The Geekish Reader

Title:   Sew Iconic Author:   Liz Gregory Genre:   Sewing, Crafts, DIY Pages:   144 Published:   June 2012 Publisher:   Thunder Bay Press Source:   NetGalley Where to buy:   Amazon Synopsis: So glamorous . . . so stunning . . . so iconic! From Marilyn Monroe's billowy white halter in The Seven Year Itch to Audrey Hepburn's effortlessly chic black number in Breakfast at Tiffany's, the silver screen's stunning dresses have always left stylish women enchanted. But no matter how many trips they've taken to the mall or even to designer boutiques, it's still always been nearly impossible to find those dream dresses. But now, with Sew Iconic, they can finally have the show-stopping outfits they've always wanted! I’m always a fan of a great pattern book, and this didn’t disappoint.  As I flipped through the pages I instantly recognized so many iconic (as the title states) outfits.  A great many of them were added to my list of future proje...

What is a "Rag Rug"? A rag rug is made from scraps of fabric.  Either sewn, braided or crocheted into a carpet like shape. I decided to make one of these for myself using some old sheets I had tucked away in the linen cupboard.  Chocolate brown and a great navy blue. Want to make your own? What you'll need:  An old sheet (or pre-washed fabric), a very large crochet hook, and some good scissors. Cut or rip the fabric into 1 1/2" strips There are many different ways to attached the strips of fabric together - my preferred method is sewing them together on a diagonal.   And roll it all into one big ball! This makes it much easier, trust me. I used a basic single crochet stitch, starting in the center working my out into an oval shape (or any shape you prefer!) until the rug is as the size you wish. You can add different colored fabrics for contract, you just add them into the ball in the desired location. Here is a great video (...

Title:   Knits for Nerds Author:   Toni Carr Source:   NetGalley Synopsis: The best of science fiction, manga, and animaguiri meets knit one, purl two as knit siren and part-time roller derby girl Joan of Dark offers up an out-of-this-world assortment of knitting nerdiness inside Knits for Nerds . The patterns for 30 iconic clothing and accessory items inspired by popular TV shows, books, films, comics, and more--including Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars , and Firefly. In addition to a wardrobe of costume finery, hobbyists will also find instructions for practical projects such as an e-reader cover or a laptop bag crafted of checkered fabric that serves double-duty as a chessboard and carryall, as well as patterns for plush toys inspired by Star Trek , robots, and the comic book Squee! Wear (and knit!) your nerdiness on your sleeve with Knits for Nerds . Best. Pattern. Book. EVER!  If you couldn't already tell that I was a bit of a geek, ...

Title:   My First Sewing Book Author:   Susan Akass Source:   via Publisher (Thomas Allen) Synopsis: Here are 35 brilliant projects that will help you learn how to sew. If you’ve never used a needle and thread before, don’t worry – start with the Sewing Techniques section, which simply explains how to do every stitch. Then pick something to make from one of the four chapters. In the Toys chapter, you’ll find juggling animals, sock monsters and rag dolls, while in Fashion Fun, there are gorgeous bags, hair accessories and more. Next, discover some brilliant Decorations – from hanging felt stars to pretty lavender bags. Finally, Great Gifts is packed with ideas, such as the finger puppet cards, felt egg cosies or the sausage dog draft excluder. All the instructions and cute step-by-step artworks are easy to follow; plus, each project has a grade so that you can start with easy sewing and move onto using more advanced stitches as you get better at ...