It's time for another installment in the book review section of the site!



Today's review is on Elizabeth Dubicki's 101 Ways to Use Your First Sewing Machine.

It seems like when college starts back up, one of the most popular items to pack your child off with is a sewing machine (o.k. well a laptop, but electronics don't count). So what should you arm the novice sewer with besides the instructions that come with the machine? A handbook on what you can make with it! 101 Ways to Use Your First Sewing Machine - pretty much sums it up right there! This book won't help you to learn to use your sewing machine, but it does give practical ideas (and how to's) on what to do with it - such as mending rips, letting garments out (and taking them in), and embelishing ready-to-wear clothing. It also includes numerous projects that are completed 'from scratch" and cover all areas of the house - from the bathroom (shower curtains, tissue box covers) to the living room (media center covers to recovering an ottoman).

The book is hardback and is spiral bound - which makes it easy to keep open when you're working on proiects. There are no patterns included in the book, so all the items in the book require some measuring and planning prior to cutting fabrics. However, there are lots of color photos and illustrations included (as well as through directions to help you through each project). Advanced sewers will recogonize making many of these items, but novice sewers will probably find it to be an unintimidating resourse for begining their sewing adventure. In fact, I'm planning on showing this book to a friend of mine who wants to sew, but just doesn't know where to begin.