Friday Inspiration - Books!!

I am greatly inspired by books!  Whether or not I ever follow up on the inspirations I get from all my books is another story!  If you're looking for a new book to be inspired by, to put on your wish list, or to buy for a crafty person on your gift list, there are several recent ones I can recommend.

The Party Dress Book:  How to Sew the Best Dress in the Room
Mary Adams
Amazon has "Look Inside"

I don't go to parties that require gorgeous dresses (and it's hard to see any in the foreseeable future that will), but I love this book!  When I look at it, I feel like I'm eight again and drooling over party dresses in the catalogs.  I am actually going to make myself one - just as soon as I figure out which one.  Even if I only wear it to my mother's house for dinner!

The Art of Manipulating Fabric
Colette Wolff
Amazon has "Look Inside"

This is a good book to go with the last one - it's those cool fabric manipulations that turn sewing to couture!  Ruffles, pleating (over ten different types!), smocking, tucks ... everything's here with lots of illustrations.  The photograph on the cover gives you a good idea of what one can do.

Embroidered Textiles:  A World Guide to Traditional Patterns
Sheila Paine

And after you do fantastic fabric manipulations on that party dress, here's all the inspiration you'll need to add embroidery!  This is one of those books you can look at over and over and over again and still see something new.  There are 240 pages and 362 color photographs of eye candy!

Love Kills Slowly:  30 Cross Stitch Patterns from Ed Hardy
Ed Hardy Licensing
Amazon has "Look Inside"

I just got this book and can't wait to get going on something from it.  I like to use cross stitch patterns to needlepoint from - they make good pillows and purse fronts.  This is the iconic tattoo art Hardy is famous for - skulls, daggers, tigers, ... also birds, butterflies, and flowers if you're not so sure about the edgy ones!  I can see some denim in little c's future with one of these designs on it.

Sewing School:  Hand-Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make
Amie Plumley and Andria Lisle
Amazon has "Look Inside"

This is a great book if you have a child who is ready to start sewing.  What age?  I think that really depends - I was hand sewing at 6 or 7 and I know a 3-year-old who sews.  She's a champion at buttons!  The lessons are well planned out and have instructions for the adult and the child.  And the #1 rule of sewing is repeated several times - "Always know where your needle is!"  If you have a group of youngsters you're thinking of introducing hand sewing to, the authors have included a section on sewing with groups.

The Artful Bird:  Feathered Friends to Make and Sew
 Abigail Patner Glassenberg
Amazon has "Look Inside"

This book actually doesn't come out until January 11, but it's already on my pre-order list.  There are general instructions for making art birds, 16 projects from gulls to flamingos, and a section on four bird artists.  If my birds turn out like these, I'll be ecstatic!

Quilts Around the World:  The Story of Quilting from Alabama to Zimbabwe
Spike Gillespie
Amazon has "Look Inside"

If you are at all interested in quilting, you'll love this book!  The whole world is actually covered (352 pages), with lots and lots of pictures.  I tend to skim many sewing and crafty books - this one I read.  Highly recommended.