Stein, J: Adventures in Bookbinding

"Who wouldn't immediately fall in love with a crafty author ("Re-Bound: Creating Handmade Books with Recycled and Repurposed Materials", 2009, was her first) whose first sentence proclaims, 'Books are my passion'? And through this statement, Stein expresses a love not only of reading but also of her 15-year hands-on affair with making books. The writing is clear and articulate; instructions rock, especially since all feature enough illustrations, directions, and color photographs for novices to follow. The real lure? Her 10 projects, deliberately skewed to the beginner level, but also playful enough to entice professionals. Media range from crochet and jewelry fixings to doll-fashioning and quilting. Each pattern also features two alternatives: a one-page shortcut version (read: store-bought materials like prefab dolls and costume jewelry) and a master's option, created by another artist, not including directions. A bling-decorated sketchbook or a quilted-for-comfort workbook?" -- "Booklist"