Arts & Skills
For Materials on forging and smith work, please see the file called
‘Fighting, Weapons, and Military’.
Anna Neuper’s Modelbuch: Early 16th Century Patterns for
Weaving Brocaded Bands - $12.00
Nancy Spies, editor. Material originally published in 1517. The book
contains both the patterns the 70 year old German nun saved and her own
introduction. Primary documentation for brocaded tablet weaving in the 15th
century.
Arelate Studios
Art & Craft of Natural Dyeing - $19.95
J.N. Liles. History of natural dyes & practical manual. Scores of recipes
provide detailed instructions & trouble shooting advice. 231pp, 8 color, pb.
Univ of Tennessee.
Art Forger’s Handbook - $19.95
Eric Hebborn. The author, a modern forger of some renown, shares his master
skills in the art of faking Old Masters. The book details the secrets of his
forging techniques, with material on pigments, finding properly aged paper or
aging it yourself, the use of silver point, relining & framing painting,
and many other fascinating topics. Tr pb, 200 pp, numerous b/w & color
photos, b/w sketches. Overlook Press
Artists’ Techniques and Materials -
$24.95
Antonella Fuga. This book discusses the materials and processes used in 8 media: painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, mosaics, ceramics, glass, and metalwork. Within each category, the author examines the range of materials and techniques that have developed over the centuries. Capsule descriptions in the margins list essential information about the subject under discussion, and details of the artworks employed as examples are called out. The book concludes with a brief overview of contemporary techniques. Richly illustrated (400 color illus). Pb, 384pp, indices of subjects & technical terms, 5”x8”. Getty
Backyard Beekeeper - $19.95
Kim Flottum. An absolute beginner’s guide to keeping bees in your yard &
garden. Flottum covers the time honored & complex tradition of beekeeping
from equipment to use of the final product. Very thorough. Full color photos on
almost every page. Tr pb, 166pp, recipes, glossary, biblo (inc. magazines),
suppliers, index. Quarry Books
Backyard Berry Book - $16.95 
Stella Otto. Hands-on guide to growing berries, brambles, and vine fruit in the home garden. Tr pb, 281pp, index, glossary, resources list, organizations & misc resources, brief biblio of books and magazines. B/w illus.Chelsea Green
Backyard Lumberjack - $18.95
Frank & Steven Philbrick. The authors, enthusiastic & skilled lumberjacks, explain what it takes to bring a tree from forest to fireplace. Part hard work, part pure chain saw satisfaction, this book is your complete guide to bringing in the wood. It’s all here, from choosing the perfect chain saw to managing a woodlot to safely enjoying the pleasures of a backyard bonfire. Tr pb, 160pp, illus w/photos throughout (many in color). Glossary, BTU chart for various wood types, rec reading list, index. Storey
Backyard Orchardist - $15.95
Stella Otto. Complete guide to growing fruit trees in the home garden. Detailed discussion by fruit type. 251pp. Index, glossary, resources guide, monthly tasks list, FAQ, sections on pruning & pest control. Numerous b/w illus. Chelsea Green
Blackwork - $11.95
Lesley Barnett. In this book, "monochrome designs are created by
embroidering a large variety of counted-thread geometric patterns in black thread.
This book covers everything from creating a design to choice of fabric,
threads, and stitches, with many stitch diagrams and suggested patterns."
Tr pb, 48pp. Search Press
Blackwork - $10.95
Mary Gostelow. Comprehensive treatment, including history, technique,
& design. Copiously illustrated. Unabridged reprint of 1976 edition, 160p.
Dover.
Build Your Own Earth Oven (2nd Edition): a low-cost,
wood-fired mud oven - $14.95
Kiko Denzer.Examines the philosophy and concepts behind the basic
dome-shaped mud oven, an ergonomic design found in Africa, Europe, and the
Americas and still in use today. Detailed diagrams, illustrations, and
photographs enable anyone to build his/her own oven – and a full chapter on
sour-dough bread-making renders the theoretical practical. Lively prose and
charming anecdotes. Highly recommended by Alan Scott and Dan Wing, co-authors
of The Bread Builders: hearth loaves and masonry ovens.
Bibliography, resource listings, appendix. 127 pp, pb. Handprint Press
Celtic Art: Methods of Construction - $9.95
Bain. Discusses mathematical structure of knotwork. Leads artist through
construction of numerous elaborate designs, and calligraphy. Dover.
Constructing Medieval Furniture - $19.95
Daniel Diehl. Detailed plans for construction of 16 reproductions of medieval
furnishings. Instructions, materials lists, & notes on wood-working,
metalworking, & finishing. 81/2x11 tr pb, 180p. Stackpole.
Creating a Reticella Rosette - $5.00
Marie Schorn. ‘Reticella is a form of needle lace where geometric patterns are embroidered over a fabric with most of the threads removed,’ says the author, and then proceeds to give us a brief history of the craft. The bulk of the book instructs us in the creation of a foundation for the lace, appropriate stitches, and patterns for drawn thread borders & various lace designs. Pb, saddle-stapled, 48pp, b/w illus, notes, references. SCA - $5.00
Embeadery: Using classic embroidery stitches in beadwork - $29.95
Margaret Ball. Chapter 1 discusses the basics (base fabric, thread, types
of beads and bead finishes.) Then Ms Ball gives 14 exciting chapters on
converting embroidery into beadwork, each based on a classic stitch & its
variations. Every stitch is explained with detailed, easy-to-read diagrams. All
this is followed by 18 color plates of the finished stitches, and a chapter of
projects. 8-1/2x11, perfectbound, 157pp. List of suppliers, bibilo, inc magazines,
online magazines & websites, & list of bead artists. B/w illus
throughout. Flameweaver Press
Embroideries and samplers from Islamic Egypt - $26.95
Marianne Ellis. Offers the reader a glimpse of a very small part of the
more than one thousand embroidered Islamic textile fragments donated to the
Ashmolean Museum by Professor Percy Newberry. Professor Newberry and his wife
Essie collected these fragments, dating from the 9th to the 19th
centuries, primarily in Egypt. The samples presented in this book come from the
Tulinad (868-905 AD), the Fatimid (969-1172 AD), and the Ayyubid (1172-1249)
periods, and from the Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt and Syria, which ended with the
Ottoman conquest in 1517. The majority of the embroidered pieces in the book
date from the Mamluk period. In many cases the embroidery fragments were cut
from the original garment or piece of cloth. Moreover, the fragments are
frequently in poor shape due to environmental damage. Nonetheless, they clearly
indicate that linen or cotton fabric embroidered with silk thread was commonly
used during this time period, and in this locale, in all manner of garments
(tunics, waist bands, scarves, sleeves and pants legs, caps, slippers, etc.)
and household items (towels, pillow covers, curtains, cushions, etc.).
Annotations accompanying the sixty-four full-color plates comprehensively
examine the designs and the stitching of the fragments, placing them in
historical and sociological context. Bibliography. 95 pp, pb. Ashmolean Museum
with Curious Works Press.
Fingerloop Braiding - $5.00
Lois Swales & Zoe Kuhn. Finger loop braids are braids woven using loops (or bowes) of string on your fingers. This reached a high point in Medieval Europe and England between 1200 & 1600 CE. This technique survives today in isolated areas of Europe, the Middle East, S America, & Japan. As points, laces, or cords, braids have a multitude of uses. This pamphlet focuses on the 15th – 17th century English language instructions for making braids. Pb, saddle-stapled, 72 pp, Diagrams & directions, biblio. SCA
Forgotten Art of Building a Good Fireplace - $12.50
Vrest Orton. This classic book (1969) on fireplace design has brought about a revival of the Rumford fireplace. The basic principles (set forth by Rumford in 1795) describe the construction of a large shallow fireplace which does not smoke, and which throws out much more heat than many other designs (which tend to send much of the heat up the chimney.) This edition contains practical notes by Wally Leeds, a mason in Tunbridge VT, who builds Rumford fireplaces today. Pb, 64pp, b/w illos & diagrams. Alan Hood.
Forgotten Art of Building and Using
a Brick Bake Oven - $12.50
Richard M Bacon. First published in 1977, this book remains the authority on how old time brick ovens were designed and used. The book explains the evolution of the oven from the 17th through the 19th centuries, outlines the basic points to consider in building such an oven today, and describes in detail its construction. From ash pit complex, types of brick & mortar, lintels & doors, plans, dimensions, and actual brickwork – this book has them all. Generously illustrated with photos, diagrams, & drawings. Also includes material on using the finished oven. Pb, 64pp. Alan Hood.
From Woad to Blue – see Costuming
German Renaissance Patterns for Embroidery (1568) -
$20.00
Nicholas Bassee. Facsimiles (same size) of 100 plates, featuring charted
designs for counted cross-stitch & other counted thread stitches. 124pp,
102 b/w plates, pb. Curious Works.
Greyhounds & Coursing in the SCA - $5.00
Victoria Hyland et alia. Covers definition of coursing, how greyhounds were
used in the hunt, role of children in the historic kennel, clothing for hounds,
women in the medieval hunt, hunt imagery, veterinary care in the Middle Ages,
and first aid for modern coursing hounds. Gives sources for current material on
hounds & hunting. Biblios on most articles. 60pp, saddle-stapled, pb,
several b/w illos SCA
Here Be Wyverns : Hundreds of Patterns Graphed From Medieval Sources -
$30.00
Nancy Spies.Presents over 400 charted patterns drawn from authentic
medieval sources. The patterns – imaginary creatures, animals, birds, people,
lettering, etc. – can be adapted for embroidery, weaving, mosaics, etc. by
anyone familiar with graphed designs. Seventeen color plates. Documentation and
sources provided for all patterns. By the author of Ecclesiastical Pomp.
192 pp, wirebound 8½ by 11 format. Arelate Studio.
Kiln Construction, a brick by
brick approach - $32.50
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Nålbinding: The Åsle Mitten Stitch, An Instruction Manual - $10.00
Sigrid Briansdotter (Anne Marie Decker). Extensively footnoted, this booklet
describes the technique and history of nålbinding, then walks the reader
through the steps of using this technique to sew or ‘one-needle knit’ a hat,
mitten, or sock. Uses solid source material. First in a series. 42 pp,pb.
Eccentric Enterprises.
Nalbinding Made Easy - $15.00
Anne Marie Haymes (Sigrid Briansdotter). This new book includes a brief
history of the craft, descriptions of the materials, followed by descriptions
of the various stitches, suggested projects, and finishing techniques. Very
clear photos lead you through the steps and projects. Addition material
includes a discussion of the various systems of classifying nalbinding.
Endnotes & source list complete the book. Pb, saddle-stapled, 5-1/2x8-1/2,
67 pp. Tangle Fairies Publications
Needlework Patterns from Renaissance Germany - $10.00
Recharted by Kathryn Newall, from the 1597 edition of Johan Sibmacher’s Modelbuch.
26p, saddle-stapled, 8½ x11. Costume/Dressmaker Press.
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Old Italian Patterns for Linen Embroidery (1892) - $40.00 |
Pavilion Book - $15.95
John LaTorre. In one book you can find a complete guide to buying, maintaining, and living in a medieval-style tent. The author, a tentmaker with 20 years of experience, explains how to choose the best tent for your budget and needs, and how to make your tent last longer and perform better, how to clean and repair it, and much, much more. Tr pb, 160pp, b/w photos & some diagrams. Dragonwings
Persian Court Costume and Dance in the 16th Century - $5.00
Tak V Bowes Departed: a 15th
Century braiding manual examined -
$40.00
An in-depth study of a section of British Library manuscript Harley 2320. This treatise, which dates to the 15th century, gives instructions for making 40 different braids of varying complexity. Braids such as these were used during the medieval period for lacing, purse strings, decorative trim and seal tags. In addition to discussion of the ms’s ownership and origins, the book contains modern instructions for making each of the braid patterns. An invaluable resource.
200 Braids to Twist, Knot, Loop, or
Weave - $27.95
Jacqui Carey. Choose from sumptuous braided designs to complete any project: clothing, furnishings, greeting cards, jewelry, totes, floral arrangements, and more. Braids are arranged by structure, from twisted and knotted pieces to more elaborate looped and woven ones, even those that incorporate beads. Each braid features a close-up photo, materials list, step-by-step instructions and clear color illustrations. HC, spiral-bound, 256pp, index, resources list. Interweave Press
The Yurt Builder’s Notebook – $19.95
John Eggett. Provides necessary questions – and suggested answers – for the
potential yurt-builder: what are your needs and wants? what transportation do
you have? what supplies do you need and where can you get them? how do you
design and build your yurt? Over fifty illustrations (most in color) and many
formulae and directions allow the reader to design, construct, and use his/her
own yurt. 46 pages, 8½ by 11.
Court Wizard Press
Yurts: Living in the Round - $24.95
Becky Kemery. One of the oldest forms of indigenous shelter still in use today, yurts are multi-faceted, versatile, and immensely popular structures whose possibilities are still being explored. This book shoes how to build, insulate, ventilate, and transport a yurt, and shares invaluable information on everything from foundations and heating to building codes and floor plans. Includes information on where to find a yurt, find a builder, floor plans for a variety of yurts, and ideas for combining yurts with outbuildings or satellite yurts. Extensive resources section & index, 160pp, 150 color photos, tr pb. Gibbs Smith
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