Shibori, A Beginner’s Guide to Creating Color & Texture on Fabric by Lynne Caldwell is one of the better books written for artists interested in learning the art of shibori from beginning to some intermediate techniques.
Summary
Comprehensive lists of tools, materials and techniques for four types of shibori
Very good step-by-step instructions accompanied by clear photos and [...]
Creative Batik by Rosi Robinson is a must have for the beginning batik artist and an excellent reference to keep on the shelf for inspiration and instruction in the modern methods of producing batik art cloth.
Summary
Short history of traditional batik
Detailed chapters explaining materials and tools
Easy to follow step-by-step projects, accompanied with beautiful colored photos
Modern batik [...]
Creative Cloth Doll Faces by Patti Medaris Culea
Great Directions! I am not a direction reader… My bookshelves are full of wonderful how-to books that are dripping with rich and juicy directions upon which my eyeballs have never rested! BUT those same eyeballs have experienced pure joy while pursing the pictures… and figuring out for myself [...]
Art Doll Adventures: Exploring Projects and Processes through Cultural Traditions by Lisa Li Hertzi
First, a disclaimer: I know Li (she’s one of our expert reviewers) and she’s a very good friend. That said, I’d rave about her book even if I didn’t know her.
See, I’ve been making art dolls since childhood, and selling them [...]
Colourwash Quilts by Deirdre Amsden is a superb and inspiring book for advanced quilters.
If you enjoyed Strip Pieced Watercolor Magic, but you are ready to try more complex, innovative or original designs, this is an ideal book.
In this book, author Deirdre Amsden spends far more time explaining how to design your quilt than the details [...]
Embroidery from Sketch to Stitch by Pat Langford is a great book to read if you are interested in crossing over from drawing and painting to fabric art.
That said, this book assumes that you already know how to use a sewing machine and have some skill with machine embroidery, or that you can embroider [...]
The Art of the Needle, Design in fabric in thread, by Jan Beaney is a beautiful book. It covers far more ground than her other book, Stitch Magic.
However, while this is a more accessible book for less experienced sewers, it’s also far more dated than Stitch Magic. Though this book was first published [...]
Stitch Magic by Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn is a glorious book about rich, dimensional embroidery techniques. It also addresses several other kinds of surface treatments for fabric, mostly related to embroidery.
This hardcover book includes a variety of amazing techniques whether you are working with geometrics, abstracts, or realistic imagery in your [...]
Strip-pieced Watercolor Magic by Deanna Spingola is one of the best book I have ever seen for creating elegant and impressive quilts using strip piecing.
You may have seen the quilts that I’ve made with tiny one-inch squares in them. This is the book that I used to put them together quickly and beautifully. [...]
