Although I would consider myself a ‘crafty’ person, I have been overwhelmed recently with a fabulous influx of handcraft books, from the splendid Sew It Stuff It, to Cath Kidston Sew! and Stitch! and Quilting In No Time…
Although I would consider myself a ‘crafty’ person, I have been overwhelmed recently with a fabulous influx of handcraft books.
The first book we are looking at is the splendid Sew It Stuff It by Rob Merrett. I would like to be all cool about how this book is written by a man – and sort of half ignore that fact, but it is surprising. But Kaffe Fassett, my favourite quilt maker, is a lovely gentleman – so I really shouldn’t be surprised.
This really is an adorable book that has managed to feel both modern in its look and traditional in its approach.
There are patterns and instructions for 25 different soft toys, with different sections such as baby’s first soft toy (we loved Boo a strange little felted blob), though to creature comforts (watch out for Preston the Panda who is just perfect) and dolls of many shapes and sizes.
There are a few classics in there like the his take on the topsy turvy dolls (called Tippi and Tilly) with two dolls connected at their torso, and each is hidden under the long skirt until you tip it upside down and you get the other face and body. There is a good range of toys to make, and even if you were a beginner you would find something to make in this book. In fact one of the things I like about this book is it would grow with you as your confidence to try new projects grew, and there are things to keep the proficient sewer very happy also.
Sew It, Stuff It: Making Children’s Toys is published by Cico Books and is distributed by Southern Publishing Group. It retails for $39.99 and is available now.
We have not one, but two books from the perennial vintage favourite Cath Kidston. There was some talk a few years ago that she had sold her company to Trisha Guild from Designers Guild but that seems to have fizzled. She seems to have gone on in leaps and bounds, and though we can’t get her fabric here any longer there are many of us who buy from her website which now delivers to NZ. I just wait until she goes on sale, as she does twice a year, and buy my things then.
The first thing I loved about Sew! is that she uses her own fabrics all the way through it. The styling is just gorgeous and I have loved just looking at it. The book has 40 simple sewing projects and would be perfect for the beginner. It goes through the basics, from equipment, to seams and edging, ties and handles, even quilting. It shows you how to make simple patterns yourself, and supplies you with templates to help complete your projects.
It also has pattern sheets so you can trace every pattern piece you could need – and finally a wee vintage look paper needle case and needles. I actually had one very like it as a child. There is everything from cushions, to napkins, to aprons, to lavender pillows to be made. I’m afraid I draw the line at a bath hat – but maybe someone, somewhere needs one of those handmade for them?
The second book Stitch! is more of Kidston’s wonderful vintage vision of the world where everything has a traditional feel to it – but with a colour/fabric twist. I have never been one to see the particular beauty in the art of needlepoint and cross-stitch. I think I possibly am not quite patient enough. This book has made me think otherwise. It explains things in a very simple manner, though I would imagine that you would need to be somewhat experienced in the needle arts to have a go at some of the more complicated projects.
The book comes with its own project; a pretty blue fabric purse ready to be finished with the cottons provided. I am in the middle of knitting a cushion at the moment, but when I am finished, I am onto the purse. Again there are wonderful patterns for cushions (my favourite is a red and white polka dot one), a clutch purse, some gorgeous badges, and even a pincushion. Again the styling is perfect and is a lovely homage to the needle arts.
Stitch! Is published by Quadrille, distributed by Southern Publishing Group and retails for $39.99. Sew! is also published by Quadrille, distributed by Southern Publishing Group and retails for $19.99. Both are available now. Also look out for the divine Make! from the same series. I bought it for my daughter last Christmas, and she has loved it. It also comes with its own project of a carry bag.
The last book, Quilting in No Time, has reminded me a lot about my own childhood.
My mother was a ‘crafter’. There were always projects on the go – pottery, macramé, knitting, sewing – but my most defining memories of my mother’s ‘crafting’ are of her quilting. She used to have a quilting circle of friends and they would make quilts, each doing a piece of the whole and then sell the quilt for charity.
I still have the quilt my mother made when I left home. It is in lovely soft pinks and green florals except I demanded that she do the panel around the edge in burgundy. I really don’t know what I was thinking. I still have it and I can’t not see flashes of the fabric jumping out of the linen cupboard at me and not think of my mother. My kids use it now if they are sick and want to cuddle up on the couch. So it is with a different set of eyes that I look at Emma Hardy’s book Quilting In No Time – 50 step-by-step weekend projects made easy.
I have done a bit of quilting in my time – and I have included a picture of a baby girl’s quilt I made recently to prove it!
The misconception is that quilting is difficult – this book disproves that nicely. Some of the projects are a little on the fussy side (who exactly needs a patchwork bordered hand towel?) but the kitchen curtain is simple but pretty, the draught excluder something we could just about all do with, and the child’s bed quilt is about as good as it gets. That particular project can be made in 5 hours according to them – I would probably take a bit longer with the pattern placement – but it is nice to know they are projects that could be completed in a relatively simple space of a weekend.
Quilting in No Time by Emma Hardy is published by Cico, distributed by Southern Publishing Group and retails for $44.99. It is available now.
By Anya Brighouse, 2 June 2011
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