We Love to Sew: 28 Pretty Things to Make: Jewelry, Headbands, Softies, T-shirts, Pillows, Bags & More
Wrigley has aimed her first book at the same market that her business, Little Pincushion Studio, attracts: girls between the ages of 8 and 12 who want to learn how to sew. This book, despite a cluttered design that packs too much in formation onto each page, is a great beginner's guide. The lay-flat binding is a nice touch for young hands. It should be noted that a number of the projects involve no sewing whatsoever, such as a set of pom-pom earrings that are adorable, but involve only gluing. That said, there are few duds in the book's projects, from an opening array of cut-and-sewn felt flowers to a more complicated flag quilt project. The aesthetic is young and fresh, but not overly pink or bejeweled - a nice change of pace. Wrigley reminds her young readers to get help for the more complicated projects, and though a trusty adult sewist should probably be nearby, ready to give clarifying instructions for all but the simplest projects, this book is an excellent addition tot he young seamstress's bookshelf. Full color photos. Age 8-14.(Publishers Weekly, 2/2/2013)Most of us know the joy sewing and crafting can bring - now C&T Publishing with their new imprint FunStitch Studio is addressing sharing the joy of all things handmade with generations to come. Inspirational and educational, all these new books will present easy "how-to" instructions. One of the first FunStitch Sew booksWe Love to Sewoffers "30 pretty things to make." Start a club—moms and daughters, girls and friends or how about pairing an experienced sewer with a young student. Sometimes it's easier to learn without your mom around.(American Quilt Retailer, March 2013)Make one-of-a-kind jewelry, headbands, softies, T-shirts, pillows, totes, diary covers, and decorative items for the young girls in your family, or...they can make these projects themselves with their friends. Even if you've never sewn before, Annabel's instructions are easy to follow and some of the projects require no sewing at all. These projects are super cool and super creative!(Quilter's Digest, May 2013)I found this sewing book for girls to be fun and exciting because I’ve never seen these projects offered in any other children’s crafting book. Each project is based on a skill level and is presented in a step-by-step format that children can understand and follow along to. I loved the varying project ideas and think that girls will really enjoy making projects they can use every day or they can even give them as wonderful gifts. If your child loves making things, is comfortable enough around a sewing machine and knows at least basic stitches and techniques, I think she’ll adore this book. Don’t pass this one up!(nightowlreviews.com, 10/07/13)I was impressed to see the easy-to-follow instructions. I could move from the over-involved teacher role to a supportive helper. My daughter gained confidence as she realized she could make something by herself!I love that my daughter and I get to spend time together, learning a useful skill and gaining the perspective that even if stitches aren’t straight, “imperfection IS a beautiful thing.” This book may have just inspired our Homemade Holidays as we try to put more meaning and time into the gifts we’re making for our family. Looks like we have eight more Sewing Saturdays until Santa pops in.(todayssewmamama.com, 11/4/13)Inspire a child or grandchild to start sewing with this how-to bookWe Love to Sewby Annabel Wrigley, of the popular Little Pincushion Studio.Featuring a collection of 28 imaginative projects specifically designed for girls eight and up, your aspiring seamstress will quickly learn a variety of sewing skills and exude a fantastic "do-it-yourself" confidence.Each project showcases a fresh, modern style and is fully explained with step-by-step instructions, engaging photographs and helpful tips. From simple rings and barrettes to more challenging bags and softies, these brilliant projects are the perfect way to introduce the wonderful world of sewing!A learn-to-sew book created especially for girls like you. You can make awesome things to use, wear, and give like pom-pom earrings, bags, t-shirts, softies, and much more.Editor's Note: I absolutely love "Basil and Midge" on page 154.(The Senior Beacon, 11/4/13)The craft of sewing is enjoying a renaissance these days, as young, modern women are taking up the needle to create quilts, garments and functional items with fresh fabrics and a new sensibility. It's as if sewing skipped a generation or two, and is coming back into vogue. It's fun and creative, and sewists can save money by making clothes and gifts more cheaply (and uniquely) than they can be bought. But how does a young girl get started sewing, particularly if her mom never picked it up?Annabel Wrigley has createdWe Love to Sew: 28 Pretty Things to Maketo help girls acquire sewing skills while making fun sewn items. Ms. Wrigley owns a studio in Virginia where she teaches girls to sew, and says that the book is a collection of the most loved projects they've made in class. The projects are appealing, and the book is executed in a cute, modern style. The photographs are gorgeous. The book is intended for girls age 8 to 14, although the projects' tween appeal might make age 12 a more appropriate cut-off.The projects and instructions themselves are mostly hits. The little creatures, the pom-poms and the bags are fun and doable by small hands. The small quilt and mushroom house are perhaps overly ambitious so an experienced sewist would need to be lurking nearby to provide assistance for those. The instruction photos and drawings are pretty clear and easy to follow, although there were a couple of places where the pages felt a bit cluttered.The writer does a lovely job of encouraging girls to make the projects their own, not to strive for perfect replicas of the photos. A creative, self-starting girl can really go to town with this book, a few supplies and her own imagination.We Love to Sew, along with some fabric, needles and thread, would make a great holiday gift for a crafty girl.(goodreadswithronna.com, 11/18/13)From cute owl stuffies to felt flower accessories to room decor, this book has more than 28 projects to make. And they are all labeled according to the skills required: "easy peasy" (hand sewing only); "teeny bit challenging" (some machine work); or "take your time, ask for help" (sewing machine knowledge or adult assistance).(American Sewing Guild Notions Magazine, Spring 2013)Perfect gift for grandkids where you can help. This book is a collection of 28 imaginative projects. Aspiring sewists will quickly learn a variety of skills, terms and design ideas from simple rings and barrettes to more challenging bags and softies.(Not Born Yesterday!, 12/6/13)This book is designed for crafty girls that want simple, beginner sewing projects. It's perfect for ages 9 and up. Your daughter needs to have access to basic sewing supplies and know how to use a sewing machine in order to complete the projects in this book.There are a lot of simple projects in this book that will appeal to girls. Some of my favorites are the accessories like the t-shirt embellishments, the hand bag, and headbands. I also like the jewelry and simple skirt tutorial.The book includes a section at the beginning about the basics of sewing and needed supplies. Each project is explained in simple terms and is illustrated with photographs. The projects themselves are fun and creative and are great for girls just learning to sew. Some of these projects would be a lot of fun to do with a small group of girls, like at a party.(book4children.blogspot.com, 1/7/14)