Winner!

Sorry I am behind with this, and sorry I haven't managed to do a video of the girls picking a winner, I have had to rely upon random.org to do the do.
Without further ado, the winner is:

Congratulations to the lovely Gill who said "I'd like to see more craft books aimed at the intermediate sewer! the novice and the advanced seem far better catered for!" 

Everyone had very good suggestions and wish lists for what sort of book they would like, so I thought I would make some suggestions.

Sparrow Primitives, Gill, Peach Rainbow, Paula,  Quilary and Pippirose all wanted books that showed you how to alter patterns and draft your own patterns.

Buy the book

I think this is a good book to start with. I have found it is easier to adapt patterns before making your own, and this book seems like the perfect way to start learning.
If like me and Vintage mum you are wanting to make plus size clothing, alteration is key! It is so much easier than you think, start with something simple and in no time you will have the whole spectrum of patterns open to you!

However if like Gill you have already reached this stage maybe its time for this book:

Buy the book 

This book covers measurement and block patterns, circular patterns, simple pattern designing, yokes, dart manipulation, sleeves, collars and necklines, skirts, and the one–piece dress foundation.

I would think that this is a great book for intimidate sewers, a chance to really test your skills and advance them further, so perfect for you too Peach!

There is also an excellent collection of books by Wendy Mullin on making your own clothes that is very easy to follow such as:

Buy the book

Jennifer said "The craft book I would like to see published (but may already exist) is one on sewing knits with a "normal" machine. I'm assuming it can be done with a regular machine. The book needs to be picture heavy with explanations following each picture" 

Buy the book

This title features sewing techniques for "knits" - off-the-shelf knitted fabrics of all types. It includes materials popular with fashion designers, such as: slinky knits; lycra/spandex blended with natural fibres; and matte rayon jersey.

Jay@Finki, Taulahblue and Aliza all wanted a book about techniques.
The best book I have found for techniques, which I revert back to all the time is:

Buy the book

Traci I found the following book for you:

Sew Wonderful Silk: The Guide to Gourmet Sewing With Silk and Silk-Like Fabrics

Faith Hope Cherrytrea wanted a good bag book, please visit my review on books for bags here!

Jane @Groovy Pumpkin was after some felt goodness, in a small size, so I recommend:

Buy the book

Lovely Emma wanted a book for sewing for boys and men, something that is short supply, but I did find these:

Buy the book

Buy the book

Buy the book

and last, but not least Womble and Wonky Owl both wanted something with a retro twist, so we have:

Buy the book

I hope this covers all of your needs!
The boy section is vague for sure, definitively a market there!
Diannaessie wanted a book on fabric printing, but I give you the wonderful Spoonflower!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and to the wonderful team at D&C Publishing for generously giving a copy of the sewing bible to our winner Gill.

Bonnie
:)

PS if you missed out, then Little Miss Shabby is having a super giveaway too!

 

The Sewing Bible

The sewing Bible by Wendy Gardiner is one of those books that everyone who sews needs.
It is a great resource of all the techniques you wanted to know, but felt silly asking.

Lets be straight, its not the only book you can buy that offers this sort of advice, but in my opinion it is more inspiring than you basic how to manuals.

This is because each skill is shown in terms of its practical use and it is explained in a way that actually works.

You know you look at some instructions and you have to turn the page 45° and then back again, and then have a quick look on the net for clearer answers before walking away and having a cry?

Well there's none of that non sense here!
It's like being guided by your favourite aunt, all that's missing is the tea and cake, but you get my drift.

Throughout the book there are photos of outfits you can buy as patterns and sew using the techniques inside, so you can apply the theory to the practical, using the same pattern.

This is the only downside. 

I wanted to make up something, I was inspired, but the book didn't include any patterns, just pictures of them.
It has links to the patterns, it has a resource page, in fact it has a great resource page, but I would have liked a pattern or at least a discount to a pattern. 

The glossary section is also very good, combining trouble shooting tips, types of fabric, terms, stitches, blimey! loads of stuff, its like the blaggers guide to sewing! 

You could stand your own at the WI if you only memorized the glossary!

The other nice thing was the clothing explanations, the top ten dress styles was particularly useful, explaining ten types of dresses, the best types of fabric to use to get the best results and the level of skill needed for each.

Wendy does this for jackets, Trousers, skirts, tops and blouses.

There were times when I felt that it was a branding exercise, apart from the usual Janome machine, which all sewing technique books seem to have,  there were lots of pictures of well know makes, blurred but obvious and that was a bit annoying, but then if I didn't know who made the best scissors, or the best thread I would be grateful for the tip off, so I am probably just being a bit anal, but I still think if the brands get a good deal, then you, the reader should get one too.

On that point, I contacted the publishers David & Charles and asked for a copy to review and giveaway, and they were nice enough to say yes!

I am going to match this niceness and I am going to add one of the patterns to the giveaway, this lovely dress:

New Look 6799

I found this image on a great site called Pattern Review.com

So, what do you do to enter? Well its simple:

1. Follow this Blog & leave a comment to let me know

2.Within that comment, tell me what sort of craft book you would like to see published

That's it, easy peasy lemon squeezy!

If you already follow hooray and thank you! Of course you can enter :)
Also, this is open worldwide, so don't be shy now!

I will keep this giveaway open until Fireworks night, November 5th

Good luck!

Bonnie

:)

Thinking of Printing?

I, like Farnell and many more of you have been wanting to step into the world of home printing.
I would like to produce some fabric and so I have been looking at books to help me.
I am so pleased with my finds that I thought you might be interested to know what I have learnt.

The first book I bought is Printing by hand by Lena Corwin

This beautiful spiral bound book is a pleasure to read.

The instructions are easy to follow and the projects are inspiring.
Lena starts by covering equipment needs and the types of surfaces you can print on and with what medium.

There are then four other chapters covering stamping, stenciling and screen printing, which each chapter having future dedicated sections of stunning projects for you to hone your skills in each medium.
The other thing that makes this book great is that Lena has included all the patterns for each of the 18 projects found inside.

Printing by hand costs £7.50 from Amazon, worth every penny.

The second book I am recommending is Handmade Prints by Anne Desmet & Jim Anderson

This a very detailed book, which is pretty hard to find in the UK and covers every possible way you could print by hand, such as by effective, inexpensive printing blocks, glue printing & collagraphs and body printing!

They offer the reader cheap solutions fro making equipment at home, such as how to build your own screen printing press.

There is even a list of suppliers and a great glossary of terms, techniques & materials.
I can't recommend this book enough, and I know that it will be a constant guide as I begin my experiments in printing.

I have also added a collection of other printing books to look out for on the widget below, prehaps you have a book you would like to recommend? If so, add it to my comments.

Thanks,

Bonnie

:)

Books for bags

I have almost as much of a fetish for books as I do for fabric and this week I have been slightly naughty and bought several really nice ones.
The First book by Lexie Barnes is Sew What Bags, 18 pattern free projects you can customize to fit your needs.
This book is really great. It shows you lots of techniques and tricks to make sewing simple bags a doddle, without lots of scary jargon or expensive bits and bobs.
The messenger bag is one design that I have seen often made for sale, and selling well on folksy.
If you have small children there is a lovely pattern for a simple backpack for their P.E kits.
This book is great for bag beginners.

The next three books are great sources for inspiration and historical information about the bag.
Bag - A lexicon of Style by Valerie Steele and Laird Borrelli is a fairly in-depth look at the practical side of the handbag.
They explain the origins of the bag and how the changes to design has been influenced by women roles within society and the independence and privacy that a good handbag gave our sisters in the past.

Over time the humble bag has become a common symbol to define status and luxury.
Obtaining this season's it bags has become a battle and waiting lists for some back can be up to a year, maybe more!

In some instances the expense and logo of a bag has become so obscene that even the designers have seen fit to mock their own work such as the  "Quelle Idole" from Hermes or Moschino's Logo bag, both 2000.
Anna Johnson highlights these, and other unusual and unqiue bag designs in her book Handbags- The power of the purse with equal measures of humour and respect.

Claire Wilcox book simply titled Bags is published by V & A so you can expect, and indeed relieve oodles of information and history.
All of these books have slightly different angles on the subject and whilst some information may overlap the photographs are all presented beautifully and are mostly different.
Any one of these books would be enough to satisfy curiosity.

And finally, the piece de resistance, the much awaited The Bag Making Bible by Lisa Lam.
Many of you may already know Lisa through her fabulous U handblog and shop U handbag.
Those of you who don't will find this book just as wonderful as the already converted.
The projects in this book are more intricate than in Sew What bags, but as Lisa says these are statement piece to love forever and the efort will be worth while.
That is not to say that this book is not assessable to everyone, beginner or the more advance, but do not expect to have the patterns licked in five minutes.
Lisa is self taught, so have hope and faith in yourself!
Of the eight bags of offer the getaway bag is my favourite, but it was hard to choice and I will be making all of them in the next few months.
The book has very detailed chapters on techniques such as structure, closures, choice of fabric, tools of the trade and so much more
Right from the start this book enchants you, with a forward by Amy Butler, the guru herself, how can it not!
I cannot recommend this book enough!

 These reviews are completley my own opinion of the books  and are not in anyway connected to any of the authors or publishers, which is a shame because then I might have had a giveaway!
Instead I have added an amazon Widget to this post so you can buy them all now!
Bonnie