With so many inspirational new books being published, we’re finding that we can’t fit all of them into ‘The Book Nook’ pages in each issue of Homespun. So, to ensure that you don’t miss out on seeing the latest and greatest craft books, we’ll be posting a review of one that we love here on our blog almost every Friday.
Pretty Little Presents
The latest in the series of "Pretty Little . . ." books is another good ’un. Featuring 29 projects that the publishers describe as "sweet and sassy", it provides instructions for gifts that are unique, personal and, as they say, "just as fabulous as the person you’re giving it to".
The projects are grouped into five chapters: gifts for your hostess, home, birthday, wedding and baby. The hostess gifts include a notebook cover, wine bottle bag and covered coat hanger and sachet. Gifts for the home covers a patchwork doorstop, coasters and placemats. Birthdays are handled with bookmarks and a jewellery roll; weddings with a guest register, a handbag and luggage tag; and the baby gifts range from an appliquéd cushion and a tote bag to a baby rattle.
Each project is shown in a full colour photograph and the instructions are illustrated with additional photographs and line drawings. Both metric and imperial measurements are included throughout. Unfortunately for those who prefer to work in metric, the conversions haven’t been done in a helpful manner – but rather just listed as the precise equivalent of the imperial. That leads to silly instructions such as: cut a piece of fabric 15.2 x 27.9cm instead of the much easier 6 x 11in. In practice, you’ll probably need to work in imperial!
Templates required for the projects are included at the back of the book, and most require enlarging – some by as much as 400%.
The project on the front cover is from the gifts for the home chapter – it’s a fabric box filled with picnic napkins. We’ve also included here a photo of the bookmarks – simple but a little bit different and bound to be used by anyone who likes to snuggle up with a good book.
RRP $29.99. 132 pages. Hard cover. Published by Lark Books and distributed by Capricorn Link Australia. Available in all good craft shops or by mail order from www.candobooks.com.au Phone (02) 4577 1400 or email books@capricornlink.com.au for wholesale enquiries.
Review by Homespun Technical Editor Megan Fisher.
