Complete Embellishing by Kayte Terry

I have never come across a book with a more appropriate title than Complete Embellishing: Techniques and Projects. Author Kayte Terry of the wondermous blog This is Love Forever and publisher Home Arts hit the nail on the head with the name. No embellishing stone is left unturned as the book covers everything from needle felting & potato stamping to stencils from freezer paper and glass etching. The book discusses techniques for wearables & home décor items. See I told you when they said complete embellishing they were not kidding.

From the moment I started flipping through the pages of Complete Embellishing my heart was going pitter patter. I have a bit of an addiction to craft books. First there was the fact that the book is spiral bound like a cook book, which I totally appreciate. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to follow instructions and hold a book open at the same time. The tools and techniques section of this book is 50 pages long. In most cases that might seem excessive but with Complete Embellishing I found the information indispensable. I can tell already that I will be using this book again and again as a reference while crafting. I was just getting ready to make some appliqué awesomeness happen and well what do ya know there are simple instructions in the book for basic and reverse appliqué. I have spent the weekend embroidering onesies barely conquering a basic split stitch and Complete Embellishing has 5 pages of tutorial for trickier moves like the feather stitch and ribbon embroidery. I’m gonna need more onesies.

Not just a reference book, Complete Embellishing is full of big colorful inspirational project pictures. Some books trying to tap into the DIY handmade market get the look all wrong and since Kayte Terry is a woman of the crafty people (just check out her articles on Get Crafty) she knows the look and aesthetic that appeals to this crowd and scene. In other words this book is chocked full of things I would actually make and wear. My favorite project might have to be the Bits and Pieces Scarf made with a variety of doilies. It reminds me of the Bouquet Light Shade by Nice that I have been eyeballing for quite sometime. A close second is the Rainy Day Skirt. Small print feedsack recycled onto a contrasting hounds tooth skirt was never cuter. Always a sucker for silhouettes I am completely smitten on the Quick Shoe Embellishments and Lord and Lady Pillowcases. Plus you know the way to my heart is through jewelry and there are a few pieces inside!

For people like me that love the look of an embellished wardrobe and home, but don’t so much love the sewing machine Complete Embellishing is for you. Don’t fret if you are a whiz at the machine, there is plenty inside these spiral bound pages that will curl your crafty toes as well. If a book can make a pregnant woman want to get up off the couch, change out of her pajamas and run to the nearest 24 hour Wal Mart at 10pm to score some fusible webbing you know it has to be good.

Today marks the start of book week here at the Naughty Secretary Club blog. Who doesn’t like finding a bright shiny new book under the Christmas tree? I thought I’d throw a few gift suggestions your way this week. Look for interviews, how-tos and more reviews. To help celebrate book week My Craftivity is having themselves a 40% off sale. That means if you just enter the code MYC40DEC when you score a copy of The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry at My Craftivity it’s just barely over 10 bucks! That’s cheap enough to get a copy for everyone on your naughty and nice list!

Posted December 8, 2008 & filed under Books.