Love to Sew: Lagom-Style Accessories

Debbie has been involved in writing and the craft world for pretty much all of her life but in 1997 she made it into a profession, qualifying formally in journalism and writing patterns and a couple of columns for magazines and newspapers across four continents. She is inspired by nature, travel and history, ancient worlds, steampunk or just a walk in the woods. You name it. She writes about so much more than craft – she loves travel writing, photography and just simply commenting about some of the ridiculous things that happen in our lives.Writing has led her through the world of teaching, and she has written more craft pattern packets than she cares to mention! She has also self-published seven books on subjects ranging from templates for embroidery designs to a cancer self-help book. She designs sewing, papercraft, scrapbooking, card, beading, jewellery and mixed media projects, as well as patterns for quilts.Debbie lives in Norfolk, UK.

Lagom is a Swedish word that means “just right”. It is all about achieving a good balance in life and part of this is being self-sufficient. Making useful, practical items with what you already have that make life easier is a good place to start.Anybody who sews will already have a stash of fabric they can use and a spot of decluttering is very much in the spirit of lagom. Add in the basics of sewing and you probably already have most of what you need to start right away. I like the way the author tells you not only what to buy but why you need it. There are lots of tips on how to get the best out of tools and supplies and all told in a chatty style as though she was talking to you, a nice touch. Although this book is not aimed at the total beginner it is suitable for somebody with some basic experience under their belt who wants to progress to the next stage. To that end there are clear diagrams of simple stitches and sections on topics like appliqué, making your own bias binding, putting on a pocket and basic freestyle quilting. Armed with this knowledge the projects themselves dispense with staged photographs and merely have a list of written steps, plus lists of materials and tools and several useful tips. Turn to the back and there is a pocket containing the full-sized patterns plus a glossary of all the Swedish terms used. The projects include practical items like a tea cozy, fabric basket, placemats, coasters, mug hug and pin cushion as well as wall hangings, decorations and bunting. Traditional Scandinavian motifs such as elk, Dala horse, tomte, birds etc are featured and there is an emphasis on homespun charm. Fans of all things Nordic will enjoy making these appealing items and filling their home with the essence of lagom.

• Introduction 6Materials & tools 8Essential hand stitches 10Basic techniques 14Projects 18Acknowledgments 80