Difference between revisions of "Newest Crafts Reviews"

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[[Category:Crafts|*]]
 
[[Category:Crafts|*]]
 
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=0811771741
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|title=InstaKnits for Baby
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|author=Melissa Leapman
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|rating=4
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|genre=Crafts
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|summary=Melissa Leapman's ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a collection of knits from toys to blankets.  Some will be quick knits - others are of the 'long, cosy afternoons in front of the fire' variety.  The projects are divided by the time they'll take to complete - less than five hours, five to ten hours, ten to twenty hours and more than twenty hours.  All the projects are attractive, modern and useable.  I perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that's me being picky.
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}}
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=1635866243
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|title=The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook
 +
|author=Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth
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|rating=4.5
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|genre=Crafts
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|summary=''I quickly discovered that putting words and numbers on a page wasn't enough.  Creating a pattern that was correct, clear, concise, and consistent required a great deal of trial and error, patience, and perseverance.'' (Introduction byFrancoise Danoy)
  
{|class-"wikitable" cellpadding="15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->
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A friend recently showed me a knitting pattern for which she'd paid good money.  The first line of the instructions began: ''Cast off 100 stitches...''  It was clear that no good could come of this - the instructions didn't get any better - and (finally) PayPal obliged with a refund when the seller refused as she couldn't afford the repayment.  The pattern looked pretty, but the creator didn't have the basic knowledge and skills to enable her to connect with her knitters.  She should have read ''The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook''.
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}}
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=1529507987
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|title=The Repair Shop Craft Book
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|author=Walker Books and Sonia Albert (Illustrator)
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|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 +
|summary=I love ''The Repair Shop''.  It's my go-to programme when I want to be cheered up.  After a hard day, there's nothing better than watching experts repair treasured items without ever mentioning what they're worth.  You see, the value is in what these possessions are worth to the people who own them and the memories they hold.  No expense appears to be spared and the experts spend as much time and effort as is required to achieve the desired result.  Regular viewers know the experts and they're all brilliant at explaining what it is they're doing.  But how did they start?
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}}
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{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=0760379912
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|title=Super Easy Quilting for Beginners
 +
|author=Editors of Quarry Books
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|rating=4
 +
|genre=Crafts
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|summary=I learned patchworking from necessity: old or outgrown clothes needed to be turned into something new and usable when I was in my twenties.  It would be a while before it became a pleasure rather than a chore but I've never felt completely at home with quilting.  I needed something a little more stylish than my usual buttons or knots.  ''Super Easy Quilting for Beginners'' seemed like a good place to start.  So, how did it stack up?
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}}
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=0760379874
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|title=Super Easy Knitting for Beginners
 +
|author=Carri Hammett
 +
|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Crafts
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|summary=I learned to knit in the nineteen-fifties: it wasn't a choice, it was a requirement.  Girls learned to knit and to embroider and boys did wood and metal work.  My knitting wa accompanied by a lot of criticism and quite a few tears: it was a long time before I realised that there was pleasure to be had in the skill.  Nearly seventy years later it's the only thing that keeps my hands at all supple.  The turning point was a booklet published by Patons which gave all the basics and some patterns.  I've been looking for something simple to recommend to people who'd like to master the skill.  So, how did ''Super Easy Knitting For Beginners'' work out?
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}}
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=0760373531
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|title=Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World
 +
|author=Sue Flanders
 +
|rating=5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=Just occasionally you encounter a book of knitting patterns that seems to meet your every need.  Right now, it's bitterly cold and we're in the sandwich filling between two storms: I need socks, scarves, hats and mittens.  They have to look stylish, keep me warm and be so cheerful that they make me feel better.  If that sounds like a lot to ask, have a look at ''Cozy Knits'': it has thirty designs for those necessary items and I don't think that there was one of them which I couldn't see myself wearing.  We start with an introduction by Nancy Bush which gives some of the history of knitting.  It's not essential but it's a nice extra.
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}}
 +
{{Frontpage
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|isbn=0760373558
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|title=Nordic Knits
 +
|author=Sue Flanders
 +
|rating=4
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=I was so delighted by Sue Flanders' [[Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World by Sue Flanders|Cozy Knits]] that I didn't need any persuading at all to pick up her ''Nordic Knits''.  This delivers forty-four patterns inspired by textiles and local traditions from Norway, Sweden and Iceland.  There are a few sweaters or jackets but the majority of patterns are for smaller items such as mittens, gloves, hats and bags.  All are bright and cheerful and very cosy.
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}}
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{{Frontpage
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|isbn=1635864070
 +
|title=Knit 2 Socks in 1
 +
|author=Safiyyah Talley
 +
|rating=4
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=If you've ever started knitting a pair of socks, finished the first one and either got bored by the idea of doing the same thing all over again, or started on the second sock and lost the first before you finished it, this is the book for you. Where is it that single socks go to hide? Safiyyah Talley has developed a system that allows you to knit two socks in one, divide them up and have a perfectly finished pair of socks. Sounds good? It's clever and well-thought-out.
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}}
  
<!-- Pallant  -->
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{{Frontpage
|-
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|isbn=1529393930
| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|
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|title=Making a Living: How to Craft Your Business
[[image:Pallant_Star.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1405285222?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1405285222]]
+
|author=Sophie Rochester
 +
|rating=5
 +
|genre=Crafts
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|summary=''Starting a creative business has never been easier.''
  
 +
''If not now, when?''
  
| style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|
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I know that I'm not alone in having wondered whether or not I could turn my hobby into a businessThere's a lot of motivation to do so: I make more items than we can sensibly use and there are a lot of people who have been delighted to accept what I make as gifts. Selling would offset the costs, which can be quite considerable and it could be fun to do, couldn't it?  But where to start? What do I need to think about?  Well, the first thing anyone who is considering turning a crafting hobby into a business should do is to read ''Making a Living''.
===[[Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model by Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning]]===
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}}
 
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{{Frontpage
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
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|isbn=1635862353
 
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|title=The Sandalmaking Workshop
One of the unexpected results of making a rough-and-ready sci-fi film back in the 1970s, was that George Lucas left a whole generation capable of spelling Millennium. In amongst all the iconic inventions for the film, his design team left him – and us – with a very loveable, very fast and very asymmetrical space ship. How is it balanced when the cockpit is stuck out one side? What is that dish-like array doing on what seems to act as the top? And where can you get your own? Well, beyond the rarity and great cost of the Lego model, I can at least provide one answer to those three pertinent questions, and that answer is… here. [[Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model by Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning|Full Review]]
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|author=Rachel Corry
 
 
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[[image:McLelland_Press.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1788002172?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1788002172]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns by Kate McLelland]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
It's the weekend and I've been indulging myself. There's something about a unicorn which appeals to me and a little bit of research into a book of press-out unicorns, clouds and rainbows seemed like the ideal way to spend a Saturday morning. You get twenty designs in the book and they're all decorated with pink foil: even if you don't want to add any further colouring they're still going to look great, but because the pages are a substantial card you have the opportunity to use crayons, felt tips or even paints to add your own personal touch. [[Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns by Kate McLelland|Full Review]]
 
 
 
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[[image:Chou_Make.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1788000064?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1788000064]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Make and Play: Nativity by Joey Chou]]===
 
 
 
[[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children's Non-Fiction|Children's Non-Fiction]], [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
I always feel a slight disappointment for children at Christmas when they're presented with a tree to decorate with a box of ornaments and a nativity scene (sometimes quite precious, so it's Not To Be Played With) which is set up Somewhere SafeWhere's the imagination, the creativity, the sense of pride in that?  How much better to have a child create their own nativity scene, which they can then play with?  That's exactly what they get with Joey Chou's ''Make and Play Nativity''. [[Make and Play: Nativity by Joey Chou|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- V&A -->
 
|-
 
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[[image:V&A_Embroidery.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0500293279?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0500293279]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Embroidery: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
In ''Embroidery: A Maker's Guide'' we get a brief introduction to the craft by James Merry, embroidery artist, information on the tools you'll need, materials you can utilise and a guide to the stitches you'll be using.  If you're just thinking about starting embroidery and not certain which type will suit you best or someone who's experienced in one area but wanting to branch out this book could be an ideal starting point.  There are over 230 glorious photographs (of items from the V&A collections)  and illustrations covering 15 styles of embroidery and giving all the information and designs you'll need for 15 projects. [[Embroidery: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- V&A -->
 
|-
 
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[[image:V&A_Patchwork.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0500293260?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0500293260]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]], [[:Category:Art|Art]]
 
 
 
Patchwork is a magical craft: you can take relatively small pieces of material and turn them into another piece of material with an entirely different pattern. Quilting converts a topper and a backing fabric with some wadding in between into a fabric of an entirely different weight. Combine the two crafts and you have something more than magical, occasionally fashionable but always deeply satisfying. But where to start, when there are so many different styles of both crafts? One answer is to read ''Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide'' which looks - as the cover says - at styles from Italian trapunto to Korean jogakbo and then delivers fifteen projects inspired by the V&A collections. [[Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- BM -->
 
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[[image:BM_Origami.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0857639382?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0857639382]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Origami, Poems and Pictures by The British Museum]]===
 
 
 
[[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]], [[:Category:Art|Art]]
 
 
 
Sometimes you find a delight of a book. On an afternoon when it was unseasonably cold and decidedly wet I discovered ''Origami, Poems and Pictures'' and I was transported to Japan. As the title suggests we're looking at three celebrated arts and crafts: the ancient art of paper folding, haiku poetry and painting. I'll confess that it was the origami which caught my attention, but I was surprised by the extent to which the rest of the book caught my imagination. We begin with something very simple: a boat and in case you're worried, all the entries have a degree of difficulty (from 'simple' through to 'tricky') and this one is at the lowest level. [[Origami, Poems and Pictures by The British Museum|Full Review]]
 
 
 
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[[image:Ljung_Butterfly.jpg|left|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1847809154/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Build a ... Butterfly by Kiki Ljung]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children's Non-Fiction|Children's Non-Fiction]], [[:Category:Animals and Wildlife|Animals and Wildlife]], [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
I love butterflies: they're one of the delights of my garden and it's always a pleasure when there are children there and they see a butterfly close up, possibly for the first time, as it rests on a flower. Kiki Ljung has given us the opportunity to learn about butterflies and also to build a 3D model of our own. The book is primarily aimed at the five to eight year old age group, but I have to confess that I had a great deal of fun building my own painted lady. I learned quite a bit too! [[Build a ... Butterfly by Kiki Ljung|Full Review]]
 
<br>
 
 
 
<!-- MULDOON -->
 
|-
 
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[[image:Muldoon_Gift.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788000099/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Gift Boxes to Colour and Make: A Year of Celebrations by Eilidh Muldoon]]===
 
 
 
[[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
Have you ever tried wrapping a small gift, or those handmade sweets or biscuits you've prepared for a friend?  It's not easy is it?  If you use wrapping paper the gift tends to lose ''presence'' and once you start to use glass jars the gift becomes really quite expensive and less easy to transport. Do you find colouring relaxing and rewarding but somehow it feels just a little bit ''too'' indulgent if all you do is turn to the next page and start colouring that?  Would you get more out of it if you could use what you've coloured for a practical purpose?  The ideal solution to both problems is ''Gift Boxes to Colour and Make: A Year of Celebrations'' by Eilidh Muldoon. [[Gift Boxes to Colour and Make: A Year of Celebrations by Eilidh Muldoon|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- Reeve -->
 
|-
 
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[[image:Reeve_Pug.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0192764047/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Pug-a-Doodle-Do! by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
I was reading a book so utterly different to this the other day, it has to bear mention.  It was an exceedingly academic book about graphic novels and comics for the YA audience, and it featured an essay picking up on the way books like the fill-in-bits-yourself entries in the Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries series (such as [[Dork Diaries: How to Dork Your Diary by Rachel Renee Russell|this one]]) let you interact with the franchise, and also to create your own content.  There was some weird high-falutin' academic language to describe such books – but you know whatI say (redacted) to that – let's just hang it and have fun.  And this book, spinning off from the four books this partnership has so far been responsible for, is certainly a provider of that. [[Pug-a-Doodle-Do! by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- Jones -->
 
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[[image:Jones_Colouring.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788000897/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Unicorns and Rainbows by Rebecca Jones]]===
 
 
 
[[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
I've a problem with many colouring books for children: some initial effort goes into the colouring, but the chances are that little will be kept on a long-term basis and it's not particularly satisfying.  How much better would it be if the colouring produced something which could be sent to someone else, who would appreciate that it's unique and that effort and care has gone into the card?  How much better to give a child something like ''The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Unicorns and Rainbows'' than an ordinary colouring book which will soon be discarded? [[The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Unicorns and Rainbows by Rebecca Jones|Full Review]]
 
 
 
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[[image:Tristram_Year.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1782405348/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[My Year in Small Drawings: Notice, Draw, Appreciate by Matilda Tristram]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
In recent years there has been an upsurge in the publication of 'interactive' books, designed to spark our creativity. Colouring books for adults, as well as my teenage daughter's current favourite: ''Wreck This Journal,'' seek to tap into our creative side, whilst promoting mindfulness and relaxation. By actively encouraging us to slow down and look at the world around us, books like these enable us to take time out of our busy lives and just enjoy the present moment. And this method must be working, because they are proving incredibly popular. I was intrigued, therefore, at the idea behind ''My Year in Small Drawings,'' which invites readers to create a visual diary of the world around us by creating a series of small pictures on a given subject. [[My Year in Small Drawings: Notice, Draw, Appreciate by Matilda Tristram|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- Flintham -->
 
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[[image:Flintham_Around.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1788000005/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Around the World Colouring Book by Thomas Flintham]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
Colouring books are a useful way for children to relax, develop manual dexterity and explore colour, but in the dash to appeal to the child so many miss the opportunity to be gently educational ''and'' to still appeal to the young.  The two are not mutually exclusive!  Look for instance at this colouring book: it's got page upon page of pictures to colour (with just a little narrative to set the scene) with the added attraction of four pages of stickers.  You'll see grey shapes - and that's the signal to get stickering! [[Around the World Colouring Book by Thomas Flintham|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- Rutherford -->
 
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[[image:Rutherford_Rainforest.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1782404430/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Rainforest Masks: Ten 3D Rainforest Masks to Press Out and Make by Gavin Rutherford and Tanya Batrak]]===
 
 
 
[[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
I have been having the most tremendous fun making rainforest masks: you know the effect that you get when a really talented face artist does a young child's face and you ''see'' the tiger?  Well, this is an even better result and it's in 3D.  All the creatures are, as you would expect, from the rainforest regions of the world, but there's decidedly more here than the usual suspects.  You get a green iguana, toucan, jaguar, emperor tamarin, blue morpho butterfly, red-eyed tree frog, Brazilian tapir, giant otter, blue-and-yellow macaw and the emerald tree boa.  Never heard of some of them?  Well, don't worry: the book is gently educational, with a paragraph telling you just enough about the creature. [[Rainforest Masks: Ten 3D Rainforest Masks to Press Out and Make by Gavin Rutherford and Tanya Batrak|Full Review]]
 
 
 
<!-- Fortune -->
 
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[[image:Fortune_Star.jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1405285389/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]
 
 
 
 
 
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===[[Star Wars: Imperial Assault Activity Book and Model (Star Wars Construction Books) by Emil Fortune and Neal Manning]]===
 
 
 
[[image:R4star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crafts|Crafts]]
 
 
 
Bobby, my U-Wing model, was feeling lonely.  Sure, he had a few select critters from Harry Potter on his shelf, but nothing else from his world.  Luckily, now he has a companion.  Unluckily, however, it's a baddy – one of the AT-ST Scout Walkers those nasty Empire people like to use to stride around and attack the good rebels.  But that aside, it is a very handsome companion. [[Star Wars: Imperial Assault Activity Book and Model (Star Wars Construction Books) by Emil Fortune and Neal Manning|Full Review]]
 
 
 
 
 
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{{newreview
 
|author=Tim Hopgood
 
|title=Doodle Dogs: Best in Show
 
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=A sandal-making workshop?  I couldn't really believe it, mainly because I'd always thought that you'd need more equipment than the average home was likely to be able to contain but I was intrigued.  Rachel Corry started sandal making accidentally - a small fire destroyed some of her shoes.  One pair had come apart and she could see how the sandal was constructed.  Then she realised that she couldn't afford to replace all her shoes.  Could she combine these two facts to create a new and worthwhile craft?  She showed quite a few people her first pair and they all either wanted to know how to do it - or if she'd make them a pair.  A new career was born.
 +
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=1783784350
 +
|title=This Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History
 +
|author=Esther Rutter
 +
|rating=5
 +
|genre=History
 +
|summary=It was December and Esther Rutter was stuck in her office job, writing to people she'd never met and preparing spreadsheets.  The job frustrated her and even her knitting did not soothe her mind.  January was going to be a time for making changes and she decided that she would travel the length and breadth of the British Isles with occasional forays abroad, discovering and telling the story of wool's history and how it had made and changed the landscape.  She'd grown up on a sheep farm in Suffolk - '' a free range child on the farm'' - and learned to spin, knit and weave from her mother and her mother's friend.  This was in her blood.
 +
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=Chou_Make
 +
|title=Make and Play: Nativity
 +
|author=Joey Chou
 +
|rating=5
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|summary=''Doodle Dogs'' introduces a wide variety of artistic styles through the idea of a dog show!  Tim Hopgood shows us different kinds of dogs, all of which can be created very easily, and you soon find that doodling a dog can be a lot more detailed, and interesting, than you perhaps previously appreciated!
+
|summary=I always feel a slight disappointment for children at Christmas when they're presented with a tree to decorate with a box of ornaments and a nativity scene (sometimes quite precious, so it's Not To Be Played With) which is set up Somewhere Safe.  Where's the imagination, the creativity, the sense of pride in that?  How much better to have a child create their own nativity scene, which they can then play with?  That's exactly what they get with Joey Chou's ''Make and Play Nativity''.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1509820817</amazonuk>
+
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=099334030X
 +
|title=Can You Draw the Dragosaur?
 +
|author=Peter Lynas and Charlie Roberts
 +
|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=You're going to get a hint of what this book's about very quickly.  When you see the title page, you'll find out what the book's called and that it's been written by Peter Lynas.  Then we move on to who has done the illustration - and there's a gap.  ''You'' are going to put your name there.  It's ''your'' responsibility to provide the pictures for this book about one of the largest creatures ever to roam the earth.  There's some help available, but your name is on the title page - and you have work to do!
 +
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=1635860334
 +
|title=Why We Quilt
 +
|author=Thomas Knauer
 +
|rating=4
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=I've often wondered about the story that patchwork quilting began as a way for women (and myth would have it that it was always women) to make an extra blanket out of material which would otherwise go to waste.  This undoubtedly ''did'' happen but when you think about it, you need an awful lot of material to make a quilt and the time could have been better spent if all that was required was bedding.  Like Thomas Knauer, I've come to the conclusion that it began as an art and has largely continued down that same road with fluctuations in popularity over the years.
 +
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=1419726625
 +
|title=The Mitten Handbook: Knitting Recipes to Make Your Own
 +
|author=Mary Scott Huff
 +
|rating=4
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=I love mittens - they're so convenient and much easier to get onto (and off) cold hands than a pair of fiddly gloves.  They're not something you regularly see in shops, so I knew that if I wanted new pairs I would have to knit them myself.  Well, actually, that's my rationalisation of the situation: in truth, I love knitting mittens.  They have just enough technique to make them satisfying, plenty of quick work and a pair of warm mittens in a few days.  Patterns, though - where do you get them from?
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|isbn=1621137775
|author=Warner Brothers
+
|title=Handbag Workshop: Design and Sew the Perfect Bag
|title=Harry Potter Colouring Book Celebratory Edition: The Best of Harry Potter colouring
+
|author=Anna M Mazur
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Imagine pages and pages of images from the Harry Potter books and films for you to colour as you wishYou ''might'' have seen some of the images before - I know I have - as they've appeared in the ''Harry Potter Colouring Book'', ''Harry Potter Magical Creatures Colouring Book'', and ''Harry Potter Magical Places and Characters Colouring Book'', but there are several exclusive never-before-seen images which will please the collector of Harry Potter memorabiliaIf you're in need of inspiration as to colours then you'll enjoy the sixteen pages of film stills, unit photography and concept art at the back of the book.
+
|summary=I love handbags, but I resent paying the prices demanded by manufacturers of 'good' bagsAdditionally, I often find a bag I like but the colour/shape/size/capacity/internal layout isn't ''quite'' what I had in mind, so I end up spending rather a lot of money and compromising.  The solution is to make my own bags and whilst I was confident about sewing fabric bags, I was nervous about using leather, not least because leather isn't very forgiving when it comes to mistakes and it's usually more expensive than fabric.  I needed helpAnna Mazur's ''The Handbag Workshop'' came to me free through NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783708255</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|isbn=1632506386
|author=Alice Bowsher
+
|title=The Knitter's Dictionary: Knitting Know-How from A to Z
|title=Lift-the-Flap and Colour: Ocean
+
|author=Kate Atherley
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=When you think about it, it's quite startling that oceans cover most of our planet and they're home to nearly half of all species, apart from humansWe don't know a lot about the oceans either - less than 5% of the area has been explored, but it is an area of outstanding beauty.  With Alice Bowsher's ''Lift-the-Flap and Colour: Ocean'' children as young as two have the opportunity to do a little exploration and to colour their own picturesThe flaps are a stroke of genius: when we look at the sea we see little more than the movement of the water, but how different it would be if you could see a little of what is going on underneath.
+
|summary=I've been knitting for well over sixty years, following patterns of varying complexity with success.  I've knit Aran sweaters, socks by the dozen and I'm currently knitting blankets for a charity to sellThere hasn't been an occasion when I've been stuck and people have often come to ''me'' for help when ''they've'' been stuckWould a knitter's dictionary really be of any help to me?  I was surprised by just how much I got out of it.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847809294</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Katie Scott and Kathy Willis
+
|isbn=1440248850
|title=Botanicum Activity Book
+
|title=Modern Patchwork Home: Dynamic Quilts and Projects for Every Room
 +
|author=Vivika DeNegre (Editor)
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Children and adults who enjoyed [[Botanicum (Welcome To The Museum) by Katie Scott and Kathy Willis]] are going to love the ''Botanicum Activity Book''.  Don't be misled by the suggestion that the book is aimed at the seven-plus age group: there's plenty in here for anyone who is still capable of holding a pen or pencil.
+
|summary=The problem with a craft which is largely based on traditional designs is that what results from your labours is also traditional, or - depending upon what light you shine on it - old-fashioned.  Vivika DeNegre has curated a collection of patterns from today's top designers.  As a word of warning, if you read ''Modern Patchwork Magazine'' you may well find that there's nothing new in the book, but if you're new to the magazine this could well prove to be a delightful collection from the back catalogue.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783706791</amazonuk>
+
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=Pallant_Star
 +
|title=Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model
 +
|author=Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning
 +
|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=One of the unexpected results of making a rough-and-ready sci-fi film back in the 1970s, was that George Lucas left a whole generation capable of spelling Millennium. In amongst all the iconic inventions for the film, his design team left him – and us – with a very loveable, very fast and very asymmetrical space ship. How is it balanced when the cockpit is stuck out one side? What is that dish-like array doing on what seems to act as the top? And where can you get your own? Well, beyond the rarity and great cost of the Lego model, I can at least provide one answer to those three pertinent questions, and that answer is… here.
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=DK
+
|isbn=McLelland_Press
|title=Forest Life and Woodland Creatures
+
|title=Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns
 +
|author=Kate McLelland
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=This book knows that if you're going to learn about forest life and the animals, plants and trees in it, then you're only going to be itching to go and explore the woods for yourself. It's for a very young audience, so always expects an adult hand to guide you – but provides a warm companion itself through several quick and easy tasks, and a few lessons. The balance between carrot and stick, or duty and reward, is great – but what exactly is the edutainment going to provide, and what will it demand of us?
+
|summary=It's the weekend and I've been indulging myself. There's something about a unicorn which appeals to me and a little bit of research into a book of press-out unicorns, clouds and rainbows seemed like the ideal way to spend a Saturday morning. You get twenty designs in the book and they're all decorated with pink foil: even if you don't want to add any further colouring they're still going to look great, but because the pages are a substantial card you have the opportunity to use crayons, felt tips or even paints to add your own personal touch.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241273110</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=DK
+
|isbn=V&A_Embroidery
|title=Sharks and Other Sea Creatures
+
|title=Embroidery: A Maker's Guide
 +
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Never before have I found much cause to point out the sort of lower-case, almost-a-subtitle wording on the front of a book.  I say that because very little of this is about sharks – so if you have a youngster intending to come here and learn all their bloodthirsty imagination can hold, then they may well be disappointed. If you take it on board that the 'other sea creatures' make up the bulk of the book, then all well and good.  And even better, if you expect yourself to ''make'' the bulk of said creatures…
+
|summary=In ''Embroidery: A Maker's Guide'' we get a brief introduction to the craft by James Merry, embroidery artist, information on the tools you'll need, materials you can utilise and a guide to the stitches you'll be using.  If you're just thinking about starting embroidery and not certain which type will suit you best or someone who's experienced in one area but wanting to branch out this book could be an ideal starting pointThere are over 230 glorious photographs (of items from the V&A collections)  and illustrations covering 15 styles of embroidery and giving all the information and designs you'll need for 15 projects.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241274389</amazonuk>
+
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=V&A_Patchwork
 +
|title=Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide
 +
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
 +
|rating=4.5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=Patchwork is a magical craft: you can take relatively small pieces of material and turn them into another piece of material with an entirely different pattern. Quilting converts a topper and a backing fabric with some wadding in between into a fabric of an entirely different weight. Combine the two crafts and you have something more than magical, occasionally fashionable but always deeply satisfying. But where to start, when there are so many different styles of both crafts? One answer is to read ''Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide'' which looks - as the cover says - at styles from Italian trapunto to Korean jogakbo and then delivers fifteen projects inspired by the V&A collections.
 +
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|isbn=BM_Origami
 +
|title=Origami, Poems and Pictures
 +
|author=The British Museum
 +
|rating=5
 +
|genre=Crafts
 +
|summary=Sometimes you find a delight of a book. On an afternoon when it was unseasonably cold and decidedly wet I discovered ''Origami, Poems and Pictures'' and I was transported to Japan. As the title suggests we're looking at three celebrated arts and crafts: the ancient art of paper folding, haiku poetry and painting. I'll confess that it was the origami which caught my attention, but I was surprised by the extent to which the rest of the book caught my imagination. We begin with something very simple: a boat and in case you're worried, all the entries have a degree of difficulty (from 'simple' through to 'tricky') and this one is at the lowest level.
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
Move on to [[Newest Crime Reviews]]

Latest revision as of 11:59, 30 November 2023

0811771741.jpg

Review of

InstaKnits for Baby by Melissa Leapman

4star.jpg Crafts

Melissa Leapman's InstaKnits for Baby gives us a collection of knits from toys to blankets. Some will be quick knits - others are of the 'long, cosy afternoons in front of the fire' variety. The projects are divided by the time they'll take to complete - less than five hours, five to ten hours, ten to twenty hours and more than twenty hours. All the projects are attractive, modern and useable. I perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that's me being picky. Full Review

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Review of

The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook by Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth

4.5star.jpg Crafts

I quickly discovered that putting words and numbers on a page wasn't enough. Creating a pattern that was correct, clear, concise, and consistent required a great deal of trial and error, patience, and perseverance. (Introduction byFrancoise Danoy)

A friend recently showed me a knitting pattern for which she'd paid good money. The first line of the instructions began: Cast off 100 stitches... It was clear that no good could come of this - the instructions didn't get any better - and (finally) PayPal obliged with a refund when the seller refused as she couldn't afford the repayment. The pattern looked pretty, but the creator didn't have the basic knowledge and skills to enable her to connect with her knitters. She should have read The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook. Full Review

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Review of

The Repair Shop Craft Book by Walker Books and Sonia Albert (Illustrator)

4.5star.jpg Children's Non-Fiction

I love The Repair Shop. It's my go-to programme when I want to be cheered up. After a hard day, there's nothing better than watching experts repair treasured items without ever mentioning what they're worth. You see, the value is in what these possessions are worth to the people who own them and the memories they hold. No expense appears to be spared and the experts spend as much time and effort as is required to achieve the desired result. Regular viewers know the experts and they're all brilliant at explaining what it is they're doing. But how did they start? Full Review

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Review of

Super Easy Quilting for Beginners by Editors of Quarry Books

4star.jpg Crafts

I learned patchworking from necessity: old or outgrown clothes needed to be turned into something new and usable when I was in my twenties. It would be a while before it became a pleasure rather than a chore but I've never felt completely at home with quilting. I needed something a little more stylish than my usual buttons or knots. Super Easy Quilting for Beginners seemed like a good place to start. So, how did it stack up? Full Review

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Review of

Super Easy Knitting for Beginners by Carri Hammett

4.5star.jpg Crafts

I learned to knit in the nineteen-fifties: it wasn't a choice, it was a requirement. Girls learned to knit and to embroider and boys did wood and metal work. My knitting wa accompanied by a lot of criticism and quite a few tears: it was a long time before I realised that there was pleasure to be had in the skill. Nearly seventy years later it's the only thing that keeps my hands at all supple. The turning point was a booklet published by Patons which gave all the basics and some patterns. I've been looking for something simple to recommend to people who'd like to master the skill. So, how did Super Easy Knitting For Beginners work out? Full Review

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Review of

Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World by Sue Flanders

5star.jpg Crafts

Just occasionally you encounter a book of knitting patterns that seems to meet your every need. Right now, it's bitterly cold and we're in the sandwich filling between two storms: I need socks, scarves, hats and mittens. They have to look stylish, keep me warm and be so cheerful that they make me feel better. If that sounds like a lot to ask, have a look at Cozy Knits: it has thirty designs for those necessary items and I don't think that there was one of them which I couldn't see myself wearing. We start with an introduction by Nancy Bush which gives some of the history of knitting. It's not essential but it's a nice extra. Full Review

0760373558.jpg

Review of

Nordic Knits by Sue Flanders

4star.jpg Crafts

I was so delighted by Sue Flanders' Cozy Knits that I didn't need any persuading at all to pick up her Nordic Knits. This delivers forty-four patterns inspired by textiles and local traditions from Norway, Sweden and Iceland. There are a few sweaters or jackets but the majority of patterns are for smaller items such as mittens, gloves, hats and bags. All are bright and cheerful and very cosy. Full Review

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Review of

Knit 2 Socks in 1 by Safiyyah Talley

4star.jpg Crafts

If you've ever started knitting a pair of socks, finished the first one and either got bored by the idea of doing the same thing all over again, or started on the second sock and lost the first before you finished it, this is the book for you. Where is it that single socks go to hide? Safiyyah Talley has developed a system that allows you to knit two socks in one, divide them up and have a perfectly finished pair of socks. Sounds good? It's clever and well-thought-out. Full Review

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Review of

Making a Living: How to Craft Your Business by Sophie Rochester

5star.jpg Crafts

Starting a creative business has never been easier.

If not now, when?

I know that I'm not alone in having wondered whether or not I could turn my hobby into a business. There's a lot of motivation to do so: I make more items than we can sensibly use and there are a lot of people who have been delighted to accept what I make as gifts. Selling would offset the costs, which can be quite considerable and it could be fun to do, couldn't it? But where to start? What do I need to think about? Well, the first thing anyone who is considering turning a crafting hobby into a business should do is to read Making a Living. Full Review

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Review of

The Sandalmaking Workshop by Rachel Corry

4.5star.jpg Crafts

A sandal-making workshop? I couldn't really believe it, mainly because I'd always thought that you'd need more equipment than the average home was likely to be able to contain but I was intrigued. Rachel Corry started sandal making accidentally - a small fire destroyed some of her shoes. One pair had come apart and she could see how the sandal was constructed. Then she realised that she couldn't afford to replace all her shoes. Could she combine these two facts to create a new and worthwhile craft? She showed quite a few people her first pair and they all either wanted to know how to do it - or if she'd make them a pair. A new career was born. Full Review

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Review of

This Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History by Esther Rutter

5star.jpg History

It was December and Esther Rutter was stuck in her office job, writing to people she'd never met and preparing spreadsheets. The job frustrated her and even her knitting did not soothe her mind. January was going to be a time for making changes and she decided that she would travel the length and breadth of the British Isles with occasional forays abroad, discovering and telling the story of wool's history and how it had made and changed the landscape. She'd grown up on a sheep farm in Suffolk - a free range child on the farm - and learned to spin, knit and weave from her mother and her mother's friend. This was in her blood. Full Review

Chou Make.jpg

Review of

Make and Play: Nativity by Joey Chou

5star.jpg Children's Non-Fiction

I always feel a slight disappointment for children at Christmas when they're presented with a tree to decorate with a box of ornaments and a nativity scene (sometimes quite precious, so it's Not To Be Played With) which is set up Somewhere Safe. Where's the imagination, the creativity, the sense of pride in that? How much better to have a child create their own nativity scene, which they can then play with? That's exactly what they get with Joey Chou's Make and Play Nativity. Full Review

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Review of

Can You Draw the Dragosaur? by Peter Lynas and Charlie Roberts

4.5star.jpg Crafts

You're going to get a hint of what this book's about very quickly. When you see the title page, you'll find out what the book's called and that it's been written by Peter Lynas. Then we move on to who has done the illustration - and there's a gap. You are going to put your name there. It's your responsibility to provide the pictures for this book about one of the largest creatures ever to roam the earth. There's some help available, but your name is on the title page - and you have work to do! Full Review

1635860334.jpg

Review of

Why We Quilt by Thomas Knauer

4star.jpg Crafts

I've often wondered about the story that patchwork quilting began as a way for women (and myth would have it that it was always women) to make an extra blanket out of material which would otherwise go to waste. This undoubtedly did happen but when you think about it, you need an awful lot of material to make a quilt and the time could have been better spent if all that was required was bedding. Like Thomas Knauer, I've come to the conclusion that it began as an art and has largely continued down that same road with fluctuations in popularity over the years. Full Review

1419726625.jpg

Review of

The Mitten Handbook: Knitting Recipes to Make Your Own by Mary Scott Huff

4star.jpg Crafts

I love mittens - they're so convenient and much easier to get onto (and off) cold hands than a pair of fiddly gloves. They're not something you regularly see in shops, so I knew that if I wanted new pairs I would have to knit them myself. Well, actually, that's my rationalisation of the situation: in truth, I love knitting mittens. They have just enough technique to make them satisfying, plenty of quick work and a pair of warm mittens in a few days. Patterns, though - where do you get them from? Full Review

1621137775.jpg

Review of

Handbag Workshop: Design and Sew the Perfect Bag by Anna M Mazur

4star.jpg Crafts

I love handbags, but I resent paying the prices demanded by manufacturers of 'good' bags. Additionally, I often find a bag I like but the colour/shape/size/capacity/internal layout isn't quite what I had in mind, so I end up spending rather a lot of money and compromising. The solution is to make my own bags and whilst I was confident about sewing fabric bags, I was nervous about using leather, not least because leather isn't very forgiving when it comes to mistakes and it's usually more expensive than fabric. I needed help. Anna Mazur's The Handbag Workshop came to me free through NetGalley in return for an unbiased review. Full Review

1632506386.jpg

Review of

The Knitter's Dictionary: Knitting Know-How from A to Z by Kate Atherley

4star.jpg Crafts

I've been knitting for well over sixty years, following patterns of varying complexity with success. I've knit Aran sweaters, socks by the dozen and I'm currently knitting blankets for a charity to sell. There hasn't been an occasion when I've been stuck and people have often come to me for help when they've been stuck. Would a knitter's dictionary really be of any help to me? I was surprised by just how much I got out of it. Full Review

1440248850.jpg

Review of

Modern Patchwork Home: Dynamic Quilts and Projects for Every Room by Vivika DeNegre (Editor)

4star.jpg Crafts

The problem with a craft which is largely based on traditional designs is that what results from your labours is also traditional, or - depending upon what light you shine on it - old-fashioned. Vivika DeNegre has curated a collection of patterns from today's top designers. As a word of warning, if you read Modern Patchwork Magazine you may well find that there's nothing new in the book, but if you're new to the magazine this could well prove to be a delightful collection from the back catalogue. Full Review

Pallant Star.jpg

Review of

Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model by Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning

4.5star.jpg Crafts

One of the unexpected results of making a rough-and-ready sci-fi film back in the 1970s, was that George Lucas left a whole generation capable of spelling Millennium. In amongst all the iconic inventions for the film, his design team left him – and us – with a very loveable, very fast and very asymmetrical space ship. How is it balanced when the cockpit is stuck out one side? What is that dish-like array doing on what seems to act as the top? And where can you get your own? Well, beyond the rarity and great cost of the Lego model, I can at least provide one answer to those three pertinent questions, and that answer is… here. Full Review

McLelland Press.jpg

Review of

Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns by Kate McLelland

4star.jpg Crafts

It's the weekend and I've been indulging myself. There's something about a unicorn which appeals to me and a little bit of research into a book of press-out unicorns, clouds and rainbows seemed like the ideal way to spend a Saturday morning. You get twenty designs in the book and they're all decorated with pink foil: even if you don't want to add any further colouring they're still going to look great, but because the pages are a substantial card you have the opportunity to use crayons, felt tips or even paints to add your own personal touch. Full Review

V&A Embroidery.jpg

Review of

Embroidery: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum

4star.jpg Crafts

In Embroidery: A Maker's Guide we get a brief introduction to the craft by James Merry, embroidery artist, information on the tools you'll need, materials you can utilise and a guide to the stitches you'll be using. If you're just thinking about starting embroidery and not certain which type will suit you best or someone who's experienced in one area but wanting to branch out this book could be an ideal starting point. There are over 230 glorious photographs (of items from the V&A collections) and illustrations covering 15 styles of embroidery and giving all the information and designs you'll need for 15 projects. Full Review

V&A Patchwork.jpg

Review of

Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide by Victoria and Albert Museum

4.5star.jpg Crafts

Patchwork is a magical craft: you can take relatively small pieces of material and turn them into another piece of material with an entirely different pattern. Quilting converts a topper and a backing fabric with some wadding in between into a fabric of an entirely different weight. Combine the two crafts and you have something more than magical, occasionally fashionable but always deeply satisfying. But where to start, when there are so many different styles of both crafts? One answer is to read Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide which looks - as the cover says - at styles from Italian trapunto to Korean jogakbo and then delivers fifteen projects inspired by the V&A collections. Full Review

BM Origami.jpg

Review of

Origami, Poems and Pictures by The British Museum

5star.jpg Crafts

Sometimes you find a delight of a book. On an afternoon when it was unseasonably cold and decidedly wet I discovered Origami, Poems and Pictures and I was transported to Japan. As the title suggests we're looking at three celebrated arts and crafts: the ancient art of paper folding, haiku poetry and painting. I'll confess that it was the origami which caught my attention, but I was surprised by the extent to which the rest of the book caught my imagination. We begin with something very simple: a boat and in case you're worried, all the entries have a degree of difficulty (from 'simple' through to 'tricky') and this one is at the lowest level. Full Review

Move on to Newest Crime Reviews