Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Construct some very beautiful cards and other paper crafts, September 9, 2005
Of all the authors who publish papercraft how-to books, I turn to Janet Wilson most often because of her clear and practical directions on quilling, parchment craft, teabag folding--all decorative paper arts seem to be within her realm.
If you already own her book on parchment craft, you will notice that it is included in "Traditional Papercrafts," however the card and bookmark patterns are much larger in the original book. This will not be a problem if you are already planning to enlarge the patterns.
In the largest section of "Traditional Papercrafts," the author describes and shows photographs of the materials and equipment you will need to get started with the fifteenth-century art of parchment craft. She does not actually list suppliers, but they are easily discovered out on the internet. (One of my favorites is "willascommodities.com".) You really don't need much to start with, just the correct type of paper (which is not really parchment), scissors with short curved blades and fine points (very much like manicure scissors), a pen and white ink for tracing, a couple of pads to place underneath the paper while embossing and perforating, embossing tools (basically knob-ended sticks to use for drawing & rubbing), and needle tools for perforating the paper into fancy patterns.
Many of the directions are illustrated by step-by-step color photographs, especially when the author is demonstrating a new method such as applying color with oil pastels, or using the four-needle tool to make lace.
The next section demonstrates the Victorian art of stencil embossing, and requires even less tools than parchment craft: basically card paper, stencils, fancy-edged rulers (for card edges) and tools fitted with embossing tips (just like you might already own for parchment work). A lightbox is nice for back-lighting the stencil, so that its outlines can be seen through the paper. The author demonstrates techniques for producing cameo (raised) designs and intaglio (impressed) images.
If you are a fan of all things Celtic, this type of knotwork lends itself very nicely to embossing.
Examples of the art of paper pricking can be found in Regency pattern books and correspondence, but the heyday of this craft appears to have been around 1840 - 1860. As always, the author lists the basic tools and materials (paper, needle, pricking mat) and useful extras, e.g. a needle vice and cuticle scissors. Some very intricate border patterns that you can prick out are included, with directions on how to enlarge them to card-size.
If you really enjoy paper pricking, you may want to advance into paper lace. Add translucent paper, a sharp craft knife, a tapestry needle and some gold thread to your equipment and construct some very fancy card borders, complete with embroidery. The author includes patterns and examples of completed projects.
The final section of "Traditional Papercrafts" concerns quilling, the art of tightly winding paper strips, pinching them into various shapes, and gluing the shapes into fancy designs--anything from flowers to coats-of-arms.
Supplies include quilling paper (which you can buy pre-cut into strips), quilling tools which resemble small long-needled awls, blank cards, scissors, straight pins, and glue (I suggest paper glue). Another very useful piece of equipment is a quilling cork board marked with circles where you can pin your petals, rolls, leaves, and hearts into (say) a Christmas wreath before gluing the individual pieces together. An optional piece of equipment is a fringing tool ($50 at the quillingsuperstore.com). You might also want a paper crimper. Both of the latter items are needed for any fancy flower creations.
Photographs of some fine old quilled borders for holy pictures and free-standing crosses are included, as well as directions for creating simpler designs for cards and Christmas ornaments.
If you are at all interested in papercraft, this book is a must-have.
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by Janet Wilson
