Weekend Review: Make It, Own It, Love It

Make It, Own It, Love It / Matt Chapple
London: Jacqui Small, c2016.
176 p.

There are a lot of books by former GBSB contestants, and with the new season coming up, I thought I'd read one that I haven't before! This is by the winner of Season 3, Matt Chapple. It is aimed at beginners and is quite light and approachable. 

The title covers everything in this book -- he talks about upcycling and refashioning first, to dip your toe in to the sewing world. Then he moves on to simple projects which are either self-drafted (scarves and tees, nothing complicated) or are downloadable free patterns, so no big cost investment for those just trying it out. He also covers repairs and wardrobe maintenance, even talking about laundry labels and care. I find this approach focuses on affordability and sustainability, and it's fun and encouraging at the same time. 

The book is laid out in seven sections, and includes many photos which are light and bright and cheerful. Many of them are 'lifestyle' type of photos, not all just illustrating the projects or instructions. The projects have a lot of text instruction, not heavily illustrated, but they are all pretty simple. 

The book covers: 

• Tools
• Fabrics
• Stitching
• Make It Your Own (refashioning/altering)
• Make It From Scratch
• Make It Wearable (mending - very basic needs, like re-sewing on buttons, fixing hems, pocket holes, seams etc.)
• Make It Live Longer (maintenance, including shoes)

It's also a little different because it talks about sewing/altering men's clothing as well as women's, which isn't always the case with sewing books! And even in the sections on notions and tools, he is careful to note that you don't need everything at the start, some things are just "cool kit" in your tool kit, not essential. The tone of the book is encouraging and welcoming, emphasizing that starting out doesn't require a huge investment of time or money. I'd say it's a pretty good volume and worth checking out.