Pine Needle and Nut Crafting: Book 1, by Judy Mallow, is a "Fully Illustrated Step-by-Step How-to"; providing an introduction to working with pine needles and using this natural material to construct baskets, one of the oldest crafts known, dating back thousands of years. The book also focuses on using Walnut slices as a part of the design and construction process.
She begins with a brief overview of the tools and materials needed to pursue this avocation. The requirements for both tools and materials, as well as their costs, are minimal.
The foci of the next section of the book are the 'Eight Basic Steps', to creating baskets. 'Gathering Pine Needles', 'Soaking Pine Needles', 'Removing the Caps from Pine Needles', '3-Step Basic Starting Procedure', 'Stitches', 'Forming Sides', 'Tapering Down to End Work', and 'Finishing Touches: the Protective Coating'.
Pine Needle and Nut Crafting then moves on to 'Trays and Baskets', which presents several complete projects; including 'Round 3-Nut Tray', 'Round Basket with Handle', 'Old Timey Basket', 'Star Basket', and 'Oval Tray with 3-Nut Center'. Each project references, as needed, the basic steps detailed in the previous section of the book.
Judy Mallow concludes her book with a short section devoted to 'Simple Starters', three projects specifically created to be appropriate for children - with just a bit of guidance from parents or teachers. The projects in this section are 'Round Coaster & Hot Mats', 'Old Timey Hang-Up Basket', and 'Pencil Holder'.
Excepting the color cover, this book has only a few black and white photographs, of modest quality; but virtually every page has one or more diagrams showing the progression of the work.
38 pages. Paperback.
ISBN-13: None
ISBN-10: None
