Small Stash Sewing: 24 Projects Using Designer Fat Quarters is a new book by Melissa Averinos. Many of you are familiar with Melissa’s work through Sugar Snap, her first fabric collection for Free Spirit that came out last year, and her blog Yummy Goods.
Small Stash Sewing is a gem of a book. The projects are fresh and fun and they use those fabulous 18″ x 22″ squares of goodness that fill a good chunk of my fabric shelves. Melissa did a fantastic job of applying her signature artistic style to a a set of practical sewing projects.
These simple silhouette shape softies are totally fabulous. The intricacy of the designs are absolutely stunning. The young model seems to think so too. To heck with making them for the kids, I need these in my room!
Several of the projects take a very clever twist on common accessories. I LOVE the added detail of the gathered fabric strip overlaying the top of this belt. It’s that kind of detail that elevates the belt from ordinary to spectacular.
Look closely because these shoe laces are not just strips of fabric. They’re all official with an inventive technique for adding a traditional hard plastic tip to the ends. As a reader I feel a bit giddy when I take away a new and useful tip like this. It also convinced me that I absolutely need a pair of Pink Converse All Stars!
Keep reading for a review of another new book and how to win both …
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Sewing Bits & Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric is a new book by Sandi Henderson. This new title uses another item we all have in our sewing rooms: scraps! Sandi’s eye for design and putting together just the right details translate into a book filled with inventive ideas for using those ubiquitous odds and ends we can’t seem to part with.
My favorite project in the book is the one featured on the cover. Each piece of the re-fashion is perfect in scale and composition. It sparked my creative juices and reminded me that the simple act of covering buttons with really cool fabric could spice up an old cardigan. I had lots of those moments while reading this book, it’s packed with inspiring ideas!
The Dahlia Pincushion is lovely. Sandi uses wool felt in several of the projects. I have a pretty good stash of wool felt myself and these projects reminded me of all the wonderful ways it can be used.
Fabulous organic shapes and texture elevate scraps to a new status.
LOVE the crust made from Cherries with a bit of steam rising from the pie. Too cute.
Sandi’s designs are certain to put a smile on your face and inspire thinking about how to put your stash of bits and pieces to creative work. The small nature of the book’s projects make them perfect for weekend sewing or a night of crafting with friends.
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Wiley Publishing has generously given me both these books for a giveaway.
To enter the drawing please leave a comment telling me what you’d like to see me write about here on the blog. You can ask a question or spin a whole long term plan if you’d like 
I’ll draw the winners Monday morning. Winners announced.
Happy Weekend Sewing!
xo Kathy
how about some fun and creative projects for the home?
thanks for the give away.
I’d love to hear more about the day-to-day challenges (and fun parts!) of running your shop. I’d love to see more of your own projects and inspirations too.
I’d love either one of these books–I have bags full of scraps!
I am still waiting for a pattern of you gorgeous advent calendar! Every year I say this is the year I’m going to make one.
Thanks!!
Would love to see more tutes and how-to’s! Love your blog, btw! So inspirational!! Thanks for the chance to win! What a great giveaway! CHEERS!
Anything Kathy – love seeing pictures of your projects, love your reviews…
What about a Christmas in July feature? I’d still love to see your Christmas tree advent calendar made into a pattern! Also, I just signed up for the Quilting Arts newsletter to get 6 free patterns and your Christmas/snowflake table runner is one of them! Maybe because the weather here in the NW has been anything but summer, I’m doing a lot of sewing and staying out of the rain!
I would love to see some more tutorials. You do a great job and I love reading your blog.
I enjoy reading your blog and would love to see some creative ideas for my favorite holiday– Halloween!
I would love to hear more about the techniques and products you have used, such as picking batting or interfacings, etc. I have learned alot from you about simplifying quilting which in turn has helped inspire me. I also love the articles on community and how we all can contribute to make life better for all.
I would like to continue to see projects you are working on, as well as some ideas for products you might be carrying in your shop. Any sort of arty-stuff you come across that you like would be fun to see too! thank you for the give away!
I would love to see more tutorials – I learn so much from what you share!
I commented earlier but had a thought–I’ve love for you to do a blog post about threads and perhaps needles…types you like, what you use for different types of sewing/quilting (ignore this otherwise as an entry.)
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id like to hear more about fabrics…what you like and why. what trends you see…and what you think is up and coming.
I’d like to hear about how you buy your fabrics for the shop – the process, any strategies about selecting fabrics etc.
Thanks!
My middle name should be “fabric scraps” – I have bags and bins of them tucked away everywhere. I need this book.
I would like to see more tutorials and reviews of patterns.
I love book reviews and tutorials/patterns for small projects and news about new fabrics – keep up the good work! Thank you for the giveaway! Both books look wonderful!
I always love book reviews and project examples done from the books. Also enjoy tutorials… Both of those books look great for “stash” sewing!
I really enjoy reading your blog particularly about starting out and growing your business, I’m at the start of a similar process and have learnt so much from you. I also love to sew and would love to see more projects/tutorials. In particular for very simple beginner friendly quilting projects.
Just keep doing what you’re doing!
I love any and all tutorials! I’m new to your blog, so that’s about all I have.
I’m excited to start back reading! Sounds like you already have some wonderful content.
I’ve been eyeing both of these books recently – they look like they’re full of fun projects that might actually get completed!
I’ve just recently found your blog but what I love reading about in general are sewing tips and tricks, tutorials, and inspiration to get me into my sewing room making fun quilts and crafts!
Love your blog. I’d like to see a review of clothing patterns and examples of how people have made them their own and use the latest fabrics. Thanks, Susan
I like your voice – when you tell us your ups and downs about your growing business and sewing projects. What worked and what didn’t work. This pattern is good because…this fabric collection can be used for…if you start a business be sure and…
Your blog is educational as well as entertaing. Not easy to do, but you do. Thanks.
I’d be interested in a tutorial on how you connect the ends of your binding. I’m not sure I have a great method. Or something on how to attach the binding to the quilt back using the sewing machine? I’ve heard it is possible.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I just started reading your blog. I would love to see regular book reviews like this one.
I like your tutorials. If I can’t make it right away, I always come back to them. Any tips and tricks are helpful!
I would love to read about how to develop a pattern–for example, how do you decide how large to make a handbag? How many versions do you go through in developing your patterns? What inspires your designs? I really like your style, and your blog and finished projects are great inspiration to me!
I like reading about the projects you make, especially the quilting blocks. Tutorials and inspiration for your projects are always interesting to read. Thanks for the great posts!
I would love these books. You are so talented and if I could request anything, it would be fabric jewelry.
i truly enjoy your blog! I’d love to enter this drawing because I recently moved across the country and was only able to keep my most favorite fabrics. I would love some ideas because my stash is now SO small!
I am getting interested in repurposed clothes, too, so I’d love to read more about that, if you have any clever ideas.
I have followed you on Google for a while now, and love your posts!
Sara in Florida
I look up your website everyday with anticipation of looking at and being inspired by your latest project. I would love to win this raffle. I am so into repurposed clothing.
Wishing you a good weekend,
Renee
I really like your pattern reviews. I like seeing photos of your projects. How do you choose the fabrics that you carry in your shop?
Anything you do is wonderful and can’t get enough!!
I would love you to talk about how you design the back of your quilts – I try to incorporate the details of the design from the front into the back of the quilt
- thanks Susan
I would love more tutorials.
I would like to know what sewing projects you enjoy doing the most? Thanks for the giveaway! They both look like great books and I will have to add them to my book list!
These books are amazing! Shoelaces! I would have never thought to sew my own! I would LOVE to see more of the projects you make for yourself. I know I am not the only one who is inspired for you…
I like it when you include bits about your kids. Your writing is very open and I like the feeling that I know you!
I also love your photography 101 tutorial.
I’d love to see more ‘behind the scenes’ at a fabric shop posts…. just the pictures alone of all those shelves of dreamy fabric are fantastic!
Definitely more tutorials! Not that I need to add to my to-do list….
love info on sewing projects
Enjoy all your blog. Just keep on keeping on. My special interest is quilts. Would love the books.
I would love to hear your tips and suggestions for starting a business. Tell us what you’ve learned the hard way!
I have just recently come across your blog. I love it. Your book reviews are great! I would like to see you write about the latest in garment embellishment. A handmade garment is made special when it is embellished. An example of this would be ribbon brooches. I learned to make brooches with organza and taffeta ribbon. I use them on clothes, purses, hair, and necklaces.
Those shoe laces look cool! The little plastic tips are called “aglets”. Weird, huh?
I love everything you write about, keep up the good work! I too would love to see behind the scenes of the fabric shop. Thank you for the chance to win!
I came across your site last year and pop in several times a week to see what’s new and inspiring. Anything you do quilty catches my attention immediately. Tutorials are always welcomed here. It’s fun to try new things and new methods. These books would be fabulous to win and add to my library. Thanks for the opportunity!
Another vote for tutorials! And of course you need pink Converse shoes!
I love reading about new approaches to quilting and patchwork. I guess I am a modern quilter, using bold colours and non-traditional prints. What I tend to pick up on is new techniques and also new blogs that I should be reading to feed my current obsession.
Thanks for the give away!
(and thanks for the prompt delivery of your fabrics all the way to Australia!)
I would love to see more projects and ideas for my little boy. I always see such cute ideas for little girls but have a hard time with boy stuff. Clothes, toys, anything.
Both look like lovely books. I’d like to see more thoughts/discussion on coordinating fabrics from different fabric lines/designers. Sometimes it is very hard to know when just looking on the computer screen.