The best new sewing books

Get creative

books to read,fashion makes,home makes,sewing woman at a sewing machine

It seems like everyone\'s taking up the thrifty and creative art of sewing again. Whether you want to get to know your sewing machine better, make your own soft furnishings or get into patchwork quilting, read on for our pick of the crop of new and upcoming machine-sewing books. 

 

By Olivia Gordon

 

 

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Doing it for the kids

books to read,fashion makes,sewing,fun for children Best Ever Kids\' Costumes book

Do your children want to be the stars of fancy dress parties for years to come? Whether they wish they were an angel or an astronaut, Pocahontas or Pegleg the Pirate, a wily wizard or a fiery dragon, this collection of 20 colourful, imaginative patterns will tell you everything you need to know to make their dreams come true. Every pattern is clearly explained from beginning to end, a CD of pattern software is included and children will enjoy making the costumes as much as you!

 

Best Ever Kids Costumes, Vinilla Burnham (Collins & Brown, £15.99)

Lacy lingerie

books to read,fashion makes,sewing Sweet Nothings book cover

This book is just so pretty. Who knew that making your own bras, camis and pants could be so straightforward (and also a fraction of the cost of the designer ones you buy in the shops)? You can also make sure you get the perfect fit. Many designers have contributed to this book, which includes patterns, and the projects make inventive use of fabrics like a vintage embroidered tablecloth, which becomes a delicate, flirty bikini-style bra.

 

Sweet Nothings, Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader (Apple Press, £16.99)

Do your bit

books to read,home makes,sewing,make life better Quilting for Peace ‘Make the world a better place one stitch at a time\' is the motto of this inspiring book reviving the long tradition of quilting for a cause. It\'s filled with patterns for quilts you can make alone or, even better, in a group, and donate to charity - whether for war veterans, disaster relief, children in war zones, a premature baby unit or a homeless shelter. The book features a myriad heart-warming stories explaining how quilters are helping good causes worldwide and explaining how to get involved.

 

Quilting for Peace, Katherine Bell (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, £11.99)

Vintage florals

books to read,fashion makes,home makes,sewing Sew!, by Cath Kidston book cover If you\'re a sucker for the Cath Kidston look, this book by the queen of vintage-style chic will help you full your home with her style. Everything is clearly explained, so it\'s ideal for a sewing beginner, with over 40 simple projects from a bath hat to a bird mobile, from a felt appliqué blanket to a quilted hot water bottle. There\'s a paper pattern sheet for every project, and you also get ready-cut Cath Kidston fabric - and, of course, the all-important Cath Kidston label - to make up into a bag.

 

Sew!, Cath Kidston (Quadrille, £14.99)

 

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Sleep tight

books to read,stylish bedrooms,fashion makes,sewing The Perfect Pyjama book cover If you\'ve made skirts and dresses, but never thought about nightwear, this book will open up a sumptuous new world. With 21 patterns on tracing paper included, you can create everything from women\'s, men\'s and children\'s PJ sets to lacy nighties, with designs ranging from retro 50s style pink pyjamas to beautiful lounging sets, all complete with pretty trims and button details. There are bedtime goodies to make too, like felt slippers and a lavender-filled frilly eye mask.

 

The Perfect Pyjama, Kristina Nilsson and Jennifer Pirtle (CICO, £12.99)

Monster makes

books to read,sewing,fun for children Make a Monster book cover

One of the biggest sewing trends this year is monster-making - everyone seems to fall for them - and this is our favourite of the many books coming out on how to create the cute creatures, using soft fleecy fabric and very simple techniques. Once you get the basic techniques set out in the book, you can have fun inventing your own quirky designs - the great thing with monster-making is there\'s no such thing as going wrong, because they\'re supposed to look odd. Fiona Goble has patterns here for a cast of adorable monster characters, and the layout is bold, bright and playful - you\'ll feel like a child again, and children will love making them, too.

 

Make a Monster, Fiona Goble (New Holland, £14.99)

 

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Start from scratch

books to read,beginner projects,sewing Me and My Sewing Machine book cover If you\'re a frustrated sewing beginner looking for a book to demystify the actual sewing process, this picture-filled practical guide will be the answer to your prayers. It sets out to make the workings of a sewing machine less daunting, so you\'ll never again be nervous about understanding terminology, or doing things like attaching zippers, changing a bobbin or sewing French seams. There\'s a selection of simple projects too, but it\'s the emphasis on pain-free, start- from-scratch techniques that make this book a good investment.

 

Me and My Sewing Machine, Kate Haxell (Apple Press, £12.99)

Treat your home

books to read,home makes,sewing Home Sweet Sewn book cover Inspired by the importance of hearth and home, and also by the seasons of the year, the imaginative designs in this book guide you from sewing a fabric home organiser to help your spring cleaning, to an appliquéd picnic mat for summer, to an embroidered memory book to stitch at the end of the year and fill with family memories. There\'s a wealth of techniques to try, including rag rugging, stencilling and crazy patchwork, and the pictures are so pretty it\'s hard to resist. Our favourite is the delicately embroidered breakfast linen, reminiscent of the 1930s styles our grannies loved.

 

Home Sweet Sewn, Alice Butcher & Ginny Farquhar (David & Charles, £14.99)

Almighty help for home makes

books to read,soft furnishings,home makes,sewing,window treatments Bible of Sewing Techniques for Home Décor book cover Comprehensive, clear and sensible, this is the book to have by your side when making curtains, blinds, bed linen, table linen and cushions. There are colour-filled illustrations and diagrams on every page which make the step by step techniques understandable (they\'re also graded by difficulty level), and there\'s also essential information on stitches, tools and materials, a useful explanation of different types of fabric, and a design directory which helps you choose the right window treatment to make. Invaluable.

 

Bible of Sewing Techniques for Home Décor, Julia Bunting (Search Press, £15.99)

In the bag

books to read,fashion makes,sewing,accessories The Perfect Handmade Bag book cover All the designs in this book can be made with recycled fabric - you might use old curtains, tea towels, clothes, or even thin rugs or blankets. Of course you can use new material too, but it\'s so satisfying (not to mention thrifty) to see your old throwaways transformed into a gorgeous, useful bag, and the patterns here make it easy - with a patchwork tote bag specifically to be made from dress scraps, for instance, and a tartan purse you can create from an old blanket. The results are both ingenious and beautiful.

 

The Perfect Handmade Bag, Clare Youngs (CICO, £12.99)

 

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