewing Projects To Transform
Your Home in hand, which provides 50 projects ranging from cushions to
fine curtains and table linens. Five key areas of the home where soft
furnishings apply are reviewed in the course of project tips, which
include how to avoid common problems. Materials list, color photos, and
step-by-step instructions make Simple Soft Furnishings particularly
accessible to beginners.
Special Knits
Debbie Bliss
Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
157976302X $25.00 1-800-423-4525
Hand knitters who want to produce classics for babies and toddlers will
find Special Knits by knitting expert Debbie Bliss to be an outstanding
collection by a someone who has over a dozen books on children's
knitwear to her name. All types of designs, from pullovers and caps to
wraps, clover classic styles and include patterns appropriate for all
levels of knitter. Lovely color photos of kids wearing the finished
products provide inspiration and illustration.
Knitting
Anne Bartlett
Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 92116
0618499261 $23.00 1-800-225-3362
Admittedly, Knitting is a novel and could be reviewed under our
'Fiction' section - but it's featured here for its specialized
background and potential interest to knitting enthusiasts. Two talented
knitters are polar opposites in other ways: widow and teacher Sandra is
still adjusting to life without Jack when she meets a fellow knitter
who appears to have adjusted well to her own grief. The two form an
uncertain friendship when an exhibition of knitting involves them, with
some unusual revelations evolving from a professional interest. Plenty
of knitting insights and references throughout make Knitting an
intriguing novel -- especially for needlecraft enthusiasts!
XRX Books Inc,
Box 1525, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-1525
www.knittinguniverse.com
Five excellent sewing guides from XRX Books offer a range of projects
and applications not to be found in competing titles. Take Bags: A
Knitter's Dozen (1893762-203, $15.95): gorgeous photos by Alexis
Xenakis provide colorful visual embellishment to projects which are
zippy and original in design and colors. Knitted backpacks, totes and
handbags are intriguing and patterns and variations for each will
appeal to any with basic knitting skills. Those with such skills will
also relish the 'Best of Knitter's' title Arans & Celtics (189376205X,
$19.95): from crossing cables and producing refined Aran styles to
producing a Celtic pullover. Each project receives a full-page color
photo of a model wearing the finished result, patterns, step-by-step
instructions and more. Narrow the focus even more with Ethnic Socks &
Stockings: A Compendium Of Eastern Design & Technique by Priscilla A.
Gibson-Roberts (0964639106, $28.95): lovely designs from Bulgarian
floral motifs to Turkish stockings which look almost like miniature
rugs make for intriguing projects out of the ordinary in appearance and
presentation. As colorful socks are a fad at the moment, Ethnic Socks &
Stockings promises to be of even more interest. Madelyn van der Hoogt
edits The Best Of Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump (1783762-114, $28.95):
third in the 'best of weaver's' series, and packed with articles and
tips from the magazine. Unusual textures are the focus of The Best Of
Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump: design and weaving theory for all weave
structures which defy the usual flat fabric will especially appeal to
experienced fabric crafters who have textured fabrics they wish to use
for projects. From waffle dishtowels, to honeycomb pouches, to pleated
scarves, The Best Of Weaver's: Fabrics That Go Bump is packed with
ideas. Meg Swansen gathers A Gathering Of Lace (18937-62246, $29.95), a
collection of both traditional and modern lace knitting patterns for
sweater, vests, gloves, socks and more. Each comes with a pattern,
close-up shots of the lace-like kni, and model wearing the knit, with
shots of both front and back. From unusual feather and spiral shawl
lace patterns to Shetland, Mediterranean and Bridal Knots, A Gathering
Of Lace is packed with gorgeous ideas. Ginger Luters' Module Magic:
Creative Projects To Knit One Block At A Time (1893762165, $19.95)
shows how to use knitted squares or triangle pieces to produce finished
projects. The 'one block at a time' approach is perfect for a range of
sweaters, pillows, and many other projects: projects include photos of
finished results, patterns, and tips on piecing together swatches and
triangles for a range of results. Ponchos & Wraps: A Baker's Dozen
(1933064013, $15.95) presents a wide range of poncho styles for
knitters, displaying both finished products on models and the close-ups
of pattern charts which lend to their creation. Add step-by-step
instructions to the variety mix and you have a knitter's treasure trove
of poncho ideas.
Quilted Bags In A Weekend
Ellen Kharade
Creative Arts & Crafts
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
1580112420 $19.95 www.amazon.com
Quilted Bags In A Weekend: 25 Purses, Totes, And Bags That You Can Make
In No Time by needlecraft expert Ellen Kharade is enhanced with more
than 250 color photographs, illustrations, and templates showcasing
charming, contemporary designs that can be created by even the most
novice needlecraft. Replete with practical "how to" advice with respect
to crating stylish shoppers, purses, totes, and evening bags from old
scraps and leftover pieces of fabric, each individual project is
provided with clear, step-by-step artworks and a techniques section
with start-to-finish expert instruction. From a floral beach tote, to a
ribbon-motif flannel satchel, to a leaf-print evening bag, there is a
wealth of imaginative creativity in Quilted Bags In A Weekend!
Creative Decorating With Ribbons
Mary Jo Hiney, et al.
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
1402713541 $24.95 1-800-805-5489
The collaborative work of renowned needlecrafters Mary Jo Hiney,
Marinda Stewart, Katheryn Tidwell Foutz, and Vanessa-Ann, Creative
Decorating With Ribbons showcases fifty-four superbly presented ribbon
projects. Using a simple-to-learn, classic needlecraft art to add color
and style to special household objects and gifts, readers will be able
to create a Linen Pillow, Mini Chair, Lace Shoes, Sachet, Brocade Lamp,
Lily Wreath, Romance & Love Pillow, Angel Wreath, Floral Purse, and
dozens of other simply beautiful ribbon projects. Each of these
projects offers fully illustrated, "user friendly" instructions on
using basic embroidery stitches and ribbon-work techniques. Creative
Decorating With Ribbons is the perfect addition for a well rounded
personal or community library Needlecraft collection.
Passing On The Comfort
Lynn Kaplanian-Buller and An Keuning-Tichelaar
Good Books
PO Box 419, Intercourse, PA 17534-0419
www.goodbks.com
1561484822 $14.95 1-800-762-7171
Nazi occupied Holland found An risking her life caring for war-time
refugees, including hiding a Jewish baby in her hand-luggage when on a
ferry that draws gunfire -- distracting a German guard at a bridge so a
fugitive without a pass can be bicycled across; and at one time
stuffing documents under a body lying in state in a room in her home
when German soldiers suddenly launch a raid. During those years of
occupation, there were groups of women across North America meeting in
sewing circles to make quilts for devastated families throughout
Europe, doing what they could to provide comfort and courage during an
horrific war. Twenty years later Lynn comes to Amsterdam, discovering
that the quilts her grandmother, her aunts, and other older women in
her childhood church had made for war ravaged families in Holland still
survived and warmly regarded. Lynn goes searching for the owners of 19
of these work-worn these quilts and their individual stories. This is
how she encounters An with whom she collaborates to tell these stories
enhanced with war time photos revealing these quilts to be more than
just needlecraft treasures from a desperate yesteryear, but enduring
testaments that will inspire today's needlecrafters not to turn away
from helping others with the fruits of their own handmade labors.
Passing On The Comfort: The War, The Quilts, And The Women Who Made A
Difference should be read by every needlecrafter in every generation.
Taunton Press
PO Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
www.taunton.com
Sewers will welcome two excellent basic guides which should become
standard references. Stephanie Valley's Embellishments A To Z
(1561583073, $19.95) covers applique, stitchery, fringing, devore,
ribbons and more: virtually any kind of embellishment technique needed
to accent a sewing project. Each technique receives an explanation,
supplies list, photos and step-by-step, clear directions to provide
explanations on usage and how to create. Sandr Betzina's Fast Fit: Easy
Pattern Alterations For Every Figure (1561584-940, $24.95) is even more
useful: it's simply a 'must' for any sewer who works with clothing,
simplifying the process of pattern fitting and alterations for all
bodies. Problems and fast fit solutions provide step-by-step tips,
fitting fact sidebars, and solutions for everything from large upper
arms and twisted sleeves to rounded bodies and princess seams.
Martingale Company
20205 - 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
The difference between Linden Eard and Beryl Hiatt's Handknit Style:
Contemporary Sweaters From Tricoter (1564775801 $34.95) and competing
titles lies in its focus on spectacular yarns and the Tricoter style.
Sixteen patterns in this style focus on color work and added features
from ruffled cuffs to fringes, ribbing, and styles such as the kimono
which can translate to other fashions. From sizing and material options
to fold-out pages of patterns, Handknit Style is packed with lovely
contemporary style options. Sandy Bonsib's Tried And True: New Quilts
From Favorite Blocks (1564776026, $23.95) uses basic blocks and easy
sewing to turn familiar designs into something special. Ten quiltprojects use easily-made, familiar blocks as foundation patterns for
new ideas. Beginning knitters will love Luise Roberts and Kate Haxell's
First Knits: Projects For Beginning Knitters (1564775607, $24.95): it's
packed with techniques which take beginners from the first loop to a
finished project, using illustrated project 'workshops' as a basis for
demonstrating techniques and their knitting applications. The close-up
color step-by-step photos of knitting moves in action allow beginners
an easy format to follow: while lie-flat binding may have helped the
process, First Knits is still an exceptional recommendation.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to
promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We
accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to
post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites,
newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational
newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book
Review a credit line when doing so.
The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines
"Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch",
"Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
If you would like to submit a review for inclusion in our Midwest Book
Review publications, please send an email request to ***@execpc.com for
our "Reviewer Guidelines". We invite your comments, questions and
suggestions.
James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129