Expert Advice Books - Page 6

Hand Quilting with Alex Anderson: Six Projects for Hand Quilters (Quilting Basics)

Alex Anderson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellant instruction on hand quilting. 5 out of 5 stars.
92 of 92 people found this review helpful.

This is probably the best book I have found that gives instruction for hand quilting. The color pictures give very explicit instruction for both right and left handed people. I would recommend this to anyone interested in hand quilting, whether a beginner or a long time quilter. Alex Anderson is one of the best teachers and supporters of quilting. She does an excellant job with her program " Simply Quilts". I would recommend all her books.

Hand Quilting with Alex Anderson 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful help. This is a great reference book for everyone to have on their shelf.

Love Alex 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I have had the oportunity to meet Ms Anderson and would buy and use her things any time. I had to add this to my collection of quilt books. Someday I will try hand quilting and I'll go to this book right away.

Beginning Quilter 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book based on the reviews and I'm very happy with my purchase. The great photos show very specific hand positioning of different quilting techniques for both left and right handed quilters.
I'll be adding more of her books to my collection.

Editorial Review:

Learn how to quilt in all directions and customize your stitch. Includes 6 small projects.

Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

Martha Stewart

Amazon Price: $15.30 List Price: $22.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Clarkson Potter Amazon Marketplace: 73 new & used starting at $1.91

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Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> Pies
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General
Subjects -> Cooking, Food & Wine -> Baking -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

YUCK! 2 out of 5 stars.
59 of 71 people found this review helpful.

Well, the illustrations in this book are beautiful and Martha's pie crust, as well as her lemon curd, are absolutely the best, but the pies and tarts in this book are simply the worst I've ever tasted! Really, I've tasted kindergarten paste that had more flavor than these recipes. As a seasoned baker, I do know how to substitute ingredients and add more spice, but why should anyone have to? And what about those who can't? After all, the book is not titled, Martha Stewart's Exotic Pies and Tarts for the Experienced Baker Only, however, it should be. What good is a book if most people really can't use it? Yes, I can make all those lovely grape clusters, leaves and tendrils that adorn Martha's Concord Grape Pie, but I think most people are really looking for something a little more basic. Okay, final analysis: if you're looking for the out-of-the-ordinary (and the tasteless) then buy this book. If you just want some great pie and tart recipes, try The Pie and Pastry Bible. You won't go wrong there.

Editorial Review:

With more than 100 original recipes, this may be the most inspiring dessert cookbook ever published. Martha's recipes for such delights as Tartan Rhubarb Pie or Walnut Tartlets with Chocolate Lace are accompanied by creative ideas for spectacular presentation and stunning full-color photographs. More than 160 full-color photographs.

How to Live in Small Spaces: Design, Furnishing, Decoration and Detail for the Smaller Home

Terence Conran

Amazon Price: $19.77 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Firefly Books Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $15.40

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Home Design -> Design & Construction
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> How-to & Home Improvements -> Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A world-renowned design authority shows how to make the most of every square foot.

Whether motivated by soaring energy costs, smaller families or the desire to live more simply, homeowners are abandoning "McMansions" for smaller housing. In How to Live in Small Spaces, Terence Conran explains that what's paramount to livability is not square footage, but how the space is divided.

In this comprehensive, full color book, Conran tackles the many challenges posed by small spaces. Chapters cover storage, bedrooms, children's rooms, lighting, extension and much more. "Assessing your needs" checklists and "points to consider" sidebars add valuable ideas. The six case studies that conclude the book provide excellent examples of great designs.

The author offers practical advice on exploiting every inch of space through:

• Using fold-down and pull-out features
• Buying slimline appliances
• Installing indoor portholes and windows
• Lessening the impact of furniture
• Using scale and proportion to advantage
• Manipulating color, texture and pattern
• Using screens, partitions and platforms
• Improving circulation paths.

Terence Conran never forgets the challenges posed by small spaces or the ingenuity and compromises required. He shows how easy it is to create a home whose comfort is not dependent on size, but on efficiency and integrity.

(20070425)

Junior Knits

Debbie Bliss

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Trafalgar Square Books Amazon Marketplace: 41 new & used starting at $11.99

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Thanks 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I was very pleased to obtain this. I could not find it elsewhere.

Love it 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I've never been disappointed with any of Debbie Bliss' patterns and these were no exception. I've made 5 from this book and they all are beautiful and fit great. I love how she sizes them just the way kids like them. They're comfortable and have plenty of grow room. My daughter looks so cute in her pea coat!

Fantastic 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I'm a fan of Debbie Bliss, but most of her books are for infants. So I am happy to see this one for older kids; between 3yr-10yr. There are plenty of "cool" patterns for both boys & girls.. yet they remain nice & practical at the same time. The fact that it is spiral bound is a plus. I have many D.B. books and this is one of my favorites.

Hard to find market..... 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It is harder to find junior size patterns... and this book is full of
fashion forward.... patterns kids will enjoy wearing....
The sizes are generous.... so they have life... or could be knit for
a larger junior size that wants a closer fit.

Editorial Review:

Top knitwear designer Debbie Bliss presents 25 fabulous new projects for four-to-ten-year-olds, from easy striped legwarmers to a denim sweater and hooded parka.

Essential Baby: Over 20 Handknits to Take Your Baby from First Days to First Steps

Debbie Bliss

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Trafalgar Square Books Amazon Marketplace: 37 new & used starting at $10.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

over simplistic and derivative 2 out of 5 stars.
18 of 20 people found this review helpful.

This is a disappointing book. On the positive side, the first portion of the book is dedicated to teaching knitting, from casting on to instructions on reading patterns. The explanations and accompanying graphics would be helpful to a complete newbie. However, all this information is available for free on knitting help websites and they have video.

The patterns are nice, but nothing spectacular nor even very creative. Garnstudio has a website which provides hundreds of free patterns for knitted baby items. You can find every one of the the 22 items in the book at that website or other sites, such as Knitty.

The photography for this book is quite lovely, but focuses on the baby rather than the project. The babies are adorable, but this is a book about knitting for babies, not babies in knits. Thus, we never see one blanket in it's entirety, just the bits which are visible while it is wrapped around the baby. The lace pattern on that blanket is given as text, with no accompanying chart.

Also, as with all knitting writers these day, Debbie Bliss has her own yarn line, so all the patterns call for her yarn, with no suggestions for substituting.

Editorial Review:

A complete knitwear collection for every new baby, this guide includes 20 must-have designs for babies ranging in age from zero to 18 months. Divided into three main sections—Coming Home, On the Go, and Downtime—the author has carefully considered the needs of any new parent and devised an assortment of essential projects for their newborn.

Machine Quilting with Alex Anderson: 7 Exercises, Projects & Full-Size Quilting Patterns

Alex Anderson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Machine Quilting with Alex Anderson 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

I loved this book. It was simple to read and apply the directions. I am a machine quilter and much of what was offered I was already familiar with, but my familiarity was gained through much trial and error. I would have saved myself a lot of time to have this book at the start of my efforts in machine quilting. The photos are very clear, the projects are way simple and I learned some new tricks, such as the way to make a "light" table by stretching a piece of Plexiglass over two chairs with a light underneath. I especially like how Alex freely admitted that she was afraid of machine quilting but finally just did it. So many quilters I know are in her old shoes! Thank you, Alex!

Editorial Review:

Everyone loves Alex Anderson, a true quilting celebrity. And her new book on machine quilting makes everyone want to get started! Let Alex show how to set up a space, adjust the machine, choose the right supplies, and mark and baste quilts. Seven simple exercises and seven rewarding projects teach everything from easy straight-line quilting to stippling to complex motifs. Full-size patterns get readers started on beautiful traditional-style quilts. Get started now--with help from Machine Quilting with Alex Anderson.

Holidays: The Best of Martha Stewart Living

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Looking for a way to make your holidays more elegant? 5 out of 5 stars.
29 of 29 people found this review helpful.

This offering from Martha Stewart provides a new, more elegant way to celebrate the holidays. The menus she presents are a refreshing departure from the traditional "turkey and dressing". Her decorating ideas are absolutely exquisite (a fact that did not go unnoticed by our guests). My friends and I enjoyed making the decorations and preparing the meal as much as our guests enjoyed looking at the decorations and eating! I only wish she had provided more decorating ideas.

Cookie Recipes are Perfect 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 13 people found this review helpful.

My wife and I use the recipes in this magazine every Christmas. They come out perfect every time.

Editorial Review:

Here are hundreds of the best ideas for the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year's, collected from the pages of Martha Stewart Living, one of America's hottest and fastest growing magazines. Includes party recipes, entertainment ideas, table settings, decorations, gifts, wrappings, and much more.

Essential Knits for Kids: 20 Fresh, New Looks for Children Two to Five

Debbie Bliss

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Trafalgar Square Books Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $14.50

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

For the first time, this popular designer unveils fashions just for toddlers and preschoolers. Featuring children involved in activities from nursery school and birthday parties to dance lessons and sports, the book presents 20 charming modern projects organized into three collections. The first features designs that keep kids comfy while they are hanging out at home, including a  double-sided throw for cuddling in front of the TV and a knitted rag doll for both playtime and bedtime. Because every child loves a party, the second collection is devoted to dressy designs for girls such as a cashmere shrug that can be worn over a party dress and a cute beaded bag just right for carrying party essentials. For boys there is a pattern for a good-looking polo shirt with buttons and a collar—and it can be paired with a stretchy striped tie that can be slipped over the head. The final collection focuses on items for the outdoors, including a boy's parka, a girl's coat with scarf, and a fabric-lined bag with its own striped pencil case. Practicality prevails in all the projects; they are knitted in beautiful, classic yarns that are soft and gentle against a young child's skin but are also sturdy and easy to wash and dry. 

The New Yankee Workshop

Norm Abram

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Crafts & Hobbies -> Woodworking -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A good book, but with a few problems 4 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I think others have gone over this before. A few of the projects have some errors in the lay out. Kind of bad IMO, but is made up for in the very pleasing aesthetic of these items. I have made a few of them and all I can say is they look very nice when done. They have a clean Shaker style that works well in most homes and IMO is fun to make. Most items are not difficult to build and while they have some fun design elements that can make you work a bit, are not hard for the average woodworker to finish. As others have noted, Norm like the power tools. That is not a big deal, in that just because he uses them does not mean that you have to. I approached this book is like most "how to books". You look at the pictures, take what you like and discard the rest. How you put it together depends on the type of tools you have and what techniques you like to use in the shop. I do not think the average woodworker will have much problem with these projects and the beginner will have lots of fun building very respectable things that will look nice in the house.

Editorial Review:

The companion volume to the PBS series scheduled to launch in February hosted by Norm Abram, the master carpenter known to millions of viewers as the how-to guru of "This Old House." Thirteen projects of graduated difficulty are presented. 148 photos and 84 drawings. Advertising in builders' magazines.

Teddy Bears: Twenty-Five Irresistible Designs for Knitted Bears

Debbie Bliss

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

not much variety 3 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The instructions are clear enough, however I was hoping for more size varieties, 4" - 20". I am still looking for a tiny knitted bear pattern.

I also deducted points for the author's insistance on one yarn, which not everyone has ability to obtain. I think an improvemnet would be using generic terms for yarns, baby weight, sport weight, 4 ply, that sort of thing.

I hope that these tiny complaints will not stop others from trying this author's patterns. The one I am doing now is going together well and it is very very easy to do.

Very nice toy book 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I really like this book, actually. I only made one teddy bear (the one in the bunny suit), but the directions were quite clear, and I had no trouble with it. And the bear came out very cute, I thought! Just like the picture.

There are lots of adorable teddies. The best part about them is the detailed wardrobes most of them wear. Alot of the clothes are also interchangeable, so you can knit one teddy bear with several outfits -- a great gift for a little kid! The outfits are mostly old-fashined-looking, and quite charming. There are also a couple of decorative teddies with flowers embroidered on them. I'm not crazy about those, myself, but someone else might be.

I also like the way this book is organized -- the pictures of all the bears are on the first pages of the book, followed by the actual directions for making them in the later section. Each picture is referenced with the page number the directions are on.

The thing to look out for in this book is, the pieces are very fiddly. The author has you casting off and on all in the same piece. Of course, as a result, there is LOTS of seaming. I think there are easier ways to achieve the same shaping. Some of the pieces seem weird, but it wasn't too difficult to figure out how they were supposed to fit together.

Overall, a very nice toy knitting book.

Editorial Review:

Each easy-to-knit pattern is complete with clear instructions, making them suitable for knitters of all levels of skill.

Delightful photographers illustrate every bear in the book.