Celtic Design: Knotwork - The Secret Method of the Scribes

This book is one of the three books to be found in Aidan's combined trilogy "The Celtic Design Book (Celtic Design)" which sells for the same amount. Having that book already I was concerned that might be the case before I bought this one, but was not able to verify one way or the other online, so hence my warning here. The one advantage of this book on its own is that its more manageable than the other which is easily three times as thick. I gave it five stars as it is a good as others have said.

My review for this book is the same as for the Beginner's Manual from the same author. I guess I expected more instruction. There are fabulous examples of historical knotwork, but very little instruction on how to create your own. I suppose copying is the way to teach yourself this style of art.

A good research book for making your own needlework patterns.

Will recommend to all my students

use it all the time

Very nice.. Designs are beautiful

Fascinating read.

Good book

I want to love this book, I really do, because I’m utterly fascinated by celtic designs, & would dearly love to replicate them & create some of my own.The end results featured in this book look really pleasing & achievable, but it’s how you get there that’s the problem for me. The book is littered with mathematical elements which turned me right off.As soon as algebra reared its ugly head, my heart sank. I was immediately transported right back to high school & to the worst day of the school week, Friday, where some sadist decided it would be a jolly good wheeze to make double maths the last two lessons of the day. Urgh.I remember those days of cursing in exasperation thinking repeatedly “WHY do we even have to learn this drivel? WHEN am I EVER going to need to use this mind-numbing rubbish?”I’ll tell you when. When you’re trying to decipher this book, that’s when. It’s not just algebra either, as you can see from my pics. My maths-phobic brain completely zoned out & shut down whilst scanning the pages of this book, I don’t want to do maths, I just want to make something pleasant to look at, I’m a creative, not a mathematician.I’m afraid that element just sucked the joy right out of this book for me, I’ll bet the concepts are quite easy to wrap your head around once you get the hang of them, but I don’t feel motivated to do so, it just seems too much of a mental slog to me.So, in conclusion, lovely designs, but too much of a faff to work out how to replicate them for yourself.

I have been needing to buy this book for some considerable time: anyone interested in Celtic knots and their construction, would do well to acquire a copy. It contains very clear instructions on how to create your own, original knot work. Or you could use the examples as a starting point for more traditional designs. An unmissable component of a crafter's library!

I am taking up whittling or small size wood carving as a hobby and needed a source of celtic drawings as an inspiration aid when making Welsh Love Spoons. This well printed book gives full details on how to develop all shapes used in celtic writings so I will be able to produce my own drawings to suit the project that I have in hand. It arrived within the time estimated, was well packed and exactly as advertised, will use this seller again.

this book is completely in black and white.it lists knots and the skeleton.it also lists how to construct a panel.but it does not teach you how to come up with an idea and work it through.you have to already know what you want.i am not mathematical and my head spins a bit. but then knot work does that anyway.it has a very rich array of knots.i will be content following those knots and the book does tell you how to construct the knot so it is not just tracing without understanding.worthwhile book to keep.

The book is extremely descriptive, but I found it a little confusing as I was hoping it would illustrate how Celtic knotwork could be achieved easily. Although many may find this an illuminating and helpful volume, I was a little lost, but I still can appreciate the wealth of information within its pages. For anyone interested in this area and already perhaps practising some knotwork, I think this would probably be of value.