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Book Review
Our latest book reviews are below. If you are looking for a particular book or subject then please use our search at the bottom of the page.
Latest Book Reviews
Review
| Sew it Up By Ruth Singer Published by Kyle Cathie ISBN: 9781856268103 Price: £19.99 Reviewed by Kerry Miller Sew It Up is a modern manual of practical and decorative sewing techniques. It is crammed full of old and new sewing techniques with easy to follow diagrams and instructions throughout. As an experienced ‘sewer’ I was pleasantly surprised that it includes new techniques as well as informative ‘revision lessons’ on long forgotten basic skills. With the emergence of a new generation of people keen to make things at home this book arms the reader with the information needed to start producing great results from the word go. It is written by accomplished textile designer-maker and tutor, Ruth Singer, and she has included 20 contemporary projects and 20 professional master classes. Team these with the treasure trove of over 200 techniques and guides and you have a veritable ‘sewers’ bible! ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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QuickCostumes For Kids: 30 Great Fancy Dress Ideas ‘Quickand Easy costume-making’ was the headline that caught my eye in the introductionof this book, but it was the ‘Little Helpers Tips’ that really swung it forme…. What a great way to pass on sewing skills to your children by involvingthem in the processes of making their own costume. Coveringfavourites such as Halloween, Christmas and Party themes, boys get to dress aswizards, skeletons, ghosts, Joseph or the 3 Wise men, a clown, a teddy bear ora rather cool robot, to name but a few. For the girls there is an equally largechoice ranging from witches, to angels, rabbits to butterflies or a even abeautiful princess. DeborahHouse gives us really clear, simple instructions and material lists with anidea of timescale as well as clever alternatives for tighter budgets or quickprojects. The ‘Little Helpers’ tips, really allow parents to engage children inthe task too, making quiet time for those bits that little fingers are tooyoung to try… such as using the sewing machine. Ithink that even the occasional machinist among us will appreciate this book ,especially if you have imaginative children. Overall 5 stars for a great book! ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Weardowney Knit Couture Published by Batsford ISBN: 978-1-84340-420-0 Price: £20.00 Reviewed by Ruth Singer Knit Couture is very much what you might expect from the title; a stylish book of knit designs for the fashion-conscious. Weardowney are a fashion and knitwear design duo, who aim to make both knitwear and hand-knitting super stylish. The designs are by Gail Downey, former knitwear designer for John Galliano while the co-author is journalist Henry Conway. Weardowney’s other half is ex-fashion model Amy Wear. The book is a natural development from their London boutique and regular knitting journal/magazine and is presented more like a Vogue fashion shoot than your average knitting pattern book. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Big Book of Fashion Illustration By Martin Dawber Published by Batsford ISBN 13: 9780713490459 384 pages Price: £19.99 Reviewed by Katherine Connorton The mention of fashion Illustration conjures up the image of an elongated sketch. This has been a common misconception, of the nine-head-length stereotype. Fashion has never conformed to normality, so why should its artistic representation? Fashion illustration is no longer just a sketch of a garment, it’s an art in its own right. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Wild Women, Stitched Art Brooches By Sarah Lawrence Publisher: Search Press ISBN 13-9781844483020 Price: £4.99 Reviewed by Sara Millis of Sara’s Texture Crafts I always look for smaller projects to slot between my bigger art pieces, so when I saw this book, it’s colourful cover really caught my eye. Sarah Lawrence takes us step by step through 20 wonderful brooch projects that make use of a lot of the items we may already have in our art boxes. Each project is purely inspirational, introducing new and fun techniques to make these ‘wild women’ and to take them to the next level. Much more than that this book has many transferable ideas … I can see some fantastic possibilities from card-toppers, to artist trading cards and even jewellery. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Knit Kimono By Vicki Square Published by Interweave Press Price: £17.99 ISBN: 13: 978-1-931499-89-7 Reviewed by Sue Rankine Knit Kimono is a very appealing book. It is beautifully presented and designed. Traditional Japanese style is really brought up to date in Vicki Square’s kimono patterns and choice of yarns. The theme is continued in the colouring and motifs chosen throughout the pages. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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49 ½ Skirts- Create Your Own Custom Couture By Alison Willoughby Published by A & C Black ISBN: 978-07136-87408 Price: £14.99 Reviewed by Ellen Brigden For Alison Willoughby, the skirt is not just something to wear, but an art piece. This exciting new book takes the reader through the techniques she uses to make these 49 ½ skirts 49 plus one mini! so that you too can create an individual look. Many of the techniques she uses are actually very simple, but used to great affect like attaching badges or running stitch. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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The Tudor Tailor: Reconstructing sixteenth-century dress By Ninya Mikhaila and Jane Malcom-Davies Published by: Batsford ISBN: 0713489855 Price: £19.99 Reviewed by Barbara Mullally The liner notes start with, “The Tudor Tailor is an essential sourcebook for accurately reconstructing clothing from the 16th Century, concentrating on the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I 1509 to 1603” and I could not agree more. This opus is, without a doubt, the most complete I’ve come across so far. Not only is it profusely illustrated with photographs of paintings, sculptures, actual pieces of clothing; line drawings and close-ups of details, it has notes on the meaning and cost of clothing, styles of dress, how clothing changed as the wearer aged, how the clothing was worn, why and when. There are notes on children’s clothing, maternity wear, mourning wear and more. There is a chapter on the materials used, colours, details and decorations, as well as a table of fabrics. The following chapter includes a discussion of tools and techniques, instructions on how to alter pattern sizes and how to fit close-fitting garments. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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The Fashion Designer’s Directory of Shape and Form Simon Travers-Spencer and Zarida Zamin Publisher: A&C Black ISBN: 978-0-7136-8796-5 Price: £14.99 Reviewed by Kath Danswan Although appearing to be aimed at fashion designers, anyone who makes clothing, whether they design or use a commercial pattern, would find this book invaluable. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Fashion Body Cult By E. Bippus and D. Mink Publisher: Arnoldsche Verlagsanstalt ISBN: 3897902648 Price: £35 Reviewed by Degna Stone At first glance Fashion Body Cult, the result of a recent symposium about the interdependence of fashion and art, is simply an informative textbook for students of Fashion and Art History. A closer inspection reveals fascinating essays from expert contributors, which look at fashion from a variety of angles and give a fresh perspective on what is often seen as a frivolous art form. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Global Fashion Local Tradition Edited by Jan Brand and Jose Teunissen Published by Terra ISBN: 9058973277 Price: £25.00 Reviewed by Jennifer Ballie This is a beautiful book, celebrating traditional craft and local heritage, which has only recently been recognised through the introduction of the internet and the emergence of fashion weeks around the continent. This book salutes global customs and tradition and recognised fashion is no longer strictly regulated by the west. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration By Patrick John Ireland Published by Batsford ISBN: 978-07134-8572-1 Price: £16.99 Reviewed by Lucy Bobeck Figure Templates for Fashion Illustration by Patrick John Ireland is a tool for absolute beginners. Novices can emulate the sketches, working step-by-step through the book on figure construction for women, men and children. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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The Power of Fashion Published by Lannoo Publishers ISBN: 9058975118 Price: £29.50 Reviewed by Caroline Phipps Urch It’s great to see a book on the sociology of fashion. These days it’s too easy to forget that fashion isn’t just about the latest trend or what a particular celebrity is wearing. This is the intelligent guide to fashion for those who see beyond the garments. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Zandra Rhodes a lifelong love affair with textiles By Gity Monsef Published by the Antique Collectors’ Club ISBN: 1851494863 Price: £18.95 Reviewed by Sue Pritchard This is a stunning collection of photographs and contributors all wrapped up in a beautifully designed book printed on high quality paper. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Creative Fashion Design with Illustrator By Kevin Tallon Published by Batsford ISBN: 0713490225 Price: £18.99 Reviewed by Donna J. Carty Suppose you could take a course in using Adobe Illustrator for fashion design from a guy who has gone from designing for fellow skateboarders to having his own line, to teaching the course at Central St. Martins for fifteen years. Does £18.99 sound like a good price? It did to me. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Print in Fashion By Marnie Fogg Published by Batsford ISBN: 978 0 7134 9012 1 Price: £17.99 Reviewed by Annette Claxton This is a gorgeous book, in glorious colour, celebrating the return of the pattern, not seen in clothing since the 1960s and early 1970s. The Author examines the subject in detail, covering inspirations, all aspects of the design process, including working with fashion designers. Various printing techniques are illustrated, from hand blocked, to huge multicolour screen prints, and innovative digital production. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Bags with Paper & Stitch By Isobel Hall Published by Batsford ISBN: 0713490349 Price: £18.99 Reviewed by Diana Ching For the contemporary textile artist/embroiderer seeking new ways to create exciting surfaces for their work, this book is a gem. Books describing “alternative” materials and processes are starting to infiltrate the more traditional “embroidery” themes, and this one certainly deserves a place amongst the very best. To turn page after page and see glorious bags made up with the author’s paper-based materials is like opening a huge box of luxury chocolates – they all look delicious and you don’t know where to start! ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Handmade Embroidered Purses using free machine embroidery By Jenny Rolfe Published by Search Press ISBN-10: 1-84448-174-3 ISBN-13: 978-1-84448-174-3 Price: £9.99 Reviewed by Fi Reed Jenny Rolfe has done it again! This is another joyous, colourful book, perfectly complementing her previous book Handmade Embroidered Bags. It has the clearest instructions you are likely to see, using excellent photographs to illustrate every step. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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Chic Bags - 22 handbags, purses and accessories to make By Marie Enderlen-Debuisson and Caroline Laisné Published by Search Press ISBN 10: 1-84448-285-5 ISBN 13: 978-1-84448-285-6 Price: £12.99 Reviewed by Diane Watson This is an exciting new book offering more than 20 colourful and attractive bags to suit many different tastes and needs. Many of the bags are extremely practical and will serve a wide range of everyday requirements, while others are for those occasions when you really want to ‘look the part’. One of the things I particularly liked is the wide range of fabrics used: cotton, linen, felt, fleece, fake fur, furnishing fabrics – including mattress ticking and canvas, and various vinyl coated and glazed fabrics, there is even a bag made out of rubber matting. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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| Techno Textiles 2: Revolutionary Fabrics for Fashion & Design By Sarah Braddock Clarke Published by Thames & Hudson ISBN: 1 00500 28684 1 Price: £19.95 pbk Reviewed by Jenny Lewis Today’s textiles have become architectural membranes, pulsing with futuristic technology and design, and making powerful comments on the world of fashion. ... Click here for more information. |
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Fashioning Fabrics: Contemporary Textiles in Fashion Edited by Sandy Black Black Dog Publishing ISBN 1 904772 412 Price £24.95 Reviewed by Jenny Lewis Fashioning Fabrics features textile artists working closely with fashion designers to create fabrics that travel into startling realms of techno-terror, or wearable fantasy. ... Click here for more information. Click here to purchase this book. |
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