I am excited to share with you the first of two new titles just released by Trumpeter Books for their series called Make Good: Crafts + Life.  The series will be comprised of popular Japanese craft books translated into English for the first time.  Linen, Wool, Cotton, by Akiko Mano, was first released in Japan in 2005, but also became beloved by crafters here in the states and around the world.  This new, translated version of the book allows her English speaking fans to create her classic projects more in keeping with the pattern, without having to guess at measurements and techniques – a very happy thing indeed!

I love the tradition of sewing, the way each of us who loves this craft has our own story of how we learned to sew, who taught us how to make our very first stitches, and why we sew the things we do.  I love that Akiko Mano has taken the time to tell us a little about herself and her craft in the introduction section of her book.  Knowing that she started sewing much the same way I did, by making clothing for her stuffed animals and dolls as a child, reminded me that all of us who sew are connected by our own stories and by the history of this art form.

A Book That Looks and Feels Good

After paging through countless (albeit beautiful) sewing books with vividly patterned fabrics, Linen, Wool, Cotton is a sweet respite for the eyes.  I love sewing books with colorful patterns, but I found this study of texture to be both attractive and inspiring.  The photographs are aesthetically appealing, with clean lines and simple color palettes that serve to highlight the texture of the fabric and the shape and design of the sewing projects.  The photographs are soft and lovely in an earthy, timeless way, much like the three fabrics Mano has chosen to work with.

A Workable Layout

Linen, Wool, Cotton is laid out in an organized, easy-to-read fashion.  There are three major sections, one for each type of fabric, and the sections are separated by two essays by the author, “Why I’m Attracted to Antiques” and “Inspiration From Foreign Books”, which give the reader more insight into her personal craft.  The three main sections are prefaced by an introduction to the type of fabric, including Mano’s personal thoughts about the cloth and how she likes to use it.  One of the things I especially enjoy about Mano’s patterns is that she has really thought about how each natural fiber acts, or as she puts it “the essence of the fabric”, and she takes this into account when she designs a pattern.  For example, understanding that some linens have a tendency to wrinkle, some are coarse, and some are soft and fine, she has not tried to force a coarse linen into a pattern that does not suit its nature.  Her projects span the selection of textures for each of the three fabrics and use each texture to its fullest advantage.

The Projects

What a great selection of projects!  Each fabric section contains both the photographs and sewing directions for several items, including:

• hand towel
• apron
• socks
• blanket
• jumper
• lingerie case
• several styles of bags
• Mary Jane slippers.

As the full book title suggests the projects are simple and classic, resulting in handmade items that could very well be used for generations.  Simple styles are better able to transcend the ages because they don’t adhere to fashion rules of current trends, making these projects a great choice for gift making, whether the gift is for yourself or for someone you know and love.

What are my favorites of her selection?  I love the idea of making my own Mary Jane style slippers, something to separate my bare feet from our chilly hardwood floors in the winter.  I adore the Parent’s and Child’s Bags, which would be perfect for me and my children to tote our books to and from the library.  The Fruit Bags seem like an innovative, yet old-fashioned way to keep my apples and oranges fresh.   Nearly every pattern in this book has my dreaming of richly textured cloth and the wonderful pictures allow me to easily imagine the soft feel of it beneath my fingers.  I am itching to get to my sewing room to begin!

Final Thoughts

With every page you turn, Linen, Wool, Cotton offers a refreshing look at design without bright dye colors or printed fabric patterns; I found it refreshing to go back to the basics of sewing by using natural fabrics and classic, simple designs.  That being said, each of these patterns could be used with fabrics that are more in keeping with today’s popular trends, so long as the sewer takes into account the type, texture, and weight of the fabrics used in the patterns.  Linen, Wool, Cotton is a great book for both beginners and accomplished sewers, with straightforward sewing directions illustrated by easy to follow drawings, and patterns that can be followed to the letter or serve as a jumping off point into one’s own creativity.

Linen, Wool, Cotton: 25 Simple Projects to Sew With Natural Fabrics is available at Amazon.com and at Make Good Books. Would you like to try before you buy?  A selection of free patterns from Linen, Wool, Cotton is available in downloadable pdf format at Make Good Books (follow link above).