Zakka Style: 24 Projects Stitched With Ease To Give, Use & Enjoy (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
This book is very well thought out. I had no idea when I started in, but it is a collaborative book, so it has projects from many different people in it, all just along the Zakka aesthetic spectrum. I sewed the pincushion project to try out the directions, andI am really excited to sew more projects from the book. There are a huge range of them, from quilts to softies with their own pillow pocket (my next earmarked project) and many in between. This is a great book for gift ideas, and there are many different levels of time commitment and difficulty. I have my top favorites to try:1. Sweet Sugar Cookie Sack2. Little Pocket Pillowcase (the one with the softie)3. Nesting BoxesThe directions for the pincushion were very clear and simple, and I did find myself flipping to the front page a lot to refer to the photo, though that is less important the less attached you are to making yours look like the book sample. There are many ways to make the projects your own by switching out fabrics, trims, buttons and sizes, so there are many variations of every project. This book is a great one to have on your shelf for sewing projects. Rashida Coleman-Hale's first book, I Love Patchwork: 21 Irresistible Zakka Projects to Sew, is a favorite of mine and her palette pin cushion is one of my most used and prized sewing items.So when her new book came out I was hitting refresh four times a day at the library website hoping to see it arrive. Well, it never did so I bought it, sight unseen, brewed myself a cup of tea and settled in to devour it thoroughly. My first reaction was shock and disappointment as the book is compiled by Rashida, the projects are not hers. Once I stopped freaking out I calmed down enough to realize that this is a GREAT book full of the sort of things you would expect this author to associate her name and reputation with. The projects all have an abundance of zakka style and pair natural linen with funky modern, bright fabrics. They run the gamut from coasters to quilts with a lot of interesting additions like a bread carrying bag and hand warmers. While none of the projects vary too much from things I've seen before - I read a lot of books featuring this style - I love having so many high-quality instructions in one place and I can easily imagine making several of the patterns this spring. For me, that's the sign of a very good book.
What do You think about Zakka Style: 24 Projects Stitched With Ease To Give, Use & Enjoy (2011)?
Good diverse choice of projects, I loved the sewing wrap, great clear instructions, good photography
—joffy
Interesting book, with nice ideas, but nothing I felt compelled to make, or use.
—Judy
