Handmade Home: Simple Ways To Repurpose Old Materials Into New Family Treasures (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
Warning: This book is written by a hippy for hippies. It's got projects for cloth diapers and sanitary pads. So... if you're into that kind of a thing, this is the book for you and please disregard my low rating. Now, onto the review.I like how the author wants to use and reuse items. I applaud her. I really do. I feel, though, that if I held onto everything in order to make a project that my home would turn into a hoarder's den. (For example, she suggests that tit will take up to three months to save up scrap fabric to make a rag rug.) Also, I feel like crafters are inherently clever and thrifty and creative. I felt a bit like she was "preaching to the choir." She should have recognized her audience was and left it at that.The author states that this book is not meant to be a guide on sewing, so this is definitely not a standalone book for beginners. This isn't a bad thing, but it is just something worth noting in case a novice is considering buying this book.The instructions could have been improved with diagrams or pictures of intricate steps. I found the rag rug to be entirely confusing. The only other project that caught my eye, the baby sling, was also strangely written. She would go into detail about a seam and then tell you that you are doing a French seam. It would have been simpler if she just stated that you were doing the French seam in the first place, since she expects the reader's to already know a bit about sewing.The book also focused a lot on her life as a mother and how her crafting relates to her family. Again, I felt that this was written to a limited audience. In all honestly, I went into this book with the wrong idea. I thought I'd try it out since I've been on such a Pinterest kick lately for making, creating and re-purposing so many things. Unfortunately, this wasn't exactly what I was looking for. It certainly has some cute ideas. I like that she includes her children and gives tips for doing so, as well as including her children's artwork in the items that she makes. However, none of the things that she made in the book really interested me. I guess I was looking for a way to make things that didn't actually look handmade as I have done and seen on Pinterest. Anyway, I'm sure the book is very helpful if this is what you're looking for, but it just wasn't my style.
What do You think about Handmade Home: Simple Ways To Repurpose Old Materials Into New Family Treasures (2009)?
Not only creative ideas for children, but for around the home. Especially like all the reuse ideas.
—Alice
Interesting concept, but the projects included weren't of interest to me.
—Sabina
The ideas were a little too granola for me - but some good ideas here.
—derrickholloway
Loved looking through as an idea sparker
—andreottij09
