:Books:

Craft Book Destash aka Drumcarder Dreams

Nicky4 Comments

Craft Book Destash

No … I haven’t stopped spinning.  No … I didn’t forget or miss last Sunday’s post!  No … I didn’t have another migraine … thanks for thinking kind thoughts of me … LOLOL!  In fact, spinning was on my mind.  Sheep, raw fleece, dyeing, lamb locks, spinning techniques, dyeing, art yarn,  did I say dyeing yet?  LOLOL!  These days, these are all I think of.  Spinning has gotten so intense for me, I thought seriously of selling my entire yarn stash to meet the goals I have.  After I got talked of that ledge by my people who know me well, I’ve decided to go this route as well (cause to tell the truth, some of the yarn went yesterday … that’s how serious I am). I’m de-stashing some of my craft books to get to where I want to go spinning wise.

My goal:

The Strauch Mad Batt’r Drum Carder

This is the one that suits my needs best, so I cleared out my crafty book stash to make my drum-carder goal happen soon.  I’m a serious bibliophile, so the books listed are in excellent condition — most are brand new, or like new.   I also categorized them so you can go through the list quickly.  For purchase of any book which interests you, if you’re on instagram, I’m Dnali.thediary, on Ravelry, I’m Dnali so you can private message me on any of these platforms.  Or if it’s easier, send me a message through my WP About Me page.  Single purchase below $10.00 buyer pays shipping, single purchase above $10.00 includes shipping.  Combined purchases totaling $17.00 and more, I’ll pay shipping.  Currently shipping to the US only in order to keep the prices competitive.

So here we go:

CROCHET

  • The Crochet Bible by Sue Whiting  — $7.00
  • Interweave Harmony Guide: Crochet Edging & Trims  edited by Kate Haxell — $7.00
  • Go Crochet!  Afghan Design Workbook by Ellen Gormley — $7.00

KNITTING

Stitch Dictionaries

  • Interweave Press Harmony Guides: Knit & Purl (250 stitches to knit & purl) edited by Erika Knight — $8.00
  • Interweave Press Harmony Guides: Lace & Eyelets (250 stitch combos) edited by Erika Knight — $8.00
  • Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 2 Cables — $10.00
  • Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 3 Color Knitting (hardcover) — $11.00

Colour Knitting

  • Colour Knitting: the easy way (Book 1) — by Melissa Leapman — $11.00
  • Mastering Color Knitting: Simple Instructions for Stranded, Intarsia and Double Knitting (Book 2) by Melissa Leapman — $11.00
  • Picture Perfect Knits: Step by Step Intarsia with more than 75 Inspiring Patterns by Laura Birek — $6.00

Home & Gifting

  • Interweave Knitted Gifts by Ann Budd — $7.00
  • Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson (of Purl Soho) — $8.00
  • More Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson (of Purl Soho) — $8.00
  • Yarn Play + Yarn Play At Home (Double Volume) by Lisa Shobhana Mason — $6.00

Clothing/Accessories Etc

  • Stitch N Bitch Knitters Handbook by Debbie Stoller — $6.00
  • Family Knits by Debbie Bliss — $9.00
  • Knitting New Mittens & Gloves by Robin Melanson — $9.00

 

Hope you find something you like!!!! 😀    Thanks for checking the listings out friends!

N

Book Review: Design The Life You Love

Nicky14 Comments

I’ve had this book since January and  wanted to take my time with it.   You know how it is, the year starts and we want to work on our lives, make it better, make positive changes.  I wasn’t sure what expect from “Design The Life You Love”; I hoped it was not going to be trite and unrealistic and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

The author,  Ayse Birsel, used the skills she’s known for — design — to cement the idea that our lives are worthy of looking at introspectively and creatively so we can live them to the fullest.  She likens life to a design project and encourages the reader to deconstruct,  look at his/her life from a different perspective, reconstruct, then give whatever positive changes we develop expression or form.  These concepts were not foreign at all, that’s exactly how we makers tackle knit and other fiber arts projects.  She uses drawing and design to explain her theories/ideas, but although I absolutely suck at drawing, as a yarn/fiber artist, the concepts were still easy to grasp.  For the exercises, anything I couldn’t draw, I crafted with yarn or pictures cut out from a magazine.  😀

I know others who have used this book didn’t like the fact that the author used her specific creative medium to share the concepts and I can see how that is limiting.  However, I believe everyone has creativity in them and all readers should use whatever mediums they have at their disposal to assess the principles shared.

The layout of the book is clear and very easy to use.  The author recommends spending 20 minutes a day with the content/exercises and your life’s design and I agree.  The content provides enough interaction and food for thought in that amount of time.  Plus the structured time limit allows you to pace yourself and really savor the experience of each session instead of barreling through the book.  The typography used provides many opportunities to do some coloring and I really enjoy doing that.  That in itself allows for even more creative expression.

Let me say however, this book is not a fix-it all book.  Although it encourages us to look at our lives as design projects, to embrace the constraints and limitations as opportunities to change our perception, it’s not a magic pill or a substitute for anyone needing clinical therapy.  It provides a starting point, encouragement to explore, a different perspective and some good ole common sense.

I am enjoying reading/using it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it as a starting point for anyone who’s willing to look at designing a life he/she loves a little differently, a little more creatively, with just the right amount of playfulness.

Disclaimer: this review was done through my affiliation with Blogging For Books.  Although I received a copy for review, the thoughts expressed are entirely my own.