DK PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE BOOK REVIEWS: THE NEEDLECRAFT BOOK AND QUILTING STEP BY STEP

 Dorling Kindersley is a  "divine" publisher in nature as provides affordable access to Education to the masses , and by that I mean at affordable prices!

At only £13.99 , with 399 pages, THE NEEDLECRAFT BOOK, stands for the slogan used for DK to describe it : "This is the only needlecraft bible that covers everything you need to know" . 

The NEEDLECRAFT BOOK , written throughout in a style of teaching the crafts with step by step instructions and accompanying illustrations, is divided into six chapters ,

KNITTING

*Tools and Materials

*Basic Techniques

*Cables and Twists

*Lace Knitting

*Colorwork

*Following a Knitting Pattern

*Embellishments for Knitting

*Circular Knitting

*Knitted Toys

*Felted Knitting

* Unusual Yarns

CROCHET

*Tools and Materials

*Basic Stitches

* Stitch Techniques

*Openwork

*Colorwork

*Following a Crochet Pattern

*Embellishments for Crochet

*Circular Crochet

* Crocheted Toys

*Unusual yarns

EMBROIDERY

* Tools and Materials

*Embroidery basics

*Stitch Gallery

*Surface Embroidery

*Openwork

*Smocking

*Beadwork

NEEDLEPOINT

*Tools and Materials

*Needlepoint Designs

*Getting started

*Stitch Gallery

* Needlepoint Stitches

*Florentine Work

*Final Touches

PATCHIWORK, APPLIQUE AND QUILTING

*Tools and Materials

*Design Principles

* General Techniques

*Patchwork

*Applique

*Setting

*Quilting

FINISHING 

*General Finishing techniques

*Embellishments

I would point as main advantages of the book that is printed with high quality glossy paper , with high indentation font and  instructions are  broken down to ease learning and development of new skills as readers progress in the books.

Here are some random photos taken by me on mobile precisely to illustrate the quality and accessibility of the printing and learning process.

Another book that has the power of changing anyone's life for the better because of the educational content, is Quilting step by step , by Maggi Gordon published by DK online. The book didactic content and step by step guidance inform and prepare the reader to take on quilting as a hobby or as a mean of subsistence.

Most importantly, this book opens the doors to meeting new people and being part of formal and informal groups of Quilters.

I would highly recommend formal Quilters groups like a local or regional Quilter's Guild. If you are not near any , membership of the online  National British Quilter's Guild grants you automatic membership to the European Quilter's Guild . 

For more information on joining a local or international group visit The Quilters' Guild  website.

The book QUILTING step by step is available on print as hardback from the publisher's site  or can be purchased in digital format via Amazon Kindle and Google Play.

Quilting step by step was published in 2012 simultaneously by DK India and DK UK and was printed in China by South China Printing Co. Ltd.

The book is compartmented into the following chapters,

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND GENERAL TECHNIQUES

PATCHWORK

PATCHWORK BLOCK GALLERY

SETTING, SASHING AND BORDERS

QUILTING

FINISHING

EMBELLISHMENTS

Here are some pictures of the first pages of the book acquainting readers with the sewing machine main features. 

Finally, I would recommend you approaching a Quilter's Guild   prior to buying a sewing machine online that might as well be a fake or faulty machine . Remember that Amazon is a free market and we can't see the faces of the persons selling electronics , even the branded ones. 

Leave a comment below ,

Best wishes,

Ariane