Books // rachel & the city

market day

May 1st 2010 06:31:09 pm

Another big craft show this weekend, but don’t worry, Swap-bot was not a sponsor. This weekend it was the Brooklyn Food and Craft Market at the Brooklyn Lyceum, which is very near our apartment. Since Travis is still stuck at home with his hurt knee, I strolled down to the Lyceum by myself to check out scene. The Lyceum is huge and there were craft and food vendors on two levels, plus a mezzanine. There was a lot to see! I was already familiar with many of the craft vendors from previous fairs, but I was blown away by the number of food vendors. Each table seemed to have samples of cookies, and brownies, and jams, and spices. I sampled a lot of tasty things! I ended up buying some pear and chipotle jam from Anarchy in a Jar and some dark chocolate and sea salt caramels from Token Confections.

Last week at the Handmade Cavalcade I met Karen Eiger, the author of Markets of New York. Her book was pre-launching today at the Food and Craft Market and I was eager to pick up a copy. It is a small, but beautiful book full of info and color photographs from many of the flea markets, farmers markets, and artisan markets in NYC. I have only taken a preliminary peek inside it, but I have already discovered new markets that I need to visit. As a bonus, some of the market vendors were giving a discount with the purchase of the book. One such vendor was Nguyen Le of KnitKnit. I’ve met Nguyen previously at Etsy Labs Craft Nights, but last week at the Cavalcade I fell in love with one of her knit and bead necklaces… but I refrained from purchasing it. Thank goodness it was still there this week! I purchased (with the nice discount, of course!) the pink and green necklace in the middle of the photo above and I adore it!

It was a fun and successful market day and there are sure to be many more. Summer is definitely craft fair season! Will you be attending any markets or fairs in your area?

8 Comments » Categories: Accessories, Books, Brooklyn, Crafts, New York

Making a Great Blog by Diane Gilleland

Mar 1st 2010 02:01:49 pm

This article was originally published on…

Diane Gilleland is a fixture in the online craft world. She runs the informative and fun craft site, CraftyPod.com, which consists of a frequently updated blog, and truly amazing weekly podcasts all about “making stuff.” She also contributes to the creative community blog: Make + Meaning, and co-manages a monthly “tweet-up” called Craft Social. I have been following Diane and CraftyPod since 2006 when I met her at one of the monthly Crafty Wonderland craft sales in Portland, Oregon. I have always been impressed with the quality and helpfulness of the content she produces.

Recently, Diane has also branched into online publishing with a line of how-to eBooks. Even though I have been blogging for nearly seven years, I knew that there was still plenty I could learn from an expert like Diane, so I jumped at the chance to purchase two of her books during a recent promotional sale she was having. I purchased Making a Great Blog and Social Media for your Crafty Business (today, I am only reviewing Making a Great Blog, but stay tuned for the next installment!)

Making a Great Blog is a 47-page eBook that also comes with eight pages of helpful worksheets. According to the book’s official description,

“It’s designed for beginning bloggers, and for more experienced bloggers who need to get re-inspired. And most importantly, it’s written specifically for art and craft bloggers.”

Once you purchase the book, you download it in PDF format via an emailed link. The entire purchasing process was simple; I was able to open the book on my personal computer within minutes of my purchase–instant gratification!

Anyone who has started a blog knows that there are many online resources that can teach you the technical side of setting up a site and publishing content. What Making a Great Blog focuses on are the often more difficult tasks of creating valuable content and persevering through “blog fade.” The four main subjects covered in the book include pre-blog preparation and planning, generating quality content, the visual side of blogging, and blogger etiquette.

In Making a Great Blog, Diane addresses broad topics like why a person may want to start blogging, and more detailed topics like specific blog post ideas and how to write more interesting, informative, and narrative content. There are also suggestions for how to improve your blog photography and design (with photo examples like the one seen above), plus common sense — but unfortunately necessary — guidelines on blogging etiquette.

Personally, I was reminded to bring more cohesiveness and structure to my own blog’s subject matter and to focus on my readers instead of my own needs, but each reader will take away their own favorite ideas. The book is definitely geared toward (and will be most helpful for) beginner bloggers. However, I believe everyone, from true beginners to experienced professionals, will find more than one helpful tip or reminder in Making a Great Blog that will improve their blogging skills.

Pros:

Immediately available for download and reading–no need to go to the store or wait for a package to arrive.

Very clear and concise writing, with a little humor and personality sprinkled in. It is a quick read that is broken into easily-digestible chapters and sections.

A unique perspective on blog development that focuses more on creating good content instead of only explaining the technical “nuts and bolts” of setting up a blog site (although, there are plenty of links to technical resources provided for further study, too).

Includes guided worksheets and list prompts that help the reader focus and improve their blog in a wide variety of ways.

Making a Great Blog is not about tricks or “get-rich-quick”-style tactics for gaining an immediate (but low-quality) blog audience – it is about helping you do the real, valuable work of creating and publishing quality content and becoming an important member of the online craft community.

Cons:

Most helpful for blogging beginners, and although I recommend the book for any blogger looking to improve their craft, experts may not find it as helpful.

For some, the lack of a physical paper book may be a drawback.

If you are looking for extremely detailed technical instructions on how to build a website, Making a Great Blog is probably not the book for you.

Making a Great Blog the eBook is available for purchase on CraftyPod.com for $12.50. Have you purchased or read this or other eBooks before? What do you think about eBooks as an educational medium? Do you have any suggestions for other books or resources that can help with successful blogging?

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No Comments » Categories: Books, CraftCritique.com articles, Crafts

Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross

Feb 15th 2010 02:04:06 pm

This article was originally published on…

I received Weekend Sewing: More That 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Sewing from my mom as a Christmas gift. I always love receiving craft books as gifts, not only because they have great projects in them, but because I always enjoy the inspirational photography. For me, photography is one of the most important aspects of a craft tutorial book, and Weekend Sewing does not disappoint!

Heather Ross, the author of Weekend Sewing, is an artist and author. This is her first sewing book, but that does not mean it is a book for only beginner seamstresses. The patterns contained in the book range from simple napkins to formal dresses – and each project is accompanied by beautiful, full-color photography and detailed, hand-drawn diagrams. Ross explains in the introduction how each of the projects are meant to be completed in a weekend, or less, and how she meant for each of the items to have a relaxed, weekend feel.

The book is well organized with three distinct sections (home goods, adult clothing, and children’s clothing), as well as approximately twenty pages of basic sewing information, and a lovely “Resources” spread (seen below) with store information and suggested websites. Another very helpful and generous feature of Weekend Sewing is that is comes with all of the patterns printed in their full size on large sheets of paper that are tucked into the book cover–no need to photocopy tiny diagrams at 400% at Kinko’s like with other pattern books.

Now, I must confess: I have only basic sewing skills, due mostly to my own impatience. I own a sewing machine (a 30-year-old, heavy, metal Kenmore that has survived my amateur tinkerings ever since I was a child) and I use it regularly, but I don’t think I have correctly followed a sewing pattern since 8th grade HomeEc class. I sew lots of simple, fast things, like curtains and patches on torn jeans–things that don’t require a lot of ironing and measuring. Knowing this about myself, I choose one of the easier patterns in Weekend Sewing as my first project: the Sunday Dinner Hostess Apron.

I gathered my supplies: fabric from my stash (which I DID wash and iron first–go Rachel!), tracing paper, scissors, etc. Notice that I do not have tailor’s chalk or fabric shears–which would have been helpful, but not totally necessary. I traced the apron pattern (the apron skirt, the waistband and waistband facing, and two ties with facing) and cut the pieces from my fabric. Then, I started sewing, very proud of myself for following the instructions exactly!

I wish I had taken better photos of the finished product, because it really did turn out to be a very cute apron. I love it. It looks nearly professional and is quite feminine and sweet. The entire project took me about four hours and the whole process went smoothly thanks to the detailed instructions and diagrams in the book.

I look forward to attempting more Weekend Sewing projects, maybe even the wrap dress! I would definitely recommend the book to anyone (with at least some basic sewing skills and access to a sewing machine) who is looking for simple, but beautiful sewing project ideas.

Pros:

Over forty sewing projects, from napkins and tote bags to blouses and smocked dresses.

Lovely color photos and very detailed, hand-drawn, step-by-step diagrams for every project.

Full-size patterns included with the book on large, separate sheets of paper.

It has a laid-back, easy-going weekend attitude that encourages the reader to really enjoy their sewing time.

Cons:

Not exactly a con, but you must have access to a sewing machine to complete most, if not all, of the projects.

I would not call the projects in Weekend Sewing extremely advanced, but they are not for absolute beginners, either. Some sewing knowledge and skills are necessary.

Also not a con, but something to note: 2/3 of the book is devoted to clothing projects, and half of those projects are children’s clothing. If you are looking for more housewares or functional items, this may not be the sewing book for you.

Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching has an MSRP of $27.50 and is sold at most major book retailers. Do you own this book and have you created any of the projects? If so, please share links to photos of your finished products. What other sewing books do you suggest for a beginner-to-intermediate seamstress?

No Comments » Categories: Books, CraftCritique.com articles, Crafts

adventures in sewing

Jan 18th 2010 06:39:10 pm

newapron I made this apron today! It took me all morning, but I am pleased to have followed through and actually completed a full sewing project. I used the pattern and instructions from Weekend Sewing, a lovely book I received from my mom for Christmas. I am also working on a full review of the book for Craft Critique, so stay tuned for that.

My sewing skills are not superb… I have a hard time keeping my sewing lines straight and usually I am too impatient to actually iron the fabric and hems as I go, but for this project I took my time and tried to do it right. I used my mom’s old Kenmore sewing machine, which is heavy, and noisy, and awesome – I really love it. It works great considering that it is older than I am, and I have FINALLY gotten the hang of threading the bobbin.

It feels good to at least have a basic understanding of sewing (seamstressing? tailoring?), but man, Travis and I would be in trouble if I had to sew all of our clothes! This apron is the third easiest pattern in the Weekend Sewing book… there is a wrap dress in there that I want to try, but I am afraid of ruining a bunch of nice fabric. Maybe I should make the checkbook cover first…

6 Comments » Categories: Books, Crafts, Projects

Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt

Nov 19th 2009 02:14:35 pm

This article was originally published on…

Kata Golda is an artist who works mostly in felt to create children’s toys and items for the home. She recently published her first project book, Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects (published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, MSRP $19.95), and I had the pleasure of meeting her during her promotional tour at the Etsy Labs Craft Night in Brooklyn on October 19th, 2009. At the craft event, Golda showed us how to create a felt photo pocket, one of the projects featured in her book.

Golda supplied the wool and wool-blend felt, which came in beautiful muted colors that were hand-dyed at her studio. She also gave us a template to use for the fall leaves on the pockets (in the book, the photo pockets have a botanical motif). The pockets were created by tri-folding a rectangle of felt and using a combination of three simple stitches (straight stitch, whip stitch, and blanket stitch) to secure the applique and close up the edges. The project was a good refresher for me, as I was a bit rusty on all of my stitching techniques. I was very pleased to finish my pretty pocket by the end of the evening!

I was so pleased that I went ahead and purchased the Hand-Stitched Felt book that evening! The beginning of the book covers many of the same things we learned at the event, like simple stitches, knots, and sewing techniques. There is a cute section all about stitching faces freehand. Golda’s stuffed toys are absolutely adorable, and it was fun to get a glimpse into how she creates their cute and expressive faces. The sewing techniques section of the book is only eight pages long and covers the most basic of instruction. It is completely adequate for a beginning stitcher interested in tackling simple sewing projects like those in the book, but more advanced seamstresses could probably skip right over the section.

The majority of the book is devoted to the twenty-five different felt project tutorials. The projects include a pincushion, a purse, stuffed animals, journals with felt covers, finger puppets (seen on the book’s cover), pillows, a baby quilt, a messenger bag, and many more cute felt creations. Each project tutorial is accompanied by multiple full-color photographs by Frank White, and Golda’s whimsical, hand-drawn sketches and diagrams. It was a joy looking through the book trying to determine what I would attempt as my first project. I settled on the “Songbird Mug Cozy and Coaster” as my inaugural hand-stitched felt creation.

I gathered my supplies (three colors of felt, three colors of embroidery thread, scissors, measuring tape, pencil, and buttons) and then hunkered down on the sofa to get stitching! Golda’s pattern for the mug cozy is ingenious, with a little tab that fits through the mug handle and an attached coaster at the bottom of the cozy. Each mug cozy must be custom-made for the mug it is intended to keep warm. I (somewhat stupidly) choose one of my largest mugs. This caused a problem when I discovered that my felt pieces were not quite long enough to wrap the mug. I improvised and added a tab with buttons on both sides to fit under the mug handle.

Even with my slight improvisation, Golda’s instructions kept me on track and reminded me to do simple things (like attach the applique first) that made the process of constructing the cozy go smoothly. (I added the little heart between the birds as my own special touch.) I had a lot of fun making this felt project, and I am very pleased with the results. The cozy is both cute and highly functional!

I have a weak spot in my heart for cute things, which probably was what initially swayed me to purchase Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects. But even if cute is not exactly your style, the book has many clever and functional project ideas for all ages that can be customized to fit your personal taste. If you are attracted to Golda’s cute characters, she provides all of the character and motif patterns at the back of the book in the templates section – including full-size templates for her signature stuffed companion dolls. The projects in Hand-Stitched Felt are all very simple, and as the title says, they are all completed with hand-stitching. No sewing machine required. So, that means you can work on them in front of the tv or on the subway with ease. Perfect for someone like me who likes quick, but satisfying craft endeavors!

Pros:

Wide variety of both functional and whimsical felt projects.
Beautiful color photography and detailed project instructions with construction diagrams.
The projects are all quick, simple, and can be completed with only the most basic materials.
Patterns for the applique designs are provided, but the projects are easily customizable using your own creativity.

Cons:

Advanced seamstresses may find the sewing projects to be too simple.

It is hard for me to come up with any substantial “cons” for Hand-Stitched Felt. I really love the book and it has made me more interested in continuing to craft in felt. What other felt craft books should I check out? Do you have a favorite online felt vendor? Who are some other artists or crafters working in felt who inspire you?

No Comments » Categories: Books, CraftCritique.com articles, Crafts

crafty creature

Nov 15th 2009 10:23:49 pm

I don’t want to give away too many details because this will be featured in an upcoming article for CraftCritique.com, but I made this felt coffee mug cozy this weekend. I think it is really cute. Plus, it keeps your coffee warm and has a built-in coaster! I followed the project tutorial in Kata Golda’s Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects book. I am really enjoying working in felt and am happy to have found a local store, Fiber Notion here in Park Slope, that carries pure wool felt and some nice wool-blend felt in tons of different colors. I may even attempt to make some felt Christmas gifts, so watch out!

1 Comment » Categories: Books, Crafts, Cute Things

handmade

Oct 20th 2009 12:40:22 pm

feltetsy

Ok, I need to write this post quickly because I have somehow found myself in the familiar situation of having waaaay too much work to finish in waaaay too few hours…

But, I needed to share this dorky photo of me from last night’s Etsy Labs Craft Night. I had a fun time and I actually completed the hand-stitched felt project. It is a felt wallet for holding photos, but right now mine is holding artsy postcards. I even bought Kata Golda’s (the project host) book, Hand-Stitched Felt: 25 Whimsical Sewing Projects. It is just too adorable!

It is good for me to get out of our apartment once a week… even when I feel like I should stay chained to the computer doing design work and answering Swap-bot emails. Although, I better go get to work on that stuff now….

4 Comments » Categories: Books, Brooklyn, Crafts, Just for Fun, New York, Work

Midwest Modern by Amy Butler

Jul 10th 2009 02:28:44 pm

This article was originally published on…

Amy Butler is an artist and designer living in Ohio. She designs floral and patterned fabric, sewing patterns, handbags, paper goods, bedding, and more. I love Butler’s beautiful fabric and personal style, so I was eager to get her book, Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle, when it came out in 2007. I suppose because I was raised in Saint Louis and Kansas City, any book that glorifies the midwest as a hip and happening place is a welcome resource.

The 225-page book contains hundreds of stunning full-colors photos (all taken by Amy’s husband, David Butler) and journal-like entries written by Amy about everything from her interior design tips to her favorite music. She also discusses personal style choices, like how she chooses a handbag, jewelry, and fragrances. Of course, she writes about designing her fabric and patterns while sharing some of her sketches. You also get to see images of her home, studio, and garden, plus lost of images of her fabric and sewn objects.

You already know that I am biased toward just about anything related to Amy Butler, and this book is no exception. I love its beautiful photography and the peek it gives into the design processes, inspirations, and creative thoughts of one of my favorite designers. The book is like a scrapbook, journal, and manifesto all in one. I had a lot of fun reading it and it gave me many ideas for interior design in particular. However, there are a few things about the book that surprised me and that may be a turn-off for other readers.

The biggest surprise for me was that Midwest Modern is in no way a sewing book. I knew that the book was more about Amy’s life and style than about her sewing patterns, but I was surprised to discover that there are practically no tutorials or sewing patterns in the book. (There are two very simple How-tos early in the book for making a floor cushion and an envelope pillow, but they are not what I consider a detailed projects.) If you are looking for a book of sewing projects with detailed instructions, Midwest Modern is probably not the right choice. (You might however like to read the Craft Critique review of one of Amy Butler’s other books, In Stitches.) Another criticism I have heard about the book is that it over-promotes Butler’s other commercial enterprises by publishing too many photos of her fabrics and other products. I don’t really agree that photos of her designs and products should be a considered a negative aspect since readers most likely would not purchase Midwest Modern if they did not love all things Amy Butler, but it is something to consider.

Pros:

Absolutely beautiful photography, and lots of it.
You get to peak inside the life of a professional artist.
Many suggestions and tips for how to live a more creative life.

Cons:

No sewing patterns or detailed project tutorials.
Some may feel the book promotes Amy Butler’s other commercial endeavors too strongly.

You can purchase Midwest Modern on Amazon.com (for $23.10) and at other major book retailers. You can also purchase a signed copy of the book from the Amy Butler online Shop for $35.

Overall, I would recommend the book to Amy Butler fans who are looking for a lifestyle or design book. I think you will be inspired by her laid-back, yet incredibly beautiful style and outlook on life.

Have you read Midwest Modern? Did you enjoy it? What other Amy Butler books or products would you recommend?

No Comments » Categories: Books, CraftCritique.com articles, Crafts

bookish

Nov 26th 2008 12:16:29 am

I heard about The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family on the radio a while ago and recently saw that it won the National Book Award for nonfiction. The book, by Annette Gordon-Reed, is about Thomas Jefferson and his house slave Sally Hemings. From the publisher:

“This epic work tells the story of the Hemingses, whose close blood ties to our third president had been systematically expunged from American history until very recently. Now, historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed traces the Hemings family from its origins in Virginia in the 1700s to the family’s dispersal after Jefferson’s death in 1826. It brings to life not only Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson but also their children and Hemings’s siblings, who shared a father with Jefferson’s wife, Martha. The Hemingses of Monticello sets the family’s compelling saga against the backdrop of Revolutionary America, Paris on the eve of its own revolution, 1790s Philadelphia, and plantation life at Monticello. Much anticipated, this book promises to be the most important history of an American slave family ever written.”

It sounds very interesting – an account of American history from a female perspective and a deep, honest, human look at slavery. I hope to read the book soon… Sadly, I am still not done with Guns, Germs and Steel, and I am also trying to finish The Audacity of Hope. I better hit the books!

——–

Some pretty sweet news: Swap-bot was featured today on Mashable.com as one of the top five sites for Secret Santa gift exchanges. Mashable is a big deal tech blog, so I am excited we were mentioned…. and without ever having to send a single press release! Too great!

3 Comments » Categories: Books, Swap-bot

The Age of American Unreason

Oct 5th 2008 01:51:45 pm

I finally finished The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby. I started it in April, read about 3/4 of it, and then got too busy to pick it up and finish it until last week. I am glad to have completed such an educational book about anti-intellectualism in America, but it was not entirely enjoyable. Jacoby is an accomplished writer, intellectual, and secular atheist with whom I thought I would have many things in common. I am not self-proclaimed atheist (more of a spiritual religious skeptic), but I would like to someday be able to consider myself a thoughtful and well-read intellectual. I have a graduate-level education. I listen to NPR. I don’t watch The Hills. Hey, I even bought her smarty-pants book! I am trying my darndest to be a snooty egghead! You would think that Jacoby would be preaching to the choir in my case. At least that is what I thought…

I learned a lot from The Age of American Unreason. For example, I learned about the near-fatal connection between American intellectuals and the theory of communism during the 20s and 30s and the calculated rise of the religious right in the second half of the century, but mostly I came away feeling like I learned the most about Jacoby’s horrible opinion of present day Americans. She starts the book describing her intellectual upbringing in the 40s, 50s, and 60s when EVERYONE (obviously) read The New Yorker and only listened to classical music. In fact, she uses her personal experience to extrapolate on how everyone was raised during the mid-20th century. To me, it seems she believes that she was the perfect example of normalcy, and therefore since she was raised to be well-read and sophisticated most people of her age must have also. Maybe that is too harsh. She does make a well-researched argument for the dominance of anti-rationalism and its development over more than a century in America, and I agree with her on many points. I just feel that her research is over-shadowed by her personal anecdotes and opinion. For example, the things she despises include: Bob Dylan, religion, all contemporary music, all contemporary cinema, all contemporary television, university classes that cover any contemporary media, children’s videos, email, blogs, video games, iPods, pretty much all technology… the list goes on. She adores Philip Roth, Russian culture, the “classics,” and Greek tragedies. She makes wonderful, nuanced arguments (with which I agree whole-heatedly) for the importance of facts vs. junk-science and careful study vs. snap-judgments based on emotion, and her description of how intellectualism has been used or scorned in politics is extensive and informative. Yet, her disdain for all of contemporary culture and her pessimistic last chapter about the future of America really turned me off. As did her harsh critique of American parenting (obviously EVERY contemporary American parent simply raises their children on Baby Einstein videos), which seemed distasteful considering the fact that not one of her online biographies indicates that she has any children.

I agree with Jacoby on so many things, like the danger of religious fundamentalism and the importance of critical thinking, but I do not share her pessimism about our country’s future. I guess I know too many brilliant young people to ever give up hope. I promise to never get so “smart” or so old that I forget to acknowledge the limitless potential and wisdom of every generation that follows my own.

3 Comments » Categories: Books, Thinking, politics