Bookish Thursday: Some Ideas for When I Get my Sewing Machine to Cooperate With Me!

Today we move away from knitting books to two sewing related books! My dream is to get that sewing machine to work for ME, instead of me spewing nasty words at it!

Stitched in Time: Memory-Keeping Projects to Sew and Share by Alicia Paulson Is a beautiful book full of ideas to make simple, handmade mementos for those special.. and perhaps everyday events in life that you want to celebrate and remember. The puts it like this.. “Whether you want to remember your family summers at the beach, your daughter’s first apartment, a perfect gift for a loved one or a memento to keep all to yourself is just stitches away.”  This book is chock full of inspiration and ideas for just about anything: weddings, new babies, first sleepovers, holidays and family events! 

Some of my favorite projects in this book are the Kid’s Drawing Stuffie, where you make a stuffed animal based on a child’s drawing.. The Nutcracker Doll.. totally thinking of my niece who danced Clara in it last year.. and the Birthday Banner!!

When I get that darn sewing machine to cooperate I have a book full of ideas to keep me busy. And between my 4 kids and my nieces and nephews.. I think I will have some fun!!

The second book is a great one for any of you who have taken the Handmade Pledge!

Born-Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent, and Recycle Your Wardrobe by Bridgett Artise and Jen Karetnick is a fun ‘cookbook’ style volume for deconstructing,  recycling and remaking vintage clothing  to make one of a kind pieces to add to your wardrobe.

I really like the ‘recipe’ approach the authors take to these projects. THey first give you a list of ‘ingredients’ so when you go digging through your wardrobe or go to a thrift shop you can take that list with you and get what you need.

Then there are the instructions on how to deconstruct, and remake the items into something new. There are Easy, Intermediate, and Experienced projects and they tell you right up front which is which and what is what. However with the easy to read and follow instructions I could see someone moving up in the ranks very quickly!

All in all two great finds that a struggling sew-ist could embrace and use to get that sewing machine whirring again!

And a note on my Wordless Wednesday shot.. the vinyl decal was bought at www.vinylwallart.com  I have a feeling I am going to wish I did have some kind of affiliation with them! Le Sigh..