The knitting world lost Barbara Albright to a brain tumor in July 2006; she never got to see her final book in print. And it is a beautiful book, filled with lovely pictures and Barbara's wonderful research and thoughts on fiber and knitting. She truly does natural fiber justice - from alpaca to yak, as the secondary title says - and any knitter can appreciate her sentiments about natural fiber, whether animal or plant-based, and there is even a chapter on the uses of natural plant dyes. The Natural Knitter is also a pattern book, with contributed patterns designed for the fibers Barbara describes; the patterns range in difficulty from an easy Bodacious Bunny Baby Set to some spectacular intarsia and lace sweaters (including a beautiful lace twinset designed for a quiviut-based yarn). Barbara included profiles of the shops, distributors, farms, and companies of the yarns used in the book, from powerhouses like Classic Elite and Muensch Yarns, to smaller, independent spinners and dyers like Wooly Warren, Botanical Shades, and La Lana Wools. The Natural Knitter is a wonderful addition to any knitter's library, whether a knitter of the experienced variety or one just starting out. This book is an inspiration to me, showing the many possibilities of fibers and patterns I have yet to try - I may try that quiviut sweater next!
Vampire Knits This book is gorgeous! The knitting projects offer something for everyone. If you are looking for the perfect holiday gift for the Twilight fan, this may be your answer. From beautiful hoodies, neck warmers, werewolf hats, corsets and lacey scarves, there is an array of projects for knitters of every level. The gift recipient will love you forever!
The vampire lore is captivating and the illustrations really make the book pop visually.
Any time I look at a knitting book, I have to try it out first. The Black Veil scarf instructions were easy to understand. Definite thumbs up! A must for any knitter who has a guilty pleasure in knitting on the dark side.
This cheery holiday quilting book is choc full of inspirational projects. My favorites have to be the Merry Mail and the Christmas Basket quilt. The projects are few, but worth it. The instructions are informative and the photos of the projects quite inspiring.
This book makes me want to break out the fabric and get started on Christmas now. (It's April).
If you love quilting or know someone who does, this book is worth a look.
Christmas Quilts from Hopscotch is a cozy collection of quilting projects perfect for the holiday season. From the tree skirts, wall hangings, stockings and various other projects, this book is an excellent choice for any quilter. The patterns are clear and templates included. The back portion of the book includes a section of Merry and Bright, a collection of festive and colorful holiday designs.
Better Together Author and artist Karen Sievert does an excellent job of fabric and color pairings in this inspirational quilting book. The instructions are clear, the colors and fabrics are vibrant and the patterns are crisp and beautiful. This is a good book for quilters of all skill levels.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.
The colors of this book drew me in from the start. I love the combinations of the batik designs. The photography from Bali adds depth to the story behind the quilts. It brings to life the culture and majesty of this land that is rich in tradition and craftsmanship.
Pamela Mostek was asked to give a textile tour to Bali. So she brought her traveling companion Susan Nelsen with her and the rest is history.
Follow Pamela and Susan as they talk about the weaving methods used to create the unique batik patters.
There are eight gorgeous patterns to delight quilters of all levels of skill. A keeper for my library shelf.
Gifted: Lovely Little Things to Knit and Crochet by Mags Kandis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book had projects for everyone. From felting, to regular knitting and crochet, this book has many different styles to inspire you.
Gifted is based on the premise of small, quick gift items and I can think of no other book for some fast holiday knitting or crocheting. The Felted Heart Milagros project on the cover is one of my favorites! The instructions are easy to understand for an intermediate knitter such as myself.
The projects are arranged in two groups. Gifts for the Body focuses on wearable projects. There are scarves, earmuffs, hats and more. Gifts for the Soul has scissor sleeves,a pincushion and adorable crochet flowers.
If you are trying to learn a new technique, this book is for you. The projects are small and portable and work out quickly.
There are recipes from author Mags Kandis and great photographs to inspire you while you knit one of a kind gifts that are sure to delight someone special.
Nicky Epstein Knitted Flowers is a great book to explore the beautiful art of knitting. After making one of the cabbage roses, I am hooked! The projects in this book are original and will keep your knitting skills growing as you learn to manipulate the yarn into gorgeous works of flower art. A must have for knitters everywhere!
Power Cables is an exploration through the somewhat daunting task of knitting cables. Or so I thought. Lily Chin, master knitter for Vogue magazine, has done a wonderful job of breaking the cable patterns into workable charts for the novice and expert alike. While more handwritten instruction would have been great on one or two of the larger projects, overall the charts made the direction of the cables more clear and happily for this knitter, a doable thing. A wonderful book and a must for anyone contemplating cable knitting. 
Amigurumi Two! This book has even more fun in store for the creative crocheter. I love the tea set and the cake! So adorable. I highly recommend this book.
Amigurumi World This book of creative crochet made me smile. The designs are user friendly and very cute. As someone who is learning how to crochet, I took this book to my knitting/crochet class and the instructor helped me to understand the directions and once I did, it was just perfect. The projects make wonderful gifts for friends and family. Make some cute little crochet friends today!
Dress Your Dog is a wonderful collection of sweaters, leashes, dresses and other fun things you can knit for your dog. The pink lace dress is my favorite! Followed close behind by the knitted flowers that you can attach to your hand knitted leash.
Author and artist Sys Fredens does a great job of giving instruction and exhibiting beautiful photography of her work. This is a keeper for any dog lover and knitter.
Deck the Halls is a series of several projects to celebrate the holiday season. The author, Cheryl Almgren Taylor does an amazing job of picking fabrics to compliment the homey designs of her quilts. From table runners to wall hangings, these quilts embody the spirit of Christmas. This book is a perfect gift for the quilter in your household, or to have in your own personal crafting library. This one is a keeper and the quilts made from it will warm your heart for years to come.
Needle-Felting Magic is simply amazing. Taking various fibers, author Margo Duke creates projects that inspire the quilter and stitcher in all of us. Ribbons and wool are just some of the things she weaves into gorgeous projects, ranging from vests to slipper ornaments. LIterally painting with fiber, all the projects are done by machine and the lessons learned with each project will lead you to endless creative possibilities. This book will inspire you to make workable masterpieces. Wonderful for gift giving. You will want this in your library for many years to come.
Out of the Box is an eclectic blend of quilting that helps you create story quilts. Using your own stories, this wonderful book gives you the techniques you need to create some lasting memories for you and your family. The illustrations are amazing and very inspiring. It is honestly hard to decide which one was my favorite. Some of the topics covered are gallery quilts, story quilts, better borders,color and embellishments. Author Mary Lou Weidman does an exceptional job of teaching you to open yourself up and create a quilt that speaks your own life story. This is a keeper for any quilter.
The winter months are the perfect time to knit. When I first came across Knits from the North Sea I was transfixed by the ethereal lace work. It is a breathtaking compilation of knitted shawls, stoles and scarves and I couldn't stop looking at it. As an intermediate knitter, the instructions themselves were clear and doable. This book will be in my library for years to come. I highly recommend it. It is the perfect gift for knitters even if they have never tried lace knitting before.
Are you a quilter? I am trying to learn and when I came across Artful Applique' II I was enthralled. The use of applique' with beadwork is beautiful and inspires me to learn more of this beautiful art form. The templates given to us by author Jane Townswick are doable and even for a beginner like me, look like something I could do. Stitching is my main hobby, but this book makes me want to expand my horizons and learn to quilt and applique'. The illustrations are gorgeous and the instructions clear. It is a keeper and now I need to go back and find the first book! This is quilt show quality and I can't wait to see if there will be a follow up to this one.
Happy quilting!
