Staples - Sew organized for the busy girl : tips to make the most of your time & space : 23 quick and clever sewing projects youll love

PUBLISHER: Amy Marson

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Gailen Runge

ART DIRECTOR / COVER DESIGNER : Kristy Zacharias

EDITOR: Karla Menaugh

TECHNICAL EDITORS: Mary E. Flynn and Helen Frost

BOOK DESIGNER: April Mostek

COVER ILLUSTRATOR: Casey Dukes

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Jenny Davis

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Joanna Burgarino

ILLUSTRATOR: Aliza Shalit

PHOTO ASSISTANT: Mary Peyton Peppo

STYLED PHOTOGRAPHY by Nissa Brehmer and
INSTRUCTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY by Diane Pedersen, unless otherwise noted

Published by Stash Books, an imprint of C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

Dedication

To my beloved family, who not only believed that I could write a book, but also made sure that I had all the time, caffeine, and encouragement I needed to actually do it.

Acknowledgments

To Angela, Beth, Debbie, Kimberly, Lindsay, Lynne, Maureen, Sarah, and Svetlana for being kind enough to share their ideas and experience. You each deserve your own fan club.

To Karlamy editor, encourager, and all-around lifesaver. Youre the best.

To the amazing team at Stash Books and C&T Publishing, who helped me make sense of the vision I had for this book. You guys are fantastic, and I am so proud to be working with you.

To all the lovely companies who donated materials so that I could write a sewing book without going broke. I (and my husband) cant thank you enough.

To the many friendsonline and in personwho keep me going each day with their love and laughter. I appreciate you more than I can say.

To my incredible family: Dad and Mom, David and Amy, my darling nieces, Mike and Mary, Dave and Jenna. And to Grandma, who was overjoyed about this book but didnt live to see it published. I love you all so dearly.

To Amy, who always had a listening ear and willing hands to help. Youre amazing, Sis.

To my three beautiful daughters (affectionately known as Bunny, Bear & Mouse), who have been so proud of Mommys book from the start. You are the joy of my life, and I just love you to pieces.

To my husband, James, who has been the constant voice of sanity in my lifeIt doesnt have to be the best book ever written, Sweetheart, just the best book you can write. I absolutely adore you.

And to my Lord, who has brought me through doors that I never dreamed could open for me. I am so grateful. May all the glory go to You.

Authors Note

The title of this book might seem like a giant No Boys Allowed sign on the sewing clubhouse. Not so. While its true that the majority of people who sew also happen to be female, and while I had plenty of fun designing these pages with that theme in mind, the principles in this book will work for you no matter what gender you happen to be. So pick up a needle, gentlemen, and lets make something

Introduction

I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder

There are moments when it seems as if life is spinning out of control.

Im not talking about what you see on the nightly news. Lets not even go there. No, Im talking about your life. When your to-do list for today takes up more than one page; when the only time you spend with your husband is falling asleep in front of the television set together; when youre perfecting the art of multitasking by learning to wash dishes, talk on the phone, and brush your daughters hair at the same time. Insanity becomes routine, and we cant seem to remember how to slow down anymore.

Whether we like it or not, life is going to be busy and this is not necessarily a bad thing. It becomes bad when we let the craziness hijack our lives so completely that we dont leave any room for the things that bring us joy.

We need joy. Life becomes boring and utterly depressing without it. Of course, I suspect that the names of some special people are at the top of your joy list, but could it be that sewing has made it into the top ten? If it has, then wouldnt you like to be doing it more often? Sewing just makes me happy. And when Im happy, its so much easier to take the petty annoyances of life in stride.

I wrote this book because I know all about living the busy life. These ideas were conceived and tested in the midst of a bustling, noisy house packed with four busy adults, three active little girls, and three completely neurotic dogs. There were days when these ideas worked to perfection and other moments when well, not so much. Life doesnt always work out the way we plan, but Ive learned that a little planning doesnt hurt.

My fondest wish is that this book will end up full of dog-eared corners, scribbled notes, and coffee stains; that it will be there for you like a personal assistant and a comfortable old friend. More than anything, I hope it will give you the chance to sew more often, and that as you do, youll remember why you love it so much.

Lets find our way back to joy.

Why bother sewing?

You can buy clothes at Walmart for a fraction of what it costs you to make them. Home furnishings are available online at the click of a button, and styles are changing faster than anyone can keep up. Gifts line the shelves at the local mall, and if youre really desperate, you can buy something handmade (by someone else, of course) on Etsy.

Besides, who has time to sew? Have you looked at your calendar lately? Where exactly are you going to find time to do this in between meetings, errands, and the 50 other appointments on your schedule today?

Making the Case for Sewing

In todays world, it may seem as if sewing has become completely irrelevant, but I disagree. So do a lot of other people out there. The handmade revolution has exploded in recent years. There was a time when people made everything themselves because they had no other choice. Now were choosing to make more things ourselves because were finding that its a more fulfilling way to live.

SEWING GIVES YOU MORE VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY. You may spend more money on a dress that you made yourself rather than one you picked up at the local chain store, but be sure youre making the right comparison: a mass-produced, cheaply made item versus a garment that has been carefully sewn and tailored to your specific measurements. How much would you spend on a dress like that if you ordered it from a dressmaker? Exactly.

SEWING SAVES YOU TIME. Dropping off clothes at the dry cleaners for small tailoring fixes, running out to find a last-minute giftno more of that for you. You can handle all this on your own now, and often you can do it in half the time.

Detail of

SEWING GIVES YOU QUALITY CONTROL. I will never forget the time I walked into an unnamed chain store in search of a tote bag to use as a gift. There were badly sewn edges, loose threads, and (quite frankly) ugly fabrics everywhere. I settled for a gift card because I was too embarrassed to give my friend the items Id seen on the shelves. That day has stuck with me as a reminder that I dont ever need to feel like a handmade gift is a poor substitute for something from the store.

SEWING LETS YOU BE CREATIVE. Remember how much fun you used to have during craft time? That need for creativity doesnt go away when you grow up. Sewing can put you back in touch with the joy of creativity, giving you the chance to make items that are both lovely and useful.