Wool Sculpting

Wool Sculpting

Needle Felting For Beginners

Louise Lambert

Herbert Press

A little about the author

Having looked her up via her official website, this artist and now author is self taught, however she has art based training. She confesses that it was her ‘playful’ side ‘outside of the classroom’ which flourished this felt career. It ‘captivated’ her, now she teaches others how they can too begin a wooly journey….an artist who uses words which endear and give out passion - thats the artist we all want to read about and be ourselves. She has social media so do look up her online to learn more about her ongoing practice.

The book content

The introduction under the title ‘hello’ is a warm note given by the author in the first person (always a good start as it brings us closer to the writer and artist behind the book). Then there are a few pages of larger images, showing her work and where the action begins…her studio.

For those who are less experienced at this method, she takes us through the basic requirements, the hows and wheres and then all the projects begin. There are ten in total.

Themes

All very cute and wholesome, including mice, a ‘jammy biscuit’ and even a starfish!

I can imagine the projects coming to life in a children’s story or little movie.

Guidance

This writer is a teacher in prose…she knows her medium and she can explain it well via her text and imagery. I particularly liked the finishing touches of the projects which she provides. So not just a jabbed and tailored item created….the biscuits have embroidery or beads added, the birds beautiful little bead eyes….

The technique itself

I believe and I am able to say this with experience having over twenty years myself in felt as a practice, that this is a skill all can at least try. It is not impossible and once you get the hang of it, it is very portable. If this artist and writer is self taught, why can’t you be too?

Use this book as a guide….

Available to purchase through this easy link.

Crochet Squares

Crochet Squares

Magical patterns for clothes, accessories and the home

Maria Gullberg

Crochet Squares may seem like the sort of thing you associacte with grannies, maybe giving a comfort vibe of times gone by. But does this technique have to stay in the past?

Who is Maria Gullberg?

Based in Stockholm, she also studied in this location. She is a well know designer and leader for crochet related activities.

What I loved about this book

It is so maluable. Once you make a square, it can be adapted to any project, be it a blanket or a cushion cover.

To be perfectly honest, I never associated the term ‘magic’ with crochet. Not I can understand its application. We can make our every day, our mundane lives just a little more special with bothering, othering to make, bothering to ‘make pretty’ the room we live in most, say making a blanket for use in our living room.

There is also magic in touch, magic in comfort - this term can reside wherever we let it in - it is a mindset, not an overpowering feeling of tinkerbell sprinkles. We can be in control of making our own magic.

If you look at some of the designs, they look almost more fittingly found on a wall at the Alhambra in Spain. How gifted are we, that we can learn to make something so beautiful?

Its basic layout

This is very much a teaching book. The technique is explained, the method detailed and then we are good to go. I appreciated that before each pattern began, Gullberg explains what it is, where it came from. Take ‘Mateo’ on page 75 which was inspired by South American designs.

Thirty designs are offered for our use, some a lot more beginner friendly than others.

The book finishes with colour advice and explorations into tying our designs together, piece by piece.

Buy your copy.

Teaching Creative Workshops In Person And Online

Teaching Creative Workshops In Person And Online

Patricia van den Akker

Herbert Press

For those of us who teach on a regular basis, the time around the lockdowns saw a change - suddenly everything moved online. I personally had no experience of teaching without the usual in-person setting until this time. It was new, yet I adapted like so many do. But time goes on and we can get rusty, or actually have never really taken the time to really polish skills.

This guide, written by Patricia van den Akker, a creative business advisor, supports us to train ourselves to become better teachers for our students.

This book is for those who really are serious about teaching, I see it as an intensive course, one which you will actually be trained by. Not bad for a book of around 250 pages right?

Impossible to go into every corner of this book, marketing, target audiences, the decision to teach online or in person…..oh it is soo much but it is so good. The author also finishes with encouragement, as to how to get onto that next level of teaching.

There are first had teacher boxes, with interviews, where we learn not only key skills but how these teachers work in their lives; what they do to nourish themselves. Those who do work in education will be aware that there is a need to feed oneself first, before giving out to others. You have to be in a place where you can give and that takes time, thought, planning, self education, learning skills, learning teaching skills….it is not a case of rocking up in a classroom and expecting outcomes.

So all you educators out there, go grab your copy today.