When I saw Ruth's request for someone to write a book review, for the Modern Quilters Ireland mqi blog, my hand shot straight up! I can do that! Miss! Miss! Me! Me! It just took me my normal two weeks to get around to it. I have been told Procrastination is my middle name. If I didn't procrastinate so much, I could look that up in the dictionary. I love books, novels, craft books, cookery books, I love them all and I buy them all even though I work with books all day. The difficult thing is to decide what book review. In the end I decided on the most recent "Sew Organized for the Busy Girl" by Heidi Staples. Heidi blogs as Fabricmutt.
The first part of the book deals with Heidi's background, how she fell in to quilting and then blogging. Why sewing and quilting is important to her, from the creative, the nurturing, "the nicer for less" financial aspect and lastly on how it keeps her sanity in a busy life. Perhaps that is the most important. Heidi then moves on to how to make space in our busy lives for sewing, and how to have an organized work space. I think this follows along the lines of tidy lives, tidy work space and tidy mind. I wouldn't know about that!
And then the fun bit, the bit we are all really waiting for, the projects. Here we see the quirky projects, not the bog standard quilts but the pin cushions, the pouches, the organisers. The things I see on other people's blogs and instagram accounts and think, I would like to make that. Note, I don't add Flickr, I'm not organised enough to keep up with Flickr.
I wish I could show you some of my finished projects, but you know that isn't going to happen. After all, we don't really buy these books to make the scrummy things, we just buy to look and covet. Or at least I do.
Overall I loved this book. I really will make loads of things, and all Heidi's advice makes sense. The advice is at times rather homespun, it even has a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder. Homespun but cosy, not twee.
Next time if I get to do another review it will be of the Japanese zakka, I think I may actually have completed one of those. And, oh yes, I have read and love quilting fiction, there's a whole life out there in the world of books.
Helen
midgetgemquilts x
Sew Organized for the Busy Girl
Heidi Staples
Stashbooks
£15.99 UK
The first part of the book deals with Heidi's background, how she fell in to quilting and then blogging. Why sewing and quilting is important to her, from the creative, the nurturing, "the nicer for less" financial aspect and lastly on how it keeps her sanity in a busy life. Perhaps that is the most important. Heidi then moves on to how to make space in our busy lives for sewing, and how to have an organized work space. I think this follows along the lines of tidy lives, tidy work space and tidy mind. I wouldn't know about that!
And then the fun bit, the bit we are all really waiting for, the projects. Here we see the quirky projects, not the bog standard quilts but the pin cushions, the pouches, the organisers. The things I see on other people's blogs and instagram accounts and think, I would like to make that. Note, I don't add Flickr, I'm not organised enough to keep up with Flickr.
I wish I could show you some of my finished projects, but you know that isn't going to happen. After all, we don't really buy these books to make the scrummy things, we just buy to look and covet. Or at least I do.
Overall I loved this book. I really will make loads of things, and all Heidi's advice makes sense. The advice is at times rather homespun, it even has a quote from Laura Ingalls Wilder. Homespun but cosy, not twee.
Next time if I get to do another review it will be of the Japanese zakka, I think I may actually have completed one of those. And, oh yes, I have read and love quilting fiction, there's a whole life out there in the world of books.
Helen
midgetgemquilts x
Sew Organized for the Busy Girl
Heidi Staples
Stashbooks
£15.99 UK
Hmmm...sounds like a book I could benefit from :) I'm the worst at organizing...I just want to sew!
ReplyDeleteLovely review Helen. You have to make at least one thing though. That's my definition of buying or not the book anyway.
ReplyDeleteGreat review Helen. I am going to put this on my Santa list. Thank you x
ReplyDelete...(projects) we just look at and covet, loosely quoting you, oh yeah! I have made SO MANY quilts and quilt-related projects in my head, I'd need an entire other house to put them all in... I made one of Heidi's bags, free tutorial on her site, 1.5 years ago, gave it to a good friend, cut the pieces for one for me, and yep, you guessed it, it's still sitting... I am intrigued by the Japanese zakka, never heard of it!
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate! If I was more organized, I'd find the time to visit other quilting blogs more often! I'm definitely a lookie-lou when it comes to quilting books and magazines, I just look at the photos and dream of making all the beautiful things! I didn't know there was such a thing as an organized sewing room - maybe I need this book, ha, ha! I love the retro cover so betting I would love the projects inside too.
ReplyDeleteI love this review. I buy lots of books just to look at them also. I try to fool myself that I will make the scrummy projects in them but really who am I trying to kid.
ReplyDelete