Happy Stitch: 30 Felt and Fabric Projects for Everyday [Paperback]

Jodie Rackley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 2012

Stitch Up a Smile!

You can't help but feel happy while whipping up these charming felt and fabric projects! With a few simple stitches and some basic materials, you'll be crafting in no time at all. From plush animals to electronics cozies to curtains and pillows, you'll love filling your home with bright and colorful crafty creations!

Inside you'll find:

• Step-by-step instructions and photography that make stitching a breeze!
• 30 different projects, perfect for gift-giving, home decoration and creative crafting.
• An embroidery stitch library that puts all the basic stitches for embellishing your handmade treasures at your fingertips

So gather your felt, fabric and floss, and stitch up a little happiness!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jodie Rackley is a self-taught crafter, designer and artist, who loves to blend vintage flare with modern craft to make colorful and stylish decor and accessories. She has been featured on MarthaStewart.com, ApartmentTherapy.com and SublimeStitching.com. Her line of felt and fabric gifts, Lova Revolutionary, is carried by many brick and mortar stores in the US and internationally, and sells worldwide through Etsy.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (July 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440318573
• ISBN-13: 978-1440318573
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,211 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Applique
  • #71 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Embroidery

More About the Author

Jodie Rackley is known for her bold use of color and simple indie craft designs that make up her line of hand stitched eco felt gifts known as Lova Revolutionary. Her work can be found in beautiful boutiques and gift shops across the country and internationally, as well as selling directly through Etsy.com at http://lovahandmade.etsy.com. She is a Featured Artist for Kunin Felt and her felt projects have been featured at the Craft & Hobby Association Trade Show in Los Angeles, CA and Quilt Market in Houston, TX. She has been featured several times on MarthaStewart.com, ApartmentTherapy.com, SublimeStitching.com, Etsy.com, and HGTV.ca. Jodie is a lover of history, art, and indie craft and loves bringing vintage flare to modern craft. Her first book Happy Stitch written for North Light Books is coming soon in late Spring 2012.

Etsy Shop: http://lovahandmade.etsy.com
Blog: http://lovarevolutionary.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lovahandmade
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lovarevolutionary
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lovahandmade

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful hand-sewn projects! July 14, 2012

By Tamara Bostwick

Format:Paperback

From beginning to end, this book draws you in with its bright, colorful photographs and charming critters. Full of fun and easy projects, this book is perfect for a beginning stitcher or someone looking for a quick project.

I like how the book is organized because before you jump into any project making, the author provides a brief introduction to needed supplies and techniques and includes up close photographs of the various embroidery stitches used. One particular note that I found helpful was that she suggests using several type of scissors for the different kinds of cutting needs (a sharp fine-tip pair for cutting felt vs. craft scissors for cutting out the templates). Even if you are an experienced crafter, this section has a number of helpful tips that can make stitching more enjoyable.

The project list includes cozies for electronic devices, hair ornaments and jewelry, bags in various sizes, mini softie pins and key chains, place mats and other home decor items, softies and a few small holiday projects. Several embroidery designs are also included and can be used in many ways beyond how they are utilized in the projects.

All of the project patterns and templates are provided in the back. They will need to be enlarged and the author suggests that they be traced onto heavy paper or cardstock to make it easier to cut the shapes (the projects vary in how much they need to be enlarged, so be sure to note this before enlarging). Felt, being thick, is difficult to pin and can overwhelm regular paper, so this is a helpful tip.

The project directions are illustrated step-by-step and are clearly explained. I like that the author includes side boxes with tips for modifying the projects by adding details or making small changes in how it is put together. This keeps the projects fresh and unique, especially if you are making multiples for gifts.

Overall, I heartily recommend this book to anyone that enjoys stitching with felt. The projects look fun and a number of them would make nice holiday gifts. I have no complaints other than the fact that a couple of projects were less inspiring to me than others, but with 30 to choose from, I can live with a couple of duds (in my eyes). And, no, I'm not telling you which ones because those are probably your favorites and then we couldn't be friends anymore.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Darling handsewn projects June 19, 2012

By Linda Lanese

Format:Paperback

This is a delightful book filled with the promised 30 projects for you to try. Jodie had always been more of a painter and sketcher. Her love for embroidery all began with a needle, thread and a simple knot. Being a doodler with her needle and thread she was creating a fun and colorful picture in thread. Sewing is now part of her everyday life. She tells us that Embroidery and hand sewing has a calming effect on her and it can be taken along anywhere to pick up and work on the project. Out of her love of her new found craft comes this delightful book "Happy Stitch"! What are the best words I can use to tell you about this book "fun, colorful and filled with ideas to express yourself with fabulous designs". Her projects will delight you and want you to try something like hers or just take off on your own. None of Jodie's creations shown in this book are set in stone. There are darling gifts for every occasion and decor. I love the Tulip place mats, so pretty and colorful. She has pages with the project instructions with templates in the back of the book. Jodie has a page on all Embroidery stitches she uses in her creations. Jodie hopes this book motivates readers to integrate more hand sewing and embroidery techniques into their craft projects.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars an introduction to creating handmade toys, accessories, and home decor March 17, 2013

By Violetta

Format:Paperback

I already own quite a few craft books, but the attractive cover of this one caught my eye; the felt animals are very whimsical and cute. The author's introduction will resonate with many crafters. Ms. Rackley explains the pleasure of having handmade items in one's home: "whether we're making everyday gifts, keepsakes for special occasions, or stitching up unique designs," she writes, such items add a personal touch and show we care. This book is mainly addressed to individuals who are new to hand sewing and piecing items together. There are 30 projects in all, a large proportion of which are done in felt and are quite simple to create.

The designs and patterns in this book seem quite original. I thought the cell phone cases and tablet covers were particularly appealing for kids aged about 8 to 12 years, and there are many other projects that children could either sew for themselves or complete with an adult. There are a few home accessories too: a lampshade, dinner napkins and napkin holders, a wall organizer, and some decorative wall ornaments. The overall variety is excellent, and the directions are clear, with color photos that show each step. Even if you haven't sewn or embroidered before, there are likely to be projects here that can provide a feeling of accomplishment. Of course, individual tastes vary, so one needs to decide whether the "look" is right either for oneself or for the person receiving the gift.

There are two embroidery projects that are slightly more advanced: a tote bag and decorated jeans. Both of them have a certain vintage look. Overall, this book is not really aimed primarily at readers who already do machine sewing or have extensive experience in crafting. It can still be used for inspiration, especially if one reads the author's advice about adding to, or changing the designs according to your own creativity. For example, sewing the animals in another fabric, such as fleece, or quilting the fabric would give them a different look.

I think this book is one of the more original ones I have seen recently. Its use for teaching children is obvious, but adult beginners can learn from it too. My own preference would have been to omit the home decor items and show a bit more variety of fabrics for the cell phone and tablet cases, but even so, there is something here to suit different levels of creativity, so the book is worth a closer look. Happy crafting!