It’s amazing that such simple materials—wool, soap, hot water—can result in fabric as infinitely varied in form and color as felt. The key is playful experimentation and this creative guide, which reveals exactly which wools to use, the effects of using hard versus soft water, and how to agitate the wool. Twenty colorful projects range from an inviting rug to a rolled Spiral Bracelet to slippers.

The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts covers thousands of years of decorative arts production throughout western and non-western culture. With over 1,000 entries, as well as hundreds drawn from the 34-volume Dictionary of Art, this topical collection is a valuable resource for those interested in the history, practice, and mechanics of the decorative arts. Accompanied by almost 100 color and more than 500 black and white illustrations, the 1,290 pages of this title include hundreds of entries on artists and craftsmen, the qualities and historic uses of materials, as well as concise definitions on art forms and style. Explore the works of Alvar Aalto, Charles and Ray Eames, and the Wiener Wekstatte, or delve into the history of Navajo blankets and wing chairs in thousands of entries on artists, craftsmen, designers, workshops, and decorative art forms.

Needle felting is a process that uses barbed needles to mash wool fibers together forming a denser material into an endless range of shapes and forms, a great way to make adorable fully dimensional soft sculptures. The Complete Starter Guide to Needle Felting: Enchanted Forest by artist and author Claudia Lenart features 20 step-by-step beginner needle crafting projects including birds, fairies, unicorns, and many other woodland friends. Learn what needles to use, how to dye custom colors, how to blend colors and shapes, and the materials needed to begin the fulfilling art of needle felting. Claudia's felted artwork has been featured in two children's books and in national commercials.

This book offers a journey through the history of the ancient craft of felting from the earliest times, when people first discovered that animal fiber, moisture and friction created a durable, warm fabric. Felt has been used for everything from apparel to housing; it has been used for practical, decorative and even religious applications. This book looks at the rise and fall of felting through history and into the industrial era, including its importance to the hat-making industry. The second part of the book brings us to the modern - and some might say, golden era of artisanal felting with interviews from felters and textile artists generously sharing their creative process. Finally, if you are inspired to try this fascinating craft, there are step by step instructions for both wet and needle felting, and a useful list of resources to get you started on your own felt-making journey.

'Establishing Dress History' will appeal not only to students and academics bt all those those with an interest in the history of dress and fashion. The title fuses together two areas of current academic interest, dress design and history, and current museum studies approaches.

Taking a global, multicultural, social, and economic perspective, this work explores the diverse and colourful history of human attire. From prehistoric times to the age of globalization, articles cover the evolution of clothing utility, style, production, and commerce, including accessories (shoes, hats, gloves, handbags, and jewellery) for men, women, and children. Dress for different climates, occupations, recreational activities, religious observances, rites of passages, and other human needs and purposes - from hunting and warfare to sports and space exploration - are examined in depth and detail. Fashion and design trends in diverse historical periods, regions and countries, and social and ethnic groups constitute a major area of coverage, as does the evolution of materials (from animal fur to textiles to synthetic fabrics) and production methods (from sewing and weaving to industrial manufacturing and computer-aided design). Dress as a reflection of social status, intellectual and artistic trends, economic conditions, cultural exchange, and modern media marketing are recurring themes. Influential figures and institutions in fashion design, industry and manufacturing, retail sales, production technologies, and related fields are also covered.