This book fits right in with our discussion of crafted gifts, because it’s full of projects that would make great gifts!

Apparently, there has been a whole series of “Pretty Little” books, which I managed to miss.  This one, 100 Pretty Little Projects, is a sort of “best of” compilation.  It is primarily a sewing book, although there are one or two projects included that don’t require sewing.  They don’t require complicated sewing techniques; most are pretty basic.  And, being pretty little projects, most are excellent uses for scraps.  (Some would also be good projects for learning certain new techniques – for instance, piecing.)

There is very little introduction to the book, and no appendix, so if you were hoping for a section on sewing techniques, you might be disappointed.  It is assumed that you know, for instance, what top-stitching is, and that if you’re working on an embroidery project you know basic embroidery stitches.  There are a few projects where they initially seem to assume too much (“finish the quilt by your preferred binding method”), but if you check other projects in the book (“Yard Tale”), you will find instructions for a method that can be used.  It would be helpful if these were cross-referenced or something, since there isn’t a basic techniques section.  (Those would be easy enough to look up online, though, if it came right down to it.)  I think there just wasn’t enough effort made to ensure consistency across projects created by a variety of designers.

There is a lot of variety in the projects, and very many of them are useful household items – potholders, coasters, pincushions, etc.  Perhaps not a lot that’s truly new, but many are updated “takes” on old classics.  They’re all attractive.  (Well, I could do without the voodoo doll, but the rest of the projects look great.)  I’m looking forward to making some of these as Christmas gifts, and glad to have all of these tutorials compiled in a single location.

Disclosure: The publisher provided me with a copy of the book to facilitate this review.  All opinions are entirely my own, and I received no monetary compensation.