The projects within this 12-chapter book are part of a one-year selfish sewing challenge - each month, sew one thing for yourself. BurdaStyle, Winter 2015 The premise of this sewing book is simple: 24 patterns aimed at women who love to sew. Instead of presenting baby clothes or home furnishings, this volume gets right to what women would actually enjoy sewing - that is bags (the opening Sweetly Gathered Round Handbag is fashionable and simple); clothes (the quilting bee dress is a classic in the making, distinctively using quilting cottons); and accessories (a smartphone cozy that features a cute embroidered fox on the front). All of the designs come from the owners and contributors of the popular sewing blog SewCanShe. Like the website, everything here is bright, appealing, and just trendy enough. The book assumes a good grasp of sewing skills, although a latter chapter does explain more complicated techniques. Step-by-step photos throughout should help make up for pattern instructions that seem brief, and patterns are included (although not made available to reviewers). Although few sewists want to be known as selfish, this book is going to make them act as if they are! Full-color photos, pattern pullouts. Publishers Weekly, 8/18/14 The layout of this book is clear and easy to follow. There are great shots of the finished items as well as very good step-by-step photos, making it really visually pleasing. The 34 projects are very usable, ranging from clothes to bags and other accessories and are divided between 12 chapters (one for each month of the year), so with a few hours here and there you could spice up your wardrobe in no time! Many designers contributed to the book, so each project has a distinctive style, with something for everyone. There are plenty of handy tips sprinkled throughout the text, plus a generous Techniques You'll Use section at the end of the book. It is hard to flick through the pages without wanting to make quite a few projects. Highly recommended. Love Sewing Australia Magazine, January 2015
