Monday, 28 December 2009

My Christmas Books

I got some amazing presents this Christmas. I am such a lucky crafter. The main craft haul is made up of brilliant books that I have coveted for such a long time. I used my Amazon Wishlist to good effect and now I have the following:


French Girl Knits has some lovely patterns with interesting constructions that I had not considered before. Not all the patterns jumped out at me, but there are several very elegant knits that I have had in my Ravelry Favorites for some time. I was so pleased to get this book and know that it will have several projects knit from it, as well as construction ideas swiped!

Sew It Up is written by Ruth Singer, whose blog I have read for some time. I love her textile creations and I also like that she works in Leicester. This book is fabulous. It has been reviewed all over the place in ways that made me want it. It has lots of clear photographs that illustrate the thorough instructions on how to carry out many sewing techniques. This book will hopefully enable me to stretch myself in the sewing field as I never really had a sewing teacher. I hope Ruth will become my literary version of a tutor, and there is so much in this book to fulfill that hope.

Reversible Knitting is another book that has been reviewed elsewhere in ways that piqued my interest. There are 50 stitch patterns in this book that work equally well from the front or from the back. The book is designed to encourage you to open your mind to new knitting possibilities. There are also over 20 patterns that work in different ways to the norm. One of my favorites is the Geometric Dress by Teva Durham which has two different geometric patterns, one on the inside and one on the outside. It isn't just colourways that can work on different sides but the cables and lace stitches are worked in fascinating ways to produce stunning garments that are flexible and versatile. I love the idea of having one garment taken away in a suitcase that can be worn in multiple ways!

I think this book will really expand my vision of what knitting can achieve. I really want to be challenged over the next few years to view knitting as a three dimensional object that should be viewed from all sides. I am sure this book will help me push my boundaries.

Jenny Hart has become a little bit of a hero of mine. She started to tackle embroidery with very little help and has become part of the vanguard who pushes the boundaries set by the preconceptions we all have about embroidery. She creates fantastically cute and fun embroidery patterns and explains the stitches in the most simple ways that even a total beginner, i.e. me, can understand.

I am so excited about getting Sublime Stitching as the patterns included can be ironed directly onto fabric and used as a template up to 9 times. This book along with the Hand Embroidery Network's Stitch a Day blog should have me embroidering with confidence in no time and then I'll be coveting the next books in the series.

This Noro book was given to me by Clare of Mary Clare. I am pretty sure it was a "thank you for making the website, now don't leave me to administer it myself" present. I love Noro yarn, it has always been one of my favorites and this book has designs that use the yarn to best advantage. There are really unusual patterns that really make the most of the unusual yarns and the long striping colourways. I wanted this book because it has really unusual constructions that step away from the usual garments you get in magazines. I am really trying to broaden my horizons in this respect and again this book is a valuable addition to my library.

Craftivity was given to me by my friend Emma and I am sure it will feed my thirst for all things crafty. I haven't had a good look at the book yet, but a cursory flick through on Christmas Day made me want examine it more closely. It looks like a combination of all my favorite crafty blogs in one book. I think you may see some projects from this book in the near future.

I think this sums up all my Christmas books nicely. I did get other gifts that I'll talk about soon as they are very cute and deserve to be examined closely by the whole of blogland, who will sigh with envy at what a lucky CraftyCripple I am! Until then, if you have any recommendations for good craft books that I can put on my Amazon Wishlist for next year, let me know, as it is looking a little empty now!

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