Fabric Reference (3rd Edition),   ISBN:9780130985484

Customer Rating: 

My spouse is an avid quilt enthusiast that has for some time wanted to delve more into fabrics, their manufacture and individual characteristics. My gift to her of this standard reference work gives her the long awaited opportunity to really understand the materials before she designs a new quilt. She can now also select new and different fabrics for their inherent characteristics rather than only select "off the shelf" fabrics usually found at most fabric shops.

Customer Rating: 

The Fabric Reference, along with the Fabric Glossary provides the best comprehensive reference of basic textiles that you can obtain anywhere in today's market. To make it a perfect reference set, you can purchase the Fabric Glossary Swatch Set directly from Ms. Humphries, which provides fabric samples to be taped into the Fabric Glossary while giving the history, manufacturing (weave, knit, lace, etc.) description and fabric content for each swatch allowing for a realistic study of fabrics. This Fabric Glossary can be continually added to as you find new fibers and fabrics - keeping an updated reference at your finger tips.
These boks are a must for fabric designers, interior designers, pattern drafters and anyone interested in fabrics or textiles, this is a three part set, which when purchased becomes all inclusive. It is rare to find any books on textiles where you can actually touch the fabrics, providing a realistic knowledge of specific make-up and texture of the fabrics. I searched for years to find a book which I could use to give a compressive overview of the textile industry, before I found Ms. Humphries set of books, and I have been using it for the past three years as the foundation of my college course. Please note that in the fall of 2003, the third revision came out and it provides a wealth of information about the new micro-fibers that are found in today's market.
This three part set (2 parts you can purchase from this company and the swatch set you need to purchase separately - information to do this, is in each book) is the best reference of textiles available.