Just for You: Selfish Sewing with Your Favorite ‘SewCanShe’ Bloggers

The premise of this sewing book is simple: 24 patterns aimed at women who love to sew. Instead of presenting baby clothes or home furnishings, this volume gets right to what women would actually enjoy sewing— that is, bags (the opening Sweetly Gathered Round Handbag is fashionable and simple); clothes (the quilting bee dress is a classic in the making, distinctively using quilting cottons); and accessories (a smartphone that cozy features a cute embroidered fox on the front). All of the designs come from the owners and contributors of the popular sewing blog SewCanShe. Like the website, everything here is bright, appealing, and just trendy enough. The book assumes a good grasp of sewing skills, although a later chapter does explain more complicated techniques. Step-by-step photos throughout should help make up for pattern instructions that seem brief, and patterns are included (although not made available to reviewers). Although few sewists want to be known as “selfish,” this book is going to make them act as if they are! Full-color photos, pattern pullouts. (Oct.)