All About Silk: A Fabric Dictionary & Swatchbook [Plastic Comb]

Explores the most versatile, popular and luxurious of all fabrics. Information on silk's history, the silk industry and silk's allure and limitations are included along with some details about the Bombyx mori (silk moth) a creature whose behavior makes it as singular as the fabrics made from its cocoons. The 32 swatches give you a chance for hands-on evaluation of the various silk types before seeking one for your next silk creation. Accompanying each swatch is a checklist covering more than 100 aspects of the fabric, including its care, uses, price range, wearability, suggested styles and the ease or difficulty of working with the fabric. ...A readable and enjoyable exploration from the "soft-as-down" habutai to the slubs and texture of douppioni. -- Ann Price, Sew News, Nov. 1992

A new concept in sewing books is not easy to come by, but Julie Parker has one, and it's a winner. Her All About Silk includes real samples of 32 different silk fabrics, which clarifies in the most obvious way what a matelass or a peau de soie actually looks and feels like. Each mounted swatch is 2-1/2 by 4 in., and comes with a full-page checklist explaining its qualities from the sewer's point of view. Mail-order silk sources and a host of silk facts are included. Great idea! -- David Page Coffin, Threads, Dec. 1992/Jan. 1993

A set of very readable, useful books. ... Many not-so-well-written 'trade' manuals run into the three figures if they include samples, so these are certainly being pushed to the front of my birthday 'wish list.' They would make a great buy for a club library and excellent gifts for any textile student. -- Machine Knitting News, July 1997

At last, there are two resource books available to the home sewer that provide everything you need to know about cotton and silk. ...Easy to use and a pleasure just to leaf through, these two books are definitely worthy of being included in your home library. -- Vogue Patterns, Sept./Oct. 1993

Fascinating information about commercial silk fabrics accompanies the 32 swatches in this handy reference, and tips for sewing and care are included with each swatch. Written to help the home sewer judge fabric before buying, this book should also be useful to anyone weaving or printing on silk. -- Handwoven, Nov./Dec. 1993

If you would like to be able to ask for a fabric by name, hold an intelligent conversation about fabric, or locate a fabric you have spotted in ready-to-wear, Julie Parker's Fabric Reference books are for you. -- From Sandra Betzina Webster, syndicated sewing columnist, Oct. 1993

This thorough and well-organized handbook will prove valuable to anyone working with silk, whether focusing on clothing design or construction. -- Julie Berner, Northwest Fiber Network, Nov./Dec. 1992

Though written primarily for sewers, a weaver's knowledge is much enriched by the contents of these books. ... Julie Parker's background is in editing and she puts her skills to good use in making the text absolutely clear. If you've ever felt a little overwhelmed in a good fabric store, these books are for you. -- Madelyn van der Hoogt, Weaver's, Spring 1997

Unlike many textile books, All About Silk is understandable and not at all dry. The attractive layout of the book should win an award for clarity and ease of use. -- Teri Hales, Sewer's SourceLetter, Winter 1993

This practical guide to silk explains fabrics from the consumer's point of view, written in plain English instead of confusing technical jargon. With this book as your guide, you'll be able to identify the main types of silk without asking sales clerks or reading labels. You'll learn how to use each fabric, how to recognize quality and how to spot a bargain.

A brief introduction covers the history of silk, the main sources of silk and the silk textile industry, followed by detailed, two-page descriptions of the main fabric types, each illustrated with a 2-1/2" x 4" cloth sample, right there on the same page, and simple black-and-white drawings. In the back of the book, space is provided for the reader to collect additional fabric samples and record personal notes, followed by a list of mail-order sources, glossary, bibliography and index.

The fabric samples are packaged separately, layered in the same order as they appear in the book. It takes only a few minutes to mount the samples to the book's pages, using double-stick tape or a small spot of glue. Instructions are included. Samples include 32 silk fabrics, in this order: batiste de soie, broadcloth, brocade, charmeuse, chiffon, China silk, cloqu, crepe, crepe de Chine, douppioni, faille, gabardine, georgette, habutai, jacquard, knit, matelass, matka, noil, organza, peau de soie, pongee, printed silk, sandwashed silk, shantung, suiting, surah, taffeta, Thai silk, tussah silk, tweed, velvet.

All About Silk provides quick answers to hundreds of questions about an often confusing subject. Terms such as cultivated silk, wild silk, raw silk and spun silk are clearly explained. If you love silk, you simply shouldn't be without this book.

The Fabric Reference Series has been featured in Crafter's Choice, a division of Book-of-the-Month Club. Other books in the series include All About Cotton, with 42 cotton samples, and All About Wool, with 35 wool samples.

Julie Parker is a former newspaper editor turned fabric junkie. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of Washington in Seattle and a second bachelor's degree in apparel design from Western Washington University in Bellingham. She was a newspaper editor for 10 years before returning to school to study clothing design. She is the author of three books and recently was hired by the Wool Bureau in New York to write a guide to wool fabrics that was distributed to members of the garment industry throughout North America. Her most recent book, All About Wool, was a finalist in the crafts category of the 1997 Small Press Book Awards. She lives in Seattle.