Tasha Tudor's Heirloom Crafts

by Tovah Martin (Photographer), Richard W. Brown (Photographer)

Takes an illustrated look inside the cottage of the beloved children's book illustrator Tasha Tudor, as she uses traditional tools and techniques to make a variety of nineteenth-century items, including candles, baskets, soap, cheese, and marionettes. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Crafts, Art, Biography, Gardening, Reference, Coffee Table Books

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 16, 1995

Reviews

[Melinda]

I'm on a Tasha Tudor kick these days. This book is a treasure trove of the MANY artisan level skills that Tasha Tudor cultivated and learned over her lifetime. (Tasha herself hated the word "crafts" for anything that she did. I would have to agree. No one says of Norman Rockwell, "oh, he painted such lovely crafts", or of J.S. Bach that he composed lovely little "craft" songs. No, Tasha creates art! And that art is often edible or wearable or can be played with! She is a true artist.)

The book contains many pictures of Tasha quilting, lace making, making soap and candles, weaving baskets, dyeing wool and weaving it into fabrics. Her garden is just so beautiful. I especially loved the close up pictures of the doll house! I have read about the dolls, their Christmas Eve tradition, and how Tasha made clothes for all of them.... but to see them in their beautiful tiny home is almost worth the book for me.

I recommend this book. It is an encouragement to me that these kinds of things ARE indeed worth doing, and doing well.

[Jasmine Shadows]

How I wish that I could have met Tasha Tudor. I have enjoyed immensely learning about this wonderful woman that enjoyed life, created things of beauty and did so the way of her ancestors. I have enjoyed everything I have read about her life. I certainly enjoyed all of her illustrations for the children's books. What a delightful person.

[Lynn]

I'm in awe of Tasha Tudor she is a woman of so many talents I wish I could have sat with her and had a cup of tea !

[Laura]

You have to love a tiny, 80 year old free-thinking woman who is fiercely independent and makes her own soap, beeswax candles, baskets from trees on her property, weaves her own blankets using wool she dyed and flax she grew, knitwear, quilts, clothing, marionettes, toys for her grandchildren, and cider using techniques from the 1830s.

[Kelli]

Inspiration beyond inspiration. This is who I want to be when I grow up. I never want to stop learning.

[Gina House]

Glorious! This is another incredibly cozy, interesting and lovely book about Tasha Tudor to bring happiness to the soul! I savored every single page and photograph in this book over the past week. I could have finished it a lot sooner, but I loved having another chapter to look forward to after a long and tiring day. If ever I feel out of sorts and things don't feel right with the world, a book about Tasha Tudor (or a book written by Gladys Taber) can truly rejuvenate my spirit.

I'm also a crafter and creator in my life, so everything that Tasha was interested in is interesting to me. I haven't done any weaving or sculpting, but I have many hours of experience with knitting, crocheting, painting, sewing and making dolls. Everything about this book brought a spark of light into my heart, as well as into my mind.

The perfect book to settle into during the autumn season and, even better, followed up with Forever Christmas with Tasha Tudor. Absolutely loved this book!

[Rebekah]

It was a nice read, but I was hoping to maybe learn something else--more about how Tudor did all of these crafts (read: how can I learn to do it, too?) or maybe more about Tudor herself. The book gives tantalizing glimpses to who Tudor was, and what Tudor did with her life, but maybe what I was (wrongly) hoping to get out of this book was a better idea of how I can grow up to be Tasha Tudor. In a few places the author repeated themselves, so a keener editor would have been useful, and I think, too, that more documentation and a better sense of their audience would be useful (is this an adult book? Or for kids? It wanted to straddle the line and say BOTH! but I don't think this book could manage that careful line the way it wanted).

[T Crockett]

Fabulous photos and an intriguing peek into the artist/illustrator's chosen 1830s lifestyle. There were many times where I wished the author had more fully explained the background behind a comment. It felt a lot like being on a house tour with a guide who is worried about keeping on schedule, no time for explanation.

There's also a weird voyeuristic feel to the book. The author is Ms. Tudor's friend and clearly has her permission to write the book, but we never hear from her. It feels a bit like we're watching a documentary of Ms. Tudor going about her business and there's a narrator providing commentary.

[Becca Weaver]

There wasn't a moment during this read that I didn't feel as though I was sitting somewhere in Tasha's home and experiencing the wonders described here. While there wasn't much in the way of explaining these heirloom craft, the book never claimed to be a tutorial. It was a nice way to spend a few hours at the library.

[Laura Urban]

Tasha Tudors had a multitude of skills and knowledge and she was the definition of industrious. It sometimes makes me sad to think about all the skills that have been forgotten over time. I am glad to know there are people who have retained some of these old ways of creating and hopefully are passing them down to the next generation.

[Melody Schwarting]

A patiently beautiful balm of handicrafts. Tasha's way of life was rooted in her home. She made so much of what she needed. I am so grateful that we have a detailed record of her lifestyle with artistically informational photographs.

[Talea]

What an amazing woman! I am in awe at how much she manages to create and do. I love her garden and her abilities. She is remarkable.

[Juli Anna]

Nothing of substance here, but Tudor's fans will find much to gawk over here.

[Francesca]

Such an incredible read and look into the life that Tasha Tudor led!

[Librarian D.o.a.]

Tovah Martin presents a lyrical tour of author and artist Tasha Tudors home, and all of the crafts based on daily life from the 1830s that Tudor works and weaves.

[Rebecca van den Ham]

Really enjoyed this look into how things are done the old-fashioned way.
Just wish there were more pictures of the dolls and the dollhouse!

[Deborah]

I have always been drawn to Tasha Tudor's art and lifestyle for their beauty and simplicity, so this is why I chose to read this book. It allows one to step into her life with all the richness of our heritage for a little while. I soon realized that her life was anything but simple! From planting and growing her own flax, harvesting and preparing it, spinning it and dying it, weaving it into linen cloth, cutting it out and sewing a shirt...the whole process took almost two years! And yet her patience and joy with the project, from start to finish, is a lesson I really appreciate, in this modern era of instant everything. Slowing down enough to sink into this charming book was medicine for my soul.

[Susan]

I felt liberated and inspired by the diverse traditional arts and crafts in Tasha's beautiful book. Life seemed to be her muse. Tasha recognized and infused everyday matters of home and hearth with simple beauty and grace. For me I never loved to simply sew, or spin, or make candles, or grow a garden, or paint, or make soap, or can food, or raise goats, and rabbits--I love it all.

[Jeehye]

겨울의 황량함에서 벗어나고 힐링하고 싶은 마음으로 선택한 책 (따뜻한 이국으로 가고프지만~).

어린이 동화작가로 잘 알려진 Tasha Tudor는 4-50대에 비정상회담의 타일러 고향인 Vermont에 둥지를 틀고 자급자족을 하면서 자연과 더불어 사는 생활을 담은 포토 에세이집으로 이 책은 “공예편”이다.

음식에서 옷까지 모든 것을 손수 만드는데 부지런함이 몸에 베지 않고서는 도저히 할 수 없겠던데~ 살림을 하는게 지겹다고 생각하는 나도 살짝 반성이 들더라. 무엇을 하든 정성스럽고 그렇지만 담담하게 수용하는 마음이 생기길 바래본다

[Julianne]

I find it interesting that Tasha Tudor dislikes the word ‘crafts’:

“Well then, how shall we describe the things you do?”

“Call them anything you like, but not crafts.”

What is a good synonym for ‘crafts,’ a title-worthy synonym? ‘Handiwork’ comes close, but doesn’t quite fit…

[Manders]

I love this book. Takes me to another era where i can relate to all the things my grandma knew about. Favorite page: 92 with sploogie squirrel. Made those cookies for xmas and the hubby laughed until new year. Second favorite page: 68 with Tasha using the great wheel to spin yarn.

[Mary]

I love this book, sprinkled with kernals of wisdom and gorgeous pictures, it's worth re-reading again and again. Comfort food book, almost as good as chocolate.

[Meltha]

A little confusing, as this isn't a craft book but a book on the late Tudor's lifestyle, but it's still great fun to page through on a cold night in front of a roaring fireplace.

[Sue Maxwell]

Anything more charming that Tasha Tudor- have all of her books and used to have a Christmas callendar she made. Love her.

[Xoffelokin]

Um, can I be Tasha Tudor when I grow up? This woman inspires me so much.

[Callista]

I absolutely love Tasha Tudor. This was a beautiful book highlighting all of the amazing things she did. Very inspiring.

[Autumn]

I ❤️❤️❤️ Tasha Tudor. This book is absolutely beautifully illustrated! I enjoy reading these types of biographies- short and visual. I can’t wait to get a hold of other Tasha Tudor books like this!