Sewing in No Time: 50 Step-By-Step Weekend Projects Made Easy

There are some really nice ideas in this book with templates. Probably things you have seen before but this book illustrates multiple retro and dainty fabrics. Very pleasing on the eye. I especially like the ribbon and yo-yo throw pillows, tea cozy, pot holder, recipe book cover (which could also be a journal cover), ribbon trim your bed sheet, duvet cover, fabric padded bed headboard, drawstring toy bag, fabric lined basket pattern, fabric covered storage box, fabric awning, and children's play fabric tent. If you like sewing, this is a nice book.

This is one of my favorite sewing books; I've made several items out of it already (table runner, valances, tea cozies, drawstring gift bags (super cute, by the way; the ribbon and flower embellishments make the bag)) and plan to make several more (Pillow sham covers, ironing board cover, bathmat... all on the agenda!). What I like about the book is that the projects are all appealing and can be used by most anyone (nothing weird or too "unique" in here). The instructions are reasonably clear, the finished products are professional in their craftsmanship and appearance, the supplies required are basic, and the fabrics pictured are classic looks that are relatively easy to approximate with any basic fabric store. The projects are simple, but don't cut corners in the craftsmanship area; directions are given to make things the right way. Hardy gives terrific ideas for embellishing projects with ribbon, felt "flowers," yo-yo's, contrasting trim, and so forth. I've made a . One last note: the projects really can be completed in a weekend.

It'd certainly be much shorter! I love the ideas in this book - the majority of the Christmas presents we gave this last Christmas came from this book and my wish list pretty much comprises the rest of the book. The only drawback - photocopying the patterns can be a bit difficult for people like me who are photocopier-challenged and the copy center at the local office supply stores won't do it since the book is copyrighted (even though that's the intention of the book).

My favorite craft magazine is Marie Claire Idees even though I speak very little French. When I see a project in the magazine that I'd like to make, I painstakingly translate the instructions with the help of a French/English dictionary. Looking through this book reminds me of Marie Claire Idees projects with English instructions! It turns out the author, Emma Hardy, does in fact contribute to that magazine. The projects in the book are simple designs using beautiful choices of fabrics with easy embellishments. Ms. Hardy's projects are well designed. Compare her design for a laundry bag with Amy Butler's pattern and you'll see a more interesting balance of bands of fabric and of fabric choices. The projects in the book include a very cute covered hanger embellished with a fabric, ribbon and button flower, beautiful bed linens, a useful doorstop, pillows, blinds, notebook cover and much more. I did not like every project in the book but I found 9 projects I'd like to make. Most books rarely have more than two that catch my eye. The instructions are clear, the photos are beautiful.