Posts tagged with "books" | Return to the Archives Listing
E-Book: How to Enter The World of Textile Design, by Lizzy House
Lizzy House, designer of adorable fabric lines Lizzy Dish, Red Letter Day, and the upcoming Castle Peeps (all for Andover Fabrics), recently spilled about a book she’s written (well, an e-book, but a book’s a book in my book) called How To Enter The World Of Textile Design: For The Quilting Industry.
Since I started designing fabric, my inbox has been filled to the brim with questions from peeps who too want to design. It’s difficult to respond to every email, and difficult to respond in a way that is actually helpful, and not continually allusive. My thinking for the book was this: there are books that tell you how to get published, there are books that tell you how to get your work into galleries, there are books for everything under the sun; why shouldn’t there be a book for this tiny specific specialized market, that seems so hard to break into.
The book is available for purchase and download here for $25. There’s even a foreword by Amy Schimler of Redfishcircle. Should be a very interesting read for aspiring fabric designers.
Book Month: The Sewing Bible by Ruth Singer
The Sewing Bible: A Modern Manual of Practical and Decorative Sewing Techniques
Potter Craft, 2009
It used to be that if you asked for my recommendation on a good comprehensive sewing guide, I would say the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Sewing
RDCGS is more comprehensive, especially in garment construction, but I think Ms. Singer did a wonderful job choosing techniques to cover — the result is comprehensive without being overwhelming. The 20 projects in The Sewing Bible are thoroughly fresh, modern, and inspired. I mean, I think the projects in the RDCGS are awesome, but I can see where others might disagree. I like the 20 “masterclasses” included in The Sewing Bible, which cover techniques like decorative box pleating, couture hems, invisible zippers, and reverse appliqué.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with having both books in your sewing book library!
Book Month: Expanding Your Fabric Horizons
Twinkle Sews: 25 Handmade Fashions from the Runway to Your Wardrobe
Potter Craft, 2009
Linen Wool Cotton: 25 Simple Projects to Sew with Natural Fabrics
Trumpeter/Shambhala, 2009
Like Susan Wasinger’s Fabricate, which Mary Beth reviewed last week, today’s books both are great for sewists wanting to explore different kinds of fabrics. Wenlan Chia, whose label Twinkle by Wenlan is well known in the knitting, fashion, and design world, has several knitting books under her belt, but Twinkle Sews is her first sewing book. It has 25 designs — seven skirts, six raglan sleeve tops, six drop shoulder tops, and six spaghetti strap tops/dresses. Of course the biggest factor in deciding whether you should buy this book is whether or not you like her designs and whether they will work with your body. Unfortunately I haven’t seen much in the way of previews of the projects anywhere on the web (Craftystylish shows a few), so this is one to seek out in your local bookstore to see in person.
The look of the garments definitely gets my seal of approval — they are far more fashion forward than the big commercial pattern companies’ fare, with lots of interesting lines and details. I’m excited that they use a wide variety of fabrics — wools, lace, silks, linen, and blends, sweatshirt fabric, synthetics, velvet, eyelet, and many blends. The patterns range in difficulty from easy to advanced, but the easy ones are far from plain. Sizes range from 0-16. A few of the spaghetti strap patterns look like they would never do for the large busted, but there are plenty of voluminous blouses to make up for it.
A few reviewers on Amazon complained about the printable patterns, which are included on a CD that comes with the book. In theory you are supposed to be able to print the patterns out onto 8.5×11″ paper and tape them together, but the reviewers complained about nonmatching pieces, confusion over dealing with printer margins, and the sheer amount of paper consumed. So that is something to keep in mind if you tend to be daunted by this type of thing.
You can’t get much different stylistically from Twinkle Sews than Linen Wool Cotton by Akiko Mano, but I can also see the same sewist loving both books equally. Like TS, it’s a celebration of different fibers and textures, and the projects are all about letting solid fabrics shine. Only this translated-from-Japanese book focuses on natural fibers and is all about simplicity — and it has a variety of projects, only a few of which are garments. They are all clean, serene, sweet, and lovely, and would make great beginner projects. It’s a perfect book especially if you are looking to work with linen or wool for the first time. There are no pattern pieces to deal with, only measurements and diagrams. To get an idea of the projects included, browse the book oh Shambhala’s site.
Book Month: Rashida Coleman Hale’s I ♥ Patchwork Blog Tour
I Love Patchwork: 21 Irresistible Zakka Projects to Sew
Interweave Press, 2009
Rashida Coleman Hale writes the blog I ♥ Linen and has a shop of the same name. With just one glance at her famous Blossom Pincushions, you can tell that she has an amazing eye for color and combining fabrics, and is able to infuse a ton of impact into unfussy, beautiful sewn objects. As you might guess from the title of her blog, she hearts linen (she’s also a big proponent of gingham) — it’s these fabrics that set off and balance colorful cotton prints, really giving them a chance to sing.
Rashida’s book I ♥ Patchwork: 21 Irresistible Zakka Projects to Sew
Blossom Pincushion from I ♥ Patchwork
First off, huge congratulations on the release of I ♥ Patchwork! How did your blog I ♥ Linen become the book I ♥ Patchwork?
Thank you so much, Kim! It really has been quite a journey and I’m so thrilled to have had the opportunity and experience.
Back in April of 2008, Tricia Waddell, the editor of Stitch Magazine, contacted me about submitting some work for their premiere issue. Since she is also the Editorial Director for Books, out of sheer curiosity I inquired about the process for submitting book proposals. Turns out she already had plans to ask me if I was interested in doing a book with them! I submitted an outline of what I thought I’d like the book to be about and a tentative list of projects. Tricia then brought my ideas to the book acquisition committee. It was happily approved and I ♥ Patchwork was born!
Can you tell the uninitiated about your book in a nutshell? How is it different from other sewing books on the market? What is the skill level of most of the projects?
I ♥ Patchwork is basically a collection of simple and modern patchwork projects using the popular Japanese Zakka style that many of us have grown to adore.
I think my book is different mainly because of my use of linen in every project. Its popularity has grown quite rapidly and there aren’t a lot of English publications available with information about this glorious fiber and how to sew with it. 99.9% of the time I use linen in my work and I really wanted the projects to stay very true to the style you see on my blog and I think I was certainly able to achieve that. Interweave Press gave me complete creative freedom with my designs, which was very important to me.
I’m not a fan of making things too complicated, simple and easy are my best friends. There’s something to be said about the ability to make something beautiful and innovative without having to stress yourself out! The projects are focused toward a beginner to intermediate sewist, but I certainly think someone with advanced skills would still find some joy in making them.
Little Lamb Softie from I ♥ Patchwork
What is Zakka, exactly, and how did you put your own spin on the Japanese concept?
Zakka is a Japanese term that basically means “miscellaneous goods.” It could be anything from kitchen towels to place mats, an empty jar or a teapot, even a pair of slippers. The term has evolved over the years and is more of an aesthetic and design style pertaining mainly to household items that we use in our everyday life. Handmade zakka in Japan uses linen a lot and that style certainly appealed to me when I began making my own zakka. I also have a great love for patchwork and thought that marrying the two styles would make for a wonderful match.
In your book’s intro it says you studied at FIT. Can you tell us more about that?
My mom was a model in Tokyo and I was exposed to the fashion industry very early on. She’s also who taught me how to sew when I was a girl. Between the industry experience, my drawing, sewing and creating, it seemed only logical for me to take up Fashion Design as my major once I finished school. I left my home town the morning after high school graduation bound for New York and the fashion industry and I never looked back! I studied it for about three years and eventually decided that it wasn’t for me and dropped out. Mainly because I hated all the sewing! Go figure!
Sewing Machine Cover from I ♥ Patchwork
Please wax poetic about your love for linen. What is your very favorite weight and source?
Oh wow. Where to begin! I LOVE it, but I guess you knew that already. I’ve always been fascinated by this fiber ever since learning of its history and properties in my Textiles course at FIT. It’s such a wonderful material to work with, strong and durable as well as elegant and lovely. The natural color isn’t that attractive if, say, it were a cotton solid fabric, but the texture of linen is what really makes it come alive. With all of the different weights available you can make bedding, baby items, toys, clothing, towels, bags, table cloths, curtains. Home items to industrial items, the list goes on! What other natural fiber can do that?
My favorite of the three weights is the medium weight (4.5 to 6.5 oz). It’s the most versatile as you can make a greater array of projects from it. I buy it 5-plus yards at a time and never run out of uses for it! The one shop I used to frequent in NYC was Gray Line Linen. They have a huge selection of quality linen there at awesome prices and the people are super nice and helpful as well. I’m going to miss being able to pop in there when ever I want, but I can still order online or by phone, so … yay!
Most of your book’s projects involve sewing linen and cotton together. Is it tricky to combine these, since linen has less give?
I love combining the two fabric super powers! The natural linen makes an awesome partner for all of the wonderful and colorful cotton prints we have at our disposal and it really makes the colors pop! Although linen can indeed be tricky to combine with cotton. It does indeed have less give and has a tendency to be quite shifty. Pinning and basting is key when using this material. Time consuming and tedious, I must say it’s one of my least favorite sewing tasks, but I’m a perfectionist so it’s a necessary evil. If you want your work to come together nicely and smoothly, pin, pin, pin, thread baste, pin, pin pin! And then pin some more! I can’t stress that enough.
Button Calendar from I ♥ Patchwork
You are in the middle of a move! Have you settled into your new home? Have you gotten a chance to sew yet? What are you making (or what is next on your to-do list)?
We actually officially moved in on Saturday! We lived in an apartment in NJ before and our stuff seemed to fill up the place quite well. Now that we’re in a house I realized we don’t have as much as we thought we did. So the place seems pretty big and empty right now. I’m sure that’s something that can be cured with a few trips to Ikea!
My machine has been in storage for a while so I haven’t been sewing much. I’d LOVE to be making things for Christmas and I’m hoping I can squeeze in some holiday sewing. I’m also hoping to make some things for the new digs at some point as well.
I’ve got a couple things on my to do list for the beginning of 2010:
I’m excited to be a part of the Block Party team! Alissa and Kristen landed a book deal about our quilting bee and all of the bee participants have agreed to join the fun. The twelve of us will each design a quilt to be featured in the book scheduled for release in Spring 2011!
I’m also working on few projects for the Spring 2010 issue of Stitch Magazine.
Our new baby boy will be here in February, so I hope to make a little something for him as well. I think I just might end up sewing in the delivery room!
What was your most recent fabric purchase? And what other fabrics have caught your eye lately?
Oh geez louise, I just went to town over at Fabricworm.com a couple days ago (Thanks Cynthia!). I scooped up some yardage for my projects for Stitch. I chose some Heather Bailey prints from her new collection Nicey Jane, a print from Patty Young’s Flora and Fauna collection, a few polka dot prints (you can never have enough polka dots), a few Japanese prints and a ton of others.
I’m loving all the screen-printed fabric that’s been popping up everywhere lately. I’m especially swoonie over the prints from Summersville on Etsy. I really hope Santa got my email about these because I don’t think I’m on the naughty list this year.
What else is on your wish list for this holiday season?
There are quite a few new books out that I’d like to have. Appliqué Your Way
Sweet! Thank you so much for stopping by on your tour, Rashida, and the best of luck with everything. Rashida’s next blog tour stop is on Wednesday — she’ll be interviewed on FabTalk (hi, Laurie and Sarah!). See the full tour schedule here.
Book Month: Meg McElwee’s Sew Liberated Blog Tour
Interweave Press invited us to be part of their virtual book tour for Meg McElwee’s new book, Sew Liberated (see my review, too!). How could we pass up a chance to interview one of our favorite bloggers and authors about her stash? We could not, that’s how.
Hi, Meg! Thanks for talking with us today. I recently read your Sew Liberated and fell in love with it. I thought I’d ask you some questions about your love of fabric, which shines through in your book.
You mentioned a little anecdote in the book that I think a lot of us could sympathize with: Tell us about those suitcases full of fabric lugged lovingly across the border to Mexico.
Thanks so much for hosting me, Mary Beth! I’m so glad my fabric obsession is apparent in the book; it makes all of that fabric lugging — and the accompanying sore arms — very much worth it! My husband and I were living in a rural town in northern Mexico where I was teaching three- to six-year-olds in a one-room Montessori schoolhouse. It was a wonderful time in our lives — life was slower, and we had plenty of time to develop our leisure time hobbies. I started sewing a lot more (my old Kenmore was one of the few things that came to Mexico with us). We were a four hour drive from any clothing stores, so I made and designed my own clothes. There was a fabric store in my town, although it only carried cheap synthetics. Thus began my fabric schlepping adventures! I would order fabric online, have it shipped to my parents’ or in-laws’ houses, and pack it into huge duffle bags for the journey back to Mexico. Since we only traveled back to the U.S. once or twice a year, I packed a lot of fabric into those bags! My weightlifting efforts were fruitful in the end — I would find myself back in Mexico with piles of fabric-y goodness, and so much time to sew!
You also mentioned a little friendly competition with your mom, perhaps? Who’s winning?
Oh, I have more fabric now, for sure! My mom used to have this bumper sticker that she kept on her sewing table that said “The one who dies with the most fabric wins.” Since my mom downsized her sewing table to closet storage, she got rid of all of that 80s peach stuff, which officially puts me in the lead.
Now to specifics: What was your first fabric favorite? What is it now? What’s your dream piece?
Because I was sewing mostly for young children in my classroom, I was originally drawn to the cotton/linen blend Japanese prints. I still love them, but I use them more sparingly as accent pieces.
Now? I could gush all day about NearSea Natural’s organic Silk/Hemp Charmeuse. Oh. My. This is the most beautiful fabric — both to look at and and to touch. I’ve made a baby blanket and a baby carrier with it, and it’s the bee’s knees. I have visions of making a stunning evening dress with it one of these days.
My dream piece? If I could be the proud owner of the entire Liberty of London’s Tana Lawn line, I’d do cartwheels.
(You and me both!) All right, then: who is your favorite designer?
I love Nani Iro – her florals are dreamy, and her contemporary designs are really compelling to work with. It’s art on fabric.
What does your stash look like these days? In what direction would you like to take it?
Quilting cottons still rule the roost, but lately (since moving back to the U.S. in 2008) I’ve been adding many more knits, wools, and silks to the mix. I’m moving toward having a more subtle collection of fabrics with scrumptious feels for the design of garments for women and children. I’m drawn to a more subtle European aesthetic in my design, and prefer to using my printed cottons for smaller details and applique work. Lately I’m much more interested in how the fabric feels than what design is printed on it.
How do you store it all?
I keep all of my cotton prints folded on shelving that sits directly on top of my huge work table – a nine-foot-long number that is still my best thrifting find ever! They are organized by color. Right now I’m maxed out as far as space goes, so I’m keeping my cotton buying to a minimum and using what I have “in stock.” The knits, wools, and other garment fabrics are folded and stored on shelving inside the studio closet. I’m running out of space for these, as they have to share the space with all of my other crafting supplies (wool roving, yarn, glue gun, etc.). I would love to eventually scoot my husband’s desk out of the studio (we currently share the space) and put up more shelving along the wall for the garment fabrics. He doesn’t know about this plan yet …
What are your favorite fabric shops or sources?
Since I’m a new mom and don’t leave the house much (nor do I live in a town with a fabulous local fabric store) I really appreciate stores that give you the option of ordering swatches before committing to a whole yard. For wools and specialty knits, I love gorgeousfabrics.com. I also order a lot of my knits, silks and hemps from nearseanaturals.com – they have an excellent selection of organic fabrics. Purlsoho.com also has some really fun printed knits, and the Liberty of London Tana Lawn collection that I would love to own one day!
What does your collection say about you?
I think it speaks to my eclectic style over the years – it’s colorful, cozy, folksy and sophisticated all at once.
I would have to agree. Thank you so much for your time today, Meg!
Sew Liberated is published by Interweave Press and is available for pre-order at Amazon, Interweave Store, Powells, Barnes and Noble and other independent, online (and brick-and-mortar) booksellers. For a signed copy, order from Meg McElwee’s online shop. Catch more of Meg at her blog, or visit her shop to see her boutique sewing patterns and other goodies.
Blog Tour Delay in Takeoff
Hey all! We’re sure you’re here looking for our interview with Meg McElwee of Sew Liberated on the occasion of her new book from Interweave Press of the same name. We’re experiencing some engineering difficulties, so please sit back, relax, visit the duty free shop, don’t storm the counter … we’ll be boarding as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
(In the meanwhile, visit Meg’s blog today and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of the book and host the final stop of the blog tour. Same goes with Rashida’s blog — Rashida and Meg are co-touring, and we’ll have Ms. I Heart Linen/I Heart Patchwork here on Monday!)
Here’s the tour schedule:
Saturday, Dec. 12: Rashida on In the Studio with Cate
Sunday, Dec. 13: Meg on In the Studio with Cate
Monday, Dec. 14: Rashida right here on True Up!
Tuesday, Dec. 15: Meg on Apron-iCity.com
Wednesday, Dec. 16: Rashida on FabTalk
Thursday, Dec. 17: Meg on Grosgrain Fabulous
Friday, Dec. 18: Rashida Twitter event – Noon EST on Twitter with @iheartlinen
Friday, Dec. 18: Meg on Living Life as Art
Saturday, Dec. 19: Meg on CraftyPod.com
Sunday, Dec. 20: Rashida on Zakka Life
Monday, Dec. 21: Meg on Craftsanity
Monday, Dec. 21: Rashida on Craft Critique
Tuesday, Dec. 22: Rashida on all buttoned up
Wednesday, Dec. 23: Meg on maya*made
Thursday, Dec. 24: Designer-to-Designer: Rashida and Meg interview each other on their respective blogs
Monday, Jan. 4, 2010: Blog Tour Winners’ Posts – location to be announce
Book Month: Review and Giveaway of Fabricate by Susan Wasinger
Fabricate: 17 Innovative Sewing Projects that Make Fabric the Star
Interweave Press, 2009
The beauty of Susan Wasinger’s Fabricate is the way she shows you how to create beautiful fabric, not just shop for it. For some of us living in the wilds of the American Midwest (far from a Bolt or a Purl Patchwork), that’s a pretty valuable skill.
Laminated wool felt laptop sleeve
The book is divided into four main sections according to technique:
- Pleats, crinkles and tufts
- Laminates and matrix
- Cut and fray
- Surface embellishment
Swatch matrix lampshade
She doesn’t have you creating the fabric from scratch — I mean, you’re not sitting there with, like, a sheep and a loom, going to town — but she does show you ways to take what you’ve got and make it better, different, more textural or just plain more interesting. For some projects, she shows how to embellish in a new or creative way; in others, she is creating the ground fabric from scraps or pieces (such as in the “swatch matrix” of tiny triangles forming a lampshade, or in the laminated felt laptop sleeve).
Simple chiffon skirt
Fabricate’s 17 projects look a little more sophisticated than most craft books today — or at least moreso than the ones I’m drawn to, in style if not in complexity. She uses materials like voile, silk dupioni and organza, in addition to more humble wool felt and cotton, in a light, sherbet-y palette. Many of the techniques are actually quite rough: tying, shredding, cutting. But the results look professional and neat.
Shag pillow
While the fabric-altering methods are not complex, Susan still walks you through each step. What I found most helpful was the photographic examples. And once you have altered or embellished your fabric according to her technique, she then provides a project pattern to turn that raw material into something pretty and useful. Wave-tucked linen becomes a dress; sheared silk becomes the Faux Chenille Shawl, eco felt becomes a Shag Pillow.
She does assume a base level of sewing knowledge. Where other sewing books dedicate a chapter to “The Essentials,” Susan keeps it simple with a page about fabric and a couple pages about recommended notions and sundries (she does do pretty amazing stuff with water-soluble stabilizer). There is a glossary in the back, but new sewists might still feel more comfortable with a second sewing reference or grandma nearby.
If you’re looking to punch up your stash a little, get outside the quilting-calico box, or just make something that doesn’t have the word “ironic” in the title, Fabricate is the book for you.
But you don’t have to take my word for it.
(Sorry. I”m not sure how to conclude a book review without sounding like Levar Burton.)
—
We have one copy of Fabricate to give away! Just leave a comment on this post telling us a new fabric or textural technique you’ve recently worked with or are interested in trying out. Comments will close and a winner will be drawn on Wednesday, December 16, around 2pm Central U.S. time. This giveaway is open to readers worldwide. Good luck!
Book Month: Pattern Design and Fitting
Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified
Potter Craft, 2009
When I read about Design-It-Yourself Clothes: Patternmaking Simplified
After discovering that pattern fitting wasn’t nearly as daunting as I thought, I was ready to consider custom pattern drafting within the realm of human possibility. And Cal Patch proves that the process isn’t nearly as daunting as it’s made out to be. Design-It-Yourself takes you step-by-step through pattern drafting and garment construction basics, with tutorials on including simple but beautiful variations like waistbands, plackets, yokes, ruffles, tucks, and gathers. I like how cute, inspiring-yet-achievable projects are included to guide you through the process — it’s not like you’re told how to take your measurements then dumped out in the cold to design every aspect of a dress on your own. The only complaint I have about the book is that the section on rub-offs (drafting patterns from existing clothes) seems too short and lacking in visuals for me to figure out. But it could be that once you’re versed in basic patternmaking it might all be obvious?
That’s a minor concern for an otherwise easy-to-understand, inspiring, enlightening book. Design-It-Yourself and Pattern Fitting With Confidence, perhaps topped with a French Curve
Book Month: Amy Barickman’s Sew-It Book and Fabric
Prepare yourself for tiny button people!
Amy Barickman is the genius behind the vintage-flavored Indygo Junction, The Vintage Workshop, a great source of vintage images and clip-art for creative projects, and vintage-inspired fabric designs. Her latest fabric line, for Red Rooster Fabrics, is based on her 2008 reprint of the 1929 classic Sew-It Book.
Tiny button people!
Amy spoke with us recently about the release of the Sew-It Book fabric and what she’s got in store next.
Panel print from the Sew-It Book collection.
Hi, Amy! Thanks for speaking with us. Can you tell us a little about the Sew-It Book?
I have been collecting vintage sewing books for years based on finding ideas for Indygo Junction and imagery for The Vintage Workshop. When I bought this book, I knew it was special and I immediately entertained reprinting the book and had thoughts of a fabric line. I researched to make sure it was no longer under copyright and it was in the public domain. I loved the graphics and the projects were practical and relevant for modern day.
Can you tell me a little bit about designing these fabrics? Was it difficult to adapt a book to a line of fabric?
In designing, we use the books as inspiration, scan and do rough sketches, then Red Rooster designers paint or digitally create the repeats. We give input on styling and colorways as well. If you love this line, you will want to check out The Vintage Workshop’s line of digital sewing ephemera images. We also have imagery from the Mary Frances Sewing Book.
Neat! What else do you have coming up?
I am working on a new book that will release this spring called Vintage Notions: Modern Inspiration for the Creative Woman. The book is based on a Women’s Institute from the ’20s and ’30s that taught sewing, millinery and cooking through correspondence. The title shares the joys of sewing and domestic arts with essays, patterns, and projects and is organized by the months of the year. The book is hardback and over 200 pages embellished with vintage fabrics and embroideries from my archives to coordinate with graphics from the Institute’s original newsletters and instructional materials. I am looking forward to traveling around the country this year to quilting and sewing expos lecturing on the book and the history of the institute and its founder, Mary Brooks Picken.
Sounds fascinating, Amy! Thanks for sharing!
The Sew-It Book has been out for a while, and now the Sew-It Book fabric is available in stores as well. Be sure to keep your eye out for patterns:
Blocks by Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios
Quilt design from the Red Rooster web site
Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios has been working on one, and above you can see a quilt pattern you can download from Red Rooster.
Book Month: Go Green
Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys
Earthscan Publications Ltd., 2008
Most of us consider the growing and harvesting of fibers and the production, printing, and finishing of the cloth in our assessment of whether a fiber is a “green” choice. But too often, oversimplification, myths, and greenwashing by marketers cloud the truth. In Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys, author Kate Fletcher discusses, in technical yet surprisingly readable detail, the environmental impact involved in every step of textile production and consumption process. Best practices for designers and manufacturers are listed throughout.
Fletcher also discusses labor practices, garment production and waste, travel, laundering, and disposal in depth. (Yes, laundering. Did you know that machine washing and drying a garment just once can consume many times more energy and than it took to make it in the first place?) Along the way, Fletcher highlights designers who are using sustainable practices — some familiar (Alabama Chanin, American Apparel) and some experimental (Lauren Montgomery Devenney’s stain dress, which is intended to look better as it acquires stains and smudges.)
This book was published early last year, but I only found out about it this year, and I’m so happy to have it in my library. If you are at all interested in organic fabric and sustainable sewing practices — whether you are a home sewer or in the textile or apparel trades — this book is a must-read.
…
Further Reading: Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials
Book Month: More Surface Design Books
During book month, we’ll be following our longer reviews of recent titles with mini-reviews of similarly themed books. Mary Beth wrote about Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules With Fabric yesterday, so today, here are a handful of other surface design books, both new and old, that we think you’ll enjoy. And don’t forget, if you click on any of our Amazon links and make any purchase this month, the commission we earn will be donated to Caritas of Austin to help them serve citizens and refugees living in poverty.
The Art of Manipulating Fabric
Chilton Book Company, 1996
This is a classic book that deserves a renewed wave of love and sales amongst us modern sewist types. It has thorough tutorials on hundreds of ways to crinkle, gather, pleat, fold, smock, tuck, weave, knot, and quilt fabric to achieve all sorts of interesting textures, ranging from neat and clean to crazily complicated and artistic. Though it is over a decade old, it does not look dated — the photos and illustrations are black and white, and the techniques are presented on their own (there are no projects or patterns — you’re left to incorporate these techniques into your own designs or existing patterns). I checked this book out from the library and immediately realized that it HAS to be a part of my library. Since shirring was such a big trend this year, I’m looking forward to a wave of interest in other fabric manipulation techniques — and this is the essential book to guide your explorations.
Digital Textile Design
Lawrence King Publishing, 2009
I reviewed this book back in August, but just wanted to remind you of it as a gift idea for anyone interested in pattern design or digital textile printing.
Print Liberation: The Screen Printing Primer
North Light Books, 2008
This book came out last year, but I think it’s one of the best books for getting started in screenprinting that’s on the market right now. The “with” author Luren Jenison is an RISD graduate who specializes in textile design. Because of that I was hoping for more specific instruction about screenprinting in repeat on fabric yardage, but alas, all you get is inspirational images. That said, the inspirational images are really cool and the instructions for printing on paper, T-shirts, and more challenging surfaces — such as book covers and walls — are all illustrated with photographs, which I think for this craft in particular are more helpful than diagrams. The book has a decidedly punk attitude and aesthetic (mature punk, I’d say, but still punk), which is bad if you don’t like swear words and overt politics but very, very good if you want to learn screenprinting when funds and space are (very) limited. If anyone on your Christmas list has mentioned in passing, “oh, I’d really like to start screenprinting,” this is the book for them.
For printing books more specifically geared toward fabric, don’t forget these books reviewed previously: Printing by Hand
Book Month: Bend The Rules With Fabric by Amy Karol
Bend The Rules With Fabric: Fun Sewing Projects with Stencils, Stamps, Dye, Photo Transfers, Silk Screening, and More, by Amy Karol, Potter Craft, 2009.
Bend The Rules With Fabric is Amy Karol’s second book, the followup to the popular Bend The Rules Sewing and every bit as fun.
I assume you all know who Amy Karol is? She’s is the author of the popular Angry Chicken blog and well-known for her creative and irreverent take on home sewing. She pushes that creativity and irreverence a little further with this book; nine of the projects don’t even require sewing skills, just a sense of adventure.
More than just a book of projects and instructions, Amy explains each fabric-altering technique — painted, computer-assisted, dyed and mixed-media — and the pros and cons of each, and even recommends brands and substrates. She explains “Why This Method Will Make You Happy” and “Why This Method Will Make You Sad.” She lays out general instructions for different media and then step-by-step instructions for specific projects. For example, in the chapter called We Have The Technology, she covers:
- printing images onto fabric sheets
- creating your own fabric sheets
- applying iron-on transfers
- screen printing
And follows this with seven projects using these skills, techniques and materials.
Image from Bend The Rules With Fabric
As with Bend The Rules Sewing, this book strikes me as more diving board than road map; she explains how to do the basic techniques, shows you what you can do with them, then gives you a hug and exhorts you to go make something cool. If you wanted to make a project exactly like Amy’s, you could … but why not use her help to make something of your own?
My interpretation of the Drawing With Thread project
I used her tips in the Fiber on Fabric section called Drawing With Thread to make a felt cover for my moleskine notebook, cutting the felt to the dimensions recommended and sketching a little flower. I had neither a darning foot nor a free-motion sewing foot for my dinky machine (both recommended), so made do with a small embroidery hoop and no foot.
Image from Bend The Rules With Fabric
The result was tolerable, considering. I could have used the template in the back to make mine exactly like hers, and I appreciate having the exuberant originals to photocopy and trace. But her style is so unique it would feel more like copying than it might in other craft books.
Bend The Rules With Fabric is a book best suited for beginners to crafting with fabric and those looking to refine their technique. I’ve already experimented with fabric dyeing, potato printing, and computer transfer printing in the past; her tips help me realize what I’ve done wrong before, and point me toward materials that should give better results in the future.
If you enjoy a more unique and embellished look but need help getting started or deciding which technique is going to be right for you, then this book would be a good fit. And if you want support and cheerful encouragement in doing your own thing, well, then Amy Karol is the perfect teacher.
To see more interpretations on projects from the book, check out the Flickr group. For more Amy Karol, see her dot com, her blog (check out the video tutorials!) or her flickr stream.
Welcome to Book Month
2009 was sure a fantastic year for craft books, wasn’t it? Over the next two weeks we’ll be running reviews of all the recent textile and pattern-related titles we could get our hands on.
You might notice that we will be linking profusely to Amazon. As you might know, we receive a small commission if you follow a link and buy something (anything — it doesn’t have to be the book to which we link). BUT, I’ll be donating all of December’s referral fees to Caritas of Austin, an organization here in Austin that provides food, shelter, education, and employment for people experiencing poverty. So go crazy!
Guest Post: Quilting for Peace Author Katherine Bell on Housetop Quilts
Though the focus of True Up is “fabric for fabric’s sake,” occasionally a sewing or quilting topic comes along that is just too good too pass up. When STC Craft wrote me to ask if I’d like to host Katherine Bell, author of the spectacular new book Quilting for Peace, on her blog tour, I jumped at the chance.
The first time I picked up this book I was expecting to be wowed by the quilts and the book’s design (and of course I was), but I didn’t expect to be moved to tears by the stories of the groups, people, and causes on which this book centers. But this book isn’t about guilt, it’s about inspiration and hope. (Still, have a tissue handy even if you just page through the online preview.) Below, Katherine writes about Housetop Quilts. The housetop quilts from Gee’s Bend were what piqued my own interest in textiles, so this is a subject near and dear to my heart.
P.S. I’m so sorry if you saw this post in an unfinished state earlier today; my son loves to wander over to the computer when I’m not looking and click on big blue buttons that say “publish”!
…
In January 2004, I drove from Iowa to Milwaukee in the middle of a terrible snowstorm to see the Gee’s Bend quilt exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum on the last day before it closed. Those quilts utterly changed the way I understood patchwork, just as they’ve done for so many other people. The quilters’ geometric improvisations were the first quilts I’d seen that truly felt like art, as well as fine craft.
One of the patterns the Gee’s Bend quilters returned to most frequently was the housetop. Housetop quilts are incredibly simple. You start with a square of fabric and then build concentric squares or rectangles around it – like frames – out of different colors and prints. Usually, the whole quilt is a single set of concentric rectangles like this one by Qunnie Pettway:
(image from http://www.ameringer-yohe.com)
But sometimes the Gee’s Bend quilters varied the pattern by piecing together a few housetop blocks or complicating the center medallion, like in this quilt by Stella Mae Pettway:
(image from http://www.ameringer-yohe.com)
You can see a few more examples here.
I love housetop quilts for a few reasons. First, they’re about the best canvas for juxtaposing fabrics, which is one of the great pleasures of patchwork. Contrasting solids can be stunning. Large-scale prints also work beautifully, especially in the center.
Second, they’re super-easy and quick to make. You don’t have to plan or cut or even choose your fabric before you start, and accuracy isn’t necessary. It’s the perfect pattern to choose when you need to make a quilt fast, as volunteer quilters often do after a major disaster, in order to provide necessary bedding and comfort to displaced survivors as soon as possible. Luana Rubin, founder of equilter.com, organized quilters’ responses to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of a disaster, she told me, speed and simplicity are essential: “Just do something that you can actually finish and finish quickly and that’s not going to cost an arm and a leg to ship.” There’s a pattern in my book for a twin-sized housetop quilt you can make in a day.
Lastly, for me, the housetop pattern captures better than any other what makes quilts in general so aesthetically, culturally, and emotionally powerful. They’re about building something meaningful and necessary out of simple materials. There’s tension between repetition and variation. And they remind us that at a very basic level, as much as the houses we live in, textiles and patterns shape our daily experience of the world. Paul Griffith, whose wife Pascha founded Beloved Quilts, an effort to make quilts to comfort those made homeless by poverty and violence as well as children who have escaped from slavery, described the connection between quilts and the idea of home this way: “Home is more than a building. We want to provide a traveling piece of home these recipients can take with them during a transient time in their lives. A simple, but dignifying action.”
…
Thank you so much, Katherine! Learn more about the Quilting for Peace campaign here and here. STC Craft is giving away a copy of the book via Melanie Falick’s blog; enter before December 11, 2009.
Felt Week: Felt Craft Book Roundup Part II
Welcome to Part Two of the Felt Craft Book Roundup: the cute, the zakka, the Japanese. (Part One is here.)
Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects, by Kata Golda, STC Craft, 2009. Cute simple sweet projects, for kids, home and self. Get the full True Up review here.
Did someone say cute? I think this is the definitive work. Aranzi Aronzo: Cute Book, Vertical, 2007. 19 cute (duh) felt mascots. White Rabbit and Brown Bunny know you can do it!
My Favorite Felt Sweets, by Joie Staff, Japan Publications Trading, 2008. This book is full of insanely realistic felt treats and instructions to make same. It’s a translation of a Japanese craft book; if you’re a purist, you can find the original on Etsy or eBay or the regular Japanese craft book sources.
And sure, you can start with dessert, but make sure you get your veggies: Try Cute Felt Fruit and Vegetables, available in Feltorama’s shop. I think “cute” is an understatement here. (I mean seriously. Tiny felt garlic! Come on!)
Softies Only a Mother Could Love: Lovable Friends for You to Sew, Knit, or Crochet, Jess Redman and Meg Leder, editors, Perigee Trade, 2009. At least a few felt buddies in this one. Look for a second volume of this series coming out in February, too.
Speaking of softies, this is a classic. Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals, by Therese Laskey, Chronicle Books, 2007.
If you’re a beginner, you may prefer the Softies Kit, which has 10 new patterns plus five from the book. It also includes materials to make the Party Cake: felt, floss, batting and a pompom.
Also from Therese Laskey, the woman who brought you Softies, comes the adorable English language guide to Zakka Sewing: 25 Japanese Projects for the Household, STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book, 2008. This book only has couple felt projects in it, but that squirrel makes it worth the inclusion, don’t you think?
We’ve hit the highlights — is there anything we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments! And remember to check out Part One here!
- You are currently browsing all entries tagged "books".
-
Search
- About
- Archives: tag, category, monthly
- Contact
- True Up Bookshop
- Advertise
- Sale Alert Sunday Guidelines
-
RSS
- Subscribe to the True Up feed or get all posts by email.
-
Best of True Up
- Know Your Weaves
- Fabric and Intellectual Property Issues Hit the Big Time
- Q & A: California Dreamin’ by Jenean Morrison
- San Francisco Textile Tour: Urban Burp
- 20 Ideas for Digital Fabric Printing
- About Barkcloth
- Three Signs of a Cluttered Fabric Stash
- Spoonflower
- Favorite Fabrics 2009 — All the Entries
- Heather Ross’ Blog March: Inspiration to Fabric
-
-
Flickr
-
Facebook