Taunton Press

Button It Up: 80 Amazing Vintage Button Projects for Necklaces, Bracelets, Embellishments, Housewares, & More

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:21:00 +0000

As a child, I remember marveling at the quart jar full of old buttons at my grandmother’s house; I would pour them out onto the floor and separate out the ones that I thought were the prettiest. Twenty some years later, and I find myself wishing for that quart jar as I read Button It Up: 80 Amazing Vintage Button Projects for Necklaces, Bracelets, Embellishments, Housewares & More by Susan Beal.

The book is divided into sections by project type: two on jewelry (my favorites: the button link necklace and button cuffs), one on housewares (I’m planning on making the dinner party set for a present) and one on accessories, embellishments and gifts (the button stationery is super cute).

Though it isn’t just a how-to book; the first chapter is an interesting one on the history of buttons. Yes, I realize that it may sound unexciting, but I hadn’t before realized how much the style and design of buttons changed with the times: from the black jet beads popularized by Queen Victoria’s mourning dresses to the historical souvenir buttons of World’s Fairs and movies in the middle of the 20th century.

As a teacher of technical writing (not as boring as it sounds), I was impressed by the readability and clarity of the directions on the projects. The steps are written specifically. Unlike some craft books, this one has an image for every project on facing page. There is no searching for what the project should look like.

One downside is that many of the projects displayed have buttons that seem hard to get, so it may not be possible to replicate the design exactly. On second thought, perhaps that’s a good thing. No matter how many people have the book and make the same pattern, you’ll still come out with an original, one of a kind item.

You don’t have to have a stock of buttons or craft materials on hand before you start; there is a clear list of materials needed for each project as well as instructions on techniques at the beginning of the book. A resources section includes information on some of the best places to get buttons. While most of the brick-and-mortar stores are in New York City or California, there are plenty of online options available.

It is a book written for a more “traditional” woman; the assumption is that button necklaces and button embellished bags would be of interest. Some items seem more geared for an older generation (I’m in my twenties), but there really seems to be something for everyone. I especially liked the button toys section; I’ll be making the felted owl with button eyes and toes for my niece.

Written by: Kristin Conard, June 11th 2009

I [Heart] Felt: 33 Eye-Popping Projects for the Inspired Knitter

admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:22:00 +0000

By Kathleen Taylor

Taunton Press

I’m sort of a moron when it comes to knitting. Yes, I’ve made beautiful scarves for my partners and friends, the occasional hat that I inevitably give away, and I’ve donated time making squares for charity quilts. But when it comes to anything more complex than a multi-colored potholder, I’m a dunce. I loathe books and patterns because they confuse my creative sensibilities, and my grandmother is simply too senile to remember how to help me make a mitten.

For a beginner—in knitting or felting—I [Heart] Felt is inspiring, if complex. Felting is the process of taking large knitted items and shrinking them into, well, felt items, thereby actually making them solid fabric. Some of us may have seen these goods for sale at craft fairs and boutique art stores, maybe not always even knowing how they were constructed. I first saw the effects of felting when my mother machine-dried a wool sweater when I was in middle school. Ouch.

But for understanding intentional felting, this book is terrific. The book's strengths lie in the detailed preparation instructions that put even my antsy mind at ease. “I can assemble these tools for success,” I thought as I perused the recipes. There are beautiful color photos depicting many completed projects, start to finish, and the array of items to be made is truly fun. Everything from simple hats and gloves to autumn pumpkins and tiaras seem like a cinch for a comfortable knitter. Men’s and children’s items are featured too, and unlike many men’s patterns I find in these types of guides, these aren’t hideous—they’re actually cool! Backup plans are even provided in case your items don’t turn out as expected (too small or too large), and everything is explained, down to different washer sizes’ effects on your projects.

I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to a novice knitter, but I would definitely encourage a seasoned craftsperson to try out a few of these tricks. This book would also make an excellent gift for anyone stuck in a creative rut or someone trying to branch out from his or her usual craft.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, March 24th 2008

Making Room: Finding Space in Unexpected Places

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:48:00 +0000

By Wendy A. Jordan

Taunton Press

Living in a small studio apartment, I was excited to look through the home-help book, Making Room. The premise of the guide is to create new spaces in the home you have, instead of moving elsewhere or adding on extra rooms. With hopes set high, I eagerly dove into the book only to face-plant into glossy pages of disappointment. While the pictures are interesting and fun to look at, this book is aimed towards the middle-to-upper class homeowners with kids and dogs. The suggestions are interesting to think about, however. For example, Wendy Jordan shows the reader how to make extra drawers out of your stairs. With some tools, wood, a couple of trips to the hardware store and lots of spare time, you can find a built-in space in your stairway to store your canned goods, extra paper towels and an iron. If I made drawers out of my stairs, I’m sure my landlord and neighbors would have a problem with it considering that I share those stairs with about eighteen other people. Plus, I don’t have time to do any of the major house-renovating projects that Jordan suggests. I have time to buy plastic bins, and that’s about it.

But I can’t be too cynical. It’s obvious that this book is not intended for the recently graduated, low-wage making and, probably, disorganized young person. Putting my socioeconomic status aside for the moment and pretending that I own a multiple story house, this book is actually a radical idea. Due to mass-consumerism, our culture believes that the answer to any life problem is to buy more. So what are you going to do with all of that extra plasma TV, drum set and kid’s toys lying around? Jordan’s serious suggestions are radical in the sense that she encourages people to make due with what they have. Stop adding on rooms and buying bigger houses, already! Every page is filled with detailed suggestions of helpful projects to find extra space in the home. An extra closet, for example, can be turned into a small office space. By adding bookshelves into the walls instead of buying new ones, the homeowner adds space and finds a place for all of her books. Maybe by changing our current approach to finding more space, our cultural approach to buying more stuff will change along with it.

And for those of us that can’t actually find the book pertinent to our lives, we can at least get a laugh. Jordan’s language is more entertaining than the projects she creates: “Before it was liberated from its confining walls, the kitchen in this small house was dark and isolated…a solid wall between kitchen and family room blocked social interchange entirely.” Oh, the horror! But seriously, keep this book in mind when you have the house, time and modern desire to find extra space in your home.

Written by: Chelsey Clammer, April 23rd 2007

Crochet Jewelry: 35 Fantastic Pieces of Jewelry to Make and Wear

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 02:57:00 +0000

By Sophie Britten

Taunton Press

“This is not your grandmother's crochet!” Indeed it is not. Sophie Britten's big, glossy book of DIY jewelry features pieces that exude charm, youth, and even grown-up glamour. For those of you who cannot think “crochet” without immediately thinking “granny squares” this book may change your mind. As a wannabe DIY-er whose crafts are generally restricted to making my own birthday cards, after poring over Britten's book, I may just dig up those crochet hooks I've got in the back of my sewing box and get back at it.

Britten is wise to us, of course. She knows that the "almost crafty" kids attracted to her book will have forgotten lessons at Aunt Millie's side, and so she gracefully introduces her text with a refreshing 20-page crash course in crochet basics, right down to how to hold the hook and start the stitch. And though standard crochet is perfectly lovely in its own right, it is what Britten does with the simple crochet techniques that makes her book stand out.

Wire, not yarn, is Britten's innovating take on crochet. Using fine wire, beads and yarn as material, crochet stops being just for blankets and pillows and becomes the means to pretty new trinkets - like a gold bracelet cuff, dangly earrings, a vintage-y brooch perfect for a winter woolen coat, and a glam hair band. If the goods weren't good enough, the pictures, in addition to being beautiful, also show off the crochet work and serve as a useful check on your work-in-progress. Each piece is rated either “very easy,” “easy” or “intermediate” and Britten's instructions are clear and easy to follow.

Crochet Jewelry comes at a timely moment during crochet's upswing in popularity following the recent reclamation of knitting as a trendy activity. By utilizing a non-traditional approach to crochet, Britten appeals both to those brand new to crochet and those who never stopped; the pretty and wearable pieces might inspire some to pick up the skill and inspire others to apply their years of practice to new projects.

Written by: kristina grob, April 10th 2007

Kaffe Fassett's Kaleidoscope of Quilts

admin — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:41:00 +0000

By Kaffe Fassett

Taunton Press

In the world of knitting, needlepoint, interior design and quilting, Kaffe Fassett’s long line of books reign as the prettiest of the pretty coffee table books. An internationally renown artist, Fassett has authored over fifteen books on needle crafts and design and has exhibited his work in museums around the world. Fassett’s popularity has played a part in attracting a larger audience to knitting and quilting and elevating the appreciation of the fabric arts. Kaffe Fassett’s Kaleidoscope of Quilts is his latest showcase of dazzling quilt designs.

Saturated stripes and earthy floral prints, each quilted project is crafted from Fassett’s own line of sumptuous fabrics created with Rowan. Laying on a picturesquely rusted sailboat or pinned to a faded, ornate door, each quilt glimmers like a vibrant jewel in these settings. Beautifully photographed on the sun-drenched shores of Malta, the patchwork of Fassett and his design team—with its intense color ways—is shown to its best advantage. Close-up shots highlight the projects’ individual stitch work and palette.

After the lush photo spread, the rest of Kaleidoscope of Quilts is devoted to quilt assembly instructions, templates, and tips. Even in these nuts-and-bolts pages, there are generous photos and diagrams as well as clear, detailed instructions. In another welcome surprise, Fassett also includes biographies of the designers and the inspiration behind the choices of fabrics and patch shapes. This focus on the importance of design, color, and fabric pattern allows beginner quilters to create movement and energy within their own work. The book encourages adventure and experimentation.

Quilting is often mistakenly assumed to be humble women‘s work, a thrifty use of fabric scraps. However, piecework has always been about showing off, the decadent display of swirling stitches, the fearless juxtaposition of gingham, florals, and polka dots. In Kaleidoscope of Quilts, the art of quilting is shown at its best with gorgeous quilts and directions that instruct and illuminate.

Written by: Regina Raiford Babcock, March 25th 2007

Get Your Crochet On! Hip Hats and Cool Caps

admin — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 02:24:00 +0000

By Afya Ibomu

Taunton Press

In Get Your Crochet On! Afya Ibomu breaks down the basics of crocheting into several parts. She begins by explaining her love for yarn and breaks down the workings of yarn, and how certain types of yarn can be used to achieve fancy looks. Detailed pictures are used to provide examples of the different kinds of yarn, and she explains that the hook you need might depend on the type of yarn you will be using. The book then lists the types of crochet hooks, again with detailed pictures. The pros and cons of each type of hook is examined briefly, so even beginners can feel comfortable choosing what kind of hook they feel might be right for them. Ibomu also does not fail to mention other tools that might be of use for crocheting, and makes sure to tell her readers how each of these tools will be of use.

I was pleased to see that Get Your Crochet On! included a color wheel and suggestions for color pairs. Although a color wheel might seem elementary to some, I believe her inclusion is extremely helpful to those just starting out or someone who might be picking up crocheting as a first craft. Seasonal colors are explained as a guide for selection with certain patterns or projects. The illustrations are very helpful to exhibit each basic type of stitching so that newcomers can understand without feeling intimidated by the book. Other helpful inclusions explain how to change color; how to knit in rounds; and how to weave in elastic, make pom poms, fringe and so forth.

More advanced readers might want to skip to the second part of the book which covers Ibomu's patterns. In this section, each pattern is explained by breaking down materials needed, what course to follow for the stitching, what types of hooks you will need to use (and where) and easy-to-follow words on how to complete some hats with a brim or bib. Most of the hats in her book are unisex and could easily be worn by either men or women of any ethnicity, and children as well. Examples of the patterns demonstrate a wide-range of styles including a skull cap, visor, fedora, ski hat, winter hat, caps, reggae style and hats for those with dreadlocks. Although the patterns do not include information like the difficulty level of each project, Ibomu explains her patterns simply so that those who are new to crocheting or those who are more seasoned can both use the book to guide them with the projects.

Written by: Lauren Begnaud, March 5th 2007

Sew Subversive: Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista

admin — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 12:48:00 +0000

By Melissa Rannels, Melissa Alvarado, Hope Meng

Taunton Press

The subversive notion of sewing (no pun intended) in this book initially caught my eye; I was drawn into the concept sewing is no longer considered to be something only our grannies do, but something that would enable anyone to shout out, “We’re are creative minds!” Sew Subversive is about sewing outside the box, tossing those patterns to the winds and creating your own statement. I shared this book with women both young and not so young; each one was energized by the book layout, ideas and the “coolness” of the ideas. There are reality checks from the authors reminding the reader that learning takes time and practice, that everyone messes up, and mistakes “are not a waste if you learn something from them.”

Written by three women from the San Francisco area, who are owners of a business called Stitch Lounge, the book reflects the more modern perspective of how a sewing circle can provide the tools for creative expression. Stitch Lounge is a studio which offers time, machines, materials, fabrics, notions, and classes to those individuals looking for creative expression through sewing. Sometimes sewing is not even needed; the book offers three projects where thread is not a required material.

Sew Subversive opens with a solid introduction for beginners on sewing basics – such as how to pick fabric, material, and thread and basic hand stitching – then moves into sewing machine basics. The remainder of the text is dedicated to 22 projects. Each project comes with the material list, step-by-step instructions, and the time it should take to complete the project.

I took on one of the projects, transforming two old t-shirts to a tote bag. The step-by-step instructions were accurate and well organized. The authors’ comic relief made the project fun rather than instructional. I finished the project within the estimated period and came out of the process with a bag that is not only very useful; it has proven to be a terrific conversation starter.

Written by: Mary O'Hara, February 12th 2007