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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book with a nice suprise inside
Review: A most excellent book on braiding. Not only does he have pictures and instructions on each braid, there is a nice suprise for cheapska---I mean people who live frugally. In the equipment section Mr Owen offers three choices: The "proper" equipment (beautiful but rather expensive to build), a cheap version made out of multiple pieces of cardboard, washers and plastic bottles and a really really cheap version made out of a single piece of cardboard. This is nice for people with shallow pockets or if you are just seeing what this braiding stuff is all about. If you don't like it you are only out one piece of cardboard. People with multiple children will be happy too because each child can make their own "braider". Teachers take notice! A class project that includes art, motor skills and recycling old cardboard, washers and little plastic bottles too.Detailed instructions are included on each design and how to make it on each type of braider.
Rating: 
Summary: Great photos, good for beginners
Review: At first I greatly enjoyed this book. It not only gave instructions on how to assemble your own equipment, it also had numerous braid designs with color photos and step by step instructions of how to make each. However, once I fiddled around a bit an got more serious and creative with my samples, I found that some of the more advanced techniques (such as the different ways to finish a braid) were lacking in their description and instruction. But, overall, a great book for beginners.
Rating:
Summary: Great photos, good for beginners
Review: At first I greatly enjoyed this book. It not only gave instructions on how to assemble your own equipment, it also had numerous braid designs with color photos and step by step instructions of how to make each. However, once I fiddled around a bit an got more serious and creative with my samples, I found that some of the more advanced techniques (such as the different ways to finish a braid) were lacking in their description and instruction. But, overall, a great book for beginners.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book with a nice suprise inside
Review: Smaller, cheaper books are available which give the basics of Japanese braiding. They make the art seem dry and unattainable unless you devote years to it. But this book explodes the boundaries! Mr. Owen shows the worldwide history of braiding. Then he makes the art easily accessible by offering different types of equipment. The text is clear and straightforward, the photos are inspiring. This book will be a classic in its field. Well worth the price.
Rating:
Summary: Great introduction for a little-known art
Review: This book was my complete introduction to complex braids. I wanted to make unique brains for use in jewelry and purses. This book tells you everything you need to know to get started and also to explore more advanced fields. Square braids, triangular braids, flat braids, round braids. Stuff you didn't know you wanted until you saw it! My one beef with the book is that the steps for getting set up to make a particular braid aren't always intuitive. You'll want to do, say, a braid in the middle of the book, but there's some special technique which was only explained once, for a different braid pattern. But, once you've puzzled it out or if you don't mind making braids that are not "perfect" to the author or masters of kumihimo, you still get really great results.
Rating:
Summary: Great introduction for a little-known art
Review: This book was my complete introduction to complex braids. I wanted to make unique brains for use in jewelry and purses. This book tells you everything you need to know to get started and also to explore more advanced fields. Square braids, triangular braids, flat braids, round braids. Stuff you didn't know you wanted until you saw it! My one beef with the book is that the steps for getting set up to make a particular braid aren't always intuitive. You'll want to do, say, a braid in the middle of the book, but there's some special technique which was only explained once, for a different braid pattern. But, once you've puzzled it out or if you don't mind making braids that are not "perfect" to the author or masters of kumihimo, you still get really great results.
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