One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric!

I bought this book because, well, who doesn't have that beautiful one-yard piece of fabric either bought specifically for the design itself or left over from a previous project. So I thought this book would provide me with either inspiration or ideas. Who knew it had volumes of both?? I flipped through it last night for the first time and just flipped out! I have sticky note after sticky note on pages of what to make first and also things I want to go back to for reference. For starters, I found the explanations on stitches (such as slipstitch, aka blindstitch) and key techniques (like a scant 1/4-inch seam, and how to make and use piping) clearly explained and illustrated, which is fantastic for a relatively new sew-er like me. Although I've made women's tops, children's clothing, and a few quilts and wall hangings, I'm somewhere between beginning and intermediate sewing due to the inherent difficulties in being self-taught with no one's shoulder to look over and observe. So I have a bookcase pretty well stocked with sewing references and design books, but this is the first book I've read that explained some of these things so clearly and illustrated so well. Moving on to the patterns, where do I begin? I think this book has ample samples using some of the most popular fabrics (and of which I was happy to be able to snag a few before they were discontinued). Their ideas include household goods, craft organization, bags, clothes, carry-alls, accessories, play things, and pet projects. The best thing that I like about the book is the variety of projects I haven't found in other books - like the tabletop ironing-board cover. I have both a tabletop and larger ironing board, and I'll adapt the pattern so I can make this project for my larger ironing board. The instructions are simple enough that even I can figure this one out! I'll make it in the very fabric they used as an example too. I say this because it's one of those cases like they cite up front - that rare fabric I just had to have and this is really a stellar use of it, because if I ever want to repurpose this gem of a fabric later, it will be largely in tact. The women's cape is really a grand idea as well. I could use some of my precious designer quilting cotton, but the authors clearly explain in the fabric options which materials would really suit the project best, and I appreciate their counsel. I'll probably use what they suggest (sigh - like I need an excuse to go buy more fabric, but hey, it's only ONE YARD! ;-) And the bags! I'll have to make the Folklore Bag, the Bohemian Banana Bag, and the Quilted Circles Shoulder Bag for sure. That's just for starters. And the Beanbag Booster Seat. Well, I don't really need one of those, but after reading the instructions (only one page, as are more of the instructions for these clever patterns), I'm going to use their method of making a square three-dimensional chair cover out of one yard of oilcloth I have to make a cushion for our rocking chair. Having a seven-year-old at home, I have discovered that using my precious designer quilting cotton to cover chair seats isn't a good idea, unless spaghetti stains and cookie crumbs match the beautiful print somehow. It's a wonderful thing that great oilcloth selection is now available, and this one-yard pattern makes it both do-able and affordable! The authors do a magnificent job of communicating how to make very useful, practical, sensible and beautiful pieces that even a relative beginner like me can translate the ideas to accommodate similar projects around my own home. There's plenty more in this book. I'm so pleased to finally have a book that I can USE for more than just one project. I can see that this book will keep me "in stitches," that is, sewing very happily (and rapidly!) for a long time, while coming back again and again to this gem of a book!! I'm very grateful to the authors for putting together one wonder of a sewing book. My hand-sewn hat (there's one of those in the book too) is off to them.

This book is a treasure trove for anyone who loves sewing. The projects are designed to use just one yard of fabric, which makes them budget-friendly and perfect for scrap fabrics. The instructions are clear, easy to follow, and include helpful illustrations, making it suitable for beginners and experienced sewers alike. From home décor to clothing and accessories, there’s a wide variety of fun, practical projects. It’s inspiring, resourceful, and shows just how much you can create with a little fabric and a lot of creativity.

I'm a beginner when it comes to sewing and just flipping through I'm already liking this book! The intro has definitions and basic runthrough of everything you need to know to sew the projects inside and if you haven't sewn before or are self taught like me, it's a great resource to go through to help you around the ropes. It has a lot of simple and easy projects, plenty of fun bags and kids items. There are some adult clothing pieces that seemed cute and some organization pieces that looked fun. Most of these items look to be fairly simple so a seasoned sewer might not find it very interesting, though there are a couple projects in there that seem a bit more difficult (only a few). A lot of these types of items can be found on blogs as well if you are a heavy blog reader. Even so the book is great for flipping through for ideas, the photos are clear, the book design colorful and inspiring, the fabrics ranging from pretty to modern to cutesy and fun. Comes with full size patterns and clear instrucstions, some with diagrams. I recommend this if you're a beginning/intermediate sewer and want more than a simply online tutorial for making some fun easy one yard projects.

I like this book so much I even have the sequel! I have not actually cut the patterns from the book, mostly I just use it as inspiration and then eyeball the pattern onto the fabric. The instructions are easy to follow, making it great for beginners, but the projects are interesting so it is great for more experienced sewers as well. This is a great book if you need some inspiration, a kick in the rear to use your sewing machine, or some scraps you want to bust from your stash.

Excellent product

100's of ideas for 1 yard items

I purchased this book two years ago. Since then, I've made several projects from the book; however, it doesn't really contain any patterns or projects that one couldn't find on the internet for free. The major flaw of the book is the directions. Some are confusing. It takes more than a yard of fabric for some clothes items if the one is a larger size (sleep top). Not everyone is as small as the young ladies pictured in the book. Some directions are unclear. I just made a pair of sleep shorts. I had to make my own pattern. I've never made these before, so I didn't know what a "total rise measurement" was; it wasn't in the book anywhere. I had to google it, found various definitions, and did my best. This, however, turned out to be the wrong thing to do. Once my sleep pants were completed, they wouldn't fit. I had done the rise incorrectly; however, I did follow the directions as given on page 141 (total rise measurement divided by 2) I tried to salvage the pants, thus making them rather odd looking. Other thing, there is a section for children's clothes; but they are for little girls. I am the mother of two boys. Overall, it's not a terrible book, but I would borrow it rather than purchase it.

There are several projects for gifts for children. I particularly like the stegosaurus, I will make it as a stuffed toy, not as a pull-along toy. I knew the steggie pattern was in the book, and the steggie was the reason I bought the book! Peg Bear is adorable as well. Not all the projects require a pattern, sometimes measurements for a project are included right in the book. When a pattern is needed, it comes with the book. there are several large pattern pieces, each has multiple patterns printed on it. I cut apart all the patterns and stored each pattern in an envelope on which I wrote the name of the project and the correlating page number for each pattern. I also indicated the number of pattern pieces for each project. In order to keep everything intact, I highly recommend cutting out and organizing all of the pattern pieces right away. It is helpful to devise a way to keep everything together. I use a plastic container about 10" by 14" . It holds both the book and the patterns. The lid locks on, it keeps everything together. If you like to sew there are many good patterns and good directions. I really like the project for kids.