The Self Sufficiency Manual by Alison Candlin, softback published by Bloomsbury/Quantum Publishing/AC Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-5665-1, price 14.99 available from www.bloomsbury.com

If you have ever been tempted by The Good Life, here’s your chance to find out what it’s all about and go and live your dream. This book will help you establish a successful smallholding or realise the true potential of your existing garden plot. Used efficiently, this book claims that even a well-maintained tiny back yard can produce enough food to see you self-sufficient. I wholeheartedly agree with that as I have done it myself at one time. All the essentials are here for planning your small garden, no matter what the size. Planning, preparation and cultivation are dealt with in detail. Keeping animals and foraging too. This is a lovely book for anyone who wants to escape the rat race and really grow and rear their own food. I like it.

The Complete Guide to Designing and Printing Fabric by Laurie Wisbrun, softback published by AC Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-4700-9, price 14.99 available from www.acblack.com

Usually ‘complete’ books disappoint me because they are not complete, however this book is different. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is without doubt the best book I have on fabric printing and I have quite a few. If like me, you have a desire to print your own fabric, you’ll find this book a real bonus. It’s good to look at – the photographs are clear and the fabrics beautiful. It’s good to use – it explains so much from types of fabric, types of pattern, colour,  how to design. It’s good in practice – providing sources of information, pattern design tips, tools of the trade, using software, dyeing and hand and digital printing. In addition, there are profiles of successful fabric designers and tips on going professional. One thing is for sure, Laurie has done a professional job on this book – it’s top of the class.

Wood Engraving How To Do It by Simon Brett, softback published by AC Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-2726-1, price 16.99 available from www.acblack.co.uk

If you have ever wanted to learn wood engraving, this book has easy to follow instructions. It has much that you need to know. However for a beginner, I found there was not enough basic knowledge and samples here. This book is strong on samples of finished pieces by master engravers. Whilst this is a good handbook for anyone following an educational course, I don’t think it is enough on its own for beginners.

How to Use, Adapt and Design Knitting Patterns by Sam Elliott & Sidney Bryan, softback published by A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-2761-2, price 14.99 available from www.acblack.com

This book has a good basics section but is sadly let down by the designs in the book, particularly in the embellishments section – it’s hideous. It’s good on instruction for adapting shaping, necklines, body hugging fits etc, but the designs featured do not inspire. This book also relies heavily on creating a toile. Toiles are more commonly used in the dressmaking industry and I prefer, as a knitwear designer, to work out my patterns using maths and graphs. It does include brief instructions on how to adapt a pattern from a t-shirt that fits well.

Spinning Wool Beyond the Basics by Anne Field, softback published by A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-3081-0, price 19.99 available from www.acblack.com

This is a revised edition coming out in January 2011. Although this is a classic reference, I think it needed even more updating, the quality of the photographs let this down. If you can get past that, you’ll find the text informative for spinners who want to build on the basics. However, I also find this book to be over-priced. Whilst it might deliver on text, it does not deliver in other ways.

Coloured Aluminium Jewellery by Lindsey Mann, softback published by A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-0629-7, price 16.99 available from www.acblack.com

Another fine book in the Design & Make Series. Lindsey explores the versatile medium of aluminium to the full. She explains the processes involved in using aluminium such as anodising and then goes on to look at techniques such as screen printing, digital print and resists. There is also a useful troubleshooting chapter. What really makes the book work for me is the thoroughness of its approach and the amazing versatility of the medium.

Creative Machine Embroidery by Linda Miller, softback published by AC Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-0398-2, price 15.99 from www.acblack.com

This is a textile handbook, one in a series from this reputable publisher. The instructions in this book are good and the production the same. Short yet interesting sections on many aspects of machine embroidery. It’s rather difficult to review a book when you don’t particularly feel an affinity with the work of the artist that has written it. Linda has a kind of naive, exacting style – there is no guesswork for the brain, nothing the eye has to fill in. There is also another book under the same name, written in 2003 by another author and published by Batsford and to me the latter is the better book of the two.

Scandinavian Weaving by Tina Ignell, softback published by A&C Black. ISBN 978-14081-27278, price 19.99 from www.acblack.com

A specialist publication on Scandinavian weaving. What better way to create unique fabrics with Scandinavian flair. The 45 designs have been taken from a Scandinavian magazine and feature projects for anywhere in the home. Stylish patterns from rugs, pillows and blankets to innovative table runners that incorporate fresh flowers. Delivers Scandinavian elegance into your home.

Stitchopedia by Helen Winthorpe-Kendrick, hardback, spiral-bound published by A& C Black. ISBN 978-1-4081-1998-3, price 19.99 from www.acblack.com

This book makes a big claim to be ‘the only embroidery reference you’ll ever need’. I love the images of embroidery at the beginning – very inspiring. It’s nicely laid out, a bit on the boring side but easy to understand with good diagrams and instructions on mounting, framing, design, many different types of embroidery, a definitive list of stitches and finally projects. I think the projects on the whole let it down. The book overall lacks ooph. So, for me, although it is good and wort having, there are other embroidery references and books I need.

Glass Jewellery by Yvonne Coffey, softback published by A&C Black. ISBN 978-0-7136-7940-3, price 15.99 from www.acblack.com

This book tells you all you need to know about making glass jewellery. It includes methods of working, techniques, firing and more. As one of the handbook series, this is a good introduction to the subject, but I did not find it particularly inspiring. There is some pretty cool glass jewellery out there and I did not find it in this book.