Book Review and Giveaway: Little One Yard Wonders

So here's that book review I promised.

Little One Yard Wonders is the third in the One Yard Wonders series, the first two being One Yard Wonders (2009) and Fabric by Fabric: One Yard Wonders (2011). You can read my review of the latter book in this post.

The authors Rebecca Yaker and Trish Hoskins, who also wrote the two earlier volumes, explain the inspiration behind this book: much of their own sewing is for their children and the needs in their lives as a result of being parents to those children. They wanted to write a book that addressed the unique qualities of kid-centered projects and filled some of the gaps left by many of the current girl- and infant-focused sewing books.

In their introduction, they discuss how children in developmental spurts often grow up faster than they grow out, and how to accommodate for that when designing garments for children. They suggest suitable fabrics, notions and techniques that will equip the home seamstress to handle the projects in the book, and provide a standard sizing chart for ages 3 months to 12 years. 

A useful subsection on the technique of binding edges with either bias tape or knit fabric is also included.

There is a glossary at the end of the book that defines many of the sewing terms used.

In the front of the book is a pocket containing 6 large, folded sheets of full-size templates for the relevant projects in this book.

At the back of the book are templates for two projects, which require enlarging and one annotated cutting plan for a third.

The premise of this third book is similar to that of its predecessors: over a hundred projects designed by almost 60 local and international contributors that can each be made from a single yard of fabric (although the actual widths vary according to the project). 

Some projects are individually large enough to require the full yard while other smaller and related ones share, as a group, the single yard.

The book itself is a beautiful, colorful work of art, from its pretty borders and gorgeous photos 

to its easy-to-read format and clear diagrams. And it's spiral bound so the pages lay flat on the tabletop while you work.

The 101 projects are of a wide variety and, based on their area of application, are divided into 13 categories, 

each to which a chapter of the book is devoted:

1. Nursery
2. Bath Time & Bedtime
3. Home & Kitchen
4. Tops
5. Pants & Skirts
6. Dresses & Rompers
7. Accessories
8. Tactile Play
9. Dolls & Plushies
10. Imaginative Play
11. Games & Hobbies
12. On The Go
13. Moms & Dads

I did my own rough overview-analysis of the projects, according to their type:

• 36 Garments (including shoes), of which 22 are for girls, 8 for boys and 6 for either.
• 18 Bag/Pouch type receptacles
• 18 Home-Dec items, including organizers and upholstery
• 11 Bedlinen-related items, including various covers and liners
• 6 Stuffed Toys
• 22 Toys, of which 5 are for baby and 17 are for kids (not infants)

Each project is handled in the same way: there are

• a materials list (the length of this one is an exception -most of the projects have a much shorter list!),

• (where applicable) a layout plan on the one yard of fabric

• (where applicable) layout, measuring and cutting instructions
• (where applicable) a simple sizing chart
• construction and sewing step-by-steps, with clear annotated diagrams.
• (where helpful), close-up shots of parts of the completed project to illustrate particular finishes, closures or suchlike.

Not all the garments in the book are meant for kids of all ages; some are infant outfits, some for older children and some for both. Further, the different seamstresses who designed the projects in the book have different ways of grading their garment and pattern sizes. So expect to find size charts of anything from a few individual sizes, 

to collapsed categories, 

to a more inclusive spectrum.

Here follow some photos of a sampling of the kinds of projects:

Garments

Bags

Home Items

Softies

Toys

There is no particular sewing level for which this book is suitable; and no suggestion is made for such. This being a compilation of projects from many seamstresses of varying levels of skill and experience, you are likely to find some that you can whip up by just being inspired by the photographs, some that you can comfortably make by following the instructions, others that will challenge you, and still others that are a stretch simply because their method of construction may differ from the one with which you are usually familiar.

You can buy the book here on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Powell's, IndieBound and directly from Storey Publishing.

You can also enter the giveaway below to win a copy of the book, valued at US$29.95, shipped directly to you from Storey Publishing (thank you, Storey!). Here are the rules:

• Anyone aged 18 and older and who is a resident of the US with a US shipping address can enter.
• Each person may submit one entry.
• Leaving a comment to this blog post and registering on the rafflecopter widget below counts as one entry.
• The giveaway is open from 7:00 am Sat 12 July 2014 and will close at 11:59 pm Friday July 18 2014.
• At the end of the giveaway, one winner will be picked from the entries by random draw.
• The winner will be notified by me by email and required to respond by email with their mailing address within 48 hours, failing which another winner will be picked by random draw. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway