This is THE book I recommend to my graduate fibers students. The ideas presented are both stimulating and timeless. All of the photos provide a jump point for individual exploration on a theme or concept. The range of presentation never fails to stimulate the most jaded of minds.

This book is very dated with mostly black & white photographs and some colour shots that show 60's interiors. It is a technical manual which is of little use in planning an interior in the 21st Century. I would not recommend this book as it is also poor quality paper and considerably overpriced.

Jack Lenor Larsen's name should be widely known and respected throughout the textile arts community. He was originally a hand weaver trained at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. He saw the commercial and aesthetic potential of ethic handwoven fabrics from India, Africa, etc. He designed exquisitely beautiful and original fabrics, some of which were based on traditional folk weaves, hired others to produce them by hand and marketed them to the architecture and design community. That was the start of the Larsen empire. His fabrics today are still uniquely original--he produces fabrics from wire, plastics, synthetics and natural fibers, and the construction of the fabric is always a surprise. Because of his originality and the depth of his understanding of textiles, he is especially well suited to creating a book of this type. There is nothing about textiles that Larsen doesn't know! I have used this book as a text in a Textiles class (in an Interior Design department). It is better organized and more clearly presented than any other textile book I know. It's easy for students to understand the construction of different weaves; the text is clear and the illustrations (both photo and line drawings) are excellent. Larsen has also targeted just the right information (including a chapter on professional practices) and just the right AMOUNT of information, for students of design, architecture and textiles. This is not a book for handweavers to learn from--it is intended for the interior design student--but even long-time weavers will have a better understanding of their craft after reading this book. I recommend it without hesitation.

Save your money! I bought this book based on it's one good review and was horribly disappointed with the work shown in it. Downright bad stuff from the 'dogs playing poker' school of artists. I saw only one or two works in the entire book that were remotely inspirational. They should have called this book "World's Worst Fiberarts Designs".

A truly outstanding overview of the diverse world of Fiber Art. From traditional loomwork, to cutting edge computer generated imagery on fabric and everything in between, see the latest work from outstanding artists in the field. Beadwork, quilting, fabric collage, embriodery, millinary and more are represented in an easily accessed format. As an artist, I find this a valuable reference book.