DESIGNS FOR NEEDLE-POINT AND LATCH HOOK RUGS

Another volume of Oriental designs for handmade rugs, a bit shy of the matchless elegance of the Maggie Lane collections but quite attractive nonetheless. Sizes and levels of difficulty vary: from dollhouse miniature to five-by-nine-foot wonder, and from nice-and-easy anything-goes to exceedingly ambitious--the 17th-century Isfahan copy is a classy balance of bold patterns and compatible colors. Also special: two rugs Kaestner's mother made of leftover discontinued yarn--simple but decorative block line-ups that show a lovely color sense. Other sources include the Metropolitan and Victoria and Albert Museums, Liberty's of London, and several books on traditional Oriental rugs. The instructions feature standard information, and most designs appear with Persian wool numbers and ounces indicated. Kaestner, who developed Four Way Bargello, has prepared another pleasing assemblage.