MY SUMMER holiday in Barcelona revealed some of the potential for brightly patterned stonework.

However, it was research by Lancaster writer Maggy Howarth that made me realise the full diversity of mosaics across the globe.

Italian, Turkish, Chinese and Greek designs fill 250 pages of this pebbled bible with hundreds of examples of knotwork, and interlacing patterns.

Step-by-step instructions guide the reader through the making process, explaining how to draft designs on a computer, how to grout them, which materials to consider and even how to clean finished mosaics.

This beautiful book, out on March 3, is a pleasure to peruse and would be a great present for any craft lover.

COMPLETE PEBBLE MOSAIC HANDBOOK: Maggy Howarth, Frances Lincoln, £25.