Customer Reviews

Growing Up Sew Liberated: Making Handmade Clothes and Projects for Your Creative Child

5 star:		(14)
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3 star:		(1)
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I just got this book in the mail today and immediately dove in to check out the latest craft book offering. I could immediately tell it was a great purchase and after I finished it I'm convinced it's one of the best craft books I've bought to date. (and I seem to buy everyone that comes out) The book comes with a big fat stack of patterns in the back, which I love, I hate paying $$ for a book and then having to draft my own pieces or slog to the copiers to print and increase 37% or whatever... And, it comes with patterns for things I will actually make! It has really great simple clothing patterns for babies to 5t, toy/activity patterns, outside play ideas, I know I will get a lot of use from this book. Perhaps the best thing about the book is the little ideas and Montessori activities that she sprinkles throughout the book. This isn't a Montessori book persay, anyone can use and love it, but I really love the respectful Montessori method and these little ideas and reminders were great to see paired up with loving handmade ideas to make for my family. If you have young children and love to make things for them to wear, play, or use, then definately buy this book!

This is my new favorite sewing book! It's full of playful and easy sewing projects to make for children. With many sewing books I flip through and see a few projects that I can envision sewing (or my child wearing). With this one, I want to make ALL of them. Literally. (Okay, maybe not the baby sleep sack, but that's just me. I never really got into them.)

Every project looks not only do-able and super cute, but like something that would fit our life style and my sewing abilities. These are clothes and toys that we would use over and over again - crossover tee, leggings, learning numbers, reversible cape, doll, and placemats.

I made the art satchel as soon as I received the book and my girls are already in love with it! Also labeled a "studio-on-the-go," it is made to hold crayons, markers, and a drawing pad. What a perfect way to bring the art with us this summer - in the car, to the beach, or just to the backyard. With this, a child would be well equipped to draw anywhere and everywhere.

Besides the awesome projects, Growing Up Sew Liberated is interspersed with informative sidebars about play, art materials, and learning. As a longtime reader of hers (since back when she was blogging as Montessori by Hand), I see the former early childhood educator coming through here. The sidebars provide ideas that go hand in hand with many of the projects. For example, the set of play numbers is accompanied by a two-page spread of "irresistible number activities" and an embroidered placemat project has a similar spread of "learning through everyday tasks." The sidebars definitely add a helpful multidimensional aspect to this lovely sewing book!

I pre-ordered this book the moment I saw the preview pictures on Meg's blog. The tent and play cape on the cover are great in and of themselves, but the Waldorf-style doll--I'm in love! The next day I had already ordered all of my supplies and I'm currently happily in the middle of constructing two dolls. I can report that the instructions are very, very clear and easy. It's helpful to read each section (head, etc.) ahead of time thoroughly to make sure that you understand the purpose behind every step and what will happen in the coming steps. I even adapted the fiber to be vegan and am happy to report that bamboo works well with the pattern.

The only thing that I am a little bit sad about is that the clothing only goes up to 5t--which my 5 year old has grown out of already--and the baby clothes are already too little for my nearly 2-year old (which isn't the book's fault--it just came out too late;). I wish the sizes went up a bit more, so I guess this is really more of a very early childhood book in that aspect. However, there's still a decent amount for an older child, including the doll, papoose, and art satchel. I won't say that I want to make every single project, but how often does that happen? This book is really a must-have.

The projects may be for mom, but the creativity and imaginative play they inspire will keep your kids busy for hours. Some of my favorite projects are the art satchel, which, unlike others I have seen, is large enough to carry not only crayons and pencils, but also a drawing pad, with a clever enclosure of plexiglass to provide a stable surface; the play cape (though I would modify it to be a 'superhero' cape for my boys rather than a hooded, fairy-tale-type cape); the naturalist's scavenger hunt bag - perfect for any little 'collector' on outings; and, though I haven't made it yet, the amazing hideaway play tent. There are also patterns for simple, everyday clothing, and projects to inspire learning, such as the embroidered place mat and the irresistible numbers. The instructions are clear and well-written, and the photographs are beautiful, making you itch to create each project.

This book was not only a pleasure to look at, but a pleasure to read! I loved the little snippets of parenting advice and the author's entire philosophy about play and the role of the parent within that. Sometimes I forget that our kids are always watching us-not just with what we do, but how we do it and what it means to slow down and take time to make something well. What that investment of time means and how to value that. And all of the projects are great-Interweave did a fantastic job with the step-by-step photography displayed nice and large on the page. Pleasure to look at, pleasure to read and the instructions are flawless. 5 star winner!

While I will say the instructions are very clear and easy to follow some of her supplies are exotic and difficult to find. For instance in the dress-up bucket she calls for "One 12" square and four 11 3/4" x 10" rectangles of 1/2" thick upholstery foam (such as Nu-foam)" This material is very difficult to find! Most normal stores: joann's, etc no longer carry nu-foam 1/2" thick and I could only find one online store that sold it buy the yard so I could cut all the various pieces and with shipping it became a very $$$ project. Likewise with the jiffy grip nonslip fabric for the embroidered placemat. And the few places I could find the jiffy grip said that I shouldn't use it on wood. Then how can I use it for a placemat on a table, since most tables are made of wood? So much for simple designs. . . I wanted to love this book, but due to things like the examples above I can only recommend it with reservations. The Montessori teachings woven within are nice, but I wish more time had been spent on using easy to find supplies instead.

I really liked the ideas for the items and the tips of the author, not only for the projects themselves but also for day-by-day things like making a nice routine for your kids and so.
She gives you nice tips on how to work with knit fabrics and her projects are useful, not the kind of things you sew just to have it forgotten somewhere inside a drawer.

If you find troubles to find the materials she indicates, do try to adapt the projects for what you can get your hands onto, i.e. the silk sling project can be rather expensive so use normal cotton knits instead. It's worth the change.

The only thing I didn't like was one project, for which she teaches you where to make a placemat and doesn't give you a good finishing technique for the binding step, which makes that you have a bulky part on it.
Luckily I've been watching tutorials enough not to make that mistake and get myself a better finishing. Besides that, I liked everything else and would recommend this book.

As somebody who's just getting started at sewing, I didn't find the book too challenging to understand. The full color photographs of completed projects are wonderful and help give me an idea of what fabric to select. I think this book would be useful for anybody looking for projects for babies up to preschool but probably not much older than that. Although I don't run one, the projects would be great for home-daycare providers as well.

I do think some people might not give the book a chance because of a bias against the word "liberated" but it really has nothing to do with a political stance. Kids from all different kinds of families would enjoy the items you can make.

Haven't embarked on any of the projects in the book yet, but once my little one gives me a bit more time, plan to make lots of them! Great book, good reading as well as sewing etc, lots of cool ideas for littlies, and the way the author is so mindful about how one relates to children is great. Makes you think about things you can do with your ones!

This book has re-awakened my sewing bug. I just gave my sweet daughter the waldorf doll I made for her from this book. I am so proud. There are great patterns, and it is written with easy to understand regular english! (No sewing jargon going unexplained here)! I've learned A LOT from this book, and I am looking foreward to making all of the projects!