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

John-Paul Flintoff is a bit of a one-off: a man who embarks on a spiritual pilgrimage by outsourcing his life to Bangalore, then hooks up with Mormons and Buddhists (well, Richard Gere), on a quest for truth and fulfilment. His journey is like a twenty-first century Candide, learning that life's satisfactions, and some kind of response to the concerns of economic meltdown and climate change, lie in learning how to make things for oneself, and mending things that fall apart. Along the way, Flintoff paints pictures with Brit-art oddball Billy Childish, gets apprenticed in Savile Row, grows his own food and spins fibre from nettles. Daringly, he also turns his book over to his wife Harriet, who likes nothing better than a fancy spa and a shop at Liberty's. The results are comic, heartwarming and inspiring.

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.

Why do you love to quilt? Is it the finished quilt itself, or the experiences you had while making it? Do you find more joy in designing a beautiful pattern or in improvising as you go? Are you happiest when making quilts for yourself or for others? Whether it is delighting in the colors and textures of your materials to the sweet satisfaction of curling up under a handmade quilt, quilting holds infinite possibilities for exploring the many joys of creativity. In Quilting Happiness, you will find 20 timeless, adaptable quilting projects that will invite you to try a variety of design styles, as well as a wealth of tips and techniques, inspiring stories, and creative exercises to help you discover even more reasons to love quilting. Learn to make an inspiration board, create more meaningful quilts, or find lifelong quilting friends. Use this book again and again as a guide throughout your quilting life to spark your imagination on each rereading. Embrace new ideas on your quilting adventures and enjoy wherever they take you.

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!

Twenty sewing projects for home décor and accessories inspired by the Japanese aesthetic that appreciates the beauty of imperfection. Capture the essence of Japanese style in your sewing with this collection of projects inspired by the wabi-sabi concept of “perfect imperfection.” This collection of twenty sewing projects for home decor and accessories is based on the popular Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi which celebrates the beauty in the ordinary and imperfect. The projects are grouped according to how we live, for example: living; sleeping; eating and exploring. Sewing and quilting expert and fabric designer, Karen Lewis, has used a limited palette of earthy tones and the best quality natural fabrics including linen, cotton, denim and wool to create a stunning collection of simple, sewn projects. Try out some simple wabi-sabi style sewing techniques such as hand piecing, sashiko embroidery, big stitch quilting, and visible mending to create unique items for your home whether it’s a full-sized bed quilt, simple coasters for your favorite mug or a stunning scarf to wrap up in.

A sewing expert and marathon runner offers sewing patterns and blocks, as well as step-by-step instructions to help you create your own amazing activewear. Make your own unique activewear sewing wardrobe that’s perfect for your workout. Choose from thirteen different styles including yoga pants, crops top and running leggings designed by activewear sewing expert, and marathon runner, Melissa Fehr. Whether you’re a runner, a cyclist or a gym bunny, or you’re simply looking for the perfect pair of slouchy leggings for elegant lounging, this collection of sewing patterns is for you. Learn all about how to choose the correct fabric for activewear sewing and discover expert tips on working with performance fabrics like Lycra and spandex. Before you know it, you’ll have a truly unique workout wardrobe to wear while you work up a sweat!