"We are all born to make," Cassandra Ellis (Quilt Love) notes in the introduction to Cloth. "I make, therefore I am." Ellis, a longtime collector of vintage and unusual fabrics, drew inspiration from five of her favorite natural materials to create the projects in her second book.
Each section starts with a primer on the material's history and characteristics: the different weaves and weights of cotton, the delicacy and strength of silk, the complex process of curing and tanning leather. Ellis also considers the ethics of each material, from the ecological benefits of organic cotton to the political implications of handwoven cloth (khadi) in India. Her enthusiasm for textiles as both raw materials and finished products is evident on every page.
The projects range in size and complexity from simple linen slippers and tea-dyed silk drawstring pouches to a wooden stool topped with fluffy sheepskin and a tartan wool overnight bag. Many of the projects are home goods or accessories (handbags, curtains, a braided rag rug, a kimono silk quilt), but a few are wearable (a dark denim apron, a tie-dyed shawl). All of them use high-quality materials to transform humble objects into daily luxuries. A handy back pocket contains the corresponding paper patterns. For the adventurous crafter, Ellis includes a primer on natural dyeing.
Lavishly illustrated and full of practical tips, Cloth embodies the William Morris esthetic by which Ellis lives: like the objects in its pages, it is both beautiful and useful. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams