Miss Patch’s Learn-to-Sew Book

For crafty little girls, the idea of adding sewing to their repertoires is fun and exciting. This slim volume has instructions for several fairly simple projects: a pillow; a drawstring bag with a stitched name decoration; decorated kerchief, scarf, and apron; a patchwork pillow and cover for a doll’s bed and how to quilt them; a play skirt and a half-slip; gingerbread boy doll, pincushion heart, bath or oven mitt, and hand puppet with patterns one can copy; and doll clothes. The instructions all have to do with hand sewing with nothing that addresses sewing with a machine. The introduction explains all materials needed and clear instructions about how to thread a needle and stitch. All projects include materials needed and step-by-step instructions.

Carolyn Meyer originally wrote this book in 1969 and, while nothing has really changed about the process of hand sewn projects since then, the kinds of projects that would interest children has. For instance, girls seldom wear kerchiefs these days and probably would have little interest in making a laundry bag. The language in this book is old-fashioned and a bit stodgy. The book is cute with some cute ideas, but could really use a significant update.