Sewing Edges & Corners

Nancy Arthur Hoskins

The Coptic Tapestry Albums and the Archeaologiest of Antinoe, Albert Gayet

Vibrant tapestries of beribboned birds, cantering centaurs, and Dionysian dancers, woven in Coptic Egypt more than a thousand years ago, were artfully arranged in a handsome pair of albums in 1913. Some of the fabrics are shown in unique collage compositions. Sandals, spindles, and a mysterious lock of hair are assembled in a shallow box at the back of one album. Many textiles in this important collection, housed at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, were once joined by warp and weft with those from the Musée du Louvre and other major museums.Nancy Hoskins deftly interweaves the creation of the textiles in the Greco-Roman city of Antinoé, Egypt, with their discovery by the charismatic French archaeologist Albert Gayet (1856-1916). Gayet staged stunning exhibitions of the pieces in Paris at the turn of the century and ultimately gave them to museums or sold them. One collector, Henry Bryon, had his 144 fabrics bound into the two albums featured here.The album pages and covers are illustrated in glowing color, along with archival photographs from Gayet's expeditions. The style, structure, and iconography of each tapestry, tabby, and tablet-woven textile are ...

Mitsuki Hoshi

Ami Ami Dogs: Seriously Cute Crochet

The first in a series, Mitsuki Hoshi's crafty collection is packed with four-color photographs, patterns, and instructions on how to craft a tumbling litter of adorable canine Amigurumi--the wildly popular crocheted stuffed animals from Japan. The perfect go-to guide for every stripe of crochet artist, from the crafting commuter to the full-time hook-and-needler (and the perfect gift for anyone who could use an extra dose of over-the-top cuteness in their life), Hoshi's Ami Ami Dogs is sure to knit smiles and tail-wagging into the fabric of any home it joins.

Harold Payson

Build the New Instant Boats

Easily built boats for amateurs. Includes three stitch-and-glue designs-a technique that allows the plywood seams to be "taped" together with fiberglass and resin instead of metal fastenings-and three conventional designs built without a jig.