Stencilling

Basic doesn't have to mean boring: author Kathy Fillion Ritchie has dreamed up 12 easy, jazzy projects to adorn everything from a silk scarf or a curtain to a cabinet or floorcloth with simple stencil motifs. After a brief but adequate discussion of preliminaries (materials, design transfer, stencil cutting, surface preparation, and paint application), the book showcases a small selection of striking professional stencilwork to inspire the reader, then offers its dozen step-by-step projects. Full patterns are included for each item, along with indications of how much to enlarge them on a photocopier, making it possible for even absolute beginners to realize stencil success. --Amy Handy