Regarding "HERE BE WYVERNS" and "HERE BE DROLLERIES"
"Huzzah! A pattern book that all good loom workers, square stitchers, bead embroiderers, or canvas stitchers need to have on their shelves! Jean Campbell, Interweave
"There is a tremendous richness in medieval art which has been waiting for a book like this ["Here Be Wyverns"]. … What I love about the designs is how much charm and character can be put into a small design. A chart of an owl shows him caught wide-eyed, probably blinking in the sunlight. A dragon is holding a baby in her mouth. … Spies is noted for her authoritative research on medieval tablet weaving. While this book is not scholarly, it is a wonderful resource of designs for embroiderers of all kinds to adapt to their own work." Janet M. Perry, "Nuts About Needlepoint"
"I have a copy of your book, "Here Be Wyverns", which is quite the most wonderful pattern book I have ever found. Your patterns are easy to use and wonderful for making up traditional and historical samplers." Jan Clausen
"Every time you plan a sweater, you will find fun inspiration in this book! Nancy has packed this book full of hundreds of patterns that can be used to create borders, overall designs, and embellishment for any knitting project! Kelley Petkun, Knit Picks
"One of my favorite aspects of Spies' [pattern] books is her commentaries on the charts. Every chart has a note of its source and the pages are ornamented with relevant quotes from medieval documents." Janet Perry
And on Nancy Spies' cross-stitch leaflets
Click here to see "Arelate Studio: Medieval Reflections," an article from the July/August 2008 issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.
I love your designs. They are whimsical and clever while retaining a real mediaeval feel. Kathryn Bennet
I think what you've done is just exceptional! I admire you for carrying your interest to a higher level. Your designs are wonderful. Judy Milde
"Your designs are so unique and lovely!" Marty Cox, Danish Needlework
"All charts received and, as my British friend would say, 'I am totally chuffed'. Wow, they are gorgeous! My husband actually loved each of them (how significant is that?)." Barbara Mates, Sylvia's Closet
"Love your designs! Keep them coming." Becca Lipnick
"Your charts are some of the most interesting and fun to stitch of any I have in my shop. I always look forward to your new ones." Carol Nelson, DoubleCross
"Your designs are really awesome! I love so many of them." Rebecca Hogren
Thank you for doing what you do, you really make life exciting! It would be so boring if we didn't have wonderful, exciting patterns like these to be able to stitch. It makes life worth living! You are fantastic!" Debi Coyle
Regarding "Ecclesiastical Pomp and Aristocratic Circumstance"
"I hope this astonishing bringing together of so much disparate information and its intelligent interpretation, organization, and presentation will stimulate interest in both academic and hand weaving circles. It certainly should." Peter Collingwood
"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! YES, it's worth buying! It has documentation, pictures of the Real Thing, sketches of the Real Thing in some cases, instructions on how to do the different types of tablet weaving, and tons of patterns of medieval tabletwoven bands. If I had to toss all my weaving books and only keep one, this is the one I would keep." Mary Jenkins (known as Mistress Ealasaid nic Suibhne in the Society for Creative Anachronism)
"This book is far more interesting than the title would suggest. … The brocaded tabletwoven bands, many with charming patterns, which Nancy Spies discusses and analyses are at the upper end of what must have been a substantial market. She has been indefatigable in searching out and studying as many surviving European examples as possible, dating from the 6th to the 16th century. Linda Woolley, Textile Department, Victoria & Albert Museum
