Handmade Beginnings

May 25, 2010 in Other with 273 Comments

I was so pleased to be asked to be a part of the blog tour for Anna Marie Horner’s new book, Handmade Beginnings.

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At first I thought “hmm… I’m not pregnant and I don’t have any babies (yet!)… will this book be of any use to me?” The answer?  Yes – absolutely!

First of all, we’re all swamped with baby showers and sometimes there just isn’t time to get a whole quilt made, but you want to bring a personal handmade gift.  There are many wonderful options in the book that are certain to be big hits at the next baby shower you head to!

How about some adorable bebe shooooes??

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Or a cozy cozy sleeping sack??

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And OMG I can’t handle how cute this photo is.  Makes me wanna make loads of little pants for babies this instant!!

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And then there are patterns in the book that can be made for anyone – not just babies. Check out both of these bags.  They would work for any number of things non-baby related!

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Overall a great book with loads of modern, interesting and varied choices.  Oh and did I mention the photography?  It’s so so good.  Really – it gives the book a wonderful warm and personal feeling that makes you want to sit down to your sewing machine and dive into one of the many included projects!

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Maggie agrees completely.

Do you want a copy? Wiley Publishing were generous to get me an extra for you! Leave a comment here and I’ll pick a winner tomorrow morning.

Also, click on over here if you want to enter to win a sewing machine!

The blog tour is coming to a close soon, but you still have a couple places to check out. Here’s the details of the whole tour:

May 3 : Craft
May 4: Indie Fixx
May 5: Sew Mama Sew
May 6: Pink Chalk Studio
May 10: Wise Craft
May 14: House on Hill Road
May 16: The Purl Bee
May 18: All Buttoned Up
May 19: Alabama Chanin Journal
May 20: Homemade by Jill
May 21: True Up
May 22: Oh, Fransson!
May 23: Prudent Baby
May 24: Sew Liberated
May 25: Handmade by Alissa
May 26: Hazelnuts
May 27: Petite Purls

273 Responses to “Handmade Beginnings”

  1. Leta May 25, 2010 at 11:07 am #

    I would love to own this! I make a lot of baby things.

  2. SewLindaAnn May 25, 2010 at 11:07 am #

    Okay, I’m sold. I don’t have any babies, but I love the bags and lots of other girls in the neighborhood are having them! I totally want it.

  3. SaraD May 25, 2010 at 11:08 am #

    Oh! That sleep sack!

    I’ve been watching this book on it’s blog tour, and last week I just couldn’t take it anymore – I ordered it on impulse! I’d love to win this copy to share with a friend.

  4. Jess May 25, 2010 at 11:09 am #

    Oh my goodness! I would love to win this book. My mom is pregnant with her sixth (yeah..I know…its a lot….I will be 17 years older than this baby) so it would be perfect to have :)

    ~Jess

  5. Kim May 25, 2010 at 11:13 am #

    That daddy bag looks great! can’t wait to get my hands on a copy!

  6. LFinn May 25, 2010 at 11:24 am #

    I am expecting my third baby in January, and would love to have this book! Thanks for a great giveaway.

  7. PJ May 25, 2010 at 11:25 am #

    I would love to win a copy of this lovely book. Thanks.

  8. Tawnya May 25, 2010 at 11:29 am #

    Wow! Love the few projects you have shown here! So cute! And the photography in the book seems just as wonderful.

  9. Katie May 25, 2010 at 11:31 am #

    I can’t wait to have this book, so I figure one more chance to win, and then I am just going to have to buy it!

  10. Sarah S May 25, 2010 at 11:36 am #

    YES! I would LOVE to win a copy! Thanks!

  11. Kim May 25, 2010 at 11:48 am #

    Please please pick me! This book looks absolutely amazing and would get lots of use with me! I currently have three baby projects I need to start and this book would give me the inspiration!

  12. Mikelle May 25, 2010 at 11:49 am #

    I would love to try that sleep sack!

  13. Chelsea the Yarngeek May 25, 2010 at 11:51 am #

    Great review! Thanks for showing some images of the more parent-centered projects. I don’t have kids yet, but I can definitely see a use for those bags in my life currently. Plus, everyone around me is pregnant, so I’d better get crackin’ on some baby things. Hopefully I’ll get to win a book, but otherwise, it’s on the wishlist for the next book purchase.

  14. Darcy May 25, 2010 at 11:55 am #

    So cute! The your description of the book made me hungry to own it –Thanks for the giveaway!

  15. Lori May 25, 2010 at 11:59 am #

    I can’t wait to get my hands on this book! Such lovely things! And her first book was awesome, too!

  16. Alexis May 25, 2010 at 12:04 pm #

    It’s such a beautiful book and with having a newborn and a 3 year old, I would LOVE to have a copy to make some cutsie pants :) And of course a nursing tunic for mama.

  17. Claudia May 25, 2010 at 12:07 pm #

    Thanks for the chance! The book looks just great!

  18. Erika May 25, 2010 at 12:14 pm #

    Great review for us non-mama’s! Two of my Sis in Laws are expecting this year and I can’t wait to get started on some cute stuff for new nieces or nephews!

  19. Emily May 25, 2010 at 12:23 pm #

    This book looks fabulous! I would LOVE to have a copy!
    Thanks!

  20. Hannah May 25, 2010 at 12:35 pm #

    Yes, I would LOVE to have a copy!

  21. Marissa May 25, 2010 at 12:36 pm #

    Oh that would be so cool if I won! I have a little one right now and I know of at least 5 others that are expecting soon.

  22. Ramona May 25, 2010 at 12:41 pm #

    I really want to make that sleep sack for my daughter….

  23. Becky May 25, 2010 at 12:56 pm #

    Oh, I would love to have a copy, thanks for being a stop on the blog tour, and thanks for hosting a giveaway

  24. Melissa S. May 25, 2010 at 1:02 pm #

    I would love to win a copy and so some of these delightful things for my baby boy!

  25. Kristy May 25, 2010 at 1:11 pm #

    I’ve been following this tour and gone from thinking this book is good to thinking it is really great and now, wonderful. Thanks for the opportunity of winning it!

  26. Alison May 25, 2010 at 1:11 pm #

    I have been following the bloggy book tour, and I am getting more and more excited about this book!

  27. Abby May 25, 2010 at 1:24 pm #

    This book just keeps looking better and better. I would love a copy!

  28. Lynn May 25, 2010 at 1:29 pm #

    How lovely! Maggie could use one of those purses, I’m sure! Thanks for being a stop on the book tour!

  29. Sarah May 25, 2010 at 1:35 pm #

    I have been eying this book for a while and am excited for a chance to win!!!

  30. angie May 25, 2010 at 1:35 pm #

    Oh yes! i’d love to win a copy of this book!

  31. Rachel Vander Martin May 25, 2010 at 1:39 pm #

    It wasn’t until recently that I have realized that the special skills and talents that my Grandmother was unable to share with me are still available to me by other sources. Sure its not the same, since she had passed away, but it allows me to still learn the gift and be able to continue the tradition and pass it on.

    I know this is long.. What I am trying to say is this book is amazing and actually have some projects that resemble some things my grandmother and I worked on. I can’t wait to make some stuff from the book for my little girls! I would recommend it to anyone!

  32. Julie May 25, 2010 at 1:42 pm #

    Alissa,
    I love your blog. Thanks for the inspiration- the book looks wonderful!

  33. Katrin G May 25, 2010 at 1:46 pm #

    Very nice! I would very much like a copy! To do another bag and summer pants..

  34. Jill May 25, 2010 at 1:47 pm #

    Ahhh!!! I’ve been ooohing and ahhhing over Anna Maria’s latest book. Want! Want! Need! Need! Need? Yes. Need. Very much. Baby sewing is the most fun sewing I know.

  35. Cara May 25, 2010 at 1:47 pm #

    I’m so giving in and getting this book. Every time I see it I see another too cute project I just have to have available to me.

  36. amanda May 25, 2010 at 1:53 pm #

    I would love to win this book..it looks fantastic! :)

  37. Jodie May 25, 2010 at 1:53 pm #

    This book looks soooo amazing! I’d love to win a copy.

  38. Kim S. May 25, 2010 at 1:58 pm #

    This book looks so great! Thanks.

  39. Marcia W. May 25, 2010 at 2:18 pm #

    Really like this book and can put it to good use making items for my expectant niece and my two grandnieces. Thank you for the book tour. mlwright29 (at) hotmail (dot) com

  40. season May 25, 2010 at 2:23 pm #

    This book looks lovely. Thanks for offering the giveaway!

  41. Tarmy May 25, 2010 at 2:25 pm #

    This books looks awesome! Love the bags and the sleep sack!

  42. amy (sew~amy) May 25, 2010 at 2:32 pm #

    oh yes, thank you for a chance to win.

  43. Lindsay May 25, 2010 at 2:45 pm #

    This book looks so cute! The project list will just keep getting longer. :)

  44. Jane May 25, 2010 at 2:49 pm #

    Wow – what a great book. I would so love to win a copy – oooh the lovely presents I could make for so many precious little babies in my life!

  45. Kylie May 25, 2010 at 2:55 pm #

    I would LOVE that book!
    ky.jackson@gmail.com

  46. Heather May 25, 2010 at 3:03 pm #

    ohmygosh i would love a copy! it seems that all of my friends and cousins are having children and I keep trying to come up with creative and different things to give at the showers! thanks : )

  47. Queen of the Butterfly Ball May 25, 2010 at 3:03 pm #

    Oooooh! I DO have a new little one to make things for and this book looks like it is full of sewing inspiration!!! Count me in! Thank you so much for the chance to win!!!
    Rachel

  48. m moon May 25, 2010 at 3:14 pm #

    the book looks great:)

  49. Marta May 25, 2010 at 3:40 pm #

    I love this book…Thanks for the giveaway..

  50. Bethany May 25, 2010 at 3:41 pm #

    I would love to win a copy of Anna Maria’s book! It has such great ideas in it!

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