SPOTLIGHT ON ... GOOD BOOK
July 2009

Our featured book this month is
Crafty Chica's Guide To Artful Sewing:
by Kathy Cano-Murillo

Crafty Chica's Guide To Artful Sewing: by Kathy Cano-Murillo gets an A for A-mazing. I'm not a seamstress, but I often times find myself dreaming of days when I might make a quilt, sew my own skirt or handcraft my own bag. Having read Cathy's book, I now feel like I understand the fundamentals of sewing and am confident that I could tackle any of the projects with no experience.

From the introduction: "Sewing is like anything else that starts out rough - riding a bike, roller skating, skateboarding, singing in public, writing an essay. At first, it's tricky. Your palms will sweat, but once you get the hang of it, appreciate - and celebrate - what artful sewing is all about!" She talks about how starting out can be daunting with a cease the day vigor that made me smile. This is so me. I've always wanted to give sewing a try, but when I look at a sewing machine I feel a little overwhelmed. With the help of Cathy, maybe it is time for me to buy my first mechanical sewing machine and get started.

Cathy infused so much of her personality into this book. With personal stories from her life, it is almost impossible to not fall in love with both her and her work.

What you will learn in this book:

• Types of fabric
• Design patterns on material
• Image transfers
• Choose a machine & the basics of most sewing machines
• Must have list of sewing supplies
• Basics of how to sew
• Stitches
• Threads
• Sewing by hand & hand sewn stitches
• Using a seam ripper
• 10 purse/bag project ideas
• 10 wearables - including a dress, jacket, belt, etc.
• 10 home décor & craft projects - including place mats, a bed cover, a fabric collage, etc.

You can buy this book from here.

You can keep up with Cathy Cano-Murillo on a regular basis by checking out her blog, "Diary of a Crafty Chica".

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Sara Hardin Website Beading blog Email: Sara@SoftFlexCompany.com Sara has been a Soft Flex Company employee for 10 years and is an active designer.  Besides jewelry design, she also enjoys fashion, music, theatre and just about anything art related.  Most days she is available by email or via live chat on the Soft Flex Company website for designer assistance.