I love this book! I really truly love it. I’m on a self imposed ban of amazon for a couple of months but I decided to have a last splurge on sewing books before I stopped. Bend The Rules arrived today and is full of little projects you can make from the scraps in your cupboard – no waiting til the fabric shop opens! But aside from that I really love the way Amy has written the instructions for people like me – they can be bent, like the title says. I really enjoy it when I figure something out and change it to suit me better. That’s what craft is about half the time – taking someone’s idea and making a leap with it. It’s why it feels alive. Anyway, for starters I want to make the little baby bibs, the felt woodland elf hat (note to self – find a child to put this on), the pleated bag and the little tote bag.

The other book I bought was Lotta Jansdotter’s simple Sewing, partly because it’s a linked purchase with the above. To be honest, although it’s a nice book and well put together, and it looks pretty enough, I didn’t really get excited by any of the projects. They were just a bit too simple, or just not different enough from other patterns I have. The one I probably will use is the one for the doorstop, because I saw some like it for sale at Spitalfields market last year and decided I could make one. Except of course, I didn’t get round to it.

I’ve heard that my machine is ready for pick up at last, so I’ll be off to Wimbledon tomorrow first thing. Wish me luck for that drive!