The Fabrics of Fairytale: Stories Spun from Far and Wide

This has to be one of the prettiest books I've ever seen! I borrowed this from the local library and it's now on my wish list to buy for my daughter when she has the dexterity to learn to weave.

This book comes from a small publisher and may be easily overlooked, but it shouldn't be. Batt has gathered several folktales from around the world with the theme of fabric and/or weaving. Griffin has done a marvelous job of using fabrics to illustrate the tales while reflecting the culture of each. This is a charming book with new tales and illustrations to share with children and adults alike. The fabrics are all vibrantly colored, making the illustrations a feast for the eyes. I kept finding new details every time I looked at a page. Each story is prefaced with an introduction about the fabric which will appear in the story. This would make a perfect gift for people interested in folklore or in weaving.Here is also a brief description from the publisher:"The weaving of words and the weaving of fabrics come together in this exceptional gift book, which combines the talents of professional storyteller Tanya Batt and textile artist Rachel Griffin. The history and passage around the world of each of the fabrics, from wool to batik, from flax to silk, is fascinatingly described, and the fabrics themselves then become the central characters of stories from areas as diverse as Scandinavia, Hawaii, Indonesia, and East Africa."