Weekend Review: Make It, Own It, Love It

Make It, Own It, Love It / Matt Chapple
London: Jacqui Small, c2016.
176 p.

There are a lot of books by former GBSB contestants, and with the new season coming up, I thought I'd read one that I haven't before! This is by the winner of Season 3, Matt Chapple. It is aimed at beginners and is quite light and approachable. 

The title covers everything in this book -- he talks about upcycling and refashioning first, to dip your toe in to the sewing world. Then he moves on to simple projects which are either self-drafted (scarves and tees, nothing complicated) or are downloadable free patterns, so no big cost investment for those just trying it out. He also covers repairs and wardrobe maintenance, even talking about laundry labels and care. I find this approach focuses on affordability and sustainability, and it's fun and encouraging at the same time. 

The book is laid out in seven sections, and includes many photos which are light and bright and cheerful. Many of them are 'lifestyle' type of photos, not all just illustrating the projects or instructions. The projects have a lot of text instruction, not heavily illustrated, but they are all pretty simple. 

The book covers: 

• Tools
• Fabrics
• Stitching
• Make It Your Own (refashioning/altering)
• Make It From Scratch
• Make It Wearable (mending - very basic needs, like re-sewing on buttons, fixing hems, pocket holes, seams etc.)
• Make It Live Longer (maintenance, including shoes)

It's also a little different because it talks about sewing/altering men's clothing as well as women's, which isn't always the case with sewing books! And even in the sections on notions and tools, he is careful to note that you don't need everything at the start, some things are just "cool kit" in your tool kit, not essential. The tone of the book is encouraging and welcoming, emphasizing that starting out doesn't require a huge investment of time or money. I'd say it's a pretty good volume and worth checking out. 

 

Weekend Review: Girl With a Sewing Machine

Girl With a Sewing Machine / Jenniffer Taylor
Tunbridge Wells, UK: Search Press, c2017
144 p.

This is a cute, DIY style book with lots of projects for ambitious beginners. Written by Jenniffer Taylor, a contestant on the Great British Sewing Bee in a previous year, this is a book that brings back the more free-form 70s kind of sewing book -- it's quite fun. 

There are no patterns per se in this book: there are measurements and a guide on how to draft your patterns according to your own measurements. Most of the patterns are quite simple, but there are a few like some wrap trousers and a dungaree dress that look more complicated even though the process of drafting them is fairly straightforward -- a lot of rectangles and angles to trim. 

The book starts out with some very simple craft projects -- a teacup pincushion, for example -- to get familiar with hand-sewing and your sewing machine, then talks about measuring yourself correctly, and moves on to drafting patterns. There's even a section on customizing existing clothes using doilies, dyes and block printing.

There is an intro telling Jenniffer's story, and showing that she's a rock'n'roll kind of girl, which explains her more independent and free form sewing style. Taylor sprinkles sewing tips throughout the book, little things that help in the sewing room such as keeping bobbins organized, that add a little more to the text.

The projects do have a certain DIY aesthetic, which may not be for everyone, but they are still nicely finished and look modern and wearable. This book would be great for a younger sewist, especially one who likes to do things their own way. Anyone who wants a step-by-step, clearly outlined pattern to follow will likely find this book stressful, but if you know a creative go-getter who learns by doing, this book has lots of energy and inspiration to just get going on making and customizing a wardrobe.