I tend to put a lot of sewing books on my Amazon wish list. Some I get excited about and immediately put in my cart and others I wait until I get a feel for the projects or content that’s in the book. Stitch Savvy: 25 Skill-Building Projects to Take Your Sewing Technique to the Next Level is one of the latter, but I really wish I would have gotten it right away… I just love it! As soon as I started looking at her book tour, I knew this was the title for me – inside are over 25 different project ranging in abilities (beginner to advanced) and ‘styles’ (clothing, bags, quilts, home decor, and children). What got me most excited (and cinched in the purchase for me) was the cute Knit Top, Wherever Jacket, and Beaded Evening Clutch. My book arrived over the weekend and I’ve been pouring over it since! I even started my own version of the knit top (more on that in Friday’s post). What I like most (aside from the projects) is that this book builds on skills – there are ‘warm up projects’ that graduate you to the next level (say a pillow, to window treatment, to a patchwork quilt to a whole cloth quilt).

While I love this title and can see me making several projects from it, I do have a couple of ‘complaints’. Like many first run book, Stitch Savvy does have a few flaws. First off, the sizing information for the clothing is missing. I contacted the author about it – there was supposed to be a section in the back of the book, but it was somehow omitted (she said she is putting up an errata page for the book soon, but for now a ‘M’ runs a RTW size 8). The second thing I noticed was that the notches, registration marks, etc. were omitted from the knit top – I don’t know if this is true from the rest of the projects in the book, but my guess they may be. My final complaint… everything is on CD which means lots of printing and taping pieces together.

When Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing first came out, I was on the fence about buying it – mostly because my style is far from ‘vintage’. However, after reading a few reviews and seeing several garments made from the book, I decided to add it to my ‘wishlist’… Thankfully, Santa delivered!

The first portion of the book is well written, gives good advice on fitting and tailoring, and discusses ‘essential techniques’ (a variety of hand stitches, buttonholes, zippers, and seam finishes), but I found that this book is not quite as ‘couture’ as stated in the title. Yes, there are elements that are considered couture that you may incorporate into your finished garment, but I wouldn’t necessarily compare it to a Chanel jacket. What I liked best about this section of the book (aside from the information) is the relaxed tone of the writing – I feel like I’m in a class versus reading a technical manual… you get the same great information without having to decipher technical lingo.

The best part of these types of books are the patterns inside. Gertie’s book contains 10 different designs, some with variations to each style to create a different look. Although the patterns are considered ‘vintage’, they have a modern feel that I’m even attracted to. I can’t speak as to how they sew up yet, but from glancing at some of the directions, many of the designs should be easy to stitch up. Be prepared, however, the patterns overlap some when tracing -although not as badly as what you might find in a Burda or Ottobre magazine. There are also no line drawings included, just the finished garment on the model, so be prepared to examine each design closely if you rely on the technical drawings to determine if you’re likely to sew something up.

The Bottom Line: A good book to have on the bookshelf, good information and cute patterns, just don’t expect your garment to be ‘true’ couture.

Finally, 5 years after reviewing Stupid Sock Creatures, there is a follow up book! That’s right it’s Return of the Stupid Sock Creatures! Just like the original title, this book is packed with lots of information on selecting your materials, how to sew and stuff your creature, adding dimension to their features (such as stuffed lips, ping-pong eyes, and protruding teeth). However, the best part of this book is the projects… their weirder, stranger, and definitely more awesome than the original! What sets these 19 creatures apart from those that appear in the first book? Details. Although this book could be geared toward any level of sewist, the techniques are definitely a step above the first book – for example the addition of bubbly, painted ping pong eyes, club-like feet (as opposed to tube style legs seen in sock monkeys), and hands with chubby little fingers. If you love to make plush or just have a child who likes one-of-a-kind creatures, then this book is definitely a title you’ll want to have on your bookshelf. As for me – I’m thinking a Snarfle (a ‘dust bunny’ with ping pong style eyes) or Rainbow Dribble (a colorful ‘giant’ with lots of arms and legs) will be in order very soon!

Every few months I’ll spend an evening looking through Amazon’s listing of upcoming books. One that had really intrigued me was a title called Killer Slippers: And How to Make Them – I mean, just check out those awesome tugboats on the cover! Since the author doesn’t have more information about them on Amazon, I did a bit of a Google search and discovered that Killer Slippers is, in fact, a reprint….. and there were several reasonable copies on eBay! I didn’t have to wait until December’s release for my copy! Since my book has arrived and I’ve had a chance to read it, I thought I would give everyone a bit of a review!

First, if you’re shying a way from getting this book because of the thought of having to make your own shoes, relax. Killer Slippers is about recovering purchased slippers not starting from scratch. The beginning section of the book discusses how to make a pattern piece for each style of slipper you may need plus information on how to recover them when the time comes. The rest of the book is devoted to making 15 unique and fun slipper designs: koi fish, circus elephants, giant flies, swans, and cute little cars are just a few of the ways you can keep your feet cozy this winter. The instructions seem pretty straight-forward and the patterns you need to complete the look are included (full size) inside the book. Now I can’t wait to get my hands on some slippers this fall and try my hand at making my own fun looks – now which one should I go for first?

While sewing projects are constantly on my mind, other crafty pursuits are sometimes more difficult to come up with. Even though I browse local craft stores for new products, I’m not always sure what to do with them. Consequently, when I saw that a new book was out called Mod Podge Rocks!: Decoupage Your World , I knew that I had to check it out. I was lucky enough to not just win a copy of the book from Crafty Modern, but lots of extras too – I honestly didn’t know they made so many types of Mod Podge these days! Overall, I found the book to be helpful in knowing what products to use, when. I also liked that there were numerous tips given throughout the projects that help you achieve more professional looking results. , I knew that I had to check it out. I was lucky enough to not just win a copy of the book from Crafty Modern, but lots of extras too – I honestly didn’t know they made so many types of Mod Podge these days! Overall, I found the book to be helpful in knowing what products to use, when. I also liked that there were numerous tips given throughout the projects that help you achieve more professional looking results. However, I think that a lot of the projects fall flat of ‘impressive’. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen similar items on Pinterest, blogs, etc. for so long that a lot of them didn’t seem novel (my only exception is the jewelry made from Dimensional Magic – a product that seems to produce a resin like finish). That’s not to say I won’t give any of them a whirl – in fact I’m definitely going to try my hand a a few of them and get my feet wet in the world of Mod Podge, but I’m more likely to try out my new found knowledge in recreating some of the inspired projects in the gallery section of the book now that I know what I’m doing!

It seems as if reproducing famous garments is a ‘hot topic’ this year. Not only have we see Famous Frocks, but now we have Sew Iconic. I bought this book recently and was very excited to see what was inside because let’s face it, we all want to be Audrey Hepburn or Marylin Monroe sometime in our lives! Inside are 10 “Iconic Dresses” including Marilyn’s “Seven Year Itch” dress, Audrey Hepburn’s “Breakfast at Tiffanys” feathered frock, Grace Kelly’s goddess gown, and even the famous “Titanic” dress. While the book does a better job representing the final version of the costume than what Famous Frocks did (they were more of a modern take on the dress), it still falls flat when it comes to making it look exactly like the original…. and I’m not being picky when I say that. A great example is Grace Kelly’s dress from “To Catch a Thief”, while it is a great representation of the dress, it lacks the fitting and beautiful draping or the original (the same really goes for the ‘green “Atonement” dress’ – that gaping under the arm just makes me cringe). That is not to say there aren’t some very close knock-offs – I especially liked the Marilyn, Rita Hayworth, Julia Roberts (in “Pretty Woman”), and the Titanic dress (if it was in a different fabric).

As for the patterns, everything is included in the book – full-full sized, even! The only drawback is that they are laid out like a Burda magazine so it looks like a road map when you open it up to trace them. The instructions seem to be well written and laid out so that even a beginner can follow them (although I would suggest starting with some of the less complicated designs first). My favorite part?: I love that there is background information included with each dress and a ‘how to work it’ section once your dress is completed.

The Bottom Line: If you are not looking for an exact replica of your favorite Iconic Dresses and you are willing to make a muslin to properly fit your look, then I highly recommend this book. It has some great looks, perfect for a costume or theme party – and everyone will definitely know who you are even if it’s not totally like the original.

I was a huge fan of Lisa Lam’s The Bag Making Bible – I truly thought it was the best bag making books on the market. So when I heard that she had a second book in the works, I immediately put it on my wish list. A Bag for All Reasons
finally arrived and I couldn’t be more excited! Once again the bags inside the cover are all fabulous – definitely something that I can’t wait to make. New to bag making and missed her first book? That’s ok too! There’s a section of a book that will help get you started (fabric prep, equipment, etc.) as well as techniques described (with lots of photos) to help you along the way. The best part, of course, are the 12 projects. All have full-sized patterns inside the spiral bound book and are so diverse there’s definitely ‘something for everyone’: iPad Cases, toddler backpacks, baby bags, school bags, laundry and bike bags, wallets and vanity cases just to name a few. Even though I haven’t made a project yet, from what I’ve read the instructions are clear and have lots of illustrations (and in come cases photos) to help you through the steps so no matter what your skill level, you should come out with a fabulous looking project in the end.

The Bottom Line: Another fabulous bag making book that is a must have for your book shelf. With two successful books under her belt, I’m hoping that Lisa puts out a third – because one can never have too many purses in their possession!

I’m torn. I really want to like Happy Home: Twenty Sewing and Craft Projects to Pretty Up Your Home – it’s beautiful to look at, the fabrics are vibrant and are beautifully photographed, but once I looked past all this, I realized, a majority of the projects in this book really aren’t my style. While I love decorations, I can never see myself making giant Pom Pom Party Poofs & Garland, vintage banners, baskets covered in faux flowers, or hanging a canopy over my bed. The rest of the projects may be something I might contemplate making as a gift, but a bulk of them are not so unusual that you couldn’t find a free tutorial somewhere on the internet.

With that said, I think I’m ‘shelving’ this one. I may pull it out in a pinch, but I can’t see myself using this as a ‘go-to’ book for future projects. I’m not giving up on Jennifer Paganelli – I love her patterns (in fact, I’m seriously considering making the Lucy Halter), but I think I’ll hold out on a book just for women (dresses, bags, etc.).

I’ve had my eye on Famous Frocks: Patterns and Instructions for Recreating Fabulous Iconic Dresses–10 Patterns for 20 Dresses in All! for quite some time, but never wound up buying it because of some mixed reviews it received when it was first released. While out shopping this weekend, I stumbled across this book, thumbed through it and immediately decided to buy it (with a coupon, of course) – how’s that for impulse shopping? I can understand reviewers had some negative things to say about this title, but overall, I have to say, I like the book. The first thing I should point out is that the title is very misleading. In general, you will not be recreating iconic dresses, but rather, you’re creating garments that are inspired by iconic dresses. This has to be very disappointing for someone buying this book (especially sight unseen) who is thinking that they’ll finally have the perfect Breakfast at Tiffany’s style dress by the end of the week. Secondly, there really aren’t 20 different styles in this book, more like 10 with a variation of each design (I found that a majority of them had minor changes so they really didn’t look that much different from the original drawing). Lastly, there is the sizing – it appears to run very small (the largest size is a 37-30.5-40.5) which means that if you’re plus size or very busty you’ll need to make a lot of modifications to make these patterns work.

Even with all the negatives, why do I still like this book? There are some really cute designs in between it’s pages – I’m not one for vintage sewing so these modern takes on an icon dress is right up my alley. And while these dresses aren’t a replica of what the stars are known for, I can definitely see what the frock was inspired by. Still looking for a replica dress book? Another title coming out this summer called Sew Iconic promises to deliver dress designs worn by Marylin Monroe, Grace Kelly, Kate Winslet and more.