Book rewiev: Patchwotk for beginners

In March I wrote a post about some books I was tempted to buy.

A month later the right occasion came: my 34th birthday (I like make gifts to myself).

After some reflections I've added to my cart also a book about patchwork: "Patchwork for beginners".

There are a lot of books about this subject I want to learn, but this one seemed to me simple enough for a newbie like me.

When it arrived, at the firts (fast) glance I became a bit disappointed: the book it's so thin and it has only a few very simple projects, not so interesting.

But in the evening I looked into its pages more carefully and... I completely changed my mind :)

I noticed that it is a book published by Victoria and Albert Museum, so it has a historical approach to the subject.

It shows not only the art of patchwork in itself, but also related objects that are saved in the museum.

I'm in love, for example, with this photos of an album of dress materials realized in England by lady Barbara Johnson (1746-1823).

So beautiful fabric scraps of an old era, that really fascinate me.

Working as an historian of art, I often had to study tissues even older and I have a real passion for them.

As a crafter I love this photo of the wrong side of a patchwork coverlet from 1829: you can see how paper piecing works, but also old paper scraps written by people in the past.

There are also lovely quotes: one from a message written by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra in 1811 ("Have you remembered to collect pieces for the patchwork?..."), some from texts writtend by girls and ladies learning to sew, and my favourite, from a book published in 1943, that says "Remember that even the smallest scraps left over from your renovations will come in useful for something - patching, tea cosies, covering for buttons...".

Oh, yes, I remember! I have a whole big grocery bag full of tiny scraps of fabric expecting to be used! :)

The book shows some projects, too, of course: hexagon pincushions, square cushion cover, windmill cot coverlet, applique, inusual patterns. Super simple! I think they are too simple even for me.

The books gives also some basic informations about fabrics and paper piecing tecnique; there are also the templates you need for the projects (simple geometric figures).

Explanations are clear and simple, well-written.

After reading this book, I can't avoid to surf into the "books and media" section of V&A Museum's shop.

What a stupid girl I am! Now I need some of the great books I saw there!

Well, there will be for sure another occasion to buy for me some gift, eh eh!

Do you want to know what I purchased with "Patchwork for beginners"?
I bought other three books:

- The writing diet, by Julia Cameron (I've read "The artist way" in winter)

- The bag making bible, by Lisa Lam

- Watcha mean what's a zine

I'll write a review of them soon, I promise!