Sewing Happiness

Create Pinterest-worthy clothing, accessories, and more with this how-to guide and memoir featuring 20 meditative sewing projects, plus inspiring stories that promote creativity, happiness, and fulfillment. When Sanae Ishida was diagnosed with a chronic illness and lost her corporate job, she felt like her whole life was falling apart. Inspired to succeed at just one thing, Ishida vowed to sew all of her daughter’s clothes—and most of her own—for one full year. In Sewing Happiness, Ishida recounts her incredible journey, reflecting on how sewing helped her survive such a difficult time in her life. Sewing Happiness features twenty simple sewing projects (with variations) organized by season and tied together with a thread of memoir that tells the story Ishida’s unexpected transformation and how sewing brought her profound happiness. Each seasonal project—from Japanese-inspired home goods to children’s and women’s clothing—is specially designed to promote health, creativity, and relationships and to provide gentle inspiration to live your best life. Complete with photos and easy-to-follow steps, Sewing Happiness is at once a guide to the craft of sewing and a guide to enjoying life in all its beautiful imperfections.

"…a slew of child-friendly projects as adorable as they are functional. [...] These sweet DIY projects will appeal to parents who are also avid or aspiring sewers, not to mention to their kids." —Publishers Weekly From the author of the bestselling Sewing Happiness comes this beginner's sewing book to making beautiful handmade animals—includes 15 easy projects plus 35 variations. The projects in this book are divided into three main categories of cute creatures to sew: decor, toys, and wearables. Inspired by the beautiful simplicity of Japanese and Scandinavian design, these projects will delight the maker as much as the recipient. Make adorable handmade animal toys: a darling whale teether, adorable fox baby slippers, stackable animal blocks, a sweet lion throw pillow, or a fuzzy sheep backpack! Perfect for gifting, these one-of-a-kind handmade treasures are sure to be cherished. Includes: • Lookbook • Sewing and embroidery primer • Project instructions with photos and step-by-step iilustrations • Sewing templates DECOR Pillows: Polar Bear, Lion, Koala, Bunny, Sloth Placemats: Cat, Bear Wall Pockets: Zebra, Reindeer Rope Baskets: Cat, Dog TOYS Stackable Blocks: Mouse, Raccoon, Bear, Elephant Teether Rattles: Whale, Dove Bunny Ears Terry Cloth Bath Puppets: Panda, Cat, Penguin, Seal Quiet Adventures Felt Book Beanbags: Turtle, Hedgehog, Armadillo Fishing Game WEARABLES Beanies with Ears Baby Slippers: Fox, Penguin, Raccoon Hooded Capes: Animal with Ears, Animal with Horn, Animal with Bony Plates Bibs: Monkey, Koala Backpacks: Sheep, Fox

Over 100,000 copies sold 'A tapestry of strong characters and accomplished writing' Herald Scotland It is 1911, and Jean is about to join the mass strike at the Singer factory. For her, nothing will be the same again. Decades later, in Edinburgh, Connie sews coded moments of her life into a notebook, as her mother did before her. More than a hundred years after his grandmother’s sewing machine was made, Fred discovers a treasure trove of documents. His family history is laid out before him in a patchwork of unfamiliar handwriting and colourful seams. He starts to unpick the secrets of four generations, one stitch at a time.

Stunning new Tilda designs from Tone Finnanger - Homemade and Happy is a gorgeous collection of inspirational home accessories including quilts, cushions and decorative items to make the Holiday season even more special. This book features more pretty practical designs such as an irresistible patchwork quilt, classic pillow covers and a cup pin-cushion, all made-up in the latest Tilda fabric range. Tone also brings her familiar style to a new range of embellishments, as well as animals and dolls including gold-winged reindeer and sheep, round-eyed owls, plump pigs with flower applique detail, angels, stars and darling decorative cakes. The projects are photographed in the author's own log cabin situated in the snowy mountains of Norway!

“Gretchen ‘Gertie’ Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web’s most popular sewing blogs.” —Creativebug Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses is Gretchen Hirsch’s modern reinvention of this simple idea, focusing on easily mastered sewing skills, minimal pattern pieces, and fabulous designs. And the best part? Readers will end up with a sparkling wardrobe of easy-to-wear, fun-to-style dresses that will fill busy modern lives with retro charm. Chapters include: Supplies and Tools Fabrics Getting Ready to Sew Dress Construction: The Basics Dress Construction: Essential Skills Trims and Flourishes Fitting In the ’50s and ’60s, Simplicity released their popular line of Jiffy sewing patterns, which had minimal pattern pieces and simple constructions, yet were chic enough for fashion-conscious customers. This approach appeals now more than ever as stylish women are continuously looking for ways to fit their love of sewing into busy lives filled with family, work, school, and countless other obligations. With the lessons offered here, you can make a Popover Dress, Chemise Dress, Swirl Dress, Boatneck Dress, and Patio Dress. Everything you need is included: pattern maps, finished garment measurements, and more. Hirsch writes in her introduction, “So why did I write this book? Because I want to show that it’s possible to cultivate real sewing skills without spending days or even weeks on a project. Sewing more projects means more practice!” The vintage aesthetic of these projects will appeal to beginner and expert crafters alike. They stand on their own as great examples of retro fashion. They aren’t just simple sewing projects. So, don’t wait. Start sewing!

The authors of The Tunic Bible craft a “clever guide to the DIY creation of tried and true staples of a woman’s wardrobe . . . truly inspiring” (Publishers Weekly). Discover the secrets to sewing a stylish wardrobe with staying power! This spirited guide walks you through thirty timeless garments to make for yourself, including a must-have button-up shirt, tailored trousers, a flattering A-line dress, and the indispensable modern classic pencil skirt. With a conversational narrative, the authors have created an engaging, informative guide to sewing by tracing the origins of each garment, along with styling and sewing tips, charming fashion illustrations, and a modeled photo gallery. Pencil skirt pattern and instructions included! “This delightfully illustrated book featuring a conversational narrative chronicles 30 beloved classic silhouettes that lie at the core of women’s wardrobes . . . Each garment chapter laced with fascinating facts and trivia tidbits gives new meaning to why we wear what we wear . . . [a] keen guide to creating a fresh collection of timeless garments.” —Elysian “It should be inspirational to those just beginning to sew for themselves as well as those who just aspire to it! . . . With this book in hand, you will both sew and dress with confidence and style.” —Fifty Dresses “This book is so well-written and the illustrations are amazing.” —Girls in the Garden

"Here are 17 new designs from Helen Philipps exploring her love of fabrics, patchwork, and colour. There is a selection of inspiring projects including quilts, pillows, a spring wreath, little deer toy, handstitched pincushions and other sewing notions, pretty fabric bags, coasters, charms and decorations. Helen's style is fresh and modern and her work includes extra details and embellishments to inspire your own creativity." --Page [4] of cover.

Follow Wendy Ward’s tutorials to make a collection of comfortable and stylish garments. Follow Wendy Ward’s tutorials to make a collection of comfortable and stylish garments. Wendy’s style is functional but beautiful basics, and you will learn the skills to make garments out of knitted fabrics that drape beautifully and are a joy to wear. There are t-shirts, wide-leg trousers, lounge trousers, tank tops, cardigans, skirts, and dresses made in versatile fabrics that can be dressed up or down. Both beginners and more experienced dressmakers often avoid using knitted fabrics, but Wendy will show you how to successfully sew them with just a regular sewing machine. You will learn essential skills with the help of a comprehensive techniques section that includes a guide to different types of knitted fabrics and their uses (including jersey, sweatshirt fabric, boiled wool, and many more), how to prepare them for making clothes, setting up your sewing machine, which needles you need, sewing seams and hems, and using elastic. There are also full-size patterns for every garment included at the back of the book, so you will have all the information you need to start making your own perfect wardrobe!