Tasha Tudor's Heirloom Crafts

When I was very young, my first book was "The Tasha Tudor Book of Fairy Tales". I loved the sweet watercolor illustrations of the classic fairy tale stories. It was obvious that Mrs. Tudor loved dogs and foxes and Puss in Boots, and the flower illustrations that surround the text are so perfect and true-to-life! As an older child, I was surprised to find that Tasha Tudor had also illustrated my editions of "The Secret Garden" and "A Little Princess". When, as an adult, I received the book "Tasha Tudor's Garden" as a gift from my mother, I realized that the illustrator lives just as wonderful a life as what she portrays in her illustrations. Now, in "Tasha Tudor's Heirloom Crafts" the reader can find out more about Mrs. Tudor's unique life, a re-creation of the simple and beautiful way of life of the 1800s. There are beautiful photos of Mrs. Tudor carding and weaving and making her own cosmecuticals from the products of her own plants and animals. This is not a how-to book, but a book of inspiration for those of us who love the idea of doing for ourselves and living closer to the land.

Tasha Tudor is a kindred spirit and this book is a treasure, full of photographs and text on her life and loves, from making baskets, to processing wool from her sheep, milk from her goats, or baking with the eggs her hens provide. Candle making, drying flowers, growing and processing flax into linen, making pottery, raising a vegetable, herbs and flower gardens as well as making hand cream and sewing everything from quilts to clothing. I guess one reason I wanted and love this book is it shows that one can in 2002 still savor the arts of the past and provide a lot of what one needs to survive day to day. And being small homesteaders in the Sierras I felt as if I were reading the diary or how to journal of one of my older neighbors. The book is one that I can really identify with. This is a book that anyone who loves making things with their hands will love. And it is a wonderful book for reminding people of what is really important in life.

Wow! I have always been fascinated by the processes of making things by hand and really starting from the ground up. Tasha Tudor lives her entire life this way, starting with flax seeds and ending up three years later with a hand woven, hand sewn linen shirt. Little did I know, at age six, reading The Doll's House, that the illustrator of this lovely children's book was also a kindred spirt. I wish I lived closer to Vermont and could go visit and learn from this amazing wise woman!

I spend hours looking through this book and marveling at Tasha Tudor's 1830's lifestyle. This is truly a book of dreams -- well...my dreams anyway. Travel through the seasons with Tasha as she cards linen to be woven, sews, stitches, spins, weaves, knits, and cooks. The photographs are lovely. You will marvel at Tasha's creations. And you'll end up wanting to see her other books in order to get a further glimpse into her life, her home, and her gardens.This is not a book of crafting instructions or patterns, but it will still be an inspiration to those, like me, who long for a simpler life and who wax nostalgic for the past.