Difference between revisions of "Newest Crafts Reviews"

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{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning
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|isbn=0811771741
|title=Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model
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|title=InstaKnits for Baby
|rating=4.5
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|author=Melissa Leapman
 +
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|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 MillenniumIn 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 shipHow 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.
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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' varietyThe 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 hoursAll 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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405285222</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Kate McLelland
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|isbn=1635866243
|title=Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns
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|title=The Knitting Pattern Writing Handbook
|rating=4
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|author=Kristina McGrath and Sarah Walworth
 +
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=It's the weekend and I've been indulging myselfThere'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 morningYou 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.
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|summary=''I quickly discovered that putting words and numbers on a page wasn't enoughCreating a pattern that was correct, clear, concise, and consistent required a great deal of trial and error, patience, and perseverance.'' (Introduction byFrancoise Danoy)
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788002172</amazonuk>
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 +
A friend recently showed me a knitting pattern for which she'd paid good moneyThe 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''.
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Joey Chou
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|isbn=1529507987
|title=Make and Play: Nativity
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|title=The Repair Shop Craft Book
|rating=5
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|author=Walker Books and Sonia Albert (Illustrator)
 +
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|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 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''.
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|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 worthYou 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?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788000064</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
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|isbn=0760379912
|title=Embroidery: A Maker's Guide
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|title=Super Easy Quilting for Beginners
 +
|author=Editors of Quarry Books
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|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 usingIf 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.
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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 quiltingI 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?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0500293279</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
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|isbn=0760379874
|title=Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide
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|title=Super Easy Knitting for Beginners
 +
|author=Carri Hammett
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|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 patternQuilting converts a topper and a backing fabric with some wadding in between into a fabric of an entirely different weightCombine the two crafts and you have something  more than magical, occasionally fashionable but always deeply satisfyingBut 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.
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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 workMy 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 suppleThe turning point was a booklet published by Patons which gave all the basics and some patternsI'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?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0500293260</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Eilidh Muldoon
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|isbn=0760373531
|title=Gift Boxes to Colour and Make: A Year of Celebrations
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|title=Cozy Knits: 30 Hat, Mitten, Scarf and Sock Projects from Around the World
 +
|author=Sue Flanders
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=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 transportDo 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.
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|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 betterIf 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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788000099</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre
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|isbn=0760373558
|title=Pug-a-Doodle-Do!
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|title=Nordic Knits
|rating=4.5
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|author=Sue Flanders
|genre=Crafts
 
|summary=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 what?  I 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.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0192764047</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Rebecca Jones
 
|title=The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: Unicorns and Rainbows
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|summary=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?
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788000897</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author= Matilda Tristram
 
|title= My Year in Small Drawings: Notice, Draw, Appreciate
 
|rating= 4.5
 
|genre= Crafts
 
|summary=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.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782405348</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Thomas Flintham
 
|title=Around the World Colouring Book
 
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 
|summary=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!
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1788000005</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Gavin Rutherford and Tanya Batrak
 
|title=Rainforest Masks: Ten 3D Rainforest Masks to Press Out and Make
 
|rating=4.5
 
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=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 3DAll the creatures are, as you would expect, from the rainforest regions of the world, but there's decidedly more here than the usual suspectsYou 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.
+
|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 IcelandThere are a few sweaters or jackets but the majority of patterns are for smaller items such as mittens, gloves, hats and bagsAll are bright and cheerful and very cosy.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1782404430</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Emil Fortune and Neal Manning
+
|isbn=1635864070
|title=Star Wars: Imperial Assault Activity Book and Model (Star Wars Construction Books)
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|title=Knit 2 Socks in 1
 +
|author=Safiyyah Talley
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=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.
+
|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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405285389</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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|author=Tim Hopgood
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{{Frontpage
|title=Doodle Dogs: Best in Show
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|isbn=1529393930
|rating=4.5
+
|title=Making a Living: How to Craft Your Business
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|author=Sophie Rochester
|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!
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1509820817</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author=The British Museum
 
|title=Origami, Poems and Pictures
 
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|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.
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|summary=''Starting a creative business has never been easier.''
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857639382</amazonuk>
+
 
}}
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''If not now, when?''
{{newreview
 
|author=Warner Brothers
 
|title=Harry Potter Colouring Book Celebratory Edition: The Best of Harry Potter colouring
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|summary=Imagine pages and pages of images from the Harry Potter books and films for you to colour as you wish.  You ''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 memorabilia.  If 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.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783708255</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
  
{{newreview
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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 giftsSelling 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''.
|author=Alice Bowsher
 
|title=Lift-the-Flap and Colour: Ocean
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 
|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 beautyWith 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 pictures. The 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.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847809294</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Kiki Ljung
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|isbn=1635862353
|title=Build a ... Butterfly
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|title=The Sandalmaking Workshop
 +
|author=Rachel Corry
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
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|genre=Crafts
|summary=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 flowerKiki 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 ladyI learned quite a bit too!
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|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 constructedThen 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 pairA new career was born.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847809154</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Katie Scott and Kathy Willis
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|isbn=1783784350
|title=Botanicum Activity Book
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|title=This Golden Fleece: A Journey Through Britain's Knitted History
|rating=4
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|author=Esther Rutter
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
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|rating=5
|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.
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|genre=History
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783706791</amazonuk>
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|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.
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=DK
+
|isbn=Chou_Make
|title=Forest Life and Woodland Creatures
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|title=Make and Play: Nativity
|rating=4
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|author=Joey Chou
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
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|rating=5
|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?
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241273110</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
{{newreview
 
|author=DK
 
|title=Sharks and Other Sea Creatures
 
|rating=4
 
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
 
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
|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 bookI 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…
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|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 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''.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0241274389</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Lucasfilm
+
|isbn=099334030X
|title=Star Wars Art of Colouring The Force Awakens
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|title=Can You Draw the Dragosaur?
 +
|author=Peter Lynas and Charlie Roberts
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Without giving any spoilers away, the end of ''The Force Awakens'' sees a character and their peace interruptedWhile said person probably has The Force to give them some restful ease, you never know what else they usedThey may, for one, have dabbled in colouring-in books, and their much-lauded effect on the mind – that of calming it, and providing a meditative, simple yet creative task for itWhether that is the case or not, there are books set in the ''Star Wars'' universe for people to join in in that way – and this is the best I've seen.
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|summary=You're going to get a hint of what this book's about very quicklyWhen you see the title page, you'll find out what the book's called and that it's been written by Peter LynasThen 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!
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405285796</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Katrina Pallant and Kate Rhodes
+
|isbn=1635860334
|title=Star Wars Make and Do
+
|title=Why We Quilt
|rating=3
+
|author=Thomas Knauer
 +
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=For the right young mind, their favourite franchises just don't end with watching them once or twice and that's it.  Given great characters they will want to write them into their own stories, or re-enact their dramas in the playgroundIf things get a bit more sedate, some of them can be convinced to sit diligently working on craft projects, which is where this book comes inIt latches on to the biggest names in the Star Wars universe, and allows you to either draw or create them, or both.  But while the 'why don't you?' spirit is strong with this one, I remain unconvinced the results will please everyone.
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|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 wasteThis 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 beddingLike 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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405279974</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Peter Korn
+
|isbn=1419726625
|title=Why We Make Things and Why It Matters: The Education of a Craftsman
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|title=The Mitten Handbook: Knitting Recipes to Make Your Own
 +
|author=Mary Scott Huff
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Autobiography
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary='My intuition from the day I first picked up a hammer was that making things with a commitment to quality would lead to a good life,' Peter Korn writes. As an aimless, free-spirited University of Pennsylvania student, he moved to Nantucket Island to earn the rest of his college credits through independent study and happened to be offered a carpentry job. That arbitrary job choice at the age of twenty would come to define the rest of his career. Manual labour was all new to him, but 'from the start there was a mind/body wholeness to carpentry that put it way ahead of what I imagined office work to be.'
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|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?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1784705063</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Warner Brothers
+
|isbn=1621137775
|title=Harry Potter: Magical Artefacts Colouring Book
+
|title=Handbag Workshop: Design and Sew the Perfect Bag
 +
|author=Anna M Mazur
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=With a big production film you can be almost overwhelmed by all that's there to see, but what most of us forget is that in the film-maker's archive there's an awful lot which we never get to see.  ''Harry Potter: Magical Artefacts Colouring Book'' is packed with stunning pieces of artwork from the Warner Brothers archive, giving you the chance to colour the magic of J K Rowling's wizarding worldThere are the props from the Harry Potter films: an enchanted map, a piece of jewellery that can turn back time, vials full of liquid memories and newspapers with moving photosWhat an inventive brain that woman has!
+
|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 fabricI needed helpAnna Mazur's ''The Handbag Workshop'' came to me free through NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783705922</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Lucasfilm
+
|isbn=1632506386
|title=Star Wars Rogue One: Art of Colouring
+
|title=The Knitter's Dictionary: Knitting Know-How from A to Z
|rating=3.5
+
|author=Kate Atherley
 +
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Colour me happy that ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' is aroundWhile I've not had the chance of seeing it yet, I'm dead chuffed it takes place at a central point of the main arc of films' storylines, and not some nebulous place elsewhere in [[Star Wars: Galactic Atlas by Emil Fortune and Tim McDonagh|that galaxy far, far away]]Yes, it does do what the 'new trilogy' did, and have much more gloss and many more technologies than the films set after it, but what is not to like?  Well, the expected expenditure on tie-in books and articles, I guess – several hundred pounds on ''one'' collector's card is a little steepBut seeing as I handily mentioned colouring above, in the vernacular, why not take it literally and use this large format paperback, promising ''100 Images to Inspire Creativity''?
+
|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>1405286377</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Paul Jarvis
+
|isbn=1440248850
|title=British Airways Colouring Book
+
|title=Modern Patchwork Home: Dynamic Quilts and Projects for Every Room
 +
|author=Vivika DeNegre (Editor)
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Over the past couple of years we've seen a lot of colouring books: flowers, patterns, fantasy creatures, characters and settings from television shows, films and books and lots more, but I can't recollect that we've ever before had one which featured a ''company''.  Mind you, British Airways, is rather special; iconic and rather more long lasting than most passing celebritiesIt has ''heritage'' and ''tradition''The ''British Airways Colouring Book'' is based on exclusive posters, photographs and artwork from the company's archives and the 46 images allow the reader to recreate these as they wish.  There's a bonus too: on the facing page of each image there's a potted history.  I passed the book to someone with an interest in BA and he found the book interesting and informative ''without'' even thinking of doing any colouring.
+
|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-fashionedVivika DeNegre has curated a collection of patterns from today's top designersAs 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>144566612X</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Rebecca Jones
+
|isbn=Pallant_Star
|title=The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: A Year of Celebrations
+
|title=Star Wars Millennium Falcon Book and Mega Model
 +
|author=Katrina Pallant and Neal Manning
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=I enjoy colouring: I find it relaxing and satisfying, but most colouring books have one big snag for me.  When you've finished, what use is what you've done?  If I'm investing quite a bit of time in producing something, I like it to be useful.  I'm a bit of a puritan about such matters!  It was therefore something of a relief when I found ''The Colouring Book of Cards and Envelopes: A Year of Celebrations'' - and before anyone starts to be pedantic about the title, you do get to colour the envelope too; in fact you colour the inside and the outside and all four faces of the cards.  There are even some stickers for you to seal the envelope.
+
|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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857638564</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Jody Revenson
+
|isbn=McLelland_Press
|title=Incredibuilds: Buckbeak: Deluxe Model and Book Set (Harry Potter)
+
|title=Press Out and Decorate: Unicorns
|rating=4.5
+
|author=Kate McLelland
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|rating=4
|summary=The general perception is that to become a leading British actor, you need the fillip of Eton or somesuch education. But you don't have to be an actor to make a great film.  ''Gravity'' for instance has extended scenes where the only thing natural is the performers' faces – everything else, even their bodies, was made in Britain by people using computers.  The eight ''Harry Potter'' films, also made in the UK, needed a lot of computing power as well, but also a lot of craftsmen with their hands on tools and a keen eye. What better way to start training the young reader into that side of things, than with tasking them with making a, er, hippogriff?
+
|genre=Crafts
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783707232</amazonuk>
+
|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.
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Jody Revenson
+
|isbn=V&A_Embroidery
|title=Incredibuilds: Aragog: Deluxe Model and Book Set (Harry Potter)
+
|title=Embroidery: A Maker's Guide
 +
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=Aragog the giant spider, don't you know, took six man years just to build, and weighed a tonAfter countless trial models and pieces of visual design work, he could finally be constructed, and he stretched across eighteen feet of the studio floor. Or, conversely, he is about seven inches long and seven wide, and you put him together in a day or two, for the cost of this book-and-gift set and some craft paints.
+
|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 usingIf 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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783707240</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Jody Revenson
+
|isbn=V&A_Patchwork
|title=Incredibuilds: House-Elves: Deluxe Book and Model Set (Harry Potter)
+
|title=Patchwork and Quilting: A Maker's Guide
 +
|author=Victoria and Albert Museum
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-Fiction
+
|genre=Crafts
|summary=How do you create a house-elf like Dobby?  Well, you have a tennis ball on a string, and point actors so they look at it, and say their lines to a pretty-much empty space.  You then film Toby Jones doing the elf's lines, and use that sound file and his facial expressions as basis for your CGI creation – the first major character to come from the digital realm in the ''Harry Potter'' films.  You can throw in a few puppets, and now and again a gifted small person, particularly at the end of film #7…  Or, of course, you can get this gift set, and press the wooden parts out, muckle them together – and lo and behold, a six inch tall Dobby for your windowsill.
+
|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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783707070</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{newreview
+
{{Frontpage
|author=Vladimir Aleksic and Kate Ware
+
|isbn=BM_Origami
|title=Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: A Colouring Classic
+
|title=Origami, Poems and Pictures
|rating=4
+
|author=The British Museum
 +
|rating=5
 
|genre=Crafts
 
|genre=Crafts
|summary=''A Christmas Carol'' has always been my favourite book by Charles Dickens. Perhaps it's the fact that it's a novella rather than the usual brick of a book, but the plotting has always seemed tighter and the story more fast moving.  I also like to idea of Ebenezer Scrooge not so much getting his comeuppance as his seeing the error of his ways.  I've read the book and seen numerous film adaptations - now I've had the opportunity to do some relaxing colouring of scenes from the classic story. Was it fun?
+
|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.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848695411</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
Move on to [[Newest Crime Reviews]]

Latest revision as of 11:59, 30 November 2023

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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