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book review // sweetly stitched handmades

Sweetly Stitched Handmades
Sweetly Stitched Handmades

Are you familiar with this phrase? "Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then, be a unicorn." That's how I feel about Amy Sinibaldi of nanaCompany.

Always find your own stitching style. Unless you can emulate Amy. Then, be Amy.

I've loved reading nanaCompany for years, and I've always been smitten by her style. She makes you want to climb into her photos...into her world. And that's not even counting the lovely things that she makes!

Amy excels at making even the supplies look beautiful, and of course choosing delightful fabrics. Her photo styling truly adds to the charm (my photo up there is my best try at being Amy!), but I've found that she is sweetness itself.

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

I'm not gonna lie. The first time Amy and I interacted on Instagram I got a little giddy. So when she offered to send me a copy of her book, and it came to me with a little message inside, I nearly died.

To say that this "review" is going to be a little biased is a bit of an understatement. I've been hoping that Amy would write a book for a while, and I was expecting to love Sweetly Stitched Handmades. And I did.

Often nanaCompany posts show finished items without a how-to. That alone is inspiring, but I always get a little excited when a tutorial pops up. With a book full of this inspiration AND instructions to try it yourself, how could I not love this book?

Sweetly Stitched Handmades
Sweetly Stitched Handmades

This bear billow is our favorite. And by our, I mean everyone in my family. Oh my, this is sweet! The fabrics! The trims! The hand quilting! Even that slouchiness.

Not all of the projects have how-to illustrations like this one, but where there are steps that benefit from some visual assistance, they are there. And they're cute too!

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

Charming pockets? Check! You have no idea how much I wish I had a wall to hang this. (I'm crazy short on wall space these days...)

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

This trivet is so very nanaCompany. Actually, everything in here is, but some projects feel especially like what I would expect to see on her blog. And it's things like her fabrics, crochet trim, and that little embroidered tag in the corner.

Even the book design has those kinds of details.

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

In fact, Amy has a two-page spread talking about those little embroidered tags and how to make them. I'm telling you...this is the "how to be Amy" guide that I've been looking for!

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

This interactive doll quilt is adorable, especially because there are little stitched mice under the doors! There's also a baby quilt in the book that I think I need to make.

Who am I kidding? I want to make everything in here!

Sweetly Stitched Handmades

Maybe starting with this jam jar pincushion? A goal for this year is that I want Sunday afternoons to be about stitching things just for me and my family, and Sweetly Stitched Handmades is going to be my go-to resource for those projects.

Amy, thank you for being as sweet as the things you make!

Find Sweetly Stitched Handmades on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or through your local bookseller.

(By the way, I joke about wanting to become Amy (maybe only half joking?), but even if you make these a little different from how she does, these are simply wonderful projects. Check it out...you won't regret it!)

6 comments:

  1. I want to make ALL THE THINGS in this book too! I love it!!!! :)

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  2. how I wish I had a sewing machine!

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  3. I love your unicorn idea philosophy as it pertains to Amy, so true!!! Love this book and I'm inspired by your taking Sunday's to make for your fam😊

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  4. Adorable stuff here. I'm outta wall space too. Gotta rearrange to fit that cute storage thingy in!

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  5. Oh I adore her blog and this book is to die for....It is on my want list for sure. Everthing she makes is gorgeous.

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  6. I think you did a great job of being Amy in your photos... they're lovely. This is a gorgeous book too! Those little tags get me and the bear face, oh my! Thanks for the review. xo

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