Product Description

Make the most of your textiles with this unique collection of irresistible homestyle projects, cleverly combining new and recyled fabrics for vintage, homespun and retro results.This title features 25 practical yet pretty projects for yourself and your home include cosy cushions and curtains, beautiful table linen and gift bags, irresistible handbags and cute cuddly toys. It is packed with ideas and opportunities to make the most of every last scrap of fabric, whether it's a luscious new fabric, a pair of old pyjamas or a thrift store bargain. Simple embroidery skills, and patchwork and applique techniques are all fully explained with simple step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow artworks.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4822 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Review
With a clear and accessible style, Sew Fabulous Fabric will excite and encourage new and experienced sewers alike to have fun seeking out and reclaiming fabrics. --Sew Hip

About the Author
Alice Butcher and Ginny Farquhar run a successful crafting business, "Folkydokee", creating quirky and original textile gifts from recycled and vintage fabrics. They have exhibited at Country Living magazine's fairs and their work has featured in magazines including House and Garden and Brides. Alice and Ginny live in Hampshire.

Customer Reviews

Sewing loveliness
With a sizeable library of sewing books already I often wonder whether I should really be buying yet more books in this genre...but I was sufficiently tempted by this to buy 'just one more' and I'm so pleased that I did. I was delighted when I received it to find that it was fresh, full of new ideas, beautifully illustrated with photos and diagrams, packed with hints and tips, included an exciting list of previously unknown fabric and haberdashery suppliers, but most pleasingly of all left me feeling inspired and wanting to sew. The projects are wonderful: favourites include the fabric height chart which shows a tall house and an even taller tree, with lovely details such as a small black cat sitting in the top window; a party tea table cloth with appliqués of jellies and sandwiches; and the characterful stuffed dog called Silas...but really there are so many more that I would like to try.

Many of the projects use the appliqué technique, and the instructions are such that one could learn the techniques and quickly become competent, but the projects produced are more than advanced enough to inspire and excite a someone already familiar with the techniques.

Some of the projects allow children to be involved (turning a child's drawing into a cushion cover) and have provided me with fantastic ideas for Christmas presents to do with my own children, but these tend to be projects that could be easily reinterpreted for the sewer who doesn't have small ones around.

My favourite craft books tend to be ones that can be flicked through in the same way as a magazine to provide a quick hit of inspiration, while also having patterns to study for learning new techniques (I only ever tend to use patterns in that way, rather than following them...but the instructions all look excellent) and also present an element of lifestyle loveliness, showing the projects within the setting of a home and family. This has all those things and it has become frequent bedtime reading ever since it arrived! It is a cosy book, written with warmth and containing thoughtful projects that will no doubt allow any reader to create things to be treasured.

Sew recycled fabrics
This book is very simple in terms of items to make, and how to make them, and as always with David & Charles craft books the presentation is good. When I first looked at it I wasn't sure about the content - not really inspirational and when one project starts with "take one pair of unlined ready made curtains" I wonder why you wouldn't buy a suitable pair in the first place?

Apart from that one puzzler I've decided I like a lot of the projects after all. One project is a sunflower applique picture decorated with beads,and complete with instructions and templates, on the same page there are 2 other pictures - one of a poppy and another of a pansy - these can also be made. The flower corsages, bags and purses are lovely, there's a delightful soft toy dog (made from soft woollen check fabric and white wool), also included are a couple of aprons made from several different pieces of fabric nicely constructed(odd fat quarters would work well). A patchwork cushion with an embroidered centre, and a wall height chart are included.

I've already have a request for the pegbag (appliqued with a clothes line of washing). Some items could be made by children if an adult took care of the machining and there are opportunities to involve children in making several of the items. Templates are given at the back - the downside is that all must be enlarged - if you can cope with re-drawing them, or pay for them to be photocopied OK - if not you may want to give this a miss.

A 'Sew' Fabulous Book!
This is a brilliant book and in my opinion is worth more than the 5 stars that I am giving it. I loved it from the moment I opened it. Not only does it inspire,it gets one's imagination working to the full.
The ideas are there to be built upon and as a starting point for further wonderful crafting. Well done to the authors!