Weaver's Idea Book

As a guide for beginners and practiced weavers Jane Patrick's book is inspirational. Although specifically aimed at the rigid heddle loom, the 200 pages hold a wealth of information on weave structures and patterns that can be used on many looms. The spiral bound, textbook-style layout is good, with clear section separation, and the chapters take you up a hierarchy of difficulty. I felt comfortable with plain, finger-controlled and pick up weaves, then I marvelled in awe at sections on warp and weft-faced frabrics and working with two heddles. There is a nod to garment and item construction in the guise of a few set pieces, but the book's real strength is in opening a treasure chest of weaving possibility to new or relatively inexperienced weavers. Each section provides a soft kaleidoscope of samples which I have already been tempted to replicate. The book will doubtless remain a good source book to refer to for new creative ideas and inspiration. However, the book might give the absolute beginner a puzzle at times, as it is not always clear and sometimes repetitive. Generally though, the book was a joy to read and is unlikely to gather dust on my bookshelf.-Journal for Weavers Spinners & Dyers