Modern Prairie Sewing: 20 Handmade Projects for You and Your Friends

For sewists who find themselves daydreaming about picnics and splashing through a creek this summer, Long’s book will scratch that yearning itch. Her first collection of 20 patterns are all presented in a cheerfully vintage, farm-girl style, for which her book title perfectly captures the mood. There are plenty of simple, approachable patterns, all aimed at women, focusing on bags, skirts, and a few home goods projects. Just a glance at the “It’s a Cinch” obi-style belt will have readers scrounging through their fabric for an Amy Butler print or two. A duo of two simple skirts, the Cakewalk and the Sunny Day Skirt, make use of bright, cheery prints and an elastic waistband. In general, everything should be achievable by sewists with basic skills and might provide a brief break for skilled sewists who want to whip out, say, a few kitchen towels for friends. The guidelines section, which serves as introduction, is very basic, and the diagrams and pattern pieces provided aren’t very detailed. But nothing requires much in the way of precise skills, making this a great summer sewing volume. Full-color photos, pattern pieces. (July)