Saturday 8 February 2014

Book Review - Me & My Sewing Adventure: An Intermediate Guide

One things that I've always wanted to do on my blog is a regular series of craft books.  I am a craft book addict.  And I'm proud of it!  The lovely people at C&T Publishing let me loose on some of their new and upcoming titles and so I'm going to share them with you.  

First up, we have Me & My Sewing Adventure: An Intermediate Guide by Kate Haxell .


(image source - Amazon)


This book is 130 pages long and is a reference book rather than a project book, though it does feature some projects too.  It's a follow on from Kate's first book - Me and My Sewing Machine: a beginner’s guide, and introduces more intermediate sewing techniques.  This book does assume some basic sewing ability.

The reference section is extremely comprehensive.  There are chapters on the following subjects:

My Sewing Machines - choosing a vintage machine (should you wish to), presser feet, useful accessories
Before you Stitch - storing fabrics, marking and cutting out, hand sewing needles, how to use patterns, basting, pressing, basic hand stitches
Seams to Sew - all about different seams, the usual suspects plus some new to me such as an lace appliqué seam
Hems to Turn Up - all about hems, from handstitched to curved and bound to lace edged
Fastenings to Do Up - making your own buttons and button holes, zips, snaps, hooks and eyes, loops
Embellishments to Add - trims, piping, beading, machine and hand embroidery
Piping, Pleating, Patchwork - yoyos, ruffles, tucks, hexies, crazy piecing, trapunto, tied quilting

After this there are some things to make - 6 projects including a table runner, zip purse and yo-you embellished scarf.  The projects are all step by step and within the projects, you are given the relevant page numbers in the book to refer to in order to help you with a particular spec.  I really like the zip purse, it's a lovely curved shaped.  

The projects are fairly basic, but this book is aimed at improving beginners, to whom I think it's perfectly targeted.  If you're new to sewing, this would be a good book to have in your library.  Having said that, there are some techniques in here that I haven't tried - I must have a go at trapunto quilting.

Want to buy it?  Click the link:

(affiliate link - if you do click over and buy something, I'll get a few pence towards an Amazon voucher).

Disclaimer:  I was given a review copy of the book by C&T Publishing however this review and all opinions are 100% my own, I was not told what to say.


4 comments:

Celtic Thistle said...

Trapunto quilting is on my to-do list too!

Would never have guessed that you were a craft book addict, you have been keeping that well hidden (not!) :)

JoJo said...

I have quite a few craft books myself! I love paging through them but then my brain gets overloaded with all of the projects I want/need to do!!!

pennydog said...

About time there was an intermediate book, they're almost always for very specific advanced niches such as pattern drafting or for absolute beginners! I hope there is an Advanced one next.

Lorna McMahon said...

What a great review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!