Book Review: The New Paper Quilling

The New Paper Quilling by Molly Smith Christensen.  Published by Lark Books, Sterling Publishing Company, 2006.  127 pages.

I rate it ... good!

3.4/5.0

See my post about book reviews for details about my review criteria and biases.

The New Paper Quilling is subtitled "Creative Techniques for Scrapbooks, Cards, Home Accents and More."  It starts with a detailed tutorial and list of supplies for beginners.  Then the rest of the book is used to cover many different projects including motifs, frames, miniatures, mobiles, and more.

What I liked:
The book has a very nice presentation that I'm coming to expect from Sterling Publishing - nice pictures, good page layout, lots of color.  The projects have plenty of detail so they can be easily reproduced.  The "dazzling paisley mobile" is particularly interesting.  The tutorial for beginners is nicely fleshed out.  The quality of the quilling in the book is very good, and consistent throughout.

What I liked less:
I do not see that the book fills the niche of "new" quilling - what is here is largely standard.  Other than the embossing of the tulips and the interesting abstract paisley mobile, I do not see much here that is particularly new.  Many of the projects seem to use crimping as the particular technique to add interest, but this is a very old technique.  Many other projects are not very involved, and will not hold the attention of a moderate to advanced quiller.  There is no gallery, and I feel a book about 'new' quilling should certainly have a gallery of innovative designs.

New it is available for $13, which seems a bit much (although as a collector I paid it).  Used, the book can be had for as low as $2, which is pretty unbeatable for just about any interested quiller who wants a few more ideas to draw upon.