Animal Friends to Sew: Simple Handmade Decor, Toys, and Gifts for Kids (Sanae Ishida Sews)

I used to have an Etsy shop that sold baby clothes, booties, accessories and toys. But I decided to close it 5 years ago. It seemed that everyone was sewing the same thing and the market was flooded. The last craft show was Christmas 2015 and I noticed that my toddler poofs and and baby storage baskets were selling still. Oh, Sanae, if I had this book then I may still have my Etsy shop! Sweet animal themed and simple patterns make these projects within every sewists’ reach. Baskets, pillows, wall pockets (my favorite), stackable blocks, backpacks, bibs and many more ideas for babies and kids. I have a new grand nephew and a 3 year old great grandson and with the time I have now due to social distancing and quarantine I am picking out Christmas presents to start on! A great book to own with the ideas.

Easy to follow instructions, lovely little projects, some of which are small enough hand sew from start to finish, if you feel so inclined. And you're never too old to want a polar bear pillow of your very own.

For husband

Creative ideas

Animal Friends to Sew is a decor and tutorial book for soft toys and furnishings by Sanae Ishida. Released 30th March 2020 by Sasquatch Books, it's 240 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.This is a beautifully illustrated, well written, and whimsically appealing sewing book for animal themed soft furnishings. The tutorials are not limited to plush pillows and animal cuddly toys; there are numerous decor items, adorable stylized silhouette placemats (which I want to sew for my grown-up table settings), and wearables including bibs, slippers and a backpack. I didn't count carefully, but there are more than 35 projects to keep anyone crafting for a long while.They are grouped thematically by project type. All of the tutorials are pictured (in color) in the table of contents with page numbers included for easy lookup. The introductory section has a good basic overview of tools and general techniques which is beginner accessible and clearly written.The tutorials themselves include a color photo of the finished project, tools and materials in a bullet list in a highlighted sidebar (US standard measurements only), followed by step by step instructions. The book includes an index, metric conversion charts, and a resource/links list.I really love the breezy and sweet style, and the quirky comfortable projects. Full size templates are included for all the tutorials (in the back of the book).Five stars. There are a number of these projects I fully intend to do myself (and I have grown children and no grandkids on the horizon).Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This book has lots of appealing photographs, cute designs, and very clear instructions. Some of the projects reminded me of sewing crafts that I made for siblings and friends when I was in elementary and middle school, and because of that personal experience, I want to mention that even though this book is cataloged as adult nonfiction, it is great for kids, too.These projects are accessible to any experience level, and the book is written in a warm, professional style, without any of the foul language or vulgarity that have become common in other craft books. This is completely appropriate for anyone who is old enough and trusted enough to wield scissors and a needle, and it is a great resource for all ages. Also, even though the author writes to an audience of parents who want to make things for their children, I can imagine how much fun it would be for an adult and an older child to make some of these projects together.

A bit disappointing. Lots of animals to do but they are usually rather basic..... Expected more ideas and challenges.