Cover Image: The Weaving Explorer

The Weaving Explorer

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I've been wanting to get back into weaving because I loved doing it as a kid, but have forgotten basically everything I knew back then, sadly. I'm not sure most of these are exactly the types of projects I personally would commit to, but they're definitely fun and creative, and there are some gorgeous photos in here! Plus the instructions feel pretty simple and well-clarified. I think this would be a good guide for someone who's already somewhat familiar with weaving and looking for new ideas; maybe not so much a brand new beginner.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Was this review helpful?

This is a wonderful book for an introduction to a wide range of weaving techniques. I would recommend this book for anyone that is interested in learning more about weaving along with some projects to go along with the different methods. This also has great pictures to go along with each method described in the book.

Was this review helpful?

This book is an excellent resource for beginners to weaving. There are numerous projects that I am excited to try. It gives me the confidence and knowledge to try weaving without investing a lot of money.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed "The Weaving Explorer" for a variety of reasons. First, the book covers different techniques and media using weaving and weaving-adjacent techniques, including thread, cloth scraps, paper, and wire. Second, the photos are gorgeous and most steps are depicted with a photograph. Third, even though I haven't tried any of the projects, I felt that the generally the steps were clear enough for a beginner such as myself to try them. Despite these virtues, there were a few things that were less than perfect. One is that I felt that the book could have been made a bit stronger if it included some instructions on how to build a simple frame. Another is that page numbers weren't yet put into the review copy when different projects referenced each other.

Was this review helpful?

The cover of this book caught my eye and I was intrigued. I have never done weaving before. This book is filled with detailed instructions and beautiful pictures and there are several beginners patterns I believe I can complete. I'm very excited to start trying to learn this craft. I received this book from netgalley for an honest opinion and I'm so happy I did. I feel that its opened my eyes to something new. I highly suggest giving this book a try if your looking for inspiration.

Was this review helpful?

I'm 100% new to weaving, but the project on the cover caught my eye. This book is filled with so many unique and beautiful projects. Its extremely well written instructions are easy to follow. I cant wait to dive into it and get creating!

Was this review helpful?

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

As a weaver, I'm always looking for new inspiration to expand my craft beyond my loom.
I liked this because it gave both project beyond the standard and included working fiber and textile artists work and bio's and a project based on the method they love to work in.
You forget sometimes how diverse the art of weaving truly is and how freeing and varied the methods are.
There are dozens of types of weavings in here, I feel inspired to try some of them to break myself out of my usual rut, and expand into some new forms.
This would be a fine book for both beginners and experienced weavers.
There's nothing wrong with learning a new skill and find appreciation for another technique.

Was this review helpful?

This book is filled with off the wall ideas of approaching weaving. I have read a few other weaving books to get an idea of how to start learning and found them all very boring, and dated. I kind of expected the same here, but found that maybe it was a bit too exciting. I've never seen a weaving book incorporate crochet chains, or use tree branches to weave before! It does detail how to set up traditional looms and shows a wide variety in projects. Some look really aspirational to a complete beginner like me, and it's a bit overwhelming to be honest. There is a bit of history given for how looms were historically used which I enjoyed.
If you know how to weave, this will probably be of interest to you and may give you a good start on a new twist for weaving. For someone like me, I would probably reopen this book when I've conquered the basics.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a beautiful book with detailed and colorful pictures. It clearly defined weaving terms and patterns. This book offers projects for a variety of skill levels, including basic projects that even I could do! This book is perfect for people who are new to the craft as well as people with more experience.

Was this review helpful?

Great introduction to weaving, clear understandable instructions, bright appealing pictures and illustrations, plain English, everything you’d hope for in a crafting book. Fantastic

Was this review helpful?

This is a beautiful book filled with weaving projects for all different skill levels. You don't need fancy equipment for many of them, and the projects are very vibrant and modern looking -- no 1970's looking stuff like what you find in some weaving books. I'm not sure that I'll undertake any of them but if I were going to jump into weaving this would probably be my favorite book to start with. Lots of color photos and step-by-step instructions should help anybody tackle the projects.

My rating system:

1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a gorgeous and inspirational book that makes creating beautiful works of art a reachable goal. There are techniques ranging from the God’s Eye we all learned as kids up to weaving actual portraits into fabric. There are beginner projects, more advanced projects, and projects most of use will leave to the coffee-table books we put on display.

Even the simplest of projects are turned into works of art. Anyone can create a God’s Eye or a Dorset Button, and even the rugs and mats and woven baskets look easy to do. The gorgeous examples in the book confirm that even a beginner can achieve remarkable results by using your imagination when you choose your materials.

The very advanced projects are way beyond my own skills, and probably for most readers of this book. But they will provide inspiration for those talented advanced weavers, and are just amazing to look at for the rest of us.

There are also instructions on building your own looms, and it’s an easy process that absolutely anyone can accomplish.

I am absolutely going to try some of these projects. The hoop weaving looks like something right up my alley and within my talent range, and there are some 3” woven landscapes that have inspired me to try something new. I’m fairly sure I can incorporate some of these new works into some really original and innovative macramé wall hangings I’m planning to do.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but this is a book I would pay full price for and also buy as a gift for someone else. I recommend this book to anyone interested in weaving, any type of crafts, or even an Art lover.

Was this review helpful?

This is such a fun book! The photos and instructions are easy to follow and I love how easy this book makes it seem to create some really amazing pieces of woven art. Normally when I look at this sort of thing, I am easily intimidated, but after reading this book and trying a few very simple projects out, I think I can take on more advanced pieces. I loved this book and can't wait until it is published to buy a hard copy! Thank you for the e-ARC to review!!

Was this review helpful?

I never knew there were so many ways to weave using so many different medias!! Great for ideas of things and ways to weave at home.

Was this review helpful?

Lovely book. The instructions are easy to follow, and the photographs are beautiful. I’m eager to try these projects.

Was this review helpful?

This book has everything from small basic designs to full Navajo rugs. There are a lot of beautiful options for any level of weaving fanatic.

Was this review helpful?

Many of us had some weaving experience as kids without really knowing. Yes, many of us made a potholder or ten with a small loom and lots of material. If you went to camp with arts and crafts included, you likely made a God's eye too. Rather than the two sticks we I used as a kid, the first project here uses 4 skewers or double-pointed knitting needles for a more interesting design. I'll definitely be trying this one out! A couple projects later is an asymmetrical piece woven in a wooden embroidery hoop. This is another I'll definitely be making. As I continued through the book, I kept adding more and more projects to my list to try - I so want a twined parachute cord mat! I love the variety of types of weaving and types of projects here. There are projects made on looms and without a loom. Projects include wall hangings, bags, mats, buttons, woven seating, jewelry and more. A range of materials are used as well: yarn and unspun fibers, fabric strips, paracord and even wire, paper, ribbon and more.

This is certainly a book that could keep a maker busy for a good long while trying out new techniques. As the book is set to hit bookstores near the end of November 2019, this would make a great holiday gift for the maker in your life or snag yourself a copy and weave up some holiday gifts for loved ones. There's a great basket made from an old paper map that a traveler would be sure to love and the Danish and Swedish stars would add nicely to holiday decor. Depending where you live, it may be too late for this year, but there's an ingenious lavender wand project using freshly cut lavender. Really, there is something here for everyone. This is definitely a keeper!

Thank you to Storey Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I received this book as an ARC and am happy to do this review. I have always been interested in weaving but have never attempted it, so when I received this book I was very happy to check it out. I found this book well written, with lots of photos and clear explanations. There are a lot more projects than I expected and the variety was a lovely surprise. It covers simple weaving to more complex projects using a large variety materials with clear instructions for all experience levels and also shows how inexpensive this amazing craft can be. If you are new to the craft or experience I am sure you will find something in this book that you will like.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to #NetGalley and Storey Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it's release.

I love to do all kind of crafts but weaving is one I've only just tried a little. I loved all the different ways this book showed to weave. And I can see some ways this would be easy for anyone. So if you want to learn to weave, this is one for you to read.

Was this review helpful?

An interesting book exploring the different techniques of weaving. It includes lots of advice, colour plates and detailed instructions on how to create a wide variety of different projects. I found it inspiring but not intimidating, and I feel from reading it that I can achieve good results exploring a craft which I’ve not done too much of for many years. The designs are contemporary and imaginative. If you are a knitter or crochet and have plenty of left over yarn varieties gathering dust, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?