Animal Friends to Sew

March 2, 2020
Ishida (Sewing Happiness), a children’s book and crafting guide author, provides a slew of child-friendly projects as adorable as they are functional. A chapter on sewing and embroidering basics should get readers up to speed before they begin the projects, which are divided among décor, toys, and “wearables,” with the last section being the stand-out. It includes koala and monkey bibs for messy mealtimes and hooded capes suitable either for Halloween, or, when made out of “cozy” terry cloth, as baby bathrobes. Helpfully, the wearables aren’t too labor intensive—to wit, Ishida’s baby slippers can be sewn in nine steps. For home decor, she adds a whimsical spark to common household items, turning easy rope baskets into a dog and cat design with the addition of embroidered details. In the toy section, particularly charming plans are provided for stacking blocks, “ideal for the crawling and toddling set,” with embroidered mouse, raccoon, bear, and elephant faces. Ishida provides templates for users to cut out or trace and, in the closing resource section, shares info on fabric sources, reference titles, and online sewing help. These sweet DIY projects will appeal to parents who are also avid or aspiring sewers, not to mention to their kids.

May 1, 2020

Ishida (Sewing Happiness) presents competent guidance for the dedicated crafter, showing passion in the construction of each project in this new collection. Here, the photography, soothingly beautiful, depicts the projects in a way that helps readers understand the appearance of each piece. The book begins, however, with some inconsistencies: seam allowances shift from a half-inch to a quarter-inch to three-eighths of an inch. If the intention is to have multiple seam allowances, then it would have been helpful for each pattern to have featured a specific seam allowance. VERDICT Despite this minor quibble, this a charming collection comprised of lovely fabric items crafters will enjoy gifting and creating.--Sonia Haynes, Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2020
Ishida (Sewing Happiness, 2016) returns with a cheery sewing book focused on creating toys, d�cor, and clothing for babies and small children. Fifteen projects, many of which have multiple variations, utilize minimalist design, animal themes, and muted colors that evoke an idyllic household filled with calm children engaging in enriching activities. Laid out in the manner typical of Japanese craft books, a look book of finished project photos is followed by instructional sections on sewing and embroidery, followed by the project instructions. Each project includes a list of required supplies and materials, construction steps with hand-drawn diagrams, and a list of pattern pieces. Traceable templates for all pattern pieces compose the final chapter. Construction and assembly of these projects use techniques that will be familiar to most home sewists and will be accessible to beginners with use of the sewing-instruction section and a little practice. All patterns utilize hand sewing, some include hand embroidery, and a few require the use of a sewing machine (though most will be more efficiently made using a machine).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)