The Needlecraft Shelf
Midwest Book Review
Patchwork Puzzle Balls
Jinny Beyer
Breckling Press
283 Michigan Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
0972121854 $19.95 brecklingpress.com
In Patchwork Puzzle Balls, needlecraft expert Jinny Beyer shows how to
play with fabric in a truly unique and creative way through combining
simply patchwork shapes in the creation of a colorful and perfectly
round ball which can be used as a child's or pet's plaything, a holiday
ornament, or a decorative accent. Featuring nine quick and easy
patterns, four challenge designs, step-by-step drawings and
photography, each project requires only basic sewing skills to create
truly memorable works of the needlecrafting art. Patchwork Puzzle Balls
is especially commended to the attention of anyone who quilts from the
aspiring novice to the seasoned expert wanting to do something a little
different for gift giving or toy making.
The Amish Circle Quilt
Rosemary Youngs
KP Books/F&W Publications, Inc.
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
0873498917 $24.99 1-800-289-0963
Award-winning quilter Rosemary Youngs presents The Amish Circle Quilt:
121 Quilt Block Patterns That Tell A Story, an anthology of 121
actual-size piece and applique quilt block patterns and correspondence
between 11 women who maintained their friendships lifelong. A brief
introduction walks readers through the basics of quilting, but most of
the The Amish Circle Quilt is devoted to the patterns themselves and
the letters of true friends. A heartwarming survey of easy-to-make
Amish quilt blocks, excellent for direct use or inspiration for one's
own cozy creations.
Minnesota Quilts
Greg Winter & Lee Sandberg
Voyageur Press
123 North Second Street, Stillwater MN 55082-0338
www.voyageurpress.com
0896580792 $35.00 1-800-888-9653
Greg Winter's Minnesota Quilts: Creating Connections With Our Past is a
remarkable treasury of one-of-a-kind quilts and the stories of the
quilters who made them. Lee Sandberg's full-color photography
throu-ghout reveals each quilt's unique features, from a quilt
incorporating pages from an alphabet book to Irish Chain Quilts to
cross-stitch quilts and more. The text explores the connections that
quilts and quilting brought among individuals, families, and friends,
as well as the histories of individual quilts and fascinating vignettes
of those who owned the quilts destined to become museum pieces. A
beautiful collection and the perfect giftbook for quilters of all skill
and experience levels, whether as a source for inspiration or just a
breathtaking assembly of style and originality that is most enjoyable
to simply page through.
Lark Books
67 Broadway, Asheville NC 28801
www.larkbooks.com
Lark is known for lovely crafts and how-to guides, but their latest
beading project guides are a cut above even their own high-quality
offerings, presenting a much richer, thicker set of offerings with more
detail than beading books usually receive in project guides. 1000 Glass
Beads: Innovation & Imagination In Contemporary Glass Beadmaking
(1579904580, $24.95) provides an introduction by Cathy Finegan and over
400 pages of detail on glass bead works of art, from jewelry to
sculptures and functional projects. Packed with good-sized color photos
on every page, 1000 Glass Beads outlines contemporary bead artists'
works, includes a quote of their objectives, adds materials lists, and
offers much inspiration. Ditto for 500 Beaded Objects: New Dimensions
In Contemporary Beadwork (1579905498, $24.95), which goes beyond the
bead itself to review the various art works which use beads to generate
a finished piece. Again, packed with color photos and thick with
artist, materials and techniques insights, there's much food for
inspiration here.
Creative Arts/Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07548
www.creativehomeowner.com
Two wonderful crafts guides are picks for any crafter seeking new
projects with practical applications. Ellen Kharade's Quilted Bags In A
Weekend: 25 Purses, Totes, And Bags That You Can Make In No Time
(1580112420, $19.95) outlines over twenty designs for both experienced
quilters and novices alike. Here's a delightful range of purses,
evening bags and totes which can be pieced from leftovers to create a
unique piece of art. The inclusion of templates, clear instructions and
embellishments make these useful and delightful projects. Jema Hewitt's
Complete Beading: Jewelry & Accessories (158011-2234, $24.95) tells how
to create beaded jewelry and accessories ranging from anklets to
chokers. Pages packed with color step-by-step photo examples make it
particularly easy for beginners to produce satisfactory results from
first efforts. Sewers and quilts have three excellent guides which take
beginners into the world of the neo-professional with easy step-by-step
techniques, projects which produce polished, professional results in no
time, and simple reviews of key techniques. Chris Jeffreys' Learn To
Sew (15-80112439, $14.95) takes the beginner through all the basics of
sewing, packs in the color photos for examples throughout, and presents
practical projects for the home to reinforce the learning, from easy
pillow covers to curtains and bags. From cutting out to stitchery
techniques and choices, Learn To Sew is the perfect starting point for
all ages. Sharon Chambers' Learn To Machine Quilt (1580112390, $14.95)
offers instructions and photos for a range of projects for beginning
machine quilters, from a baby's blanket quilt to throws and bedspreads.
Color sidebar materials lists contrast with details on binding,
finishing, color coordination and contrasts, and much more, but the
heart of the guide lies in its focus on easy machine quilting
techniques that produce polished results. Continue the lesson and
follow up with Flora Roberts' Crazy Quilting In A Weekend: 25 Home
Décor Projects That You Can Make In No Time (180112412, $19.95),
offering over twenty designs which use the 'crazy quilt' concept to
create home accessories from pillows to laundry bags. Templates for
projects, techniques reviews, and easy numbered step-by-step
instructions compliment a host of color photos for each project. All
are highly recommended picks for beginners.
Arts & Crafts Patterns & Designs
Phoebe Ann Erb
Stemmer House
4 White Brook Road, Gilsum, NH 03448
0880451564 $7.95 www.stemmer.com
There are other pattern books readily available for the Art Nouveau and
Art Deco movements; but comparatively little for the Arts & crafts
movement: that's why Phoebe Erb's excellent reproductions of the era's
unique designs is so valuable. Erb researched among the crafts of the
period, from woodcuts to embroidery and ceramics, to create a handbook
of pattern designs of the era. Any who would reproduce the designs must
have Arts & Crafts Patterns & Designs.
Krause Publications
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.fwpubs.com
Stephanie Kimura's Bags And Accessories With Style (0873498115, $22.99)
will appeal across the board to a range of readers; from fashion
students to all levels of sewers and teachers alike. Stephanie Kimura
is a wearables artist who promotes creative sewing in her lectures:
Bags And Accessories With Style blends plenty of color photos of
complete projects with not only how-to instructions, but finishing
style tips. If it's more depth on just the bags you wish, don't miss
her Bags With Style (0873497406, $21.99), which covers bags alone, from
purses and totes and evening take-alongs. Detailed sewing and assembly
techniques accompany finishing touches such as beading or fringing,
with well over a hundred color photos depicting the finished products
in use. Both are outstanding project-oriented fashion guides.
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
Three fine new quilter's guides are different, recommended picks. Julia
C. Wood's Fabric Photo Play (1574328794, $19.95) allows quilters to
develop applique patterns from photos for use in not just quilts, but
for wallhangings, tote bags and more. You don't need an art background
to achieve this: not with Julia Wood's step-by-step photo examples on
how to accomplish this, from selecting fabrics to achieving the
transfer using photo-editing software. Judy Allen's Art Of Feather
Quilting (157432876X, $22.95) shows how to use crosshatching, crossover
designs, and feather patterns to produce both quilts and wearable art.
Feathers can be placed virtually anywhere using Allen's placement
techniques, which apply equally well to blocks, borders and even
corners and come packed with patterns for easy use. What's the perfect
gift for the avid busy quilter, besides more stash material? Klaudeen
Hansen and Annette Baker's Quilt Art 2006 Engagement Calendar
(1574328727, $12.95), of course: a practical, spiral-bound lay-flat
guide which juxtaposes a lovely set of winning quilt photos on one page
with blocks for a week on the opposing page.
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 m...@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