5 comments about Favorite Socks: 25 Timeless Designs from Interweave.

1. I'm an intermediate knitter and I'm totally ready to take on socks. I checked "More Sensational Knitted Socks" by Charlene Schurch out of the library and was really impressed with the detailed directions. However, I didn't care for the flimsy paperback-iness of it, so I ordered this book from Interweave instead. (I was an early devotee of PieceWork and love many of the books by Interweave.)
   
   Well, after receiving this book, I ended up ordering "Sensational Knitted Socks" and "More Sensational Knitted Socks" after all.
   
   "Favorite Socks" is just beautiful. I think I'll be using it later, after I've mastered the theory and logic behind each of the components of socks. It's a compilation of patterns by different designers, and you can tell that it's a "best of Interweave Knits" kind of collection. I wasn't a subscriber, so these are all new to me.
   
   The layout of this book is simple and clean, and each set of directions averages about four uncluttered pages, which I think is great.
   
   If you're a rank beginner when it comes to sock construction (like me!) then I strongly recommend the above-mentioned Charlene Schurch books. (Wish they were sturdy and spiral-bound though.) I'm keeping "Favorite Socks" for inspiration and to use later.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. After having used Ann Budd's book Getting Started Knitting Socks (an excellent reference) for 10 pairs of socks for various members of my family, I am ready to graduate to more complicated patterns for sock making. This book fits the bill. There's something for everyone here, from casual comfy to truly elegant. Socks are terrific projects-they're inexpensive, doable, portable, and after you had worn handknit socks, you'll want more pairs. A great resource for some fabulous projects.



3. Great sock designs, well laid out, easy to understand - a fabulous book for the sock fanatic!



4. I have only been knitting about a year or so. I gravitated towards socks because they were small and portable projects, my investment in money was relatively small as I could make something with one or maybe two skeins of yarn, and they just seemed fun to do. This was the first book of knitting patterns I bought. Since I was new to knitting, I had not seen the patterns in the Interweave magazine so they were all new to me. The designs are varied in style and ability level. Some were easy for beginners like me, but I could also see more difficult designs I wanted to try as I became more skilled in my knitting.
   
   One of the best parts of the book is its desgin. The spiral binding ensures the book will stay neat and usable for a long time. I wish more publishers realized this and made the same accomodations for us.
   
   Another good feature is at the back of the book where there are diagrams and explanations for abbreviations used in patterns, stitch patterns, how to kitchner the toes (the clearest directions I have found). All the things new knitters want at their finger tips.
   
   I have used this book extensively over the last year, made at least 5 pairs of socks and have more in my que when I get ready to start them.
   
   Overall, the book is well worth paying for and having in your personal library. After all, I often get books from the library in order to use just for one or two ideas, this book is worth spending money that I would normally use to get more yarn.



5. This is a great book but there are a lot of mistakes in this book. I had a friend give me the corrections on the patterns she found on the internet.So maybe you should look into this . There are some beautiful patterns.
   Olga

5 comments about Egg Money Quilts: 1930's Vintage Samplers.

1. I was extremely disappointed with this publication! I own multiple copies of Eleanor Burn's DVDs and matching books. I am probably one of her biggest fans. This book requires that you purchase a book from QuiltSmart which costs another $20 and a plastic template to get the specific measures to cut the fabric pieces, etc. For the price of the book, I felt that at least all of the instructions should have been within the book I was purchasing or the book should have been a lot less expensive brand new.



2. This book is of such high quality and easy to read. I love all of her books.



3. I purchased this for my wife. She really liked it. My wife has been hand quilting since 1975, and her photo albums are stuffed. This book will enhance any book you might have on using 1930's fabric. Illustrations and instructions are very clear and easy to follow. You may wonder why this husband is writing this; because I'm a quilter too. Thread up that needle and let's go....Ken



4. I purchased this book for my mother-in-law who had seen it on TV. She was excited to get it. She didn't feel it contained as much information as they implied on the television show she had seen, but nonetheless, she was pleased.



5. I bought this book for my mom for Christmas and she absolutely loves it! She couldn't wait to get started on her next creation and says the patterns are easy to use and that this is one of the best gifts she received.

5 comments about The Art of Encaustic Painting: Contemporary Expression in the Ancient Medium of Pigmented Wax.

1. WOW! This is a book that must be the encaustic paint maker's bible.
   Joanne Mattera has produced a book of reference for those artists wanting to explore the ancient art of encaustic painting. Her use of easy to relate reference material like the formulae of encaustic medium to the day to day collection of tools used to produced the art work, makes a newbie to this technique feel secure.
   She covers the important issues of studio safety to the equipment. The questions and answers found on the working reference pages are very helpful and guide the reader towards the subject matter covered chapter by chapter.
   She shares encaustic paintings from a huge range of contributing artists and this allows the reader to see the wide range of applications that encaustic painting adds to the visual arts. Joanne's vast painting experience shows through as she shares both her experiments along the encaustic journey to her leaving the door open for the new artist to "try new things for themselves."
   For the artist trying encaustic painting for the very first time to the experienced encaustic painter, this book offers information for all.



2. I found this to be a clear and well presented book overall, enough so I found I didn't want to start this technique until I did some major re-arrangement of my studio space. Given that I haven't tried working through the tutorials, so really can't comment about them.
   
   Some seem annoyed at the art and artists presented - get over it. Art is about process, not product, learn about and experience what others have done then do your own thing. If you live somewhere with good art museums then seek out work by others that is in the genre that suits your tastes.
   
   I'll keep this book as reference when I do start my experiments with wax - so far it's the best I've seen in print.



3. I am new this this medium. When I ordered this book I could not put it down. I read it in one night. It is packed with a lot of information. I keep refering back it.



4. If you want information as an artist intending to try encaustic painting
   then this is a good book--it covers everything to get started painting with
   encaustic. Also some information on the ancient Fayum encaustic portraits,
   Jasper Johns use of encaustic (an interview with him) and examples of the encaustic
   work of certain other contemporary artists using encaustic techniques and some
   using other wax techniques not strictly encasutic



5. This book was unusual as an artbook. It takes me beyond the "hobby" status many art book seems to have. Proffessional and inspiring!

5 comments about Folk Shawls (Folk Knitting series).

1. This book contains the absolute best collection of gorgeous shawl patterns I've ever seen in one volume. If you like making shawls, this is the book at the top of the list. I can't wait till I finish current projects and can start something from the Folk Shawls book.



2. This was the first shawl book I ever bought. I read it cover to cover a few times before ever picking up yarn and needles. The shawls are diverse, beautiful and the stories are captivating.
   
   Kristin Omdahl
   www.StyledByKristin.com



3. I am a fan of the "Folk" books and have several. The Folk Shawl book is easy to read, easy to understand, and gave me my first introduction to lace knitting. I was instantly hooked. I've knitted several of the shawls from this book and highly recommend it to anyone exploring lace knitting for the first time and as a tool to introduce newer knitters to this art. I've had great fun with Folk Shawls and have become a wearer of my shawls preferring them to sweaters.....they easily slip on and off and are a comfort in the cold weather. I even knitted a heavier version of the larger Stora shawl out of worsted weight wool and wore it as a substitute for a coat over an alpaca sweater!
   
   Thank you Cheryl Oberle for a wonderful book!



4. A friend of mine loaned me a copy of her book when she found out that I was looking for something new and different from the afghans I had been knitting with old left over yarns. After looking thru the book and trying one of the patterns, I realized that I want to try ALL of the patterns in this book. If your looking at this book and thinking about getting it, I recommend getting the book, if your new to these kinds of things, like me, you can always start using scrap yarns and then move up to the more sophisticated yarns if you are comfortable with reading the pattern. There are patterns here that are easy to do and some that are a bit more challenging but all worth the time and effort. I'm still working up the courage to try a couple of these but I will get there eventually.



5. 25 Knitting patterns and tales from around the world will educate and entertain you for years to come. The shawls here are gorgeous and inspired by traditions and designs from around the world.
   
   You will find a shawl here for every occasion and every one is spectacular. They originate from Ireland, Japan, Iceland, Victorian England, Russia, Scotland, Mexico, Norway and more. Each design will teach you more to enhance your skills and an average knitter should be able to create most of them. The instructions are both written and charted.
   
   This is an amazingly creative book for knitters or anyone who loves fashion and fashion history. For me, this would even be worth purchasing if I didn't know how to knit. The pictures are gorgeous, the designs are fabulous and the concept of this book is so wonderful it absolutely puts me over the moon!
   
   LOVE this book!

5 comments about Bead Embroidery.

1. I really liked this book. I bought about 5 and this is exactly what I was looking for. It taught me what I need to know!!



2. I haven't had a chance to try the techniques out yet but in thumbing through the pages this one looks by far the best bead embroidery book I've seen as far as illustrations and easy to understand instructions go.



3. You are taken through the basic steps that might mystify you before you start, such as finishing off thread. The exquisite details will help in getting you through the stages of the embroidery.The pages of the book are stiff and you need a book stand with clips to keep it open. I found the variety of stitches demonstrated inspiring and will go back to the book as I progress in a project. An important detail not included was the angle of a needle to have a bead sit straight (found in another book). Excellent referral source.



4. Step by step instructions and copious illustrations. An excellent book for those who want to bead woodland designs.



5. I just started to interesting in beading and this book is excellent source for amateurs. I can see every details and create some interesting thing by myself.

5 comments about Itty-Bitty Hats: cute and cuddly caps to knit for babies and toddlers.

1. I just received my book a few days ago, but I cannot wait to get started. This is an absolutely adorable book. It is very detailed, very well written and easy to understand. There are tons of helpful techniques and instructions included.



2. Same basic hat throughout, but with a lot of choices to dress it up or keep it simple. Babies are gonna love these hats! Moms and Grannies are going to enjoy making them.



3. This is one of the first books I bought when I was teaching myself to knit. It's great! The explains everything very well...with pictures. Plus the fact that I have a grandchild I am knitting for was a bonus. We also use this book to knit for childrens hospital. It's also great for creativity.



4. For beginners, I would definitely recommend to buy this book before diving into the Itty Bitty Nursery as the author explains all the basic skills and supplies needed to complete the projects. Clear instructions along with video from Susan Anderson's Blog. The spiral-bound book helps keep the pages open so you can refer back while you knit your project. The hats are so adorable and knit up quickly (thank goodness babies are small). They make great gifts. I know some experienced knitters have found the projects boring, but I thought the designs were very inspirational.



5. I found this in my local library and decided I had to buy it...
   
   The author starts with a very basic/simple beanie pattern on circular/double pointed needles (no seams!) and then shows variations.
   
   The wool is mostly Rowan cottons however beanies are quite forgiving and many wools work just as well if you watch your tension square; I have knitted the dropped-daisy in a fluffy wool, and a striped beanie in a light pure wool.
   
   What I would like to know before buying this book:
   It is a US book - US tension gauge, inches and US needle sizes.
   The patterns are beginner to intermediate - there is nothing inately difficult or challenging with these patterns.
   The patterns are (mostly) in sizes newborn to 2yrs+. Nothing bigger.
   Most of the pattern variations are made with colour changes and toppers.
   The pictures are gorgeous and the patterns work!
   There are a few errors in the patterns that are pretty easy to work around, and with minor modifications you can vary the final look to your own taste, eg the dropped daisy hat in many on the customer images has quite small petals and a very long stem (by pattern) but can be easily changed to suit yourself.
   There are quite a few patterns, and I would make most of them, and have made 5 of them in the last 4 weeks.

5 comments about The Polymer Clay Techniques Book.

1. The book is wonderful for a beginner. It tells you the tools you need, talks about how to make beads, miniture furniture and many other projects. It is a very basic book that hits on pretty much everything to help you make beads.



2. This book has more information in it than any book I've found so far on Polymer Clay.
   
   There is enough information on the basics to get a beginner started. How to handle clay, storage, baking, and differences in products.
   
   There is such a variety of techniques and projects that you're sure to find some you're not interested in as well as a LOT that you love.
   
   Most of the other books I've found on Polymer clay specialize on specific uses. This one shows the range of things that are possible, and how to do them.
   
   This will get a beginner started and give you ideas to get started in your own direction.



3. highly recommended. For every beginner this is a very good choice, it covers ALL of the basics.



4. This book is an excellent reference for the beginner in polymer modeling. Just keep it at hand, you'll find in it all the help you'll need!



5. I have a few books on polymer clay but this book teaches everything from simple beads to how to make figures. I wish this was the first book I bought . Very inspiring

5 comments about The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry: A Complete Guide to Essential Techniques (Lark Jewelry Book).

1. I got this book out at the library and fell in love with it sooooo much i had to go out and buy it. It's great!! It has visual pictures to get you through each step and it has many examples of other jewelers works. It even had works of my teacher in it. Great book and great guide. I recommend it to anyone!!



2. and great motivator. This book gives a general overview of many techniques of metalsmithing and has projects that work with each lesson. I think I would have liked more details but I'm also very new to this and need confidence. However I feel like I can complete each lesson successfully after reading this book.



3. Great book. Will appeal to those just starting out with metal-smithing, particularly the tools lists and the projects associated with using each new set of tools. The gallery of work accompanying each chapter is amazing. The projects are easy to follow and the photos allow you to see exactly what should be happening at each stage. I enjoyed the book as a reference.



4. This is a really nice instructional book with great gallery photos and interesting and apealing projects. I particularly like the soldering instruction in this book over the others I own.



5. Joanna Gollberg does nice books. I've got some experience with metalsmithing and this book didn't have a whole lot of new information for me, but she explains techniques very well. The projects are interesting and her gallery shots (pictures of work from other artists) are just incredible.

5 comments about Nicky Epstein's Crocheted Flowers.

1. I flip through this book frequently with great hopes, which are immediately dashed the instant I attempt to make one of the projects. I agree with the other reviewers that the pictures are very visually pleasing. However, the patterns are very poorly worded. I have spent hours tearing my hair out, trying to figure out what I'm supposed to be doing. Their little graphic representations do nothing but increase my confusion. Furthermore, I've even found some pretty important typographical errors. For example, in one pattern, at the end of one of the rounds, it commands that you repeat from *. Problem is, there is no * to be found, and because of the nature of the flower, it was really not possible to figure out what they were calling for. It's such a shame, too, becuase I would love to make as many of these flowers as possible. Pretty, intricate flowers need not be complex at all, yet this book has managed to make them near impossible. Guess you can chalk it up to poor writing and editing. I'm glad I got this at the library and did not buy it. I have had to throw up my hands on most of the patterns, or produce something that looked neither like the illustration in the book, nor like a flower for that matter :(



2. I want to preface this with the fact that I love Nicky Epstein's designs. I get withdrawal waiting for new books. But...
   
   Her instructions SUCK! The best example I have of this is the "Fiesta Flower Handbag". I had many many issues with this (while I was trying to make it for my mother for mother's day no less).
   
   First of all, the required yarn amounts are WAY off. You need 5 skeins of the MC, at least three of the green and two of each of the pink and grape. I had to stop twice to wait on ordered (my LYS is over 92 miles away) yarn (still waiting on some now actually). And for the first time in my life I actually used the recommended yarn for something!!!
   
   Secondly, there is not PRE-felting guage or main panel measurements! How can I figure out if I have even remotely the right size if I have to finish and felt the dang thing before I can measure it. I'm just hoping its close.
   
   Thirdly, the florettes on the handle fold just do not look like the picture, no matter how I read it or try to figure it out (and I am a Master Crocheter) it doesn't look like the picture.
   
   Fourthly, the pictures!!! The instructions tell you to use the picture as a guide, but it only has ONE! There is no picture of the side pockets, even though the instructions say to use it as a guide!!!
   Fifthly, the instructions tell you to edge each piece with pink, while clearly in the (one) picture, one panel is edged in the grape!
   
   Sixthly, there is no instruction for closing the bottom of the side pocket! Now granted, you most likely could figure it out, but she goes into great detail as to the edging (for example every corner turn is slowly spelled out to go along the edge and single crochet 3 times in every corner...four times! I think we got it the first time Nicki!!) Besides the fact is that if you got that far, I'm sure you have done that before and its almost automatic! Most crocheters have made simple dishcloths where this is (in my experience) the way EVERY SINGLE one is done!
   
   Lastly, the fact that except for the slightly goofy ear-flap hat and this handbag, the rest of the apparel patterns are really freaky looking, from the wedding dress with huge floppy beaded yarn blobs or the giant messy neck piece or the completely bizarre opera gloves (who really would wear these anywhere but a costume party) are just WEIRD. And don't tell me they could easily be worn by Paris Hilton or some other Hollywood skank, they wouldn't TOUCH them unless they wanted to make the worst dressed list(might finally bump Bjork and her swan dress off the list!)
   
   I won't even bore you with the myriad of typos and just plain confusedness of the flower patterns. And I really can say that about ALL of her books and patterns.
   
   Please Nicky, fire your testers and editors, call me! I am completely zealous when it comes to succinct and accessible instructions, and I bet you a buck that I would be cheaper than the ones you used for this book.
   
   I absolutely love having this book for inspiration. Nicky gets an A+ for inspiration and a C- for execution. So only spend your money if you have the time and patience to sit and play with the patterns. And always double the yarn requirements
   
   If you aren't extremely comfortable with crochet, remember that you might hit some speedbumps and need a little help.



3. Gave the book to my wife:
   
   "E-Z written instructions, plus diagrams & absolutely beautiful-color photographs."



4. 
   This book is very elementary. If you can make a chain then you don't need this book. I would not recommend it.



5. Caveat: if you are new to flower making and crochet's world of endless possibilities, this may
   open something for you. If you are experienced, a collector, and have already made flowers... skip this. Get her Knitted Flowers instead and try to do them in crochet. I'm sorry I didn't heed the warnings.... it is IRKSOME that there is more variety and invention in her knitted flowers than in her crochet book. There are few projects, only two are slightly compelling, and most flowers are iterations of others. The images are, globby, not exciting. I made one flower in the type of fiber and hook suggested and it was HUGE... an outsized bell that hangs on my porch as an adornment...nothing that one could wear. Most of these do tend toward the large (G,H) vs thread, which is okay with me.... it just lacks a certain grace, delicacy, inventiveness and variety that Ms Epstein bestows on her knitted creations.

5 comments about Warm Fuzzies: 30 Sweet Felted Projects.

1. The projects are great for those new to felting especially if recycled wool sweaters are available to them. I particularly liked the mittens and scarves as they are very easy to make with clear instructions. I would definitely buy this book again as it helped me get to the next level in creative felting. It certainly is worth the cost even if you only make one or two of the items.



2. I hope to stop any of you that doesn't read closely enough (LIKE ME) from ordering this book if you don't realize that to create any of the projects, you need OLD SWEATERS.
   
   I thought it was a book of felted knits, that you knit and then felted -- this is more a sewing book, and I am sorry I didn't read more closely....
   
   I know that my disappointment is my own fault, but it was so easy for me to miss I wanted to be sure to warn others ;)



3. I loved the colors, the ideas and explanations. I am glad that I bought it!



4. I bought this book for my wife, who enjoys making decorative felt food. Given the subtitle and cover photo, you might assume this book contains felt food projects. For the most part, it doesn't.



5. LOVED the ideas in this book. Lots of easy-to-make gifts from used sweaters. Great redo crafting for Christmas. Recommended!