4 comments about Build Your Own Treehouse: A Practical Guide.

1. Build it and they will come! After having visited Mr. Barkley's truly amazing backyard of creations, we had to buy a copy of his book as a keepsake. The photographs are wonderful...so much better than ours. My husband is currently building a clubhouse on stilts for our daughter and will undoubtedly reference this book for ideas and instructions. You don't have to be a child to fall in love with the tree houses, various swings, many collectibles and gorgeous gardens. Everyone who has looked at our copy of the book has been impressed. If you are ever near Rochester, NY, I recommend a visit to the tree houses and a souvenir copy of his book.



2. I had the joy of climbing in and around the treehouses built by Mr Barkley with 4 of my grandchildren. His book is practical and contains lots of "how to" information with close up pictures and diagrams. His tree houses are a delight, and Mr & Mrs Barkley are friendly and generous hosts to their treehouse neighborhood. Lots of thought and planning went into the book, to make it a pleasant read and useable reference.



3. This is the fourth treehouse book I've bought. If it had been the first, it would probably have been the last. There isn't much he doesn't cover from site evaluation and preparation to safety gear. I like following in detail a single project to completion through the book.



4. The background information is fascinating. The directions are detailed and helpful. Most importantly, the advice and reccomendations regarding safety and use were exceptionally good.

5 comments about Manual of Traditional Wood Carving.

1. This is one of those rare books written a long time ago (early 1900s) when craftsmen and artists actually made their livings working with their hands (after serving apprenticships under masters). Their art went on to be perfected during a time when such hand-craftsmanship was valued and rewarded albeit simply and honestly. The treasure trove of techniques and historical information in this book is the kind that I typically find only in old books like this one. 'Very applicable to todays professional or recreational woodworker/carver and to those simply interested in historical carved styles evident in todays antiques.



2. If a person could only have one book on woodcarving, this would be THE book. It was written back in 1911, so some of the material is out of date. For example, the section on how to sharpen tools is dated. Some of the "tone" of this large (568 page)book is in the style of stuff written at that time. It can be a bit preachy and it can get a bit philosophical at times. For example it talks about how learning to carve wood makes you a better person. But these points are so minor, when you consider the entire book, that they cannot even be considered as flaws. There is no other book which even tries to cover just about all types of woodcarving. It covers:tools, history, and styles. It provides an almost unlimited (1146 to be exact), and certainly unparalleled set of photos and line drawings of different types of carvings throughout history. He even has a chapter on how to set up training programs for woodcarving for various groups of people.
   Mr. Hasluck does provide some "how to" information. He provides a set of recommended gauges, clamps, sharpening equipment, bench designs, etc. He tells you about and even illustrates the various steps of carving (setting in, grounding, modeling and finishing). He is the only author I have come across who explains why he recommended every tool that he recommends. This is absolutely enlightening!!! It is interesting that his recommended set of tools is much different from the modern authors on this subject (eg Chris Pye, Nora Hall, etc). After researching this topic, I have come to the conclusion that Hasluck selected his set to be most appropriate to highly detailed relief carving, which is the type of carving that he spends the most time on.
   I would bet that if someone wanted to start learning how to carve, and they bought only this book, they would be very disappointed. If you are looking for a "how to" book, which gives you a preselected sequence of five projects, from easy to medium, and tells you which tool to use to make each cut in each project, then this is NOT the book for you. There are other books that do this much better. Go to the website for Chris Pye and check out his books on introductory carving, and check out the videotapes of Nora Hall on her website. These will give you much more of the very specific "how to" information on a sequence of specific graded projects.
   Every really good carver that I know has used this book extensively. Most of the good carvers that I have talked to are mostly self taught. All speak "lovingly" about Hasluck's book. It is the greatest source of carving information and suggestions and illustrations you can find in one place. One of its "drawbacks" is that it is so encyclopedic, that one could not read it from cover to cover. This is more of a reference book that a carver refers to VERY often during his/her development.
   Hasluck's coverage of Chip Carving is an example of how encyclopedic he is. Other authors on this subject only cover one of the many ways that it can be done. He covers many of them in great detail, and he doesn't denigrate any of them. I would buy this book only for the set of chip carving designs that it includes. The rest of the book would be "gravy" to me.
   This book is to woodcarving what the Roman Coliseum is to sports arenas. It is a classic. I doubt it will ever be surpassed.
   Hasluck's book is really for the person who has taken control of his own education in woodworking, and who wants to become VERY good. It is far too much for the casual person who wants to make one or two carvings with inexpensive tools. Of course, if you like to have impressive books on your coffee table, this would be a good one!!!!!
   I am in awe of Paul N. Hasluck, the author of this wonderful book. Having the goal of writing a book of this scope and depth would be like having the goal of climbing Mt. Everest without oxygen. It would not be for the faint of heart. Virtually all serious modern books on woodcarving refer to this 1911 book. It is incomparable, and it is a real bargain. In my humble opinion, you'll get far more out of this book, which will probably cost you less than $20, than you will from a course on woodcarving that will cost you $1000.
   BUY THE BOOK. You'll be glad you did.



3. This book is somewhat outdated. Don't purhcase it if you are planning to learn wood carving from it.
   It is however an interesting reading and will provide some usefull information.



4. maybe in the 1700's it was a good book, but now it s not. i read about half of it, put it where it belongs, in the trash. save your money, go on line, alot better info on the web,for free. tim



5. This book is full of information, with a catch. It is like a hundred years old! and has never been updated. To sharpen chisels, it recommends a three foot diameter grinding wheel set in the ground. good for traditionalists.

5 comments about Omiyage : Handmade Gifts from Fabric in the Japanese Tradition.

1. I like Kumiko Sudo's criations and this book is not an exemption.
   Great gift idias and easy to follow instractions.



2. Kumiko is a master of her craft and her book shows some of her cutest work. While the patterns are fairly simple. she leaves out important hints that make recreating her projects difficult if you aren't paying attention. Pay close attention to the weight and type of fabric that she uses but does not mention in her directions. If you use a heavier fabric than what she used, you may need to adjust the pattern to make it work. I wouldn't recommend this for a complete beginning sewer. Otherwise this is a great book full of fun projects.



3. I was surprised at the variety of different objects in this book. They all have the common link of being, small, delicate and handsewn, but the projects range from sewing boxes to purses to little things to catch a child's eye. Every item in the book is well photographed and the directions are clear and illustrated. My only complaint with the book is that the binding is not well suited to copying the templates needed to cut out fabric. You would need to either copy each piece by hand onto tissue paper or smush your book down onto a photocopier to get a usable pattern. Apart from that though, this book is a perfect resource for beautiful little handmade gifts.



4. I have to say that I'm a little disappointed about this book. Although the images are very beautiful and Kumiko's work is precious, the projects of the gifts are exclusively for the Japanese society. There are many objects from Japanese folklore and they do not make any sense for occidental people.



5. this is a great little book. the flower "pockets" are ieal as gift holders. Handy for craft groups - especially the back section which details how to organise and teach a lesson in this pretty craft. No need for sewing machines, just needle and thread.

2 comments about Sloop: Restoring My Family's Wooden Sailboat--An Adventure in Old-Fashioned Values.

1. This book was a gift and I could not put it down. Through a narrative the author draws into question our modern frentic lifestyle and finds folks who are able to find fulfillment doing what they love. The boat would seem to be the focus of the book, but the value is in the relationships with the other characters. I loved the soul searching when faced with the decision to restore the boat to museum quality versus making it functional again. An easy read, this is the first book I've read to completion in a long time.



2. While the world tilts and shrinks, our contact with the real things of this world, like wood and metal, like the wind and wave, get to be less and less. Daniel Robb doesn't want to lose touch with those things, so he provides readers with this excellent and thoughtful book. Part carpenter's manual, part memoir, part philosophical treatise, Sloop is thought provoking and tremendously readable.
   
   Daniel points out that the sloop in question, a Hereschoff 12 1/2, was a product of a transitional age - as the world was moving from natural to manufactured propulsion. Our own age is similarly transitional, and this is his starting off point for a number of meditations on the durability of man-made goods, and the old fashioned values of craftsmanship. He contrasts these with the challenge of the modern - when is "good enough" good enough?
   
   Maybe because we share a few childhood memories, a first name, or maybe because we're both human - Daniel's detailing of the honest hesitation he experienced in what might otherwise be a straightforward restoration carpentry project spoke to my own experience - not of boatbuilding, but of life.
   
   The only thing bad one can say about Daniel's memoir of boat building in Woods Hole is that he changes the names of most of the other people he meets and works with. Which, for a small town memoir, is probably a good thing, but for a reader intimately interested in said small town, well, one can't help but wonder who's who.

5 comments about The Needlepoint Book: A Complete Update of the Classic Guide.

1. I have loved needlepoint now for over thirty years. Probably one of the greatest things my mother gave me was a beginners needlepoint class when I was eight years old. I basket-weaved away for many, many years. Then, I discovered this book. It took my love for needlepoint to new levels of creativity. There are so many easy to follow directions for stiches that I had never seen before. This book brought out a new and creative aspect to my stiches. From the brand new beginner to the heartend veteran, this book is a must have! I have several other guides in my needlepoint library, yet I always come back to this one.



2. I own both the first and second editions of this book. Of all the beautiful needlepoint books in my collection, this is the one I go back to over and over. There is information for the beginner as well as advanced stitcher. In eighteen years, I've never picked it up that it didn't learn something new or valuable.



3. If you want to learn on your own, this is the book you need. I bought the paper back, took it to the copy place to cut the spine and spiral bind it with clear plastic covers. Now it stays open to the page I'm working from. Her directions are clear for every sitch and they are organized approporiately by type. Charts tell what each stitch is great and poor for. Easy to use without reading; but all beginers and re-starters should thoroughly read the begining to learn the other how-tos of needlepoint. Great for working patterns (painted canvas) or on your own designs. It may be the only book you need.



4. This book was advertised as a classic guide for all levels. I can only speak as a beginner, but the material I needed was covered well. Recommend this book without reservation.



5. This was an excellent book on needlework when it first came out. Now it has been revised and updated and it is even better. She has included different and modern techniques as well as many excellent patterns of pictures to follow.

3 comments about Mother Earth's ABC: A Quilter's Alphabet and Story Book.

1. This book has a very delightful story and along with it are directions to make the appliqued alphabet that goes with the story.



2. Beautiful little book. Good for a child to hold and be taught to appreciate the beauty of nature and of the artwork one can perform with fingers, even tiny fingers.
   
   I was disappointed it was not larger so the artwork could be seen more in detail. Nice gift book.



3. No need to be a quilter or a grandmother to enjoy this book. It is a little smaller in size than I was expecting but the artwork makes up for it. It is a wonderful little book. I plan to collect all books in this series by this author/illustrator. I can't wait to see her next book.

5 comments about The Pen Turner's Workbook: Making Pens from Simple to Stunning.

1. I recently bought this book. I has good examples that cover from the easiest pens to more complex ones (segmented for example). It's really good in showing step by step pictures on how to turn and finish pens. I covers all of the materials available in the market and it provides instructions for one finishing technique that seems to be reliable. It does not cover CA finishing, which is a common practice as well. It has a nice chapter about FAQ's and troubleshooting. It also has a few pages on how to market your products. It is not complete but it has more information than other books. If you are going to buy just one book, this is the one of choice!



2. I Have just bought a Rikon mini lathe and am very much a beginner. This book is perfect to help the beginner set up shop, select the correct tools, explains how to use them, and the basic steps to making pens. Several specific projects are also given at the end, some basic, and a few that are very advanced. Very good illustrations, and easy to read. This book was extremely helpful to me.



3. I'm new to pen turning and this book was all I needed to get started. It also had some great ideas for more advanced pens. Well illustrated and clearly written.



4. Can't beat the advice and instructions, step by step with a world of expert suggestions and photos. Shows how to make many pens I never thought I could, {not that I have yet}, but I've been at a few and can see the HOW at least now..! Thanks. G-G



5. Although I think he could have written more on the advance techniques, it's the best one I've seen out there so far. The section on advance turning covers segmented pens, closed end pens, single cross pens and laser kits. I wish he had gone into making wood caps and clips. If you like pen turning this book has some good tips that I haven't found anywhere else.

5 comments about Gooseberry Patch Christmas: Book 9 (Gooseberry Patch Christmas).

1. I am an avid collector of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. I have all 9 volumes of the Christmas series and enjoy and still use everyone of them. This book is full of imaginative gift ideas. The recipes are easy to follow and yummy in your tummy!!! It would also make a great gift for anyone who enjoys baking and decorating with homemade craft ideas.



2. I flipped through it and really didn't see much that interested me. Needs more variety and some new ideas. Keeping it because I am trying to collect the whole set. It is a pretty book - nice pictures and cover.



3. I have been collecting (and using) this series of books since they came out. They are wonderful. They have great ideas and many really good recipes as well. I think they are as much fun to read as to use as they have many great pictures and easy to follow instructions. I can hardly wait for book 10!



4. I love all the Gooseberry Patch books and this one again is NOT a disapointment. Really great crafts and recipes, it is so homey (If that is a word) Great book!



5. This book has the best ideas for homemade gifts, crafts and recipes! It gave me so many ideas, I cannot decide what to do first. My family and friends are going to love their gifts from me this year.

5 comments about Knit Mittens!: 15 Cool Patterns to Keep You Warm (Knit).

1. I love the patterns in this book and the way the book is laid out. The directions are easy to follow. I especially like the charts letting you choose other yarn, gauge, and size of mitten. I really dislike it when a pattern calls for one size yarn and I want to use another. This book helps you avoid that.



2. Being a beginner knitter, I rather like this book than the Knit Hats book. Although the 2 books have color knitting, this one on mittens gives out several tips on how to continue with the color patterns when increases are made for the mittens and the explanation can be easily understood. Just wish they teach how to continue the color patterns if there are decreases.



3. I wish I hadn't spent the money on this book, which I got becuase it's companion "Knit Hats!" was excellent. Knit Mittens! does not have the variety of interesting concepts and patterns found in Knit Hats! I wouldn't reccomend this book to anyone if they haven't looked through it themselves and decided whether or not it is worth buying for the few patterns they will probably enjoy.



4. Great book for visuals, methods, sizing and great instructions. Easy to modify most patterns to suit your own particular needs.
   Great Addition to a home knitting library!



5. At first glance, this seemed like a great little book with a variety of interesting patterns: lots of stranded colorwork, felted mittens, a good variety of sizes.
   - I liked the layout of the instructions in tables so you can easily keep track of the numbers for the size you're making.
   - I also liked the fact that the instructions for the left and right hand shapings are written out, rather than the author just saying "repeat, reversing shaping for the other hand."
   
   However, there were definitely a few annoyances that I ran into when I started trying to use the book:
   - No row gauge given for the patterns! I'm currently almost at the end of my first North Star Mitten and it looks like even though I was over on stitch gauge, my row gauge is tighter than what the author assumes, and my mitten will end up being shorter than my hand. For plain stockinette patterns, I guess this doesn't matter much since the row/stitch ratio is usually pretty consistent, but with the combination of colorwork and yarn worked on smaller needles than recommended, it would be really helpful if the author also gave ROW GAUGE instead of just telling you "x stitches per inch."
   - No yardage information for the yarns used--the author just tells you the number of skeins of a certain kind of yarn. If you want to substitute yarns, it's up to you to research the recommended yarns on the Internet if you want to find out how many yards this translates to. If some of these are partial skeins, this isn't specified either.
   - There is no single glossary of knitting terms. I encountered the abbreviation "ssk2tog" in one place and had to hunt all over the book to figure out if this was the same as the term that is usually written "ssk." (Yes, it is.) I also had to cross-reference a couple of different pages to find the author's definition of "M1". I prefer books that list all their abbreviations together, in a single glossary at the end, rather than scattering them throughout the book in cute little sidebars.
   - I would have liked the mittens to all come in a consistent range of sizes. The "chicky feet" mittens were cute, but only had instructions for children's sizes. It would have been great to see children's, women's, and men's sizes for all the mittens.
   Overall, it's a nice little book to get out from the library (which is what I did) but I probably wouldn't buy it.

1 comments about Collapse Weave: Creating Three-Dimensional Cloth.

1. Everything you could possibly want to know about Collapse Weave and how to do it. Even how to spin for it! (And Anne Field knows about spinning. Look for her books. She can only be described as awesome!)
   The pictures are inspiring, the information given in a clear, concise way. I know I can do this with her help!
   
   Not a beginning weaver's book as you need to know your fibers and have weaving experience. Definately on my "to do" list. Now, to find her book on 4 harness weaving...
   
   Thank you Anne!
   Spinning Wool: Beyond the basics