Sewing Happiness: A Year of Simple Projects for Living Well (Sanae Ishida Sews) - Softcover

2016 Homemaker Magazine Best Home Sewing Book Award Winner "In a world of Pinterest-perfect styling and overposed, overedited sewing blog photos, Ishida's honesty is refreshing, and her thoughtful musings on the importance of "taking a break"--whether to sew, enjoy family, or simply appreciate our lives--are a delight." --Library Journal "[Ishida] stitches together a memoir, a delightful medley of sewing projects and a strong lesson in wabi-sabi, the concept of finding beauty in imperfection." --Seattle Magazine "Part sewing-pattern collection, part one woman's personal tale of her self-help journey, this book aims to be as inspirational as it is useful." --Booklist "You might be sewing a pattern, but confidence will also emerge on the other side of the presser foot, and that, Sanae assures, will bring you sewing happiness." --Seattle's Child "This book is beautiful. It's beautifully written, beautifully styled and photographed, and beautiful to hold in your hands. It's the kind of book that you would be thrilled to receive as a gift, and even more excited to give away to someone you love." --Closet Case Files "A lovely book, and very relatable if you've ever struggled with your health or with finding meaning and joy in your life." --Sew Mama Sew "This book is more than a collection of projects...[it] is an open, honest, raw and vulnerable conversation about how making things can heal us." --A Happy Stitch "Sewing Happiness actually digs down deep into the idea that crafting is a meditative, health-boosting practice that really has the power to transform how you feel...bring on the sewing machine!" --Dream Green DIY "[Sewing Happiness] is part memoir, part sewing book, and filled throughout with beautiful photography and illustrations. It is a joy to read." --Cut Cut Sew "Sewing Happiness is a beautiful and touching book about the healing power of making. Part memoir, part craft book, and all gorgeous, you won't be able to put it down." --Small+Friendly "This book, unlike most other craft/sewing books, had me reading each and every page, each and every project introduction. It's moving, inspiring and, of course, instructional as well." --Buzzmills "No book has described the healing and life-affirming practice of sewing more beautifully than Sanae Ishida's Sewing Happiness." --Sew News "Shows readers the power of a little creativity in their lives." --Mother Earth News

Happiness sells! inspired to succeed at just one thing, the author vowed to sew all of her daughter's clothes (and most of her own) for one year. This is the story of that year and how doing one thing right inspired her to cultivate many happy habits. Faced with chronic illness and unemployment, Sanae lshida decided to take stock of her life and rediscover her passion for sewing. This is a seasonal book consists of 20 simple sewing projects plus variations (including Japanese-inspired home goods, children's and women's clothing), stitched together with charming and relatable personal stories about how sewing brought her profound happiness. Part 1 includes the incredibly moving essays as well as a look-book of photos of the projects, and Part 2 includes all the instructions with detailed illustrations. The book is 30% memoir and 70% practical sewing projects.