One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Projects; Look How Much You Can Make with Just One Yard of Fabric! [Hardcover-spiral]

Patricia Hoskins (Author), Rebecca Yaker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 28, 2009

With more than 200,000 copies in print, Storey's One-Skein Wonders series is an unqualified success. Now, for the first time in the series, fabric takes center stage! And the timing couldn't be better. Sewing machine sales have doubled over the past 10 years, and crafters are discovering the joy of another kind of stitching.

One-Yard Wonders will delight anyone who has ever fallen for fabric - from the novice sewing enthusiast to the lifelong seamstress. The book presents a delightful array of simple, stylish projects that can be made with just a single yard of fabric - from apparel to accessories, from plush toys to pet beds, from baby items to bags, and from home decor to "Happy Birthday" banners. Projects have a hip,contemporary flair, and most can be completed in a few hours. For each project, the book provides a full-color photograph, easy step-by-step instructions, and simple illustrations. Templates and pattern pieces are also included wherever needed, making this collection of 101 projects the best sewing deal ever.

Great fabric demands to be purchased, even if it's just a  yard or two at a time. But such tantalizing textiles should never hide in a closet; One-Yard Wonders promises gift-worthy solutions for that stash of irresistible fabric-store buys. At last, it's time to stop storing and start sewing!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

For both novice and accomplished sewers, this spiral-bound guide offers directions that are precisely, clearly, and buoyantly written as the authors share 101 sewing projects requiring only a yard of fabric, including apparel, toys, accessories (human and pet), dresser organizers, and stuffed animals. For each “recipe,” the authors, in well-ordered fashion, list necessary materials and then take the reader-crafter through clearly numbered, carefully explained directions to create a successful final product. For each project, too, a pattern schematic is matched on the opposite page with a full-color photograph of the finished project. This is a fundamental crafts book appropriate for most crafts collections. --Brad Hooper

Review

"Talk about quality and quantity, One Yard Wonders is an impressive volume of super creative projects all utilizing our favorite scraps and a simple yard of fabric. This book is a keeper!"

(Amy Butler, Amy Butler Design )

For both novice and accomplished sewers, this spiral-bound guide offers directions that are precisely, clearly, and buoyantly written as the authors share 101 sewing projects requiring only a yard of fabric, including apparel, toys, accessories (human and pet), dresser organizers, and stuffed animals. For each "recipe", the authors, in well-organized fashion, list necessary materials and then take the reader-crafter through clearly numbered, carefully explained directions to create a successful final product. For each project, too, a pattern schematic is matched on the opposite page with a full-color photograph of the finished project. This is a fundamental crafts book appropriate for most craft collections.
(Booklist )

Lacking just a bit of the focus on lifestyle and more directed toward stand-alone shots of each project, this quirky and hip sewing book is nonetheless a great follow-up for Butler fans. Here, one yard of fabric is transformed into projects fit for teens and stylish young moms. Bright and cherry pops of color highlight a collection of quilted lunch bags, yoga mat totes, a range of pocket books, a baby tactile blanket, and a doggie bed. A fun collection presented in a cheerful style with easy-to-follow instructions. (Library Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover-spiral: 304 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; Spi edition (October 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1603424490
• ISBN-13: 978-1603424493
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 1.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (178 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Fashion
  • #11 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Needlecrafts & Textile Crafts > Sewing
  • #13 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Home Improvement & Design > Home Decorating & Design > Interior Design > Decorating

More About the Author

Rebecca Yaker began sewing at age five. After eight years of designing apparel for two of America's largest retailers, Rebecca started her own design business, creating one-of-a-kind baby bedding and apparel in her Minneapolis design studio. She is a hand- and machine-knitter, crochets, weaves, does fabric printing, and consults on design. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Moscow State Linguistics University, doing work in Russian Languages and Literature.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

273 of 279 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginners, not much new for experienced sewers November 21, 2009

By MelanieTX03

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really want to like this book, but I'm still on the fence. I'm not new to sewing (I've been sewing for 20+ years and have a degree in fashion design), but I pre-ordered the book hoping to find some *new* ideas for quick, fun, projects.

I don't need instructions to cover a cork board or line a bookcase with fabric. Most of the other projects are the same old thing: aprons, laptop and CD sleeves, laundry bags, a yoga mat bag, a basic bias skirt, placemats, handbags, a sewing machine cover, pet beds and toys, lunch and trash bags. Over 30 (out of 101) of the projects are for children's items (clothing, toys, etc.). There are some fresh ideas though, I love the origami box and a couple of the women's summer tops are cute.

Overall, if you are new to sewing, you'll probably love this book and it would be a great place to start. It has a great section on basic sewing techniques and the book itself is beautifuly photographed and laid out. I like the spiral bindng and I appreciate that it came with pattern pieces for all but the most basic projects.

If you are not new to sewing, don't expect to find many new ideas here. However, it is a great collection of classic projects all in one place and nicely photographed.

186 of 190 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A beginner's perspective: fun projects, but needs more detail December 28, 2009

By CJ

Format:Hardcover-spiral

I am an experienced quilter but a beginner for all other types of sewing, so for me the projects in this book are new and fun. I have tried four of them so far: the kid's apron, the wine glass coasters, the bean bag booster seats, and the catch-all/charging station. I have two main problems with the book so far:

1) Many of the projects don't require a full yard of fabric, but except for the wine bag/coasters project, I haven't seen this fact addressed. It would be nice to have the minimum fabric requirement for each project, so that if I'm intentionally purchasing fabric I don't have to buy a full yard unless it's really needed. For instance, I made the charging station with 1/2 yard of fabric.

2) My bigger issue is that there is not enough detail in the written instructions and not enough pictures for 3 of the 4 projects I tried. The wine coasters were easy, but the other three all could have benefited from more information. For instance, the bean bag booster seats have you create a 3-sided box and then sew on a square of fabric for the bottom. The instructions just say to sew them with right sides together, but it is more complicated than that and I had to drag my sewing machine over to my mom's house to get her help figuring it out. Similarly, the apron says to fold over a 3/4" seam along a curved piece of the fabric, which is nearly impossible to do without a million pins and even then it created unwelcome pleats in the fabric. I realize I might be missing a simple technique to get it right, but without extra pictures I don't know how to do it and I ended up improvising a completely different way to attach the neck loop and ties for the apron. Finally, the charging station instructions are confusing for sewing the corners that create the boxy shape for this project.... I was able to find the author's blog and check out instructions for a similar project she has there. It's actually not difficult once you see the extended text with photos, but the brief text-only instructions in the book would never have been enough for me, as a beginner, to figure it out.

I realize that they had to condense text and reduce pictures to fit so many projects into an affordable book, but I think they went too far and it would have been better to have fewer projects with more instruction. I still like the book and I am having fun working through projects in it, but I have learned to make a prototype with scrap fabric first. Having access to a more experienced sewing guru is essential for when I get stuck. Read more ›

65 of 71 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for thosw new to sewing November 4, 2009

By Amber Williams

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am very new to sewing and found a lot of good info on basic techniques in this book. The projects are really cute and fashionable, and seem to be fairly easy to whip up for the most part. The book itself is spiral bound to lay flat and sturdily constructed. I would definetly recommend it to other.

46 of 49 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars what a bargain! November 7, 2009

By Alexandra Vince

Format:Hardcover-spiral|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was shocked when I received this book and saw all the great ideas and patterns in it. In many books, there are a few usable ideas and mostly, I have been satisfied with that. But this book has so many great projects, I don't know which to start with. For the price, you can't go wrong. You get your money's worth and so much more.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Directions terrible, pictures misleading, patterns not accurate January 17, 2010

By N. Merki

Format:Hardcover-spiral

This book is terribly disappointing. So far I have tried 3 projects and each of them have had at least one problem.

Ballet-neck dress: The hole for the neck casing ends up being too low and I had to make a new hole at the top.
Folklore Bag: The top band is wider than the bag base, so they do not fit together properly. The band has to be made smaller. The bag turns out smaller than the picture makes it look.
Flouncy Bag: The lining does not fit the base. It should have been made wider than the base in order to fit after the side seams were done. Also it is MUCH smaller than the picture makes it look.

There are 2 other BIG problems with this book.
First, the directions are not very good. There is a lot of guess work involved because things are not stated clearly.
Second, the pictures are VERY misleading. Both bags look very large in the pictures, but are in fact quite small. They look like large totes. The folklore bag must have been photographed on a child size chair, or they made it bigger for the pictures. I am certain the flouncy bag was made larger for the pictures, because the proportions are entirely different.

I wonder if any of these patterns were even tested. So far I have had nothing but problems and disappointment with this book. I have done quite a bit of sewing, so I have been able to make adjustments to the projects I have done, but have still been mostly disappointed by the finished products (the dress did end up being cute). I doubt that a beginner would have much luck at all.