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Head to Toe: Kids' Knit Accessories by Katya Frankel, pub. Cooperative Press, 2013. I appreciate all Katya Frankel's designs. She has a way of giving classic designs interesting details and those special knitterly touches that make them fun to work up. In her books especially, her photography presents the projects an appealing way. The designs are not only cute and practical, the children enjoy wearing them. On the front cover are Bowburn, on which overlapping ribs are simulated using increases and decreases, and Duergar, which has raglan sweater-inspired crown shaping. Rainton is a cap (with earflaps!) that can be worn inside out. But my favorite hat in this book may be Wylam. Or perhaps it's the sweet faces of the models that win me over. I love the way the ribs start and stop on this hat, the way they merge at the top. This pattern comes in 5 sizes and 2 yarn weights. The hat sizing is generous in this book, with 4 or 5 sizes provided for most patterns (one has only 3). Even most of the cowl patterns are sized with 2 or 3 sizes. The scarves do not have different lengths, but the hand coverings are all given in 3 - 5 sizes and the socks in 4 or 5 sizes. The Neck Things chapter contains many appealing accessories. Not pictured here are: Tyne Green, with cables on a stockinette (instead of the more usual reverse stockinette) ground; Mallard, a shaped cowl; and Milefortlet, a scarf which mimics regularly spaced forts along a checkered landscape. It was difficult to choose a hand covering design to feature here. They all seem to fit perfectly and each design has a little something special. I chose Cheviot Hills because its textural portrayal of that area of England works so well with the Mirasol yarn. The foot coverings are similarly strong and simple, but in this case my choice was easy: Breamish has a straightforward construction and a top-notch photo. But her other designs are lovely as well, especially Cannonfire and Pegwhistle. It's clear I admire the patterns, but what else is there in this book? The "Things to Know" chapter mostly contains solid but commonly known information. Exceptions are noted below. Katya provides an ease table for hats, socks, and gloves or mittens. She says socks should be knit with 0 - 1/2 " positive ease. I usually use 90% of the full measurement as my target circumference (in other words, negative ease), but I do knit the foot a bit longer than its measurement. There are also helpful tables correlating age to approximate hand and foot circumference---helpful for those of us knitting for children who live far away. A final table lists foot length based on shoe size. She also describes a stretchy bind-off and tells how to weave in ends. This is useful information that is not widely found. I recommend Head to Toe as a wonderful resource for anyone who knits for children. Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Bathtime Buddies by Megan Kreiner, photographs by Brent Kane, pub. Martingale, 2014. When a well thought out book crosses my desk, my approval becomes increasingly audible with as I encounter each new feature. By the end of this book, I was shouting and clapping my hands. Okay, the projects in this book are beyond adorable. DreamWorks artist and animator Kreiner has designed bath toys which are soft and safe, appealing and useful. But there's more. The "Tools and Materials" chapter says it's for readers just getting started in crochet, but since its content is from a bath toy perspective, it's good for even experienced crocheters. Kreiner covers appropriate fibers both for the tub and dry land, considering issues such as cleaning and expense as well as organic content. Most of the toys in the book are made with 125 yards or less of worsted weight yarn. She gives no gauge specifications since there is quite a variance in thickness between individual worsted weight yarns. She does however give instructions for adjusting hook size and the templates (for fabric pieces to sew on to the toys for bellies, etc.) if your toy ends up to be a significantly different size than hers. The important thing is to keep the stitches tight enough so the stuffing doesn't peep through. Speaking of stuffing, Kreiner outlines several options, including inserting rattles, squeakers, and bells into the (non-bath) toys. The "Finishing Touches" chapter covers, among other things, tips for ensuring each creature's eyes and body parts are in the right spot, several methods for template use (one of which involves Glad Press'n Seal), and a neat trick for double-threading a needle which leaves nothing to knot or fasten off at the beginning. The last section before the projects is "Caring for Your Toys," which covers washing, sanitizing, and drying your captivating creations. The projects are small to medium sized---about 1 - 4" by 3 - 10". Three illustrators (including Kreiner) contribute to the crochet and embroidery sections at the beginning of the book and to the patterns here. I heartily appreciate Kreiner's clear instructions and helpful illustrations for assembly, as well as Kane's thoughtful photography of every angle of every project (the underbelly of the jellyfish is pictured on page 34). She explains in detail how to make adjustments which may seem minor yet make a great difference to the finished toy. The projects are systematically ordered from Beginner to Intermediate level, making it easy to work within your comfort level. Each is introduced with an interesting fact about the animal or a cute way to customize your project---sometimes both. I won't spoil the entire book for you, but I will reveal a few of the ways to make your project individual. The guppies (see cover) come with mix-and-match fins and tail, resulting in over 150 combinations. The manatee (which is suspected to have prompted the first tales of mermaids) can be decked out with long flowing hair and a seashell bra. The angler fish has a lure dangling in front of its mouth (guess why). In real life the tip of the lure glows from bioluminescent bacteria. Kreiner suggests installing an LED in the lure to make a cool reading light. Bathtime Buddies is a wonder-filled book. I highly recommend it! Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. Made by Hand by Lena Corwin, photographs by Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes, pub. STC Craft, 2013. For crafters (or would-be crafters) seeking to branch out from their usual medium, this book contains a treasure trove of projects. Most of them are simple, many of them are charming, and all are laid out clearly with carefully worded instructions. The projects included cover rotary printing, screen printing, machine sewing, hand sewing, knitting, crochet, tea dyeing, tie-dyeing, batik, marbling, appliqué, soap making, fabric painting, rag rugs (crocheted and braided), embroidery, fabric origami, brass and silk jewelry making, beading, candle making, weaving, stuffed toy making, and basketry coiling. That's a lot to pack into one book, but Corwin does a fabulous job orchestrating and unifying them. These adorable children's leggings are hand painted. The project's intro describes how the designer, Caitlin Mociun, sewed the original adult version. Lena suggests using premade leggings, and even recommends fabric content. The instructions describe how to make leg inserts to keep the fabric taut and prevent bleed-through, how to make guide-lines with water-soluble ink before painting, and how to practice strokes on an old T-shirt. Then come the instructions for painting the leggings and drying the paint, along with tips for washing out some of the pigment if the color is too bright or saturated. Fabric origami is a thrilling idea and full of possibilities. I am inspired to try not only these butterflies, but several other origami creatures. These instructions begin with recommendations for the size of your work space and continue with tips on how to obtain a perfect square. Starting with a light coat of spray starch, ironing each fold, and finishing the butterfly with a few stitches with needle and thread, the steps are clearly laid out with accompanying photographs. When I dyed curtains for my study, I signed up for the Dharma Trading Company mailing list. Their variety of silk scarves and other items as well as colors of fabric paint is eye-boggling. To make a marbled handkerchief like the one at left, the steps are simple (though an extra pair of hands is helpful for larger scarves). This would make a wonderful party project for adults or teenagers.
Disclosure: Kangath received a review copy of this book from the publisher. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed in all Kangath's reviews are her own. First of all, yes, this is a cheater pie made with cherry pie filling from a can. I love a homemade cherry pie, but we don't grow cherries in Louisiana so I buy canned filling and enjoy it. Very much.
I meant to take pictures of the pie at each step of the way, but I was so excited to complete the next step . . . This pie was very well received by my family, and took barely any time to make. Cherry Cream Cheese Pie 2 cups almond meal or almond flour 1/4 tsp salt 2 Tblsp coconut oil 8 oz cream cheese (low fat okay) 1 egg 1 Tblsp sugar 1 can cherry pie filling Put first 3 ingredients in food processor and pulse until dough forms a ball. Press into a 9 - 10 inch pie plate. Put next 3 ingredients in food processor and blend. Pour and scrape into crust. It doesn't matter if some crust crumbs get on this layer, since it will be covered by the cherries. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 - 20 minutes. Top will be cracked and slightly golden. Spread pie filling on top. Yum! |
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