Happy Gloves: Charming Softy Friends Made from Colorful Gloves

This book has such cute pattern ideas. And who would have thought you could do So much with a pair of gloves? This author is a genius! Everyone that I have made these for simply loves them and cannot believe they were made with a pair of gloves. The instructions are easy to follow, and all you reall need are simple sewing skills, and your imagination.

Miyako Kanamori is an artist with socks and gloves. Her books are also works of how-to book art, perfectly crafted. Happy Gloves is a little more complex than her first, Sock and Glove, but well worth the extra effort. The books have a picture book story format, the characters are the dolls you can make. Slight text, sweet expressions in clear photographs, and plenty of diagrams, either with dotted lines and cutout instructions, or sequential photographs to help the inexperienced maker. I particularly liked how the idea of the book is to create a doll between a parent and child, as an activity. How wonderful for a child to see a doll materialize out of a humble pair of gloves. And maybe a friend or two. Kanamori supplies examples of kinds of faces to simply embroider, so the look is right.

Twenty-two fairly easy sewing projects to be done with knit gloves. The first part of the book is set up like a child's counting book, each project pictured, with some hand-drawn artwork and a line of text ("A white-as-snow polar bear comes eighth.") Each of the projects has clear instructions, though some experience at sewing would probably be helpful. Parental supervision would also be needed for smaller children. Even though the book suggests using old gloves, just due to the number of projects, and the variety of colors needed (or wanted), you'll probably find yourself glove shopping. The variety of projects to do is excellent, from the above mentioned white-as-snow polar bear, to a car, a teapot and cup, and penguin. Not only will the projects keep you busy, but the end result will keep small children busy for hours (days, weeks etc.)

I ordered this book after seeing the publisher on Martha Stewart's show where they demonstrated one of the little animals and I thought these would be something my little granddaughter would like as she is beginning to talk and say animal names. Before my book arrived I began stocking up on the one size fits all gloves that you can usually purchase for about $1 a pair. I made one little animal each night while sitting in front of the TV and they were very easy and turned out so cute. Unfortunately I had to get them packed up and shipping out before I remembered to take pictures of them. If you have basic sewing skills it should be no problem making these little guys. I do suggest sewing up your seams before cutting and I used 3 strands of 6 six strand embroidery floss for all stitching. If you are giving these to a small child I would not use buttons and just use stitching for eyes and noses.

Ordered this for my mom for an art project, came fast and in perfect condition. Cute book, reccomended.