Country Fabric Style: Creative Projects for the Home

Offers advice on decorating with fabrics, and suggests projects, including curtains and pillows

Stylist Bird offers simple-to-create home patterns that, though not all conforming to the definition of "country," bespeak comfort and welcome to a beginning sewer. Aided and enormously abetted by color photographs, she describes the step-by-step process for formerly daunting tasks, such as slipcovers and blinds. Under her tutelage, however, it all becomes relatively easy, and the results (using dramatically classic textiles) mimic professional workroom productions. Adding further value to her simple cushions and covers, curtains and linens, and canopies and accessories are instructions for applying each particular technique (say, felt scalloped edging on a pillow) to another home item (in this case, curtains). Barbara Jacobs

Former Homes & Gardens editor Bird and photographer Tryde have produced a refreshing how-to book for creating soft furnishings that includes more than the typical American and English styles. A tasseled bolster pillow is upholstered in fabrics that evoke India, for example. The clear, well-written instructions cover a wide range of projects from felt book covers to a canvas beach tent. The authors do assume one has some sewing skill, but even beginners will be provided with many ideas. Recommended for public libraries.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.