Books

The book looks great and will be out on 5th March, so we were not able to have it reviewed independently for this issue. So I will tell you what it covers and it will be reviewed in the next issue. It begins with the use of embellishing machines and hand needles with tips and tricks for both. It continues through chapters on appliqué, felting, couching, tucks, gathers and weaves, and concludes with a brief look at how to carry a design through to completion. Val and I did our best to make sure that the book was innovative and informative, and the pics by Michael Wicks are just great.

This book comes from the excellent fabric folios series produced by the British Museum. The format is satisfying for textile enthusiasts as the excellent photos show the entire piece and at least one really good close up. Couple this with the name Sheila Paine and you know you are in for a treat. The book shows us thirty embroideries, colourful designs which include clothing, domestic items, bags and animal trappings. A well informed introduction brings to mind vivid images of the setting and context of the embroideries. The pages which follow are a designer's delight and should provide endless inspiration whatever area of textiles you embrace.

Another in the fabric folios range, this book follows the same pattern with a good, readable introduction followed by the lavish photos of the full piece and the detail. The glossaries for this series are always interesting and, as the series builds, become a dictionary for lovers of ethnic embroidery. The colours and patterns of the Palestinian textiles are very striking and, in addition to the counted thread work, I loved the cord couching and satin patchwork. The very shape of the garments suggests design ideas and both of these books are very good value for money.

This is an expensive book, so it might be a library job. Ernst Haeckel, a renowned 19th Century biologist, was well known for his drawing and designs based on the natural world. In this massive book, they come together and his initial sketches are shown, true to life, lively and less 'mannered' than the published designs. There are lots of previously unpublished watercolours too. His work was used by the artists of the Art Nouveau movements, the sinuous shapes of his designs ideal for their purposes. Haeckel was the first to coin the term 'ecology' and I'm sure the limited amount of reading matter contained in the book is very erudite but it's the illustrations that appeal. Lace-like structures just asking to be machine embroidered, organic, cell-like, many suggesting three-dimensional forms. Certainly a book to provide endless inspiration.

Anyone who has heard a Jenny Rayment talk will know that she could have an alternative career as a stand-up comedienne and this humour comes through in her writing. Indeed in this book, she offers the chance to 'twiddle, fiddle, nip, tuck, tweak, twitch and manipulate', as the book leads through a series of techniques for fabric manipulation. The illustrations are clear and well-explained, so it's easy to have a go.

This is an excellent introduction to scrapbooking and is very informative about materials, tools and design principles. It provides much detailed information about types of paper and suitable adhesives. Colour theory and practice are also covered extensively. One particularly good example is in Chapter 4 where a layout is chosen and annotated, showing how and why it looks so good. Inclusion of handwriting can so easily spoil a page and this aspect is explored in depth. Less positively, the book seems to jump from one topic to another without warning. However, that aside, this is an excellent book for anyone who wants to get into, or progress with, scrapbooking.

Lauren Spencer