3 comments about The Little Dictionary of Fashion: A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman.

1. This book isn't really very substantial; it's essentially an alphabetic collection of the great couturier Christian Dior's comments on various elements of fashion and style. On these terms, however, and for the reader who isn't approaching the book expecting anything world-shaking, it's a very nice little item and a good snapshot of "New Look" fashion ideas. Lots of great B&W photos and drawings, too! (I think it really deserves 3 1/2 stars but Amazon's star system doesn't allow that kind of fine-tuning, more's the pity.)



2. This is a nice little book - not detailed or descriptive enough for someone really interested in fashion. I did enjoy the photographs. If you are looking for more indepth explanation of fashion terms and guidelines, I suggest A Guide to Elegance: For Every Woman Who Wants to Be Well and Properly Dressed on All Occasions. It is organized alphabetically, just like Mr. Dior's book, but has more detailed written descriptions of the items.



3. I bought this book as a gift for a relative who is a fashion aficionado and it was perfect! She owns several other fashion dictionaries, but didn't have this one. If you appreciate the history of fashion, you will love this must have for your book collection.

3 comments about The Complete Pebble Mosaic Handbook.

1. Maggy Howarth's COMPLETE PEBBLE MOSAIC HANDBOOK provides a review of pebble mosaics which can be used in gardens, patios and public places. Artists, landscapers, and any with a special interest in the design qualities of these mosaics will find this a beautiful collection which not only provides step-by-step insights, but includes a survey of traditional works by contemporary pebble mosaic artists.



2. Good overview of pebble mosaics with very helpful information on materials and techniques. The book also has good examples of works by professional mosaicists in the field of pebblework.



3. This book contains spectacular photography through-out: both photos that highlight the artistry of finished works and the close-up, clear, work-in-progress photos that highlight techniques for successful projects. Accompanying text is very readable, and contains a wealth of information about pebble mosaics. I bought the book for the photographs, but was also fascinated by the information about the people and communities that came together to create stunning mosaics to enhance public spaces in their towns.

No comments about Beyond the Block.

5 comments about 101 Fabulous Rotary-Cut Quilts.

1. This is THE book for any quilter .. beginner or experienced sewer. Beautiful quilts and complete instructions. A MUST HAVE for any quilter's library.



2. I had made 4 quilts before making one from this book, so I would describe myself as between a novice and an intermediate-level quilter. Even though I have some experience,
   1) I am disappointed that the instructions are not more detailed (e.g., "assemble the blocks as shown on page such and such"). I can figure it out, but it would be nice if the instructions were more specific.
   2) I also find that I don't sew well enough to profit from the shortcut techniques they reccomend at the beginning of the book. My pieces do not match up well when I use those techniques, so I find myself resorting back to the way I used to construct these pieces.
   3) I only like a handful of the quilts in the book. However, I am constructing one that I am very pleased with, so I guess it's a matter of personal taste.
   
   In general, I think this book has a nice assortment of quilts, most of which don't seem terribly difficult to make. I'm glad I have this among my quilting books.



3. One of the best quilting books I've purchased. There are so many quilts that I want to make from this book. This one is worth the money. I've referred back to it often.



4. This book was in excellent condition, however, it reeked of cats! If you know what I mean. I love the book and have used it a lot (after airing it out a bit.)



5. I was a bit disappointed in this book. After the first 20 pages the quilts just merged into one another - the same kinds of colours (rather boring) and fabrics and most of them are stars or use other triangle pieces. Nothing that really 'grabbed' me and said 'Wow, this is a great looking quilt'! The instructions can be helpful for other projects, so it was not a total waste. I like my quilts colourful and to make a statement, not mousy and drab. Sorry, hope it doesn't put someone off buying it, but that is how I feel.

5 comments about Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous.

1. Every single person who has checked my copy out has run and gotten their own and loved it! Esther is so much fun and a total expert, and the book is rigorously full of new tips and secrets that you can't find in magazine articles and other books. Definitely need to get you and your girlfriends a copy of this!



2. This book is full of great information and is great fun to read. The sassy attitude keeps it interesting and the pages turning. This is a great book for anyone who wants to live and eat well without torturing herself or himself. The book has a lot of very good information on nutrition from the right foods, to the right drinks to the right vitamins. Those who follow Ms. Blum's advice with feel better inside and out.



3. WHAT A WONDERFUL BOOK! NOT ONLY IS IT FULL OF FANTASTIC ADVICE, IT IS HYSTERICAL. I LEARNED SO MUCH AND HAD A LOT OF LAUGHS. GREAT BOOK!



4. Despite being paired with "Skinny Bitch" on the Amazon site, this book is much nicer in tone and much more helpful. It's fun and entertaining to read, in addition to offering advice that's hard to come by but very effective!



5. OK, maybe the part about keeping one's, er, nether-regions trim wasn't written with me in mind (at least directly), but: Esther Blum's common-sense approaches to diet & exercise are just as effective for us fellas as they are for the ladies. Equally important: They are a breath of fresh air in this self-starvation, spin-till-you-pass-out compulsive world. Esther has rescued "Happy" and returned it to its rightful place alongside "Healthy". The infectious mirth of her writing style makes this as enjoyable a read as it is informative. Brava, Esther!

5 comments about Creative Silver Chains: 20 Dazzling Designs.

1. A book that is quite weak for it's tittle, for the beginner it could be useful.I expected more
   J.Kell



2. I do not solder so this book was not very helpful. If you can solder this book is excellent. I do wirework but with soldering required for most of the chains I have to return the book.



3. "Creative Silver Chains" is a very attractive book with detailed pictures of all the chains you may make. The introduction is also very good in that the materials you might use are discussed at length, as well as the tools needed. Suggestions are given on the best tools to use. The author says that the 20 projects are arranged roughly from Easy to Most difficult so that you can build up your expertise. There are also chains pictured that are above the scope of this book in difficulty, to whet your appetite. I would recommend the book to someone who has some experience in working with silver and with soldering.



4. I like the setup, organization, photos, and guidance of this book, but I felt the techniques and/or patterns were mediocre and somewhat elementary. I expected something more advanced. I am taking classes in metal/jewelry-smithing so maybe I am just past these particular techniques. Those who are just beginning might enjoy this book more.



5. If you are interested in working with a heat source, you're set up to do soldering, and in some cases, drilling, this book gives you clear intructions with wonderful pictures that will inspire. If you're only interested in doing wire work, this book is probably not for you. In either case, the designs are stunning and can inspire anyone who likes to make jewelry.

5 comments about Plush-o-Rama: Curious Creatures for Immature Adults.

1. Plush monsters are wonderful. You can make dozens of mistakes while making them and at the end of the day you can pretend that they were all intentional. It doesn't matter. This book provides patterns and instructions for making 30 such monsters, some of which I think are very cute, such as Catzilla and the half-eaten gingerbread men, and some of which just don't appeal at all (in my opinion, the Pig/Duck is just creepy). However, the fact that I don't like all of the patterns doesn't bother me because this book is just as useful for providing inspiration and advice on various toy-making techniques as it is for giving instructions. After all, monster making is about making what you want to make, not about following a set of rules.
   
   Each pattern in this book is designed by a different designer, which is great because it means that there is more variety in the patterns that if they were all designed by the same person. In that respect, there are many similarities between this book and "Plush You!" Both books serve as galleries for soft toy designers. However, "Plush You!" failed by only providing patterns for a small number of the toys (the least impressive ones), while this book does not make that mistake.
   
   This is a very good book for beginners. Most of the toys are very easy to make and basic sewing technique instructions are provided for novices. In a number of cases the toys look like they may have been made from cut-up old clothes, so you might not even need to buy fabric. And remember, even if you do make a mistake, just pretend that's how the toy was meant to look. With toys as weird as this, no one will notice.



2. I just love this book! I haven't tried any of the projects yet but it just makes you feel happy when you see that smiling creature on the cover! Maybe I'll even try making one or two! I sent a copy off to my grand-daughters right away.



3. This is a great book for kids and adults some really cool ideas and patterns leads you to even more ideas of your own. Why pay high prices for those strange creatures in our imagination. Make it your own, make it yourself and use your choice of materials. (some of the pre-made dolls are made with shabby materials)



4. The projects in this book are really creative and fun to make. I get the feeling though, that the book isn't specifically designed to help you perfectly recreate the creatures within, but rather to act as a jumping off point for you to create your own.
   
   Don't get me wrong, the book does come with instructions and patterns, but on occasion, I find the instructions to be vague, and the shapes of the patterns in the back of the book aren't always the same as what I see in the photos of the finished products.
   
   If you're looking for a book to inspire you and give you a push toward making your own creatures (and it helps if you have a slightly twisted sense of humor), this book is for you.



5. These are hilarious! They do require someone who knows what they are doing with a needle and thread but they are so much fun. If you or someone you know LOVES stuffed critters then this is your permanent source for all birthday and Christmas presents. You can use it to create them yourself or give them the book for them to choose and make their own. It is just so delightful. :D

5 comments about Tradition with a Twist: Variations on Your Favorite Quilts.

1. This is a great book that includes the Blooming Nine Patch that many have seen popping up recently. There are several very inspiring quilts in here that are not difficult to piece. Great instructions that include even the orientation of pieces to minimize problems with bias edges. I've already done the Blooming Nine Patch and plan to make a few more as the possibilities are endless. This is one book you will definately use and not just look at and enjoy
   
   pam h
   [...]



2. Very clear directions and beautiful designs. Good ideas on blending colors. Great for beginners but interesting enough for the experienced quilter.



3. I love this book. I've made a couple of quilts using it and plan to make a few more. I've gotten nothing but rave reviews on the quilts I made using this book and I can't recommend it highly enough. I purged through my quilt book collection and got rid of most of them but this book stayed in my top ten list. The use of color alone is worth the price of the book.



4. I took a class with this wonderful, spunky lady a few years ago. She makes HUGE quilts, and this book has a great selection of variations. The sizes only include either very large, or baby. But the designs are so simple!



5. I was pleasantly surprised to find out this is the book used on a Simply Quilts episode, which I had wanted to buy anyway. A good, fast strip method for making Trip Around the World, Blooming Nine Patch, and other patterns. Lovely photos, definitely worth a buy.

5 comments about Everyday Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs.

1. I was looking for ideas for a 1940's costume for a dance competition. This catalog helped me tremendously.



2. Whenever I take this book out, people fight over a peek into its glossy pages. It covers everything in fashion from the forties, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict fashions, from dresses to shoes, hats and gloves to maternity wear; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. Seeing such low prices is pretty crazy! Obviously, it was relative to wages and the overall cost of living then, but the immersive effect of the book is still strange and fascinating. There are some pictures of man's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful.



3. As I have more in this series of books, I was fascinated by the year-by-year styles in the 1940's. And as with others, I was disappointed that they were not in colour. A minor problem, I think, because the descriptions provided as well as the names of colours also tells me about the time period. What exactly is the shade 'Cadet Blue'? But it does give good all around display of everything from children's clothes...not to mention miniature uniforms for little boys, to men's wear and funny looking men's underwear, to shoes, hats and purses, evening and wedding gowns and the rather uncomfortable looking women's underwear. Along with the others, they are a treasure and a time capsule.



4. Not only is it great to see the everyday fashions of this era, you can really enjoy reading the descriptions and especially be amazed by the prices of the items!
   
   Keep it in pristine condition as a collector's item, or use it as part of a scrapbooking project with photos of the family from way-back-when!
   
   Any way you use it, Everyday Fashions of the Forties as Pictured in Sears Catalogs is a lot of entertainment for a little price -- just not quite the sort of prices you'll see inside the book!
   
   There's lots of fun here. Highly recommended!



5. The decade-by-decade images from all the books in this series are, IMHO, required references for those interested in fashion and costume design in the 20th century.

No comments about Relief Carving Wood Spirits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Releasing Faces in Wood (Woodcarving Illustrated Books).