Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book review. Show all posts
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Earth Day Sewing Using Vintage Fabric
Happy Earth Day everyone! One of my favorite ways to be eco-conscious is to use something that's already around or re-use it. I love finding vintage fabrics at yard sales or Goodwill. This fabric came from an amazing estate sale I went to last year where I scored TONS of vintage fabric on the super cheap.
My grandmother just re-did her kitchen, so I decided to make her some potholders from some of that fabric. Boy do I love me some orange!
I used the pattern from One Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Haskins. It's the first project I've done out of this book, and I was pleased that the directions were good, and the writing complete and straightforward. I'm looking forward to making more from this book!
What are you doing for Earth Day?? Remember, Love Your Mother!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Joel Dewberry's Sewn Spaces Yoga Mat Bag - Pattern/Book Review
So, if you follow me on Twitter, you know I've been going to Bikram Yoga classes. I've gone enough that I thought it was time to make myself a bag to carry my mat. Not just for going to class, but also for at home. Instead of being propped up in the corner, I can actually hang my mat up now.
I just happened to be trying to organize my HUGE collection of sewing books and I noticed a pattern for a yoga mat bag in Joel Dewberry's book Sewn Spaces. The pattern looked pretty straightforward, but I liked the use of multiple fabrics, so away I went.
This is pretty much the amount of detail that is shown on any of the projects in the book. It's sub title is "fresh and modern fabric projects for your life and home". Most of projects are home goods with a few other things thrown in. There are cards, a teddy bear, and some great patterns for chair pads and the like.
I chose to use some of my Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush not just because I love the prints, but also because they're darker and I thought they wouldn't get dirty so quickly.
As I started to assemble the bag, I realized pretty quickly that the directions were pretty brief. I learned a long time ago to READ THE WHOLE SET OF DIRECTIONS BEFORE STARTING THE PATTERN. I must have read through pretty quickly, foolishly "ass"uming that it was an "easy" pattern and I didn't need to look too hard. I was mistaken.
For the LIFE of me, I couldn't figure out how to make the drawstring casing so that it wasn't closed shut. The pattern referenced an earlier project in the book to make the drawstring itself, which I also read too quickly. If I had looked more closely, it talked about using buttonholes as an entry/exit point for the drawstring. But to be truthful, after re-reading it multiple times, it still wasn't clear in terms of order of steps to get the buttonhole made, and not sew the layers together. I had to rip it out not once but twice. I'm really glad the bag is for me, because the top is sort of uneven and stretched looking.
I am quite happy with the way the bag came out overall. I love the look, the mat actually fits in the bag the way it looks in the book, and now that I've made it (it took about 3 hours total), I could easily make it again in half the time. The pocket was a little bit tricky, but not too bad. I don't have a button cover maker yet, so I still have that to do, to add a button to the pocket.
Notes about the book and pattern...first and foremost, I LOVE Joel Dewberry's fabrics. I love his color choices, and aesthetic. I love the projects in the book. The choice of projects is great, and the photography is very pleasing. That having been said, you would actually have to read the whole book, or make the projects in order (which I NEVER do) to understand all of the directions easily. The patterns are not written for beginners, I don't think. There are very, very few pictures of how to lay things out or what things look like as you're sewing. That's one thing I really utilize in a lot of patterns I make. The illustrations and drawings. Finally, I think for just a few more sentences, which would easily fit onto the page, the directions would be much more clear.
I also got a gorgeous spring day to take pictures, so I took them all outside. I couldn't take an action shot of myself with the bag. Maybe on Sunday when I go back to class I'll have my husband take a picture of me.
I just happened to be trying to organize my HUGE collection of sewing books and I noticed a pattern for a yoga mat bag in Joel Dewberry's book Sewn Spaces. The pattern looked pretty straightforward, but I liked the use of multiple fabrics, so away I went.
This is pretty much the amount of detail that is shown on any of the projects in the book. It's sub title is "fresh and modern fabric projects for your life and home". Most of projects are home goods with a few other things thrown in. There are cards, a teddy bear, and some great patterns for chair pads and the like.
I chose to use some of my Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush not just because I love the prints, but also because they're darker and I thought they wouldn't get dirty so quickly.
As I started to assemble the bag, I realized pretty quickly that the directions were pretty brief. I learned a long time ago to READ THE WHOLE SET OF DIRECTIONS BEFORE STARTING THE PATTERN. I must have read through pretty quickly, foolishly "ass"uming that it was an "easy" pattern and I didn't need to look too hard. I was mistaken.
For the LIFE of me, I couldn't figure out how to make the drawstring casing so that it wasn't closed shut. The pattern referenced an earlier project in the book to make the drawstring itself, which I also read too quickly. If I had looked more closely, it talked about using buttonholes as an entry/exit point for the drawstring. But to be truthful, after re-reading it multiple times, it still wasn't clear in terms of order of steps to get the buttonhole made, and not sew the layers together. I had to rip it out not once but twice. I'm really glad the bag is for me, because the top is sort of uneven and stretched looking.
I am quite happy with the way the bag came out overall. I love the look, the mat actually fits in the bag the way it looks in the book, and now that I've made it (it took about 3 hours total), I could easily make it again in half the time. The pocket was a little bit tricky, but not too bad. I don't have a button cover maker yet, so I still have that to do, to add a button to the pocket.
Notes about the book and pattern...first and foremost, I LOVE Joel Dewberry's fabrics. I love his color choices, and aesthetic. I love the projects in the book. The choice of projects is great, and the photography is very pleasing. That having been said, you would actually have to read the whole book, or make the projects in order (which I NEVER do) to understand all of the directions easily. The patterns are not written for beginners, I don't think. There are very, very few pictures of how to lay things out or what things look like as you're sewing. That's one thing I really utilize in a lot of patterns I make. The illustrations and drawings. Finally, I think for just a few more sentences, which would easily fit onto the page, the directions would be much more clear.
I also got a gorgeous spring day to take pictures, so I took them all outside. I couldn't take an action shot of myself with the bag. Maybe on Sunday when I go back to class I'll have my husband take a picture of me.
Friday, January 28, 2011
socks appeal - Fun & Funky Friends from Socks - book review
This book has provided literally hours of fun in my house. Both of my kids are "plushy" fiends. Of course they love the traditional stuffed animals, but they are also big Uglydoll fans.
I was given this book at last spring's Quiltmarket by the lovely and gracious Suzanne from Stash Books/C&T. When I saw it, I actually think I gasped out loud, telling her how much my kids would love it and she gave it to me. Needless to say, that only added to my love Quiltmarket.
The book is titled "socks appeal" and is a how-to book for making all kinds (16 different) sock creatures, written by Brenna Maloney. The projects range from very easy, like a snake, to pretty challenging, a mermaid or octopus! Of course, having made sock puppets before, my kids just chose right from the middle.
We decided on the Hamster project and cheerfully went to Target to find some "cool" socks. We found all kinds of socks, for really reasonable prices, so we got a few pair. The best thing about Target is that they usually have holiday themed ones too.
The photos in the book that guide you along the steps to making the creatures are very helpful. They are up close, and show what you actually need to see examples of. I really enjoyed Brenna's conversational writing style. It lent itself well to the overall "fun" feel of the book.
Repeatedly, in many places, she notes that however your creatures come out, it's ok. They are meant to be unique and one of a kind. This is particularly good with children. My kids started talking about their creatures as if they were alive as soon as the eyes were attached.
Unfortunately, I only have pictures of Stinky. He is my son's creation, and the first one we made. Tanner, my daughter's hamster has been loved to the point that he is lost somewhere in the wilds of her room. When he resurfaces, I'll be sure to take a photo of him, too.
(Those piles are over 6' high!)
What I do have, are ACTION shots. Here is Stinky, longingly looking out at all the snow we've gotten...a record 55+" in the month of January alone. You can see his cute blue tail in this photo.
And here he is actually out in the snow. It was a quick trip, but he wanted good photos if he was going to go "public".
My next post will be about my certification on the long arm quilting machine at the local quilt shop. I hope they let me take pictures!
I was given this book at last spring's Quiltmarket by the lovely and gracious Suzanne from Stash Books/C&T. When I saw it, I actually think I gasped out loud, telling her how much my kids would love it and she gave it to me. Needless to say, that only added to my love Quiltmarket.
The book is titled "socks appeal" and is a how-to book for making all kinds (16 different) sock creatures, written by Brenna Maloney. The projects range from very easy, like a snake, to pretty challenging, a mermaid or octopus! Of course, having made sock puppets before, my kids just chose right from the middle.
We decided on the Hamster project and cheerfully went to Target to find some "cool" socks. We found all kinds of socks, for really reasonable prices, so we got a few pair. The best thing about Target is that they usually have holiday themed ones too.
The photos in the book that guide you along the steps to making the creatures are very helpful. They are up close, and show what you actually need to see examples of. I really enjoyed Brenna's conversational writing style. It lent itself well to the overall "fun" feel of the book.
Repeatedly, in many places, she notes that however your creatures come out, it's ok. They are meant to be unique and one of a kind. This is particularly good with children. My kids started talking about their creatures as if they were alive as soon as the eyes were attached.
Unfortunately, I only have pictures of Stinky. He is my son's creation, and the first one we made. Tanner, my daughter's hamster has been loved to the point that he is lost somewhere in the wilds of her room. When he resurfaces, I'll be sure to take a photo of him, too.
(Those piles are over 6' high!)
What I do have, are ACTION shots. Here is Stinky, longingly looking out at all the snow we've gotten...a record 55+" in the month of January alone. You can see his cute blue tail in this photo.
And here he is actually out in the snow. It was a quick trip, but he wanted good photos if he was going to go "public".
My next post will be about my certification on the long arm quilting machine at the local quilt shop. I hope they let me take pictures!
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