This post took about 18 months to write. Although you still won’t be able to get the book in your hands until the spring, you can now pre-order my book 1,2,3 Sew from Chronicle Books. I’m pretty excited, but it certainly won’t feel real until I walk into a bookstore and see the thing sitting there on a shelf. So I thought I’d share it with you today in case you want to order something for yourself today, forget all about it, then have a surprise come in the mail sometime in April. You certainly don’t have time to learn to sew now so give yourself a few months to mentally prepare.
The book is designed for beginning and intermediate sewers, with 33 useful projects that will help you build on your skills. Projects are organized in groups of three, each building on the techniques from the previous project so that you can learn as you go. For example, in one chapter you’ll make pouches; first a simple fold-over felt pouch, then a zippered coin bag, then finally a lined cosmetic case with a few added features. The book follows the theme that practice makes perfect, which I have certainly found to be true for both sewing and life in general. And of course, you don’t need to sew the projects in order. I assume that those of you with more experience will just want to skip right to your favorite projects. That works too.
I wanted the book to be user-friendly in both content and design. And believe me, I drove the talented folks at Chronicle nuts about the design and layout of the book. My editor deserves a medal for her patience. But I’m so happy with the way it turned out and I hope that you’ll like it too. The photos for the book were taken by my wonderful friend and photographer Laura Malek.
Anyway, I’m sure you’ll be hearing lots more about this in the coming months.
sounds like a must-have for a novice like me.
🙂
It looks awesome! Congratulations!!!
Congratulations! I will definitely check it out. The cover is really lovely and I’m loving the circle pillow with the sashiko style stitching on the right!
Oh. My. Goodness. I want a copy SO badly! It looks so pretty and wonderful! CONGRATULATIONS on publishing a whole book! I am so, so impressed. And, like I said before, I want a copy real bad. I’ll be off to add this to my Christmas list now… 🙂
you must be super excited ! i really look forward to seeing this book ! every February i blog the whole month about the previous years craft books, so maybe in Feb 2012 i’ll blog about this one 🙂 have a great day !
Congratulations!!! How exciting! The cover looks lovely! =)
How exciting for you. Love the cover and looking forward to having it for myself!
It looks amazing – I love your blog and cannot wait to get your book – congratulations!!
ordered it! I’ll probably forget about it and then when it comes in the mail, I’ll be so surprised! like getting a present!
Oh, that sounds like exactly what I need! Looks wonderful!
Hurray for you…and all of the readers.
Thanks for sharing! I love books. I love sewing. And this one looks very very great! Have to see when it will be available in Germany …
Congratulations, Ellen! I’m sure it’s fantastic!!
Congratulations! I must check it out when it is published!
Congratulations on the new book!!!!!!! Cannot wait to see it! So exciting! I’ve been a long time reader and it’s fabulous to see you do a book 🙂 If you do a blog tour please let me know, I’d love to have you over!
Congratulations!! Love the cover look 🙂
Congratulations, Ellen!!! Can’t wait to get it. It looks fabulous. I hope you are giving yourself many pats on the back. What a great accomplishment–one that will bring joy to so many others! I love the cover. So exciting!
Congratulations! How wonderful!
Congratulations Ellen! What a fabulous achievement, I’m sure it will be really well received, and it looks lovely!
It looks beautiful! I can’t wait to get my own copy, although you’ll have to sign it. 🙂
Oh well done!!! What an achievement!!!
Congratulations Ellen, this must be a special day for you and your family. Your work has inspired me in so many ways. I can’t wait for the release date.
Ellen – I’m so happy for you and proud! Congratulations! Can’t wait to see it up close and personal! Way to go!
congratulations! I read your lovely blog through google reader, so I never comment, but I LOVE your content, style, attitude etc. Sorry to not comment more often. I’ll definitely be finding that book for several non-sewing friends!
Your book looks fabulous! I’d love to share it with my readers, with a link to Fishpond where they can pre-order it.
By the way, the listing on Fshpond doesn’t have a picture yet, but you or your publisher can add one at this page: http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Home_Garden/Crafts_Hobbies/Sewing/add_information.php?id=9780811876490&cName=Books%2FHome_Garden%2FCrafts_Hobbies%2FSewing&products_id=23051535&image=1
wow! congratulations! wishing you inspiration and time for more books in future!
Looks great Ellen! What an accomplishment. I really like the idea of building on simple projects to increase your skills. I’m sure it will do great!
Hooray! I’m very excited for you, Ellen. You are one of my favorite and most inspiring creators, so I’m really looking forward to getting a copy of your new book. Congratulations!
Congratulations! What a beautiful cover – makes me long to see the inside:) I’ve always found your blog so inspirational – I can only imagine that your book will be so as well:)
Congratulations! I have been reading your blog for some time now and always find it so inspiring. I’m sure the book is wonderful!
What an accomplishment – congratulations and best wishes. I look forward to reading it and crafting from it.
Congratulations! I definitely am going to get my hands on a copy!!!
You are so cool, and I always love the projects you post on this website. I am sure you will sell MANY copies!!! Thank you so much!
congrats!!! this looks so beautiful. I love the concept of starting off with basic projects and expanding on them, very cool. I can’t wait until it comes out. 🙂
Congrats Ellen! The book looks lovely and the design is a huge part of a book to me, so I’m glad you were finicky about it 🙂
wow, many many congratulations! it’s a beautiful book!
I love this book! I am currently making the craft caddy. On page 48, on step 4, I think fig D got skipped. Instead of saying the item should look like fig D. It says it should look like E, which is confusing. Later in step 5 fig. E is again referred to, so I am just going to write in a little “D” over that E in step 4 and hope it all works out!
Oops, and I also didn’t see any reference as to which way to position the folded parts…but I guess the folded parts need to be a certain way…so I have some stitch ripping to do!