Book Review: One-Yard Wonders

I love this book, One-Yard Wonders, for a bunch of reasons.

One, if I spot some cute fabric and want to buy it on a whim, I know if I get a yard of it I'll have enough to make something in this book.  Two, since most of the projects only require a yard of fabric and a spool of coordinating thread (some projects require some extras like buttons, snaps, or bias tape), they don't cost much to make.  You could easily make most of these projects, if not all, for under $10. Three, the things in it are really cute yet practical. And I mean cute in a cool, modern way (not a fan of overly cutesy things). I could go on and on with all the reasons, really...

But one of the things I love most about this book is that it pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me to try some more challenging projects. Granted, nothing I've come across in this book has been very advanced. I mean, how advanced can you get with a yard of fabric?  But I have had to learn new techniques, terms, and methods.  And, because of this book, I've actually used a pattern.  Yowza! The first time I sewed with a pattern, I felt like I was a full-fledged seamstress.  This book has boosted my confidence level and pushed me to try new things.  I may even get brave and try making some of the clothes in it someday.

For Mother's Day, I made this gardening apron for my mom, complete with pockets and tool loops.  It took me a while and I was up late making it the night before Mother's Day, but it turned out great, especially for my first project out of the book.  In total, the present I gave my mom didn't cost very much, but it meant a lot because I'd put hours into making something unique for her.

Since then, I've made an art smock for my budding artist, the clothespin apron pictured above, a cover for my sewing machine, and two laptop covers (one for me and one for my mother-in-law for Mother's Day).  Right now, I'm in the process of making a couple growth charts (one for my house, one for Grandma's) and a new purse (the strap on mine broke at the grocery store. Nice.).  And there's a ton of other things I want to make in that book. It does have 101 projects in it, after all...

No matter your sewing skill level, this is a great book to have. It's very approachable, too. The directions are clear and well-written. I only started sewing in January, so using this book has been a great learning experience for me. There have been a few times where I had to reread the directions a few times and other times when I've had to use my seam ripper more than I'd like to admit, but I still finished all the projects fairly successfully. Since getting this book, I feel like a much more competent seamstress (dare I call myself that?).  And that feeling is worth the price of the book alone.