Improv Sewing book tour and give-away: the "it's all about me" stop

"If you’re holding this book, then already you understand how ridiculously gorgeous it is. But don’t be dismayed! Because the best part is that you can actually make this stuff. I swear it, and you can trust me because I’m usually kind of an armchair sewer, admiring a how-to book with a beer in one hand. But they’ve got me actually sewing, and actually making lovely things. Improv is a beautiful, inspiring approach to sewing—and, even beyond that, to life itself."

Wow. What a great blurb, right? Can you believe they edited it? Well, sure.

The thing is, I cannot approach this blog-tour review in the usual fashion. Because this book? It is so incredibly beautiful, so realistically useable, and so intimately intertwined with my own personal everything, that I feel compelled to give you the Catherine's Life tour of the book itself. The book which you should buy if you haven't already. 

Starting with these gorgeous women: my friend Debra, on the right, who wrote the book and with whom I have the pleasure of working at FamilyFun magazine, and my friend Nicole on the left, who thought up, developed, and created every one of the stunning 101 projects in it. Did I mention that another friend of mine designed the book? The ridiculously talented Carolyn Eckert. Plus, it's published by Storey, which is just the most fun publishing house in, possibly, the whole entire world. (If you don't believe me, click on the "Traditional Skills" tab of their site. Woodstove Cookery! God love them. Also, they publish this entire book about mending.)

Oh, did you need to see Nicole again? I know I did. Plus, don't you love the cute cardi? That's what this book is all about--taking thrift-store finds, or clothes you almost like, and adjusting them with a few stitches here and there until they're just perfect and fun. Long-time readers: Nicole is Ava's mom.

Speaking of Ava! Ava is Ben's best friend of, er, 9 years. The book is a mix of fantastic ideas for tarting up clothes you already have with fairly simple from-scratch garments and detailed instructions on how to make your own patterns. The "Two-Panel Garment" is a classic example of this: a dress sewn from two pieces of jersey. Boom. Want to start sewing? Here's my advice: don't do anything until you're sure you have a good sewing machine. Talk to your friends who sew, then hit Craigslist.

The four-panel garment gives you more shaping opportunities. If you happen to be fabulously shapely cough *nicole again* cough.

A manly reverse-applique t-shirt. On our dishy friend Jonathan, who happens to also be both Nicole's husband and Ava's father. (It's a family affair.) If you are not a big sewer or don't have a machine, the book has plenty of ideas like this for stuff you can sew simply and by hand.

Birdy's friend Noe, sporting the cutest dress in the world. . . 

. . . and the cutest hat (and face, for that matter).

The dress Nicole wore to the last dance party we went to. Modeled by our favorite check-out person at Whole Foods, a.k.a. The Most Beautiful Woman in the Pioneer Valley. This is the project I'm tackling next: I love this dress so much.

The curtains in Nicole's kitchen, where I spend the better part of my life. When she's not on a crazy-ass book tour. Ahem.

The very pouch Ava gave Ben for Christmas or his birthday--I can't remember which.

The awesome embroidery "paper" that Nicole gave both kids at Christmas.

The bookmark Nicole gave Michael for his birthday. These are not representative photographs: these actual objects are in our possession. I know! I can't stop bragging!

My 15 minutes of fame.

Okay. I could go on and on. I mean, 101 projects, and I have a personal story to tell about, oh, 80 or so of them. So I'll stop. I will. But oh my gosh, I cannot enough recommend that you buy this book. Because even if it weren't, like, a gorgeous visual diary of my life? I would love it and use it. Whatever level of sewing you're at, there's something in here for you. And you don't have to fiddle with hemming and finishing--almost all of the hems are unfinished, which gives everything the loveliest look, and makes your life SO EASY. Plus, there are so many great ideas for decorating clothes that if you screw something up massively, you can just hide it behind an applique flower or something, which is what Nicole and I are somewhat famous for doing.

Some links: the Improv Sewing facebook page is here; their blog is here; their book trailer is here; Jonathan and Nicole's incredible hard cider is here (slightly tangential, but still).

Storey is kindly giving us another copy of the book, so let's do the give-away in the usual way: comment here, and I'll pick someone on noon, EST, on Friday. Sound good?