Jumble Sale Loot!

You know when spring is here, because suddenly all the boot fairs, table top sales and jumble sales start up again.

I haven't been to a proper jumble sale in ages, so when I found out about one yesterday morning I headed along for a gander!

Entry was 50p, though I paid £1 as I also paid the entrance fee for my Nan (my partner in charity-shopping, jumble-rummaging crime!)

And boy did we rummage!

Second-hand Shopping

It always happens. Just as I decide to curb my spending a little, I get the overwhelming desire to hunt for bargains--and usually find something, too. It's also one of the perils of volunteering at a charity shop. There will always be something you want, right there, tempting you from the rail or shelf or display...

Nevertheless, I'm pretty pleased with my recent second-hand shopping haul!

The Question (And an Answer)

There’s a question that I’m sure all craft bloggers have been asked.

Maybe once or twice, maybe countless times.

A question that we, as readers of craft blogs may well have asked, too!

"Where did you get your supplies?"

If I had a pound for every time someone asked me that question (in its various shapes and forms) I’d...have spent it on craft materials!

But where? you might ask.

In answer, here are my Top Ten crafting supply sources!

(Note: This is NOT a sponsored post)

10. Hobbycraft

Admittedly, I’ve only been here twice. The first time I bought feathers, the second time I bought some little charms (supposedly for card-making/scrapbooking; I used them in sewing and jewellery projects). If you have one of these vast shops near you, they do sell products for pretty much every craft and hobby (hence the name!) If I could get to my nearest branch more easily, I’d be a lot poorer!

9. Brighton Bead Shop, Brighton

A short walk from Brighton station, this is a great place for jewellery-making staples, as they sell selected beads in bulk. I’ve found this a great place for buying plainer beads. They also sell fymo!

 8. Wilkinson

Home of spray paint, frames and faux flowers. :)

 7. The Works

Good for painting and card-making supplies! I haven’t been for a while since my most accessible branch was closed down. Boooo. They also sell books, gift wrap and random other bits and pieces, all for wonderfully discounted prices.

 6. Family members

In my case, the source of ribbons from chocolate boxes, old buttons and broken jewellery!

 5. Charity shops

Now, charity shops appear to be selling less actual craft items (though branches of Cancer Research seem to sell more than others) but charity shops are good places to pick up fabrics (in the form of scarves, sheets, curtains etc), beads (jewellery) and various pieces that only need looking at in a different light to become a fabulous craft!
(Check out my post on charity shopping for some tips!)

4. Fabric Land (various locations)

This is my sewing mecca! What you find here depends on the season, but the prices are always very competitive and you’ll find a huge variety of haberdashery alongside the fabrics. Though they have a website, it’s definitely worth taking a stroll around one of their shops if there are any in your area.

 3. The 99p Store / Poundland

Beyond the jute string, PVA glue, paper (including specialist printer papers!) and card-making supplies there are plenty of things that can be bought for alternative uses--that pool noodle can be chopped up to make a wreath form, pillowcases become bags/shirts/skirts...

Usually I leave the 99p Store and Poundland with less money and more projects in mind than I went in with!

2. Big Bead Boutique, Brighton
I fell in love with this shop the very first time I went in!

This is an awesome place for jewellery-making supplies. Here you’ll find lots of interesting beads, charms, findings in variety of colours (not just plain old gold or silver!) and premade jewellery, among other things. 
The owner really has her finger on the pulse with what is trendy, whether it’s amongst fashionistas or the alternative crowd. The shop also hosts workshops for all ages, birthday parties and hen parties.

And now, my #1 source for crafting supplies?

(drumroll)

 1. eBay

Seriously. It lacks the excitement of nosing through shelves, but if you’re after something, chances are eBay will have it. You’ll probably also find lots of other cool things in the process! Even though buying from eBay might mean having to pay postage, that postage is cheaper than a bus fare into my nearest town to search for what I'm after! With eBay, I can avoid the cost and stress of shopping in a real shop and have far more choices than I might have on the high street.

So there we go, my crafting supply list! Hope this is useful to some people--a lot of the local shops have web shops too, if you’re not in the area!

If you’re still looking for ideas, check out my post, Crafting on the Cheap.

I’m a total cheapskate at heart and dislike spending a lot of money if I can spend less, or make something for less than it would cost to buy similar!

Once again, this is NOT a sponsored post. I want to tell you about shops and products I truly love :)

A Confession

Okay, so I have a little confession to make.

I bought things. Crafty things.

But only a little bit--that's okay, right? Plus they were get-it-or-forget-it, you-won’t-see-this-again things.

First, on a rare trip to Worthing, I found it was market day, and through the drizzle I saw this gorgeous fabric:

It was just £3 per metre! I fell in love with the combination of gold with splashes of pink and purple, the velvety flock and the ethnic patterns. Gorgeous! I bought it with a bedspread in mind, but need to check how it washes first.

(Yes, I have made a mental note of that incredibly cheap market stall!)

As for the second addition to my stash, it was just something little that I’ve been lusting after for ages...

Watch faces! I’ve seriously admired some jewellery that uses old watch faces, but not known where to get them for a reasonable price. These were in a box of ‘odds and sods’ in the charity shop, and I paid £1 for them.

Now though, I’ll definitely not buy any more for my stash. Nuh-uh. No way. Not going to happen.

(I hope!)

A Few Little Random Photographs

Every so often, I'll take a photograph with the intention of sharing it here.
Then it never happens, usually because I want to make longer posts rather than just share one photo.

So this is a little image-dump of photographs I've accumulated over the months!

First off is the fulfilment of a request :)

Terry of These Peas Taste Funny and Write.Create.Connect commented on my Amethyst Collar:

I really want to see you modelling it,...I wonder if you can be convinced. :)

...yep, I can!  :D
I had a haircut last Saturday and dyed it Tuesday...it was meant to come out purple but didn't turn out so good. But that's okay, I like this random colour! Was also trying out some green mascara and eyeliner that sister #1 gave me.
Excuse the frazzled expression. I blame the heat and lack of sleep!

Moving on!

This is the heron that frequents the pond near my house. Usually he (she?) sits on the far side, but on the day I took this picture, he was on the near side, oblivious to all the commotion coming from the builders next door. Of course I still had to zoom in a bit, but this birdy was not going to allow himself to be bothered by humans with cameras.
Unusual, since normally he takes off the moment anybody goes near the pond :)

Herons look quite strange when they fly, I think! They look like they belong in the time of dinosaurs!

This is a necklace I made recently. I won't be posting a tutorial because I didn't take photographs as I made it. This was one of those, 'I'm bored, what stuff can I stick together?' projects!
The mini picture was 50p in a charity shop--I bought five of them several years ago with various crafty projects in mind! The chain was from a junk/scrap drawer, I'm not sure what it's original use was because it seems an unusual shape--anyone have any ideas?
Originally the beads were one of those crystal bracelets that were all the rage about ten years ago! The elastic had worn so I took off the beads and kept them for future use! To attach them to the chain, I used eye pins. It was a bit fiddly, but I like the end result.

Mirrors and trays at a Morrocan market that happened in a nearby town. I didn't by anything but this place was full of beautiful furniture and decor!

This door, also at the Moroccan market, particularly tickled me. Not only does it look like it has a face, but I love how it was set up to stand in the middle of the pathway--a door to another realm!

The market also sold jewellery, traditional food (cooked fresh!), handbags, trinket boxes and things like soap, beauty products and herbs. It was really lovely to wander around it, despite the weather! I didn't buy anything this time around as I was rather lacking in money, so I hope next time I'll have something to spend on a lovely piece of jewellery, some delicious-smelling soaps, or maybe a little trinket box.
And of course, those traders do love to haggle :)

Bluewater Shopping!

Yesterday I went to Bluewater with my Mum and middle sister. It's probably the biggest shopping centre I've ever been to!
It wasn't my first trip there (I went there when it first opened) but I hadn't been there for years.

Despite all the shops there, I barely did any shopping! Here is my swag:

I saw this collar in the Brighton branch of H&M a few weeks ago, so when I found them again at the Bluewater shop I snatched one up!
I have plans for this one. It won't stay plain for long :)

In River Island, I found these fantastic headphones. The bumps on the skull are little rhinestones. I'm not always one for bling but couldn't pass up on these. For the record, the sound quality is great and they block out external noise pretty well too!

...and that's it. Amazing, right? All those shops and only two purchases. I tried on seven pairs of shoes, all of which were too big (unusual for me with my size 9 feet!), I saw some gorgeous shirts (none of them in my size) and some lust-worthy handbags (Vivienne Westwood and sadly way out of my price range).

But I did eat :)

We ended up going to Ed's Easy Diner--Mum didn't care where we ate, and the place I most wanted to go (Wagamama) was the only place my sister didn't want to go! Ed's was the place we could agree on. I hadn't been there before but love the retro American diner style. I half expected Sandra Dee to skip in and ask for a milkshake.

I chose a classic dog, which came with griddled onions aplenty:

There is a sausage under there, I swear!
Of course, I put mustard and tomato sauce in there too :)

Since you have to order things such as chips separately, and I was feeling like a pig, I also ordered the 'Atomic American Onion Rings'...

These came with sour cream, guacamole, jalapeno jelly, cheddar cheese sauce and chilli on the side. Delicious!

And to drink? Root beer, of course. :)
I think my waistline expanded an inch or two over the course of this meal :)

Asides the shops and restaurants Bluewater also has some pretty cool sculptures and facades. Here's a dragon, clambering up a column between the ground and first floor of shops!

I think he's looking for the sales ;)


Today I finally got cracking on sewing for the I Will Wear It in Public challenge. Hopefully I'll be able to post about it tomorrow!

Thrifted Treasures

Since I was a child, my village has had a brilliant little charity shop. It’s independent, raising funds for the village itself--and it’s a goldmine! (And also very cheap.)

Only on a rare occasion do I go in and come out empty-handed. This is one of those old-school charity shops, where none of the hangers match or have sizes on them, the paint is peeling from the wall in one corner and you really have to rummage to find what you want.

In other words, it’s the best charity shop experience ever! I do like organised shops, but these charity shops that are independent (one shop only, not part of a chain) with dark little corners of clutter, have a lot of charm!

Here are my finds from my recent jaunt to the charity shop:

I nearly passed up on this gorgeous embroidered top! I had my eye on another one in a luscious orange, but it was a little small. When I held this one up in front of the mirror, I fell in love! (With the top, not my reflection!) It looked huge on the hanger but fits beautifully and looks great with a belt. This will be awesome for when the weather warms up. 

Here's a closeup of the embroidery:

Cost: £3--bargain!

I picked up this scarf next, after having a rummage through the three scarf containers there. Long ago I disliked this style, but I loved the print and colours of this one! I have lots of scarves but there’s always room for a few more, right?

Cost: £1.25, cheap as chips

This necklace was something I picked up because it looked nice with the orange top I tried on, but I decided to buy it anyway because I loved the multiple strands of beads! The price was low because it was missing a clasp; this morning I spent a couple of minutes fitting one which was no hassle at all.

Cost: £0.50 (unbelievable!)

Lastly, probably my best buy of the trip! These pendants had been bagged up to be sold together, since none of them had chains. Some I wasn’t all that taken on, but I’m pretty sure I’ll find something to do with all of them eventually.

I basically bought them for this one:

 Isn’t it beautiful?! That really is a tiny piece of tapestry work in there, not a print. I can’t wait to create a vintage-inspired necklace with it!

Cost: £3.50--that works out at just £0.4375 each. Amazing. Another charity shop might have asked £3.50 just for the tapestry one.

Total spend: £8.25.

Compared to other charity shops, that’s pretty darn cheap. In fact some of the jewellery items might not have even been put out for sale in some charity shops on account of missing chains/clasps.

Were I a complete fashionista, I’d have been immensely happy on this most recent jaunt to the charity shop! I found a narrow-pleated skirt on the sale rail, for just £1.50. Go to any high street fashion store and you’ll pay upwards of £20 for the same thing.

(Unfortunately I’m not a fan of those skirts, they remind me too much of school! )

Still, I’m pleased with my charity shop finds. Discovering a treasure amidst the clutter is so rewarding, and knowing the money will go to a good cause makes it even better.

10 Tips for How to Save on Shopping (and 3 for free clothes)

It never hurts to budget, or to try to save a little money here and there. In this economic climate, we never know what is just around the corner, and who doesn’t like reading their bank statement to find they have more money at the end of the month than they expected?! 

I can’t say much for saving on utilities and suchlike, since I live with my parents and they make those decisions. But when it comes to shopping, I have much more experience!

Just the other day, Mum and I did a grocery shop in Tesco and managed to cut down our bill by a whole £40 in multi-buy savings and coupons!

So here are 10 tips for how to save money on shopping, followed by a few tips for getting free clothes! These are all pretty obvious, but can be easy to forget when you’re rushing around with other things on your mind!

1. Watch out for offers especially on luxuries and perishables! Offers are a double-edged sword. Basically, it’s only worth taking advantage of them for perishables you know you’ll use before their eat-by date, and non perishables you use frequently.
   e.g. we passed up on the 2-for-1 on bags of baking potatoes (they’d go bad before we ate them all) but we took advantage of the 2-for-1 on toothpaste.
   Offers are there to encourage you to spend more. Don’t do 3-for-2 if you only went in for 1--or none.
   
   
2. Compare Prices. This ties in with offers. In a supermarket, you might assume that the larger pack is better value than the smaller packs. This isn’t always the case, especially when offers are concerned! In the UK, supermarket shelves have the price per unit (or 100g, 1kg etc) printed in small type on the labels. All you have to do is read this and compare with the different sizes to find what gets you the best deal!
   e.g. 800g mayonnaise for £3.69; 400g mayonnaise on offer at 2 for £3--you get the same amount for less by buying two smaller jars (and can use those jars for crafting once they’re empty!) Since mayo doesn’t go off quickly, one jar can be stored whilst the other is enjoyed!
   
   
3. Buy what you need. This is the most obvious one but I am so guilty of buying things I want. I have a wardrobe bursting with clothes to prove it. With clothes shopping, the answer is not to do it unless you have a specific item to buy. But we all love to browse and admire! I try to use a rule when clothes shopping: if it won’t go with at least four items from the wardrobe, don’t buy it.
   When shopping for food, buying what you need relates to the first tip again! Make a list and stick to it.
   
   
4. Judge more expensive goods by the use you’ll get out of them. When it comes to clothing, especially coats and footwear, opt for a classic style rather than a high-fashion option that will be ‘outdated’ next year.
   e.g. A winter coat costs £80. You’ll wear it for the next 5-10 years, which will cost you £8-£16 per year. Assuming winter runs from November to January, that’s just 9p-17p pence per day.
   
   
5. Buying cheap goods isn’t necessarily a ‘false economy’ (some cheap goods are excellent quality!) but is definitely a retail trap! It’s all too easy to buy something because it’s ‘only £1’. But ‘Only £1’ can quickly become ‘only a fiver’ and before you know it, that £20 note you broke into is all gone!
   
   
6. Don’t be led by technology. Again, look at whether you need something, and the monetary repercussions of buying something new.
   e.g. Computers. You cannot completely future-proof your PC. Technology advances fast and eventually, your PC will be outdated. Opt for something that does what you need it to do--don't buy a gaming PC with a loads of memory, a meaty processor and incredible graphics if you only use your computer to check email and write letters.
   
   
7. Get a loyalty card but don’t spend money solely to earn points. Loyalty cards can be a great way of earning yourself a little discount! They’re free to sign up for, all you do is hand your card over at the checkout. Shop as you would normally and watch those points add up! Sometimes loyalty card holders also get extra coupons and offers not available to other shoppers.
   
   
8. Look out for free shipping deals. A number of online (and some high street) retailers offer free shipping with purchases over a certain amount, or for a set period. Leading up to Christmas, this is great if you plan to buy several gifts on one website.
   
   
9. Join mailing lists for places you buy from to hear about the offers first—but don’t spend just because something is a bargain. Similarly to loyalty cards, mailing list recipients sometimes receive discount codes!
   
   
   
   
   
10. Check voucher/discount/deals web sites for...deals and voucher codes!  If you’re looking to buy something online, it’s a good idea to have a quick search on a voucher code site to see if there are any offers that will shave a few pennies or pounds off your purchase!
    Free magazines from shops/supermarkets, including Christmas gift guides, can include vouchers and discount codes. Most of the vouchers in the picture above came from free magazines!

I am doing my Christmas shopping using the above tips. So far I have saved just over £50 thanks to free shipping, money off, coupons, voucher codes and special offers!

Great websites for money savers:

• Hot UK Deals lists vouchers, deals and offers available in the UK
• Voucher Codes (self explanatory)
• Groupon provides daily deals on gifts, house wares, holidays, experiences etc. Includes local and national offers. (UK site | US site)
• Wowcher is pretty much the same as Groupon
• Good To Know has a whole section of their site dedicated to money saving tips and tricks, along with voucher codes.
• Money Saving Expert has excellently researched information on topics ranging from mortgages and broadband to shopping and travel. And voucher codes.

And how would you like clothes for free?

Wouldn’t we all?!

• Have a clothes-swap party with your friends and/or family. It’s a great way to get new things and any unwanted clothes could be donated to charity.
  
  
• Alternatively, wait for a family member to clear out their wardrobe ;) Little sister #1 does this a lot, so I occasionally gain things from her! (My most recent hand-me-down haul comprised of four tops, two of them barely worn!)
  
  
• Customise something that you don’t wear into something you will—if you try to only use things from your craft stash, this means free clothes! There are hundreds of clothes customisation tutorials on the internet; it’s just a case of checking Pinterest or Google to see what you find!

Of course, I’m not suggesting any of us turn into Ebenezer Scrooge or spend all our time cutting out coupons! But I’ve found these to be easy ways of saving some money and I hope you do, too! :)

Thrifted!

Blogland has yielded so many doily crafts that I have felt inspired!
So when I was in the village charity shop the other day and happened to spy a box of them, I snapped up a whole handful, along with a bundle of scrap fabric:

These cost around £0.15-£0.30 each, depending on the size (though some came in bundles, e.g. 3 for 50p).
The fabric was 60p; when I got home I found it comprised of one slightly larger piece (big enough for a shopping bag, perhaps) and several smaller, narrow pieces. This whole collection cost me around £2.70, a bargain if there ever was one!

I've already a few ideas for what I can make with these - and my Nanny has since given me a whole bag more that belonged to my Grandmother!

Now I am trawling around blogland looking for more ideas...so what's your favourite doily craft?

Tutorial: Pillowcase Shopping Bag

A while ago I posted about some cute retro pillowcases that I picked up from the charity shop. As usual, they lived in a drawer whilst I became distracted with jewellery!

This week, however, I made up my mind about what to do with one of the pillowcases.

So here is my upcycled, eco-friendly, repurposed, super-duper pillowcase shopping bag!

Pin It

This is probably the easiest thing I could have created, since it made use of the existing shape of the pillowcase. I lost track of how long it took to make the bag since I had to go and do other things a few times!

I think this is a great way of using old pillowcases and of course, using cloth shoppers is much better (and looks much cooler) than relying on plastic carrier bags!

Want to make your own? Here’s a tutorial:

You’ll need:

An old pillowcase

Trim (optional)

Dressmaking chalk/similar

Ruler

Sewing machine

1. Measuring from the bottom seam of the pillowcase, draw a line across at the desired height of your bag (mine was 17 inches). Then draw a second line 2 inches above the first.

2. Cut off at the upper line.

3. Turn the bag piece inside out and reinforce the stitching on the sides. Then bring the two corners together. Place a pin 1 inch from each corner, across the seam.

4. Sew across each corner where you pinned to give the bag a squared base.

5. Unpick the stitching at the top part of the pillow case (I didn’t need to do this as it was already coming undone!) then cut the top three inches off both sides. These will be the straps.

6. Fold over the sides of one of the pieces you just cut, ensuring the pre-hemmed side is on top. Pin and sew.

7. My stitching is a bit rubbish and the pillowcase had a small hole in it, so I used trim on the bag and straps to hide this! ;)

8. Fold over the top two inches of the bag and pin and then pin on the straps. Sew on with two rows of stitching.

9. To strengthen the straps, sew a rectangle where the strap and bag are joined, with an X in the centre.

10. Show off your bag to envious onlookers at your local shop ;)

Will be linking up  at the parties in the side bar!

Tidied and Thrifted

When I went to volunteer on Friday, I told myself, ‘No more purchases!’

I am an utter devil for charity shops. I see things that I fall in love with, discover the bargain price and before I know it I’m handing over a few coins in exchange for something awesome.

Of course, my resolution to not spend anything crumbled once I reached the shop!

I found these lovelies, for 50p:

They’re retro pillow cases; the stitching has come undone in places and there are a couple of small holes, but that doesn’t matter since I bought them for the fabric. I love the pattern--isn't it gorgeous?

I’ve plenty of ideas for how to use this fabric so keep watching to see what I do with it!

On the subject of using up fabric, I sorted my collection yesterday...

This lot fills two large boxes that live under the bed. The boxes have lids that I have to sit on in order to close!

Originally the fabric was all over the place, but I decided it was about time to have a little organisation--now it’s sorted by colour which is much better.

From there I went on to deal with my collection of patterns. They were stored in an A1 art folder, but it was becoming tiresome to find what I was looking for. Shop-bought ones weren’t so bad since they were in the original envelopes, but the ones I’ve drawn myself were are a nightmare to find, since they were folded up and without shiny pictures.

I needed to make a change.

Then I remembered the ring-binders I turned out recently. 

Problem solved! 

The patterns are pretty bulky so I’m weighting them down with books before putting them away. It's such a relief to get this sorted!

Found, Free and Thrifted

I’ll admit it. I’m a hoarder. Not to the extreme of the people seen on Hoarding: Buried Alive, but to the point where I hold on to things in case they’re useful for a crafting project. I guess that makes me a Crafty Hoarder?!

It’s not necessary to part with masses of money in order to craft, as I’m sure you all know. In my case, things being cheap tend to mean I buy more...!

Here’s some recent additions to my crafting hoard that have been found, free, or thrifted!

Once or twice a year, I have a massive clear-out, donate anything saleable to charity and recycle whatever else I can. The last mass-clearout was in January, but I didn’t dare enter the attic, knowing that what lurks in there is about twenty years of stuff belonging to five people!

This week, my Dad went up into the attic intending to clear out some stuff for a car boot sale and brought out three boxes of ring-binders from my school, college and uni days!

I was never going to look over that stuff again, so into the recycling went the paper!

Amidst all the old work was a folder of stuff from my school’s ‘Work Experience Week’. I was lucky enough to score a placement with an interior designer, which meant I got to measure rooms, draw scale diagrams, put together an inspiration board and go on little trips--one of which was to Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.

This meant trawling through showrooms looking at swatches and samples.

This meant yummy sandwiches in the Dome Café.

This meant that when I cleared that folder, I found these:

Although the samples are only small, there’s no way I can just throw them out.

So I’m hoarding them until I come up with something! They fit in just fine with my box of fabric scraps that I refuse to part with!

Another thing I seem to be gaining a collection of is lace and embroidery thread. I’d like to point out that I haven’t bought any embroidery thread since I made an embroidered cushion for my Nanny, last year.

Everything else I’ve come into possession of since then has come to me courtesy of my lovely Nan herself (who receives them from a friend). This week, she brought me these:

I have never seen such a nice collection of colours! The vintage lace is lovely too--I'll have to think of a special project for that.

As for the embroidery threads, I’m thinking of some different coloured necklaces along the same vein as my pearly necklace.

One of the perils (and bonuses) of being a crafty hoarder: people give you stuff!

Something I’ve parted with money for recently are these two lovely boxes:

Both came from a charity shop and cost a tad over £5 for the two! I bought them with assemblage projects in mind. I haven’t started yet but hopefully soon I’ll get out the glue and some interesting bits and pieces, and get crafting! 

So what about you guys? 

Do you have any recent found, free or thrifted items? 

Retro Craft Books

Recently I bought a few fantastic retro craft books from a local charity shop. At 50p each they were an absolute bargain, especially considering the content!

The Complete Book of Handicrafts is absolutely brilliant. Printed in the 70’s, it covers a plethora of crafts including crochet, rug-making, smocking, leatherwork, picture framing and much more! 

I’ve already found a heap of potential new projects. These mouse pincushions are adorable and definitely on my ‘to make’ list.

The Batsford Book of Sewing is another product of the 1970’s. This covers all nature of dressmaking procedures so as a self-taught dressmaker, I find it incredibly useful!

Shortcuts for Busy Dressmakers is similar to The Batsford Book of Sewing, but like the name suggests, it explains the quick way of doing things! Of course this is fantastic for any dressmaker lacking in time (or patience!)

This final book perhaps pushes the topic of this post from ‘retro craft books’ to ‘vintage craft books’!

Encyclopedia of Needlework was gifted to me a few weeks ago by my Nanny. (She always gives me cool stuff!)

It details a huge number of needlework methods and includes some beautiful colour plates. I was hesitant to read this book since I was afraid it might fall apart, but to my delight it has been digitised--find the book in its entirety at http://encyclopediaofneedlework.com/