I wrote a book!
One of the reasons why I've been more distant than the usual from the Internet in this last year, is because I was offered this incredible opportunity by Italian publishing house Gribaudo, and I just couldn't pass it up!
And so, after many months of hard work, "Il Manuale del Cucito" ("The Sewing Handbook") was born. It's a cute little book for beginners, it is project-oriented, including a short section dedicate to techniques and FAQ about sewing, and then 20 projects to learn how to sew while you're making them. The projects range from accessories, to clothes and home decor objects (there's also an accessory for dogs, because -duh!- I had to include dogs in it).
The idea was to offer something for everyone, without making it so difficult that it would discourage a beginner, but at the same time challenging enough so that it wasn't banal and you would learn some new techniques.
Also, there's no taking ourself too seriously in this book. Everything is as colorful as possible, and there are little animals, polka dots and smily faces scattered everywhere, which is, of course, perfectly my style.
The idea was to offer something for everyone, without making it so difficult that it would discourage a beginner, but at the same time challenging enough so that it wasn't banal and you would learn some new techniques.
Also, there's no taking ourself too seriously in this book. Everything is as colorful as possible, and there are little animals, polka dots and smily faces scattered everywhere, which is, of course, perfectly my style.
I tried to keep the instructions as clear as possible (also thanks to Daniela Capparotto, my editor, and her very insightful input) and there are step-by-step photos to guide you through every technique.
Speaking of photos, a huge thanks goes to my photographer Mauro Aluffi, who challenged himself with something he never did before (he's a very talented pre-natal, baby and child photographer), and was a great help throughout the whole process.
Together with his photography, the book is punctuated with Ilaria Faccioli's super cute illustrations, which just added the perfect touch to the whole thing.
Also, a huge thanks goes to that magical creature who's Gaia Segattini, whose help was fundamental since before the beginning of this enterprise. By the way, her crochet book, "Il Manuale dell'Uncinetto" ("The Crochet Handbook") is released on the same date, for the same handmade book series, and it's seriously amazing (I want to make every single project included in it).
And finally, I have to mention my beloved fabric store Supercut and its fantastic owner Marine, who was the sponsor for the fabric in the book, and contributed to make it more beautiful. Thank you!
And finally, I have to mention my beloved fabric store Supercut and its fantastic owner Marine, who was the sponsor for the fabric in the book, and contributed to make it more beautiful. Thank you!
I'm sorry I've been so secretive about it until now, but it was a difficult and stressful process, and I really wanted to be ready both logistically and psychologically before announcing it officially here on my little blog (although am I ready for this? Am I?!). All in all, it was a challenging, but incredibly satisfying experience :)
The book is launching on November 5th, and, for the moment, it's to be released only in Italian (but who knows?!).
The book is launching on November 5th, and, for the moment, it's to be released only in Italian (but who knows?!).
