Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Crazy Garlands and Bunting
Love To Sew Series
Alistair Macdonald

Search Press
7 August 2014/ ISBN 9781844489992
How-To Books / Sewing

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde

 

Once mostly used to bedeck streets and invariably triangular, the humble bunting has come a long way in recent years. Now you can make it for any occasion or none at all and it can look like absolutely anything…

Like a string of sausages, hot air balloons, sheep jumping over gates or retro records. Better still, these small shapes can be made out of anything so this is a fun way of using up leftovers. Most of the other materials can be found in many homes, especially crafty ones. I like the way this author starts with some very basic but useful things, such as starting and finishing threads, making a pompom and tips of turning small fiddly shapes. The projects usually take two pages and feature a large photo of the finished item, plus some helpful photos of various stages. It tells you what materials you need (of course) and also what tools you need – would that all how-to books did this – so you know instantly what you can make right away. As the instructions are mostly written I would not recommend this to somebody who had never made anything before, but not too much sewing know-how is required. As this book is written by a man you can expect some less usual subjects for the bunting, and I like the way most of it does not just consist of one shape repeated but items on a theme. The cooked breakfast is not just sausages, but bacon, fried eggs and teabags too, and Seaside has bucket, sandcastle, spade and shells. There are triangular ones too, for those more traditional moments, adorned with feathers, buttons and more for a change. If you want to make bunting but are keen for something a wee bit different, this is a good place to find it.

If you cannot find a good range of patchwork materials locally try www.searchpress.com for a list of suppliers.

  

UK Reviewer: Rachel Hyde's work can be found in Sewing World, Sew Hip, Popular Crafts and other magazines. Her craft blog is Green Thoughts
Reviewed 2014
© MyShelf.com