Magazine Review - Handmade: Craft, Decorating, Sewing. Vol 32 No. 2

This magazine boasts over 30 patterns to make. These include an introduction to Japanese sashiko stitching, a filigree rabbit, a patchwork tote bag, a patchwork rug and a cross-stitch picture depicting the Eleanor Roosevelt quote "A woman is like a teabag. You don't know how strong she is 'til you put her in hot water." Lovely to browse through, or indeed to actually get a project up and running.
Wendy

Book Review - Sweet Knits: 30 cute designs for kids by Catherine Graham-Evans and Hook, Line and Crochet: 20 cute and quirky crochet projects by Ros Badger

These two books overdo the cuteness factor for me but there is plenty to choose from if you are seeking a new project. I personally would go for some of the other knitting and crochet designs available in the craft collections at each library.

Wendy

 

Book Review - The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

This is a gentle novel but it doesn't shy away from serious and difficult topics. This is the second of the Elm Creek Quilts novels I have read. They don't need to be read in any order as they all involve people coming and going from a quilting centre – some of the stories are about ongoing characters and some are not. They are female in their concerns and orientations although an open minded male would no doubt enjoy them also. This setting is a quilt retreat for Thanksgiving where women come together to learn and share quilting techniques and to create quilts for charity. It is common for there to be a charitable element in any gathering of crafty people as we see in Camden with our Wrap with Love blankets, our Christmas stocking for the Hospital auxiliary etc. Each of the women who come to the retreat has their own story and we explore a couple of them including the cheerleader who has had a critical fracture, the wife who became a coach to help the school's team in a challenge where other teams cheated and the woman who didn't get a job at the Elm Creek centre when she applied some time before. Life events are often upsetting but there is comfort in helping each other through them. Wendy

Book Review - The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

This is a gentle novel but it doesn't shy away from serious and difficult topics. This is the second of the Elm Creek Quilts novels I have read. They don't need to be read in any order as they all involve people coming and going from a quilting centre – some of the stories are about ongoing characters and some are not. They are female in their concerns and orientations although an open minded male would no doubt enjoy them also. This setting is a quilt retreat for Thanksgiving where women come together to learn and share quilting techniques and to create quilts for charity. It is common for there to be a charitable element in any gathering of crafty people as we see in Camden with our Wrap with Love blankets, our Christmas stocking for the Hospital auxiliary etc. Each of the women who come to the retreat has their own story and we explore a couple of them including the cheerleader who has had a critical fracture, the wife who became a coach to help the school's team in a challenge where other teams cheated and the woman who didn't get a job at the Elm Creek centre when she applied some time before. Life events are often upsetting but there is comfort in helping each other through them. Wendy

Book Review - Knit Kimono Too by Vicki Square

From elegant linen sleeveless tops to big thick warm coats, this book contains garments that have had their design genesis in the timeless lines of Japanese kimonos. Featuring some new textured stitches, lace coveralls, warm cables, interesting surface embroidery as well as some quite simple garter stitch patterns, there is something here for all ages and interests. One design harks back to the Heian period, (794-1192) when the colour palette of your fashionable 12 layer kimono was determined by your rank in society as well as by the season, eg soft pale greens in spring, deep purples and grays in winter etc. a lovely book to read through and maybe to knit something from! Wendy

Book Review - What to Knit When You're Expecting by Nikki Van De Car

A lovely collection of baby knits. I think I may be going to try out the sleeping bag and matching hat and perhaps the stripey jumper for the little ones in my life. Luxurious yarns and livable designs although I think they are perhaps having a colder climate than ours in mind. Wendy

Book Review - Op Shop Chic by Rosie Lyons

Another crafty treat. Ideas for bags made out of tea towels, fruit bowls out of LPs, tea cosies out of old kilts and much more. Lovely to browse through and think about pretty things you could make, and some of them are even useful as well! I think my favourite idea was the child's pinafore out of a cut down man's shirt. A little bias binding and you're done! Wendy

Unexpected Afghans: innovative Crochet Designs with Traditional Techniques by Robyn Chahcula

This is a welcome addition to our extensive craft collection. The author has collected designs from many contemporary American crochet designers. Explosions of colours, granny motifs, Tunisian, cable and lace designs. I am definitely going to make one of the cable afghans – but which one to choose? Who knew you could do cable in crochet? Not me, but it looks very impressive in the examples in this book. Unfortunately, as it is an American book, it uses American terms, so for those of us who learnt the Australian/British terms you will need to translate Double crochet stitches into Triple crochet etc . I think some of these designs are definitely worth the effort.

Wendy

Jane Austen's Sewing box

A simple pleasure for Jane fans, craft fans and social history fans. The author has trawled Jane's novels and personal papers to identify craft activities and designed simple projects to illustrate the idea. The background is given in extracts from these papers. The sewing instructions do, I think, presume a level of sewing knowledge as some of the steps are not clear, however, the book can be read as a delicious journey into Jane Austen's world without any intention of actually doing the craft . Step back into time with relish .... then come forward and say thankyou for modern sewing machines etc and not having the responsibility of providing all your family's clothing by hand! Very pretty.

Wendy