Book Review: Mending Life by Nina and Sonya Montenegro

Mending Life: A Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts
by Nina and Sonya Montenegro (646.2 Mon)

 

“There’s nothing broken that can’t be fixed.”

 

Concerned with the fast fashion trends, where the cost to the consumer may be cheap but the cost to the laborer can be dear, the sisters Nina and Sonya Montenegro have stitched together a book of quotes, instructions, and illustrations; their aim being aim to help anyone revive their treasured textiles.

 

This book discusses how to choose needles, fibers, and techniques for best results. The methods are covered sensibly and practically, easily accessible to anyone interested in learning basic techniques of mending, including sashiko, swiss darning, patching. You can find information to help mend down jackets, linen dresser scarves, favorite sweaters, even old “broken” socks. They encourage the reader to give mending a try.

 

Repairs add history and personality to your favorite pieces and honors the work of those who made the garment. It’s a natural process that happens around us all the time, and through mending your own items, you connect the past to the future.

 

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Joyful Mending by Noriko Misumi, Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More by Katrina Rodabaugh, Visible Mending: Artful Stitchery to Repair and Refresh Your Favorite Things by Jenny Wilding Cardon or Stitch Stories: Personal Places, Spaces and Traces in Textile Art by Cas Holmes.]

[ official Mending Life web site ] | [ official Nina Montenegro web site ] [ official Sonya Montenegro web site ]

 

Recommended by Carrie K.
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service

 

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Book Review: Builtd-It-Yourself Birdhouses by Chris Peterson

Build-It-Yourself Birdhouses: 25 DIY Birdhouses and Bird Feeders
by Chris Peterson (598.072 Pet)

This book caught my eye on the New Books display recently at the downtown library. I’ve got several bird feeders and birdbaths scattered throughout my yard, but it’s been years since I tried putting up an actual birdhouse. Build-it-Yourself Birdhouses features over 25 “do it yourself” craft projects — mostly birdhouses, but also a bat house and a small selection of bird feeders as well.

After some introductory chapters in which the author gives you general background about how to handle birdhouses, and explains the tools and construction materials you’ll be working with, the lion’s share of this manual is dedicated to a multitude of birdhouse designs. With each design, which are identified by the type of birds they will attract, you get a photo of the finished product, then a step-by-step description of how to cut the wood and assemble the finished product. Targeted birds range from the tiniest of wrens, to owls, kestrels and wood ducks.

Most of the designs look very attractive, and if I had a workshop with lots of power tools, I’d be tempted to try to create some of these. Unfortunately, although the author says you can try to complete any of these projects with a basic handsaw and elbow grease, they are really designed for somebody that has a table saw, miter saw and circular saw at their disposal. If you’ve got such equipment available to you, this is a great book — I suggest giving it a browse for some marvelous ideas. If you don’t have a workshop available, you may wish to look for simpler birdhouse projects than these.

Attractive book, with lots of good ideas, but may be beyond those without access to specialized tools. None-the-less, I liked the book and do recommend it.

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library – Public Service

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Review: Leather Bracelets by Nihon Vogue-Shu

Leather Bracelets: 33 Step-by-Step Instructions for Leather Cuffs, Bracelets and Bangles With Knots, Beads, Buttons and Charms
by Nihon Vogue-Shu [745.594 Vog]

Having worked with hemp and embroidery thread to make bracelets before, I thought I’d check this out. The layout is a bit different than I’ve seen similar books. A good 30 pages is spent at the beginning featuring each style, followed by the tools and techniques section, then a guide to the knots. It’s not a complaint, but I thought it strange to have such a lengthy introduction to the styles instead of having them adjacent to the instructions for each and I think the two techniques/guide to knots sections could have been combined. The photos and diagrams are good, as are the written instructions. I particularly liked the tips for making the ends of the bracelets look more finished, and these are easily transferable to other bracelet making materials. I’ll probably be checking this one out again because unfortunately I didn’t have enough leather cord on hand to try out any of the projects with; however I did try one with embroidery thread I had and it turned out well. I think it’d also work to make some of these patterns with paracord or hemp; these would have different looks due to the different materials, so don’t let lack of leather cording hold you back from trying these patterns. If you have enjoyed making friendship bracelets, paracord projects or macramé, or are interested in trying these kinds of things, I’d recommend this book to you.

[ publisher’s Leather Bracelets web site ]

Recommended by Kristen A.
Gere Branch Librach

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Slime Sorcery by Adam Vandergrift

Slime Sorcery
by Adam Vandergrift [j745.5 Van]

Growing up as a pre-teen and teen in the 1970s, I fondly remember my first experiences with “Slime”, toy company Mattel’s ooeey, gooey, green glop, that was originally solt in a little green plastic garbage can. It was a huge sensation with both me and my friends. My next awareness of “slime” was the movie Ghostbusters, where Bill Murray’s character, Dr. Peter Venkman, got “slimed” by a hot dog-guzzling specter (nicknamed “Slimer” on the subsequent animated series) on the Ghostbusters’ first field case. The kids television network Nickelodeon dumped buckets of slime (which they called gak) on cast members and contestants on their shows throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. In other words, “Slime” has a long and illustrious history.

But none-the-less, “Slime” has probably never been more popular than it is now, with multiple websites dedicated to the gooey stuff — how to make it, how to use it, videos of it being used, etc. Slime Sorcery is by one of those online slime gurus — Adam Vandergrift. In this book, Vandergrift provides 97 different recipes for how to make Slime, based on about a half-dozen basic standard recipes, including Fluffy Slime, Galaxy Slime (with sparkles), Crunchy Slime (with solid chunks), Magnetic Slime, Color-Changing Slime and Glow-in-the-Dark Slime. Most Slime recipes are made from chemical components that are NOT to be eaten, if they look like food. But 6 of the 97 recipes included here are actually for edible Slimes. Nearly everything in this book is relatively simple to made, and about 80% of the recipes include photos to show you what the finished product should look like. There are also numerous photos of kids playing with Slime to give you some ideas of what you could do with it once you’ve mixed up a batch. I have no earthly need to have a tupperware container full of Slime, but after reading this fun and simple recipe book, I feel the urge to mix up a batch of “Cameron’s Midnight Slime”, with its silvery glitter in a deep blue-black base that looks like a sparkling midnight sky!

[ Adam Vandergriff’s official Will It Slime web site, including pics and videos ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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Scandinavian Gatherings by Melissa Bahen

Scandinavian Gatherings: From Afternoon Fika to Midsummer Feast – 70 Simple Recipes and Crafts for Everyday Celebrations
by Melissa Bahen [641.594 ScaYb]

The subtitle of this fun book is “From Afternoon Fika to Midsummer Feast: 70 Simple Recipes and Crafts for Everyday Celebrations.” I enjoy reading all kinds of Scandinavian cookbooks, but this one really caught my attention because the author lives in the area of Oregon that my family lives in and talks about my favorite Scandinavian Festival held in Junction City every year. The book is filled with all kinds of authentic recipes, craft ideas and stories perfect to use at holiday celebrations and much more. The photographs and illustrations complement the stories and recipes very well. I highly recommend this book — even if you aren’t Scandinavian!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Tasting Hygge: Joyful Recipes for Cozy Days and Nights, by Leela Cyd, and The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, by Meik Wiking]

[ official Scandinavian Gatherings page on the official Melissa Bahen web site ]

Recommended by Kim J.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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The Steampunk Adventurer's Guide: Contraptions, Creations and Curiosities Anyone Can Make

The Steampunk Adventurer's Guide: Contraptions, Creations and Curiosities Anyone Can Make
by Thomas Willeford [646.48 Wil]

I've been on a Steampunk binge for the past couple of years -- reading a lot of Steampunk fiction, and looking at the increasing collection of Steampunk related non-fiction books the libraries have been picking up -- dedicated to costuming, jewelry making and decorating. The Steampunk Adventurer's Guide is a marvelous addition to the libraries' Steampunk collection. Classified as an "adult" item, this is actually aimed at responsible teens and even pre-teens. Each chapter of this nifty volume features a short continuation of an ongoing Steampunk adventure story, focusing on the escapes of a couple of brilliant but reckless kids, lavishly illustrated by Phil Foglio, whose work in Dragon magazine many years ago was among my favorite fantasy art. In recent years, he has written and illustrated the adventures of Girl Genius -- a series of Steampunk graphic novels. Alternating with the storyline in this volume are sections in which author Thomas Willeford provides detailed step-by-step instructions for how to create pieces of Steampunk costumes, from things as simple as airship goggles, to as complex as glider wings, a rocket pack, or a rivet gun. The illustrations that accompany each craft project as simple and straight-forward, and Willeford adopts a very easy-to-follow conversational tone in his instructions. Anyone with an interest in Steampunk trappings and a modicum of craft skills will find this book an excellent introduction to how to create accessories for simple Steampunk costumes. I particularly like Willeford's "invention" of Fleather -- a flexible craft fabric made of soft craft foam and double-sided duct tape, which very closely resembles leather if not examined too closely. [Check out my Steampunk booktalk booklist for some great reads to put you in the mood to create your own costume!] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [ see Scott's Reviewer Profile and his other reviews ]

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try any of the libraries' many other Steampunk craft books, almost all of which are aimed at a far more adult audience.]

[ Publisher's official Steampunk Adventurer's Guide web page ] | [ official Thomas Willeford (author/crafter) web site ] | [ official Phil Foglio (illustrator) web site ]

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Extreme Origami

Extreme Origami
by Won Park [736.982 Par]

The libraries have a fairly extensive collection of books teaching you how to do origami, both in the youth and adult collections under 736.982, but this one jumped out at me right away when I saw it. Park creates 20 different works of origami art, using only U.S. dollar bills. Included for each design are detailed, broken-down graphics showing the exact folds and order of folding, plus a beautiful photo of the finished work of art. Park's designs are incredibly intricate and beautiful, and include such exotic paper sculptures as Praying Mantis, Koi Fish, Scorpion, Ox, Spider, Butterfly and Formula 1 Race Car. If you've ever wondered if you can do origami, this is a great place to start. If you don't want to try it yourself, this book is just gorgeous to browse through! -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library [Subscribe to Scott's monthly booklist newsletter It's All Geek to Me! - on the Books, Movies & More newsletter sign-up page]

[ Won Park page on The Origami Research Center web site ] | [ Images of Won Park dollar bill origami on Tumblr ]

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Bead Embroidery: Stitch Samples

Bead Embroidery: Stitch Samples
by Yasuko Endo [746.5 End]

This book shows a variety of patterns and methods for adding beads to your embroidery work. While it does suggest some projects, the focus is on the patterns. They include photos, diagrams and step by step instructions. It does cover the basics of stitching and beading, so if you have never tried this sort of thing, it does show you how to get started, but as I said it does leave the projects up to your imagination. Because of this, the book includes a ton of patterns to fit any style, project or ability. -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library

[ Review of this book on the Quilting Daily web site ]
 
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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!

Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection

Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection: 400+ Easy Embroidery Designs
by Aimée Ray [746.44 Ray]

If you haven't done embroidery before and want to give it a try, this is a great book to start with. It tells you about the basic stitches, has clear diagrams, and includes photos of what the stitch looks like on fabric. They have a number of step by step projects, and what I particularly like about this book is that they suggest variations for each project beyond using different colours. In the back half of the book are a wide array of motifs; they have baby, circus, flowers, food, space, under the sea, and a woodland fairytale among others. Included in the back is a CD with digital copies of all the motifs, making it easy to make enlargements or to combine multiple motifs into an arrangement. Over all the book does a very nice job on making things so clear and simple, even to someone who has never attempted embroidery before. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Doodle Stitching: Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners also by Aimée Ray.] -- recommended by Kristen A. - Gere Branch Library

[ official Aimee Ray web site ]
 
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New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide website. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month. Click the tag for the reviewer's name to see more of this reviewers recommendations!