Handmade Home

Alright, the next book was Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures by Amanda Blake Soule. Do I need to explain what this is? It's EXACTLY like the title says.

So, fellow crafters, I'm speaking mostly to you. I couldn't get Paul to touch this book with a ten foot pole, let alone read it. Fellas, this is a good gift idea. Or, crafty fellas, read on.

Now, I know my way around a craft book, and this one had a lot of things that I was really excited about, and some things I wasn't. The good outweighed the bad by far, but I feel like I have to start with the disappointing news first because it's kind of a deal breaker- you need to know how to sew. Obviously sewing's not a bad thing, but it's the premise for the book and this definitely isn't a beginner's guide. You need to have at least basic sewing skills and, preferably, a sewing machine. Some projects require more than basic skills, but you have to read them as they go.

What I loved:
1.The lists. It's super organized and accessible.
2. Soule advocates "thrifting" for fabrics and gives you tips and tricks on how to shop for, purchase, store, and finally, repurpose a variety of fabrics. Her experience shows.
3. There's a LOT about working with children- most of her projects are for her family in some way, and many include ways in which you can involve your kids, such as sewing letter savers that they can draw on.
4. Each pattern has listed the difficulty, length of time, tools needed, and suitability for children. That way you don't buy all the fabric for an "easy" quilt and then accidentally sew over your own thumb trying to finish it. It happens.
5. Many of the patterns are in the back for you to copy and use, and she has a ton of information on how to alter them to best suit your needs.

So I definitely recommend this for anyone who's interested *coughcoughKatieMyerscoughcough*, but it's definitely not for everyone. And take a gander at it before you buy- not all of the projects are things I want to make... AT ALL... but some are amazing, like drawn table runners and patch tree quilts. So take a look! Tell me what you think! Have you tried any of the patterns, or bought the book? Lemme know what you think!

On a side note, any other good patterns you want to share, or any hilarious craft projects you've seen?