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A good read? Wednesday craft book review

Mid way through the week, and nearly mid way through September, and I'm steadfastly ignoring the mince pies in the supermarket, along with the tubs of Christmas chocolates.  Can't we get the end of summer dealt with first before we're drowning in a sea of tinsel and baubles?  

As it's Wednesday I'll do my (almost) regular craft book review.  This week it's 'The Liberty Book of Simple Sewing', a handsome hardback book first published in 2013.  It's full of glossy photographs,  including lots of luscious Liberty fabrics (sadly way out of my price range).  

The book features nearly thirty 'makes', some very simple, others requiring more skilful sewing, but nothing that couldn't reasonably be achieved by a beginner who's patient and adept at closely following instructions.
Included are details for making a patchwork quilt, a rag doll, chair pads, pillowcases, a bolster, pyjama bottoms, a dog lead (!), a lampshade, picnic bag.... and more.  
As you can see, there are lots of beautiful Liberty fabrics on show.  
I particularly liked these table mats, complete with a handy little pocket to put the knife and fork in.  
At the back of the book are several templates you can copy and enlarge if necessary.  
I think this is a great book for any Liberty fan in your life, and a good starter book for anyone beginning their sewing 'career'.  You have a mix of practical projects along with the purely decorative, and expensive fabric used in the book can easily be switched to inexpensive 100% cotton for a more reasonable 6 or 7 pounds a metre.  As it's a book that's been published a few years ago, it can be picked up secondhand, so you don't need to splash out full price for it either.  A thumbs up from me!  

On to other matters: 

I've finished reading Christina Dalcher's 'Vox' which I enjoyed but with reservations.  The premise is great, very Handmaid's Tale.  It's set in modern day America where the ultra religious conservative right have taken over and rule with a rod of iron.  Women are subject to such extreme misogyny that it brings the Taliban to mind.  They're denied free speech, having to wear high tech devices around their wrists that administer electric shocks if they use more than 100 words a day.  Rebellious women can have their 'bracelets' re-set to ensure they have zero words per day.  They literally can't say a thing.  

So far, so gripping.  However, while the novel initially engrossing and a real page turner, it falters about three quarters of the way through.  The final chapters having an ending that's rushed, is frankly unbelievable and far too neatly resolved.  I wondered if I was alone in reaching this conclusion, but reading online reviews it seems to also be the overall impression of other readers.  But 'Vox' is still worth a read, so I'd recommend you seek it out.  

I've managed to pick up another book from a charity bookshelf, S.J. Parris 'Heresy', set in Oxford, 1583, but that's going to have to wait.  Looking forward to that one, having read another of hers and enjoyed it, but first I'm going to give 'The Man in Black' a go.  Nothing to do with 'Men in Black', the Hollywood film, this is a novel by Lynn Shepherd, and is set in Victorian England, the 1850s.  Intriguingly it features Edward Tulkinghorn, a character from Dickens' imagination, namely 'Bleak House'.  The blurb on the back cover suggests 'The Man in Black' will appeal to fans of 'The Confessions of Frannie Langton' and Stacey Halls.  I liked both, so I have high hopes ... 

Okay, that's all for today.  I'm going to get stuck into some reading and some chocolate.  Not necessarily in that order.  Have a good evening, and thanks for stopping by.  

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