So, when one is 'officially' reviewing something on their blog, I think the goal is to be as unbiased and transparent as possible. In the interest of transparency I want you to know that I was provided with a promotional copy of Make Stuff Together as well as a copy to giveaway to one of my readers (**see below**). Transparency, I have no trouble with. The issue of bias will be a little more complicated. If I hadn't been given a copy of this book, I can assure you that I would have purchased one off the shelf at my favorite local fabric store (aka Stitch Lab). I can't help myself because I already know that Bernadette Noll and Kathie Sever of Future Craft Collective are stupendously gifted crafters, teachers and mothers...and I want to shout it from the rooftops. I feel blessed to call them both friends and couldn't be more pleased that this book, Make Stuff Together, will help the Future Craft Collective message spread far and wide. We have loads of craft books in our home library, but very few marry the ideas of 'making' with 'together'. We lean that way as it is, but it's so refreshing to read a book that really honors that process with a down to earth voice that really 'gets' what it can be like to create as a family. Here are some of my favorite quotes:
"When we sew with children there are some moments of extreme frustration, but there are also moments of magic."
"Don't cram in a craft session when time is limited. Allowing enough time for the project at hand brings about way more peace, love and happiness"
"We try to inject celebration into the commonplace because it makes it easier to get through each day."
I value the message that crafting together allows the space for problem solving, laughter, ritual, and commemoration as a family.
Along with all of this crafty wisdom, this book offers up 24 different projects that can be made together, and then also used together with your family and friends.
There are various projects for game playing:
adventuring and exploration:
and commemoration and celebration:
More information on the book is available here and at their Facebook page.
After devouring the book page by page I offered it up to The Girl to pick a project for us to try. She picked the Art Roll Up, which is perfect for all of the crazy running around we are doing this summer. We each created one, and found the instructions to be very straight forward. Following the advice to not cram too much into one craft session, she did her cutting after camp one day, and her marking and sewing after camp then next. It was a low stress project for the both of us, and I will certainly be making more of these as gifts for the young artists that I know.
The Girl picked two coordinating fabrics as suggested in the book. Action shots below:
For my exterior piece, I chose an old pillowcase that I had been saving to put on an apron for um....2 years? The interior is a dish cloth and the pockets are of a striped fabric that I had in my stash:
**GIVEAWAY**
I have one copy of this book to giveaway. Do you have a favorite craft you like to do with your family? Or maybe one you'd like to try? Tell us about it! Or not. Just tell us why you'd like a copy of this book if you'd rather. :)
Leave a comment below and I'll randomly select from the comments after 6:00 pm on July 6th.