Feel free to sew outside the lines

Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules Sewing, can help anyone tackle their fear of needle and thread

By Meghan Murphy
Published: June 26th, 2007 | 6:32pm

<img src="http://venuszine.com/stories/bendrules.jpg" border="0" height="240" width="188" alt="bendrules.jpg" align="left" hspace="5" />Amy Karol is best known for her craft blog <a href="http://angrychicken.com">angrychicken.com</a>, which is about to get even more exposure after the release of her first book, <i>Bend the Rules Sewing</i>. For sewers of all levels, this book is a fun, no-pressure approach to whipping up cute and functional items such as curtains, napkins and coasters. Karol writes, "I want you to love sewing as much as I do, so I write a lot about how to learn to sew with the least amount of frustration." Bright photographs and simple, step-by-step instructions adorn each sewing project spread, along with "insider" tips and suggestions for embellishing your new stuff.

The first 45 pages are a crash course in getting started. If you're the type who enjoys slowly reading instructions and versing herself in background information before taking on a new crafty endeavor, this section is very helpful. It includes all the "tips and tricks" your mother would have passed onto you if she was a sewing queen herself. But, if you're the dive-right-in kind of crafter, these pages will still prove useful, even if you just flip through them or reference them after you've begun your projects. And if you've never crafted a day in your life, Karol invites you with open arms and encouraging words to join the movement, providing all the necessary information on how to make the leap from spectator to creator.

The only disappointing feature of this book is the actual patterns. Included in the back pages, they require you to use the enlarging feature on a copy machine, an extra, time-consuming step meaning you'll have to first find a copy machine before getting started. Some of the patterns need to be enlarged as much as 200 to 261 percent. This could be somewhat cumbersome if large paper isn't available.

Karol's love of aprons and general domestic, home-sewn items is apparent in a chapter titled "Interiors: Cool Projects You Can Live With." The chapter includes patterns for "clever coasters," "mixy-matchy napkins," a tea cozy, and various aprons. Her tendency for the sweet and whimsical appears in the following chapter dedicated specifically to "the special little person in your life." A personal favorite in this section is the puppet theater with a matching case, which you'll want to make, too, regardless of whether or not you have a special little person in your life.

Bend the Rules Sewing is a useful little book to have. With 30 patterns to keep you busy all summer long and Karol's expertise that will inspire and enlighten even advanced sewers, this book is a resource you'll be glad to have on your shelf.

—
ABOUT THE BOOK:
<i>Bend the Rules Sewing</i> (Potter Craft)
By Amy Karol
144 pages
$21.95 