Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The latest book from sewist and blogger Carestio (Fa La La La Felt) is a slightly overstuffed collection of 45 clothing, toy, and decorative projects that involve little to no sewing, likely meant to appeal to those who'd like to whip up lovely DIY projects but don't have the time to dig in very deep. The best ideas are pictured on the cover: a charming multicolored wreath wrapped in fabric, a lovely felt pencil roll, and an adaptable artwork made of glued-not stitched-fabric hexagons. There are other attractive ideas in the book, including a pillowcase tank top that should be a hit for sewists who've wished they could make for themselves one of the omnipresent pillowcase dresses for little girls. But there are too many out of place ideas here, such as the quite complicated teddy bear backpack. Carestio also fails to properly inform readers of how short-lived many of these projects will be, since even the best fused or glued fabric can't match something that's been sewn. Best to stick with the ideas that are sewn or are for decoration and avoid kids' toys. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Carestio (Fa La La La Felt) believes that fabric obsession isn't only for expert sewists. This collection of no-sew and low-sew projects takes a variety of materials, from quilting cottons to recycled clothing to paper maps, and transforms them into garments and accessories appropriate for everyday use. Upcycling is a recurring theme in the projects, and Carestio makes clever use of repurposed fabrics and garments. The projects that work best are the designs for children, such as the colorful sock monsters, the pencil roll made out of wool felt, and the teddy bear backpack. Many of the fashion projects come across as odd-the deconstructed T-shirt with hand-tied sides and the skirt made out of curtains would be difficult for most women to pull off. VERDICT Fashion missteps aside, this is a fun set of projects that fills a gap in crafting collections, and though the upcycling trend seems to be on the wane, it's still a popular topic. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.