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so, so fabulous ...

Since I started my home blog just over a year ago, I have been the lucky winner of not one, not two but three giveaways! Look at the latest, a copy of Ginny and Alice's recently published book Sew Fabulous Fabric, twenty charming ways to sew fabrics into your life. Ginny has been a dedicated follower of my blog since the start and her blog is over at The Flour Loft, which is a great mix of garden, home and family, and of course needlecraft.

At the time of winning I did feel rather a fraud, you see I cannot use a sewing machine and struggle to even thread a needle these days! I did wonder whether I should not have entered the competition in the first place and to have given the great seamstresses, of which many of you are, the chance to win the prize, even though Ginny and Alice were giving away more than one copy of the book.

As it turns out, I needn't have worried, yes the book has lots of projects and handy templates/patterns for the experienced needlewomen out there, but also basic techniques of the art of sewing and less complicated projects for beginners, of which category I most definitely fall into!




Ginny and Alice kindly included some very handy fabric swatches, tied up with a lovely mother of pearl button. I do have a collection of these, so this will be a lovely addition. One chapter which I particularly like is Scent with Love, scented decorations which I must say do look quite easy to make (famous last words), which would make good use of these pieces of material.



What about these cards? I could make a simpler version of these, which includes less stitching! The chapter Creative Cards shows you how.

Also included in the book are ideas for Christmas stockings, and lots of different makes for presents, which include pictures, peg bags, aprons, purses and bags. Projects for the home include curtains, cushions and bunting. Not forgetting the very pretty applique flowers and make do and mend patches for kids clothes too. I do like the draught excluder on page 37, and Silas the Dog who features on page 103, would be a lovely companion to me on the arm of the sofa!

Don't just think of Sew Fabulous Fabric being solely for experienced needlecrafters. If you like me like bright colours and great photography, and enjoy skimming through the pages just looking at the pictures, then this book is for you too.

The last word - an excerpt from my third year report at secondary for needlework. More work in her own time would have improved her standard! Maybe if I had this book at the time, I would not have gained the dizzy mark of C4!