I have had a life long love affair with Liberty. It's where I bought the fabric for my first ball gown, the circlet of wax flowers and yards of silk tulle for my wedding veil and Tana lawn for my little girls' first summer dresses. The Liberty Book of Home Sewing by Lucinda Ganderton published this month by Quadrille is more than a manual of instructions for cushions, bags and curtains, it is like owning a little bit of that fabulous shop.
I guess you might expect any book with Liberty in the title would have plenty of beautiful illustrations of their exquisite prints but this book excels itself with a fabric cover, gorgeous endpapers, double page reproductions of designs at the beginning of each chapter and a directory of prints at the end. Kristin Perers' photographs are positively delicious
The instructions for each project are very prettily illustrated.
And there is plenty to lust over, like this luscious silk kimono
As any regular reader of my book reviews will know I like to test drive the books I review to make sure I can recommend them to you as a guide to making things of beauty and utility. The instructions for the projects must be clearly written (and work!) as well as be something lovely to look at.
One day I will make the kimono - in exactly the same silk as illustrated.
But, not having the silk to hand, on rummaging through my fabric stash I found enough white and spotted linen to make this very practical apron.
The design is great, the pattern very easy to draw and the cutting and making up instructions spot on. It took me about an hour to make.
I love this book, leafing through the illustrations, reading a little of the shop's history, it conjures up all my visits to Liberty. Climbing the wide creaking oak staircase, sauntering through the fabric department checking the feel and colours of the Tana Lawn and lingering over the matching print wash bags and the cushions. If you share my Liberty obsession (or would like to discover an extraordinary emporium and grow to love it) you can, and with the help of this book, make your own cushions, make-up bag and curtains to boot!
The book is out now, published by Quadrille.
I guess you might expect any book with Liberty in the title would have plenty of beautiful illustrations of their exquisite prints but this book excels itself with a fabric cover, gorgeous endpapers, double page reproductions of designs at the beginning of each chapter and a directory of prints at the end. Kristin Perers' photographs are positively delicious
The instructions for each project are very prettily illustrated.
And there is plenty to lust over, like this luscious silk kimono
As any regular reader of my book reviews will know I like to test drive the books I review to make sure I can recommend them to you as a guide to making things of beauty and utility. The instructions for the projects must be clearly written (and work!) as well as be something lovely to look at.
One day I will make the kimono - in exactly the same silk as illustrated.
But, not having the silk to hand, on rummaging through my fabric stash I found enough white and spotted linen to make this very practical apron.
The design is great, the pattern very easy to draw and the cutting and making up instructions spot on. It took me about an hour to make.
I love this book, leafing through the illustrations, reading a little of the shop's history, it conjures up all my visits to Liberty. Climbing the wide creaking oak staircase, sauntering through the fabric department checking the feel and colours of the Tana Lawn and lingering over the matching print wash bags and the cushions. If you share my Liberty obsession (or would like to discover an extraordinary emporium and grow to love it) you can, and with the help of this book, make your own cushions, make-up bag and curtains to boot!
The book is out now, published by Quadrille.
Enjoy!
x
C
3 comments:
What a wonderful blog you have here! I love the wooliness down the sides (just like being in the best wool shop) and you have some inspiring pictures. Lovely. I need to spend some time reading more! And thankyou for popping into my blog.
I love Liberty too. The fabric for my first ball gown came from Liberty. I still rememember the trip to London with my sister. She made it for me. Later she even worked in the shop. I bought fabric from Liberty for the first clothes that I made. Once visited, forever smitten! Can you tell?
This book looks lovely! That apron is fabulous, would've taken me much longer than an hour :)
Ali
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