Book Review Time!

To start with, this is a beautiful book on the outside!  I’m not sure what material the cover is made of but you will find yourself touching it all the time!   It feels like suede..so make sure your hands are clean!! 

The photos in the book are really beautiful…one after another of different techniques by different artists…I’m not sure how many but each chapter displaying their work is awesome. 

The book starts off with your normal supply list or as the author states ‘Hunting and Gathering’, etc. I love that, “Hunting and Gathering”!  Ms Fox uses so many different finds in creating her beautiful fabrics and papers.  Yep, this isn’t just for fabric folks! I didn’t realize there would be printing on papers.  The section on Kitchen Color is really interesting.  Of course, most of us know about the onion skin to dye eggs with but did you know you can use this liquid to paint on paper!  Who knew!  She even shows how to create your own walnut ink!

There are chapters on rust marking, “foraged fibers” (which was quite interesting!), natural colors or Eco printing as well as a section on screen printing.   But…this isn’t an ‘instruction’ book on projects.  There aren’t projects for you to complete.    The book is chalk full of tips and suggestions and yes, some instructions, but they are short and sweet.  It’s mainly showing you samples from artists that have used a particular technique and those artists provide tips/etc.

The leaves on the front and back were real leaves that Alice stitched!  Looks really cool!

And that’s what is inspiring, just seeing some of the beautiful work these artists achieved.

So, is it worth the cost (I paid $22)?  For me, YES, as I said, there aren’t full blown projects for you to make something from a particular technique, but there are tons of tips and numbered items for you to follow to create something on your own.   

And I’m totally inspired to start looking for ‘found’ objects to start a collection!  I have wood chips that were given to me by a weaver in Florida.  This husband and wife team (they both passed away) would dye their own yarns.  I was fortunate that the hubby gave me containers full of different different types of wood.  A few years ago I dyed a piece of fabric, which turned out a beautiful shade of pale purple/pink. from some of the chips.    Not sure what wood I used, but I made the couple a  small topper from that fabric.  Think I just might have to get back into using the wood chips until I have read and reread Alice Fox’s book!

My next review is going to be on The Art of Fashion Tangling!  I know a lot of you will recognize Jill Buckley’s name from the blog The Quilt Rat!   Jill is one of the contributing artists in this book!  I haven’t read each page yet…just did some browsing…so that’s my next review!