Customer Reviews

Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Amy Butler's Style Stitches is full of lovely pictures of bags in her gorgeous fabrics and contains full-size patterns with instructions to make the bags. Be aware that when the subtitle says "12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags," it means that there are 12 different styles of bags with variations to make 26 bags. However, these variations are, more often than not, simply an extension of the straps to go from handbag to shoulder bag. The variations are NOT going to give you 26 different-looking bags.

As with any sewing book, it depends on your expectations and how much you like the look of the projects as to whether you feel you've gotten your money from it. I feel that any sewer would like at least 3 of these bags well enough to want to make them, so that puts them at approximately $6 per pattern - cheaper than what you'll pay for single Amy Butler patterns.

None of these patterns are exact ones you've seen before from Amy, though a handful are styles you've seen somewhere. The Take Flight Handbag, for instance, looks like a smaller Weekender Bag. A definite asset, in my opinion. The book features a shopper's bag (tote), "Origami Bag Set" - various sized smaller zippered bags (i.e. cosmetic-type bags), a checkbook cover, clutch, coin purse, wristlet, the aforementioned travel/flight bag, and five shoulder/handbags.

This is a gorgeous book and one that I'm happy to own. I admit, that I was a little disappointed when I looked through it the first time - largely because I had misunderstood the subtitle and thought I'd be getting more patterns - but now that I've spent a little more time examining it and the patterns therein, I've got three solid patterns on my radar and am eager to get started.

Length:: 5:41 Mins

You will need sewing skills for this book, not a beginner's book. Most of the bags are "intermediate" to "experienced" level, with only 3 being "easy".

If you are a fan of Amy Butler, then you will like this book - I did!

XOXO-

I think Amy B. has been spending too much time looking at what other people have been doing in the handmade handbag category because so many of the designs and embellishments are knock offs from other designs out there (the accordian fold purse, the vintage brooch embellishment, the lady bug purse, the wallet, even the signature multiple colored zipper image which Purl Soho has been using in their ads for years). The "origami" minis don't even need a pattern, and many of the pattern"s" are larger vs. smaller versions of a single design. I am giving this book a 3 star rating for the two designs in there that I thought were up to what we would expect from Amy Butler. I also only give the book a 3 star because the instructions are not user friendly.

I really like Amy Butler's general mid-century modern look and this book does not disappoint. AB Style Stitches illustrates why her style is fresh and fun. I will agree with other reviewers that some of the styles have been "seen" before. However, the books is still a value, considering that most of Amy's sewing patterns run about $12 a piece in fabric shops. of course, using Amy's fabric really makes some of the projects come alive, but I felt they were versitile enough for other fabric lines.

I am a fairly experienced seamstress and agree that these patterns are better suited to those who have a few projects under their belts. However, anyone with a little adventurous spirit will do just fine. Her patterns are very detailed and thorough. I will admit that many times I'd ask "now why is she doing it that way?" If I simply let go and follow the pattern (instead of trying to figure it out) I do much better... trust the pattern. Trust Amy, she knows what she's doing.

This book has cute bags, but the print is very small and a light grey color, making it hard to read. The content would really pop if printed in black at the very least. I understand using small type to make it a more compact book, but when directions are involved, I would like to be able to read it easily, not squint and stare.

I've really enjoyed this book & have sewn about half the handbags in it so far. Unlike some of the other reviewers I have not had any problems following her instructions. I actually thought they were very easy to understand, & were much better written then many other patterns I've sewn in the past. Her instructions are very detailed & she doesn't litter them with "sewing jargon" terms, either. All the bags I've sewn have turned out beautifully, & I truly enjoy sewing the patterns in this book. I like the fact that it's spiral bound, it makes it much easier to use vs. a larger traditional pattern or a book with a strait binding. She has the book organized according to skill level beginning with the easiest & ending with the most difficult. I'm fairly certain a confident beginner would have no problems sewing some of the "easier" bags.

The only thing I don't care for is the title. Other reviewers have stated this as well, but you're really only getting patterns for 12 bags. In almost all cases the modifications to make the different bag is simply to make the straps longer, or to make the bag smaller by a few inches. That's something I really don't need a pattern to figure out. That being said, I still think it's a great buy overall. If you only make 2-3 different bags you've already gotten your moneys worth.

This came super fast and was in perfect condition so that is definitely a super job AMAZON.
I have bought the In Stiches from Amy Bulter and was okay with it, but this is definitely a better and more valuable resource than that was. There are many different skill levels involved, especially if you are novice to intermediate sewer, like myself. It is an excellent design and layout so easy to understand, and the hints and tips she gives in the back of the book are perfect and handy when you need them.
Overall you get quite alot for the price of the book, patterns for basic bags and some of her tips on embellishing them and detailing to make them pop! I am excited and cannot wait to start on the first bag in the book. By far my fav pattern is the blossom bag!! Way cool! I think this is a definite must have for anyone who like to sew accessories and likes to play with different fabric patterns and weights in your creations.
LOVE IT and think Amy Butler has really stepped it up a notch in this release and is much better than her previous books.

This book has beautiful photography and a sophisticated design, and as such would make a lovely coffee table book. The patterns are quite doable for sewers of different levels, and the written instructions are clear; however, if you expect to be able to actually read any of the information, please use a heavy duty magnifying glass.

The font size is not only smaller than normal for reading it is also printed in the palest colors of ink making it virtually impossible for someone like me with 20/15 eyesight to read the information. I highlighted a sentence in the beginning of the book to see if this would help and it did slightly. I will try and copy some of the instructions on my copy machine and see if I can increase the font size and improve the print to paper contrast but for the price of this book I shouldn't have to go to so much work. If I did not already highlight this one area I would have returned the book. Sorry Amy B!

The patterns in this book are lovely! I think these are some of the cutest patterns I've found. However, the instructions are difficult to follow and often the most difficult way to do something. It's like they were written by someone who has never sewn before! I finished sewing a bag only to discover that the way the author recommends attaching the clasp makes it look cheap and poorly finished. I had to take the bag apart to attach the clasp appropriately. I would recommend the book, just to see the patterns. However, follow your instincts on how to put it together!

I really love Amy Butler's fabric designs. She creates fun patterns and colors in her fabric. I like some of her clothing/bag designs. I first got this book from the library and realized I liked many of the bags, so I then purchased it. I felt very frustrated with the directions. I like buying patterns because there are drawings to help me create the pattern or learn new techniques. This book has pretty lame directions and very few schematic drawings of how to put things together. I'm a visual learner and so I ended up reading the directions over and over again and to top it off, I'm pretty sure I was missing the base of the bag pattern piece! I gave up on the directions and sort of started doing my own thing because it wasn't really making sense to me. I finished my bag, it only took me 3.5 hours longer than I wanted to spend on it.