Material culture and biography: one woman's life in American crafts
598007
This is a highly thoughtful and original examination of one woman's life in crafts and teaching.  Chmielewski uses Betty Sacker's career to explore larger issues of women's role in creating the daily lived experience for their families and students.  Chmielewski's methodology ranges across disciplines to examine crafts, domesticity, and education.  This is a highly creative new work that will influence future scholars of American folklore, women's contributions to arts and crafts, and modern material culture.
4009579
Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition is an illuminating look at one of America's oldest traditions of Witchcraft. While some readers may find the simple style of writing repetitive and rambling, perceptive readers will gain a touch of what might only be deemed "traditional witchcraft." The Feri presented here is more than just a toolbox and has a more primal and wild feel than the more intellectualized versions you see being marketed today. The Craft Cora presents is also not the cookie cutter brand so often found in mass produced texts aimlessly repeating the same thing by route. Throughout the work you can feel Cora's passion and pride for both her Craft and her husband. Included are Feri concepts of deity, ritual,guardians, magical work, and the psychic anatomy of the human being.

Also, while some may view some of Cora's criticisms regarding Christianity as anti-Christian, those who read between the lines will see she is not criticizing Christianity itself, but rather criticizing some of the hatreds,bigotry, and all about ignorance that pervades many spiritual traditions, including Paganism and Witchcraft.  For those who want to know about the Feri tradition from its founders perspective,as well as want some down home wisdom from an American Craft Elder, I recommend reading and re-reading this book multiple times along with the Anderson's other books Etheric Anatomy, Kitchen Witch, Thorns of the Blood Rose, and Lilith's Garden.
258085
The author took a big chance on writing this fascinating biography in the format of a fact and photo packed scrapbook, as if it was a collection of clippings and photos treasured by the subject herself. The informative text is a personal account of the subject's total life adventure, including intimate details of her family as well as the behind the scenes history of the Ziegfeld Follies, Vaudeville and Burlesque as it evolved in her lifetime. Like nothing I have ever seen, the story appears as hand-printed letters wrapping and bending to fill every bit of paper between the hand cut-out silhouettes and shapes of the news clippings and historical photos. Large format book with high quality paper, printing and binding.
3107925
This is a lovely small book which gives colorful visual images
of our American quilting history.  The ladies of the 1800's
left us their stories in diaries and letters.  They also left
us their beautiful quilts.
The hardships of life on the American frontier was helped by the
quilting projects that the women used to fill their time.
In 1831, Lydia Marie Child wrote, "The true economy of
housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the
fragments, so that nothing be lost.  I mean the fragments of
time, as well as materials.  Nothing should be thrown away so
long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling
that use may be..."  This is certainly an idea that is far
removed from today's thinking where we throw away many useable
items.
The quotations that are used throughout the book are poignant
and very interesting.  These words from our history are set against the background of pieces of quilts and wonderful photographs of ladies, and the various accoutrements of sewing.
The longing to keep connected to her young married daughter is
reflected in the following letter from a mother. In 1850, Hannah Shaw wrote to her daughter, "I have been looking for something to send to you, but I could not find anthing that I could send in a letter bitt a piece of my new dress..."
This is an easy and charming way to reflect on our American
history.
362248
Bottle Houses tells the true story of Grandma Prisbey, artist, collector, and builder.  Although not as famous as Simon Rhodia of Watts Tower fame, she similarly constructed edifices out of discarded glass and other objects.  Her creative urge led to a whole complex of varied structures, united by the use of found objects. As Grandma Prisbey said, "What some people throw away, I believe I could wear to church."  Unfortunately for her-and for us-some of the buildings were damaged by the 1994 quake in Simi Valley, California; however, much remains, and there is a "Preserve Bottle Village Committee" working to restore the Village.

Melissa Slaymaker does a superb job of drawing us into the story. Right away, she describes Prisbey's, nonconformity, and independence: "...she didn't have a house. She was too busy to have one." "Grandma Prisbrey had some land in California, but she didn't have enough money to build a house in a regular way. But Grandma Prisbey wasn't the sort of person who did things in a regular sort of way."

Prisbey went to the local dump, using "what some people throw away" including "furniture, stoves, refrigerators, dishes, clothes, batteries....even dolls. Hundreds of dolls."

The most important of these junked items were the colored bottles. Using everything but milk bottles (apparently against the law) she stacked bottles atop each other and held them in pace with cement.  With these as her basic building materials, she built  bottle houses for her collections of pencils and dolls, a bottle chapel, bottle birdbath, wishing well, rumpus room, and the round house ("everything in it was round.  It had a round fireplace, a round bed, and a round dresser with a round mirror over it." Other creative projects include a house of shells and a "singing tree," hung with thousands of bottles that rang like chimes.  She built a pyramid out to headlights and 150 gold lipstick cases, and dyed her three cats (vegetable dye is supposedly safe) pink, green, and blue! Slaymaker and Paschkis portray Grandma Prisbey as an artist without formal training or conventional drawing talent, who still created beautiful, original, works that delight the eye and express her individuality.

The bright illustrations and decorative "folkish" art designs by illustrator Julie Paschkis add greatly to Slaymaker's text. Paschkis captures the luminosity of the colored glass bottles, using shading and reflection in her gouache illustrations. Other illustrations are reminiscent of old stencil patterns and mid-20th century graphics. Paschkis scattered her drawings over the page, yet they retain a uniform style, echoing the feeling and look of Prisbey's Bottle Village. Colors have unusual and beautiful hues, and Paschkis conveys the vivid, multi-colored mosaics accurately and with flair. The back of the book shows photos of Grandma Prisbey, some of the structures and a link to the Preserve Bottle Village Committee website ([...]  I strongly suggest viewing the site, and I higly recommend this enjoyable, eye-pleasing book.
2139237
This book is dedicated to the pioneer Americans who made their tools, a symbol of sincerity, integrity, and excellence. Mass production made their tools obsolete, along with early individualism, said the author. There was a special tool for every job (pp.vi-vii). In Early America a museum referred to a library of collected facts (p.xi). Shovels were made of wood to prevent harm to grain and apples 9p.xii). A house built of posts and beams used wooden pins which don't rust and loosen like nails. Sloane says that studying the tools used by pioneer Americans reveals their conscience and personality. Things were built to be honest and long-lasting, not to make the most money. There are 48 short chapters and an Index. These drawings are very interesting.

"The Romance of Tools" says a tool was an extension of a man's hand. Some gave pet names to a tool then (p. 3), some do today. The Civil War period marked a new era in tool design because of mass-production (p. 5). Axe handles became curved, not straight; their end had a "Fawn foot", "Scroll knob", or "Swell knob" (p. 7). Early American tools had a traditional design with subtle differences and decorative touches that identify the region of origin (p. 6). An ax was the most important tool for early Americans: clear the land of trees, cut fuel, build a house or furniture. Early axes were poll-less; the poll added weight for chopping. There were more than 50 patterns of Axe heads (p. 12). The Broad Axe was used to hew round logs into square beams (p. 14). Early American roofs were thatched, shingling hatchets were unknown. The claw hammer hasn't changed much since Roman times (p. 22). Square-cut nails had greater holding power than round
 nails.

Log-house notches were often made with only an ax (pp. 24-25). An adze was used to smooth surfaces (pp. 26-27). Scorps hollowed-out wood (pp. 28-29). Wedges and froes were used to split wood for shingles, clapboards, and lathes (pp. 30-33). Benches and horses were also tools (pp. 34-37). The drawknife was used to trim wood, tool handles, spokes, etc. (pp. 38-39). Wood was harvested and fastened into giant rafts for transport (pp. 40-41). Wood was used in making apple butter and cider (pp. 46-47). Two-headed tools are rare (pp. 50-51). There are many kinds of chisels (used to make mortises) and gouges (pp. 52-55). Planes were used for smoothing and shaping wood (pp. 56-65). The various types of saws are described (pp. 66-71).

Awls, reams, augers, and gimlets made holes in wood (pp. 72-77). Braces or bitstocks drilled holes (pp. 78-81). There are other tools (pp. 82-85). Sledges were important to move heavy or bulky objects (pp. 86-87) when wheeled vehicles could not be used. Various jacks lifted or moved heavy objects (pp. 88-89). Most tools can be traced to early blacksmiths (pp. 90-91). Nails were made by hand (pp. 92-93). Tanners treated rough hides, curriers scraped and softened hides with special tools (pp. 94-95). Wheelwrights created spoked wheels held together by an iron outer rim (pp. 96-97). There were specialized hammers: flails, flinting picks, bricklayers hammer, ice axe, zaxes (for slate), etc. (pp. 98-99). Hay knives cut hay from a haystack; the hay-spade knife also cut up pumpkins (pp. 100-101). Scythes and snaths were used to cut grass for hay (pp. 102-103). There are other tools that were common a century ago (pp. 104-105).
4147043
I enjoyed this book because I've yet to seen one including much information on miniature decorating styles of the 1930's and 40's.  Admittedly there are more wood crafts than I had hoped for, but the flavor of the book, the fun layout, and period details give one inspiration for creating their own unique projects.
4249600
As the only daughter in a family of seven children, eleven-year-old Calpurnia Tate had trouble conforming to the strict gender norms that dictated what she learned in school, how she was supposed to spend her time, and what she could dream about for her future. In 1899 in rural Texas, girls like Callie in relatively wealthy families were expected to limit their aspirations to cooking, sewing, and ultimately marrying and raising their own children.

Callie, however, enjoyed nothing more than plodding around by the river observing animals, insects, and fauna, and taking notes in her special journal. This love of science brought Callie closer to her reticent grandfather, who had left the daily operations of the cotton gin and pecan orchards to his only son -- Callie's father -- so he could spend full days as an amateur naturalist. Her mother, however, had every intention of keeping Callie busy with cooking lessons and handiwork improvement. Would Callie manage to protect her time with her grandfather and chart her own course in the face of such strong expectations to do otherwise?

This expertly-woven story combines a powerful coming-of-age theme with entertaining vignettes about life in a large household abuzz with activity and commotion.  Central to the main story line are important themes in economics concerning gender bias within households in the allocation of unpaid domestic work, and, closely related, the concentration of men and women in different types of occupations. The book's 2010 Newbery Honor is richly deserved.
3963713
Marthe Le Van's Making Fabric Jewelry is the book for people who save fabric bits, buy Spoonflower swatches or have scraps from favorite clothes that are too small for quilts. Since some of the projects only use 2 or 3 square inches, they could also be made with charms.

It starts with nearly 20 pages of basic information for getting started. It covers fabric, sewing techniques and basic jewelry making techniques. It's written well for people who are learning new techniques such as basic jewelry making techniques. While some of the projects use a sewing machine, a lot of them don't, which I appreciate. I like small projects that aren't noisy while watching television with my family.

The projects are varied, showcasing fabric bits in a myriad of ways to fit the material and your personal style.  There are many designers for lots of looks and techniques. Every project in the book uses techniques that can be easily adapted. It's all in full color with well written and photographed instructions.

It's a natural for upcycling. Some pieces don't even need sewing. Like Deborah Boschert's Circles and Squares necklace which is done with fusible interfacing. That's one I plan to make using one of my Spoonflower swatches soon.

My favorite project in the whole book is pictured on the cover, Miyuki Akai Cook's Kaga Earrings. They use a neat thread weaving technique and vintage fabric over a handmade paper core.

I also love Anika Smulovitz's Jelly Fish pendant which uses scraps in a whimsical, fun way.

There is a gallery of images for inspiration and eye candy throughout the book which show how many ways fabric can be used to make jewelry.

Just a wonderful collection of projects, and I do recommend it. The range of projects will appeal to a wide range of people, and making jewelry with fabric is a great way to use a small scrap of something with lots of sentimental value or that's just too pretty to wind up as stuffing. Imagine turning a favorite concert tee that's just too worn to wear into a bracelet, or possibly a pair of earrings, or using old baby clothes to make a special pendant for a grandmother. This book will have great ideas and instructions for doing just that in a stylish way.
[I received a complimentary copy of the book to review on my craft blog- Don't Eat the Paste. My reviews are always my honest opinion]
1817947
This jewelry in this book has an almost Native American feel to the weaving patterns. The patterns are lovely and tips on materials are handy.
2275152
Delightful book! I purchased it for a nostalgic look at the past that it truly provides with silhouette artwork and  interesting details of topics such as how to wash clothes by hand, how to properly serve various meals and how to set a tray for an invalid.  The loose color plates of doll furniture and paper dolls in a folder inside the back cover are sturdy and numerous. I was dismayed with the portrayal of the colored maid, which shows another non-nostalgic facet of the past but might provide a spring board for discussion with children about racial stereotypes.
704065
Quilts are a lot like people. They are not overnight undertakings. They seldom turn out the way they were intended. Colors change when you run short of fabric. Edges misalign where you least expect it.

When Carol Nielson and her husband inherited an album quilt-half a quilt, to be precise-she had no idea of the journey on which the fragile folds of appliqus and painstaking stitches would call her. Created in 1857 by the women of the Salt Lake City LDS 14th Ward, the quilt was raffled off to raise money for the poor, the Perpetual Immigrating Fund, and for various Mormon charitable enterprises. Each block was designed and signed by one of the women, many of whom were wives of leading church authorities.

Nielson's desire to find the quilt's other half, and to find out more about the women whose legacy she had-both literally and figuratively-inherited, led her back in time through countless lives of hardship, joy, and spiritual conviction in the face of adversity.

Filled with detailed photographs of the quilt and images of those who stitched the blocks, this book is a stirring read, a rich and beautiful testimony to women whose hands shaped not only thread and cloth, but also a state, forging a community with their pioneer spirit.

"Carol Nielson has not only brought together two halves of a quilt, she has restored a forgotten community of women. Her patient research has transformed a family relic into a communal treasure."

-Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, author of A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812

"A vital contribution to Utah's rich history adding to an unfortunately under-appreciated and under-documented part of our history-frontier women."

-William Slaughter, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Historical Department

"A compelling and thorough study of a quilt, the pioneer women who stitched it, and ultimately, the Mormon experience that defined them."

-Kae Covington, author of Gathered in Time: Utah Quilts and Their Makers, Settlement to 1950

Carol Holindrake Nielson has a BA in English education from Utah State University. She has been a teacher, tutor, and an historical interpreter at Mount Vernon, Virginia. She lives in Layton, Utah.

78 color photographs, 45 halftones
4861516
This is an excellent book about Irish hand crafts. Highly recommended. The book was originally published in 1978. This is an updated reprint with some new crafts and craftspeople. Most of the sections detail crafts and craftsmen and women unfortunately no longer with us. Their stories and skills are still worth studying. I have a personal link to two of the craftsmen written about, namely Jimmy (RIP) and Dan Kerrigan who are photographed and written about in the section about blacksmith/farriers. I worked at the forge in Slata Co. Roscommon one full Summer in secondary school when I was about 14. It was my first paying job. Anyhow it did not take the Kerrigans long to determine that I was no blacksmith. So I spent the last several weeks chopping up old vans, about 40 years accumulation worth and disassembling engine blocks etc. for scrap with a set of spanners, an axe and an angle-grinder. This is not nearly as much fun as it sounds. Wailing away at the bonnet and chassis of an old Commer van with a blunt axe gets tiring. Cycling home of an evening down the hills between Slata and Rooskey was a great end to the day after the long cycle up them in the morning. More innocent times surely.
765721
In an age in which we take mass-produced commercial computer-animated likeness of persons and animals for granted, it is easy to forget that there was a time when puppets were made and by hand and handled by an individual artist. This engaging book takes us on a world journey, back in times recent and distant, to explore and examine these traditions. Surveyed are European traditional puppets; shadow puppets of Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, and North Africa; puppets in sub-Saharan Africa; the cradle of puppetry in India and Sri Lanka; puppets of China; the Wayang cultural heritage of Indonesia; trans-cultural development of puppetry in Southeast Asia; puppetry as classical and folk theater in Japan and Korea; puppets of Oceania; and puppets in the Americas - both native and imported traditions. And despite the influence of mass culture, traditional puppetry will find an audience of admirers for years to come.
2950636
This book has many, good-sized, excellent color reproductions of work with an interesting history of the New Hope artists. There are also succinct biographies of each of the major artists of this regional school plus a list with images of many of the lesser known people.
  The last chapter of the book discusses the framemakers in the New Hope region who were part of the arts and crafts movement which is an interesting piece of art history in itself.
  Mention is made of the "Pennsylvania 10", a group of the prominent women artists in this area, and a chapter could have been created to feature them, but they are worth a book unto themselves.
  For anyone interested in American art, American Impressionism, and that period during the first half of the twentieth century as art moved from representational concepts to abstract and non-objective concepts, this book is worth having.
  For artists who are working in this representational manner, they will find a wealth of ideas from these painters in terms of technique, design, and concepts.
2802322
Fortunate is the arts library to have the restored and embellished 1977 monograph on the life and work of American artist Joseph Cornell, an artist whose importance not only to the craft of assemblage but to the history of American art continues to grow as the years pass.  Author Diane Waldman initially based her monograph on extensive interviews with Cornell and his confreres in preparing the 1967 retrospective of Cornell's art for the Guggenheim Museum.  And fine though that now extinct monograph was, it was important to update it with the added information gleaned from the 1978 gift of the bulk of Cornell's archives donated by the heirs of Cornell to the Smithsonian Museum, forming the Joseph Cornell Study Center in Washington, DC.

But enough of background.  Waldman the writer and historian presents here one of the more sensitive tributes to Joseph Cornell in print.  Included in this rather brief book are over forty color plates of many of Cornell's greatest works.  The color reproductions and photography of these basically three-dimensional works is outstanding and allows the viewer to pause with each work, enhance the visual appreciation with the accompanying writing by the author, and then return once again to the biographical data of a man at odds with conformity and with somewhat fractured social graces.

Joseph Cornell was a unique artist and one whose impact on all forms of art (especially the eventual 'installation art' phase) is yearly more appreciated. This fine book is as sound a source of information on his life and works as any of the now many volumes on the shelves.  Highly Recommended to both the novice and the expert. Grady Harp, February 06
4816243
Crafting a Business is a great combination of true anecdotes, great photos, and serious advice.  I like how it covers a wide variety of artistic women-owned small businesses, I think the the Sisters on the Fly might be my favorite even though it is far beyond traditional handicrafts.  I know a lot of ladies (including myself) who would love to make their hobby into their job - take the first step into making that dream a reality with this guide.