“That Handmade Touch” Book Review

This month’s book review features a book by one of my favorite bag pattern designers, Svetlana Sotak. That Handmade Touch is her first book and hopefully it will not be her last!

I first heard about Svetlana Sotak and her blog Sotak Handmade when I started learning about sewing pouches and bags. Svetlana has some of the best patterns out there for making simple pouches and unique totes and handbags. Her instructions are flawless and so easy to follow. I have personally tested a few of her patterns for her and I don’t think I have ever found an error in any one of them!

Her book, That Handmade Touch really conveys her love of sewing and her passion for creating patterns that are both unique and useful. I must say that this book is probably not for the absolute beginner as it does assume some basic sewing knowledge, but an advanced or adventurous beginner will definitely be able to make the majority of the projects. In this book you will find four categories of projects as well as fabric requirements and most of the instructions you need to complete the projects. She also discusses her favorite tools, materials, and techniques.

The four project categories in the book are: For You, For Your Home, For Your Craft Space, and For Your Pet.

For You

In the For You section, you will learn how to make six different bags ranging from pouches to handbags to totes. I chose to make the Foldover Pouch which is a simple pouch that folds over and has a button closure. It is a super easy make as well as a stash-buster. Here is my version of the Foldover Pouch in home decorator fabric and waxed canvas. I love this pouch so much that I use it to decorate the shelf above my desk. Future projects I would also like to make are the Crossbody Bag and the Tote.

For Your Home

In the For Your Home section, you will learn how to make six items to make your house a home that range from coasters to pillows to quilts. I chose to make the Puffy Duvet. I already had a quilt top that I made earlier using charm squares and this was perfect for trying out a technique I had never tried before. This duvet is made with a top, batting, backing and thread or yarn used to tie the quilt in sections to secure the three layers together. I added a border to give it a bit more of a quilt look and used a navy sashiko thread. I love how this quilt turned out and will definitely use this method again as it is super quick and yields a beautiful result.

The coasters are also one of the patterns I would like to make as well as trying Svetlana’s technique for adding a zipper to a pillow cover.

For Your Craft Space

In the For Your Craft Space section, the author provides patterns and instructions for five very interesting projects. I chose to make the wall pocket which I am now using as the prettiest waste basket ever in my car! It’s also the perfect size for small things that you need to be able to grab and put away quickly. And if you do use it as a waste basket, you can keep one of the rolls from your pets waste bags in your car – they fit perfectly! I took the photo in my husband’s car because the lighting was better and now he wants one too!

I also want to make the project tote and the storage bucket.

For Your Pet

Although I love my boy, Simon (my miniature Pinscher) the projects in this book were geared towards cats and Simon would have no part of it! But for all you cat lovers, you can make a cute collar, toy and pet teepee!

This book, with over 20 sewing projects will definitely have something you will enjoy making whether you prefer making things for yourself or for your home.

There were so many projects that I wanted to make that I think I will be writing a follow-up post featuring those completed projects. Let me know in the comments if this is something you would like to see.

Thank you for following my blog and I hope you will all make something beautiful today!

You can purchase this book and most others that I have reviewed (or plan to) here.

If you liked this review, you might be interested in this one too…

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