I have always wonted to give chicken scratch embroidery a go. Occasionally, I find a table cloth or apron in the opshop with the distinctive stitched gingham.

After finding this darling dress, I felt it needed a little something to look less like a school uniform. The chicken scratch pattern is from Alicia Paulson's* "Embroidery Companion" and was originally meant for shelf edging. While I probably wouldn't recommend chicken scratch on such a small scale gingham, or polycotton for that matter (must remember to read the label first), I do like how this has turned out. Next stop a table cloth, I think.

I am loving this book at the moment. The patterns are just wonderful and I really love how she has utilised a wide range of sources and inspirations. You will find black-work sitting next to Ukrainian folk embroidery. I don't know what an experienced embroiderer would make of it, but for me, right now, as I begin to experiment, it is a great place to start. Alicia's encouragement to start with stitching something you love, leaves me with twitchy fingers and threads.

*Have you been reading along on Posy gets Cosy? Her journey to parenthood has had me both on the edge of my seat and in tears over the last few months.

Wee Wonderfuls grabbed me from the moment I picked it up. I saved looking through it for some quiet time and a cup of coffee. Little E was less restrained and started to demand pictures of her own mermaid straight away.

When I finally had my time with the book, I was not disappointed. I had to give the mermaiden a try as you can see above. Little E coached me along with the finer points of mermaid anatomy and the careful placement of shells. It appears that REAL mermaids have lower cut tails and some form of shell bikini. I think there might need to be a bit more growing up before we get one of those in our house.

Format – 24 patterns, illustrated with beautiful photographs followed by a comprehensive basic skills section and full size patterns for tracing. As a newbie to making softies I found the skill section to be very relevant – from different types of filling to how to mark and sew on a face.

Projects - There are a range of patterns with different skill levels. While they are largely aimed at little girls and doting matriarchs, there are a few pattern that may appeal to the little princes in your life, like Eddie Koji the dinosaur. The patterns take some time to make up. My mermaiden was not the 2 hr project I had anticipated, but the pattern was clear and easy to follow.

Who would I recommend it to? – I’d recommend it to someone with a few sewing basics under their belt who would like a range of simple and challenging softy projects.

Would I Buy It?
Oh yes!! I’m planning my trip to book depository as I type.

First impression:
This book is beautiful in both it’s simplicity and elegance. There are no fussy details or over the top embellishment. I love the clean lines and fabrics used throughout this book.

Format:
The book contains 24 project divided in sections headed cook, go, nest, organize. There is a very brief glossary at the back and a comprehensive index.

What I like:
Above all else, I love the simplicity of this book. It has me wanting to search out more from Lotta Jansdotta. I am very tempted to try her book on printing.

What I’d pass on:
Some the designs just don’t look practical, but could work with a little tweaking. The cell phone pocket on the yoga mat tote just needs a closure to make sure you don’t loose your phone the first time you pick it up. The garden tote looks handy, but given the dirt bound nature of gardening, perhaps oil cloth would be a better material. As with any design, it might just pay to think through each project before you start.

What I’d like to try:
I was excited about the hat. I had seen references to it over at Hazelnuts. So I consequently gave it a try. While the pattern is marked level 3, it would need a few more diagrams for the beginner sewer to tackle it. I found myself needing to notch and ease the connection between the brim and crown. It’s a great looking hat and would probably look great made out of a simple linen print. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to peer out from under. I found the brim too wide and next time would make it a little narrower at the back.

The other pattern I’d love to try is the door stop. It really is time that I retired the olive oil can that holds the laundry door open. Amongst my friends who pored over the book with me, at least two were also keen to try this pattern.

Would I buy it?
In this case, no I wouldn’t buy it, but it does have me looking out for other great things by the same author.

Who I’d recommend it to:
I’d recommend it to someone beginning to sew who had access to friends that could help when things get stuck. There is not enough detail for some of the techniques to stand alone. I would also recommend it to someone returning to sewing, who wanted short and simple projects that will inspire them to stick with it.

I live in the craft section of my library. It seems a shame to leave the books on the shelf and so I feel compelled to take them on regular outings. We walk together, take the train together and dream together. Consequently, I thought it was only fair to share what I have been reading. The last few weeks have seen some book reviews featured here at Seven-Stitches and I was wondering what you think.

It takes a lot to convince me to buy a book, especially when I can readily get it from the library. If I need to get a book out of the library for a second time, it is certainly time to consider buying it. I like to think of this as the library test. Making the decision not to buy a book is not meant to be read as a harsh criticism, more a matter of me choosing to save my pennies for something else.

I understand that liking, choosing and buying a book is different for everybody. I have been in the habit of taking my haul of books along to my sewing group. I like being able to see what other people are reading and to be introduced to new books I wouldn’t normally have considered. It’s intriguing to see the differences in people’s tastes. Together we poured over “Dare To Be Square”*. While I loved the quilts, I decided that the heavy reliance on design walls was not for me. At the same time, two of my friends decided, right there and then, that it was just the book for them.

I’d love to know what you think about craft books
What attracts you to a book?
What makes a good book? (this might be different from what attracts you)
What do you want to know about a book in a review?
What is it you look for in a craft book?
What books do you love?
What is the last crafty book that you found inspiring?



*Watch for the review of this one in the coming weeks

Sewing Green had me hooked at the cover. I am a big fan of Betz White’s Warm Fuzzies so I was delighted to see more of her felted jersey project in this book. Sewing green steps beyond the basic up-cycle and includes remaking with table cloths and shirts, repurposing with place mats and using some unconventional materials like tyvek (builder’s wrap) and juice pouches and considering buying sustainably produced materials.

Format:
The book starts by outlining the principles of Sewing Green and then follows up with 25 projects. The projects are peppered with tales of eco-innovators and resource saving tips. Sewing green finishes with a short chapter of techniques, materials and resources.

What I like:
The felted wool jersey projects are appealing yet again. The Eco-Innovators were also intriguing and have me considering the world of swap-o- ramarama.


What I’d pass on:
The only parts I think I would pass on are those that require materials that I can’t readily find in NZ. The organic cotton stretch velour backing in on the Cashmere Lux Throw isn’t easy to find in NZ (global fabrics came to the rescue there) and I would be sucking back the Ribenna’s forever and a day to get enough to make the car sunshade. Further to that, I’m not sure anyone can readily find Marrimekko Placemats going spare.

The chapter of techniques is relatively sparse, making this book better suited to those who are already confident sewers.


What I’d Like to try:
I’ve already started cutting out leaves for the Felted Foliage Scarf. My sister and I have picked out the colours for her Sweater Slippers. So I can safely say that there are a number of projects in Sewing Green that I will be getting stuck into.

Who I’d recommend it to:
I would recommend the book to sewers who have already fallen for the world of felted jersey goodness presented in Betz’s first book. The book is also a great addition for the confident sewer who is looking to add some imagination to the material that they use in their every day sewing.

For more information you can find Betz's website with her blog, books and patterns here

Sew La Tea Do is the sewing book that makes you want to down tools and go Op Shopping. The pages a crammed with beautiful photos of objects and ephemera amassed by the talent Pip Lincolne. The styling is beautiful and layout inspirational.

I picked up Sew La Tea Do because I was head over heels in love with Pip Lincolne’s last book “Meet Me at Mike’s”. I accidentally reserved it again while hunting down Sew La Tea Do. It makes a handy point of comparison. While Meet Me at Mikes is a virtual gateway drug to a variety of crafts, Sew La Tea Do focuses on the sewing.

After the initial wonder at the styling wore off, I settled down to look at the patterns and the writing. Pip’s offers numerous words of encouragement to the new sewer. The sewer is cheered on by cries of “you can do it” and “it’s the looking handmade, that makes it unique”. I’m torn between these two myself. I would prefer people ask if I made something on the basis that it looks unique rather than because it looks home made.

Thinking that one can’t possibly review a craft book without giving at least something a try I reached for the Surprise Party Skirt. It was a hot day and I have fabric for Africa, so it was time to put it to use.

I am one for reading instructions. I read them, decipher them and then tend to ignore them. My dearest thinks that this is pigheadedness; personally I like to think of it as managed risk taking.

My first surprise with the skirt was that the pattern called for 150 cm wide fabric. There is very little in my stash this wide. I read on and looked carefully at the instructions. They are randomly illustrated with stylised photos of particular steps. I didn’t find these illustrations to be particularly helpful. They do not always show key steps and given their size do not show anything particularly clearly. Instead of tracing the pattern that clearly did not fit on my fabric, I looked through my pattern stash and dug out and old vogue wraparound skirt pattern instead. Following Pip’s lead the waistband was adapted to a broad tie. While I forgot to add a few inches for the mummy factor (I last made this pattern 8 years ago) I am more that pleased with the results.


Given my failure to complete a sewing project to the letter, I looked to the recipes at the back. I am regularly dripping spoonful of chai flavoured chewiness into my cups of tea and the chocolate chip cookies were devoured in a flash. If the recipes are anything to go by the book is a success. Then there is the fact that this book convinced me to break my sewing for myself drought.

First Impression – Beautifully styled, packed with projects and a strong can do attitude.
Format – Projects divided into children, you and home sections with recipes to accompany your exploits and some sewing basics at the back.

Projects – The projects are all simple, with an emphasis on being able to do it rather than workmanship. Aside from the scarves and wrap around skirt, anyone above a size 12 might have some problems with fit or inconvenient curves. I’d recommend checking the skirt measurements before cutting out also. Many of the adult pattern call for wider fabrics, and hence will require specific purchases rather than just using what you have.

Who would I recommend it to? – Someone with a love of op shopping as the styling and ephemera is just beautiful. The projects themselves are well suited to a beginning sewer but the instructions let it down. I would recommend this as a gift to someone who has started with the foundation of basics in Amy Karol’s Bend the Rules Sewing and is looking for somewhere to go next.

Would I Buy It?
Probably not. The recipes will be faithfully copied into my cookbooks and the book will be back at the library in a few days waiting for the keen beginner sewer it is aimed at. I prefer the variety of projects in Meet Me at Mikes and the softer tones (i.e. less exclamation marks). I will finally give into temptation. Rather than getting Meet me at Mike’s out of the library for a fourth time, a copy will be following me home from the book store sometime soon.

Do you have soft spot for old cook books? The hand written marginalia telling you to cook it for a little less time or just that the result was only good as a paper weight? Sometime they read like a domestic history and other times a far fetched wish list.

Once upon a time I collected old cookbooks. I was fascinated with old preserving recipes that might have fallen out of favour and colour spreads of contrived feasts. If only everything could taste so good with a deluge of gelatine glaze. With the advent of kids, we whittled down the collection to only the essential and the entertaining. Somehow we thought “Christmas at Home” would fall into the first category. I always fancied the idea of creating a nostalgic menu, perhaps roasting a goose and how could I resist a goose that happy? Bear with me while I indulge in my nostalgic fantasy. While the book has been useful, entertaining even, I won’t be cooking a thing from it.

This recipe book comes complete with shopping lists, menu plans and price lists. I love the handy hints. Did you know that one bottle of gin will satisfy 20 guests? I’m not quite sure what guests they are planning to invite, but the sort that can ration gin out like that, would probably prefer that the party were dry anyway. Perhaps they were planning to keep themselves satiated with some of the other refreshments to hand. That’s ok, because at 11s. (shillings, maybe?) a bottle of sherry, they can knock themselves out. The prices are deliciously retro too.

One shouldn’t despair at the measly portions, because as the perfect retro host, I will be providing the cigarettes. We will temporarily ignore the fact that I do not smoke. Never have. In fact, the only smoking relative at our family Christmas party does so while retrieving toys from the street below the balcony. It’s a symbiotic relationship that works well for the kids. The hallowed “Christmas at Home” will have us forgetting our nanny state ways, ignoring healthy resolutions, and merrily smoking up a storm.

The Christmas Day menu reads like a gastronomic explosion. No high class culinary feats here, just food and lots of it. Roast goose with brussel sprouts. I’m not sure that goose should be so happy now and with the brussel sprouts cooked to a mush, I wonder about the guests too.

In case you thought fast food was a recent event the menu gets a little simpler on Boxing Day.
The recipe for mushroom soup is one that should be loved by all. It consists of one ingredient – Can of Mushroom Soup. I’m pleased to see that the authors did not feel the need to include instructions. It reads like they had either run out of disasters to cook or space to print instructions.

Cheap cocktail parties, canned mushroom soup and smoke for all have me giggling away and clinging very firmly to the present. Maybe I will keep an eye out for the companion recipe books – Summer Parties and Caravan Holidays or even Teenage Parties.

Despite keeping the books tucked away with my recipes, I’m not sure you could call them recipe books. These are the first cook books I have regularly sought out just to read. I seek them with imagination and time to spare. If I wanted a plain, no fuss recipe, I’d be looking elsewhere, perhaps in the Edmond’s. When I finish reading, I’m often left in awe and wonder, daydreaming of fantastic feasts. I’m fully equipped with the knowledge of exactly what I would do if my local Pak’n’Save started stocking the more exotic ingredients – golden icing sugar for burnt butter cupcakes, Maple essence for autumnal cake. I don’t always immediately cook after reading them but the inspiration does stick.

The recipes throughout the books on my shelf (How to Eat, How to be a Domestic Goddess and Nigella Bites) have largely been met with success. All apart from the liver and dried apricot baby food that is. The fact that I was convinced my kids would eat something I wouldn’t touch with a bargepole is more of a testament to her writing than my children’s taste.

I can’t begrudge her the fingers in the mix either. I am convinced that this is how she and her culinary team, tweak their recipes. This is based purely on the fact that the mixes taste so good. When I tried to make the Danish pastries I swear I could have devoured all the pastry before the second rising. However, I am not about to taste the meatballs as i roll them to check if the same holds true there.

On the other hand, some recipes have proven to be too sweet for me. If Nigella and I were to play chicken with spoons of sugar, she’d win. I’ll just have one molten baby-cake, thank-you and just the tiniest morsel of the peanut chocolate slice. Don’t get me started on the cleanup from making schnecken – my teeth, the oven, the dishes all covered in delicious walnut flavoured toffee.

The recipes are to be savoured, read over and anticipated. If you want quick, this is not the place to look (though, might I suggest the baby bundt cakes?). They all deserve the time and attention that they demand. It would be sacriledge to go all Julie and Julia on them. I’m sure someone has tried. Me, I’m just content with my books and looking forward to the next one.

* If you're looking for the schnecken recipe try here

I’ve been getting a lot of library love lately. I spend a copious amount of time in our local library, but recently I’ve been casting my nets a little further. I’ve joined the Wellington City Library and I love it.

Losing my big city library card was one of the few downsides to moving to a small town. It turns out that by virtue of working in Wellington, I can get my card back. It is well worth it, as the selection of craft books is to die for and my issues are limited only by what I can carry home on the train.

This week I’m dreaming of decorating my house with Scandinavian style Christmas decorations and flashy Amy Butler bags.

However, I’ll still be keeping up with my local library. I highly doubt that the entire staff of Wellington Library will ever say hello to me, my kids and greet us by name like they do at out local. There are some things that are better smaller.

From the moment I saw this pattern, I knew I had to try it. Mum showed it to me some months back and I was smitten. It’s taken from her hallowed “Hand Book of Stitches” by Grete Peterson and Elsie Svennas. It was one of the first embroidery books she bought. It took a while, a sampler and an embroidered birthday present, between showing me and allowing me to borrow it.

Can you believe this book was initially published in Danish in 1959?


The sampler is an array of filler stitches including satin, padded satin, fishbone, leaf and surface satin stitched with pearle cotton. I have wanted to use a light leafy green but there was very limited selection of colours in the store. I've grown to like this pale minty green and think I might be using a lot more of it. While I’m not a master, at least I now know which ones were easier, quicker or even prettier.

Sometimes I am so sensible it is stupid. I fell in love with Gwen Marston’s Liberated Quiltmaking when I first started quilting. I was so proud of myself for resisting the urge to buy it. How was I to know it was going to go out of print?

When I heard that there was a Part II, I was in giddy liberated love. I called the ladies at Minerva and they had it in my mail box the next day. The book is fantastic and I am already scrambling for every chance to try something new out of it.


Here is Peg’s block for the Stash Busting Bee – my attempt to try the saw-tooth boarders from my newest love.

I’ve been getting excited about books. While I never really fell out of love with them, having a two year old makes you see them afresh. As a result, I’ve decided to start writing a bit more about books that are featuring in ours lives. I'm calling it Big Reader, Little Reader. Sometimes the picture books we read together, sometimes the ones by my bed, the ones by my sewing machine or even just the little things we’ve noticed along the way. I’d love it if you could join me. I’m starting this week with Dorothy Butler, the woman who rekindled my interest and reading “in the middle of the muddle”.

I heard snippets of a recent interview with Dorothy Butler talking about her new biography and was left wondering who she was. I raided the stack of my local library for copies of “Cushla and Her Books” and “Babies Need Books” to find out more.

If you ever need convincing that reading can be miraculous, read “Cushla and Her Books”. It’s the story of Dorothy’s grandchild, Cushla, and how books along with the intense support of her family gave Cushla chances doctors never dreamed possible. It all sounds very disability of the week, but it is all true and very human. The tale is simply and beautifully told and a pleasure to read.

“Babies Need Books” is just that. What has stood the test of time however is the accessible breakdown of types of books suited to different ages. Technology has moved ahead, rendering the pages of details on how to find a book are out of date and many of the books mentioned are out of print. I will be hunting down Dick Bruna alphabets for Miss H, Alfie books for E and hoarding “beastie” fairy tales in anticipation of turning three.

Most of all I adore the importance she places on books and whole heartedly agree with the following justification for taking a 30 minute break to read with your children at the beginning of the day, after breakfast, after work departures and before launching into every thing else. A time she calls "in the middle of the muddle"

"Don’t worry about leaving the dishes, or any other chore undone at this point; nothing is more certain that that the dishes will be washed and the next meal prepared, whereas no certainty at all attaches to the inclusion of story sessions unless they are placed firmly at the top of the list. ...Train yourself to smile confidently at neighbours’ and relations’ disapproval; tell them, if you need to explain yourself at all, that you would be ashamed to neglect your children whereas you don’t feel emotionally involved with the breakfast dishes. You will get through as much work as they, in the end, and the profits of your good sense will be as obvious to your critics as to yourself. With any luck, some of them, at least, will join you.”

(taken from Babies Need Books, Dorothy Butler, Penguin 1988 pg 64-65)