A Spoonful of Sugar

Make. Bake. Create.

Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Press
    • FAQ
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Contact Us
  • Crafts
    • Crochet
    • DIY
    • Embroidery/Cross stitch
    • Gift Wrapping
    • Knitting
    • Miscellaneous
    • Paper Crafts
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Australia Day
    • Back to School
    • Valentines Day
    • Easter
    • ANZAC Day
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Bars & Slices
    • Bread & Pastries
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Confectionery
    • Cupcakes & Muffins
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Ice Cream
    • Jams/Preserves
    • Main Meals
  • Sewing
    • Sewing Tutorials
    • Quilting
    • Sewing & Quilting Patterns
  • Family
    • Back to School
    • Family Fun
    • Our Home
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Shop
    • Pattern Store
    • Etsy Store

{Book Reviews} Handmade Christmas & Stitch and Sew Home

November 9, 2012 By Spoonful of Sugar - 4 Comments

The best time of the year to buy craft books is around Mother’s Day and Christmas – this seems to be when all the choice titles are released. This year is no exception – we have some fabulous titles to review over the next few weeks. Today’s titles will interest Craft Lovers!

Handmade Christmas is a lovely book with 50+ inspiring projects, recipes, and creative ways to help you celebrate Christmas in style. It has been put together by Penguin who published Handmade Weddings last year. All the projects are contributed by bloggers and designers, and they include step-by-step instructions and templates (most templates need to be enlarged).

What we love most about this book is that all the projects are modern and are beautifully photographed and styled. All the projects are easily adapted to suit your own Christmas colours and theme.

Handmade Christmas includes projects for: Coming Up to Christmas; O Christmas Tree; Christmas Party; Under the Tree; At The Table; and Boxing Day.

If you love Christmas as much as we do, you will love this book which is filled with fresh ideas for the Holiday season.

Book Details:
Publisher:   Penguin Viking
Format:      Paperback, 232 pages
ISBN:        9780670076147
RRP:          $29.99

Handmade Christmas is available from Fishpond.

Stitch and Sew Home by Eline Pellinkhof is a pretty book filled with over 45 embroidery, sewing, and cross stitch designs. The projects are cheerful and fresh, with lots of inspiring ideas to add touches of homemade to your home. The projects are all beautifully photographed  – it is a lovely book just to look through, and it makes you want to pick up a crochet hook or embroidery thread to add some colour to your projects.

The projects are suitable for crafters of all levels, with many projects suitable for a beginner. Materials include: yarn; thread; ribbons and trims; clay; rocks; paper and stamps. It is the attention to detail and unexpected embellishments that really makes this book shine.

We first discovered Dutch designer Eline Pellinkhof when one of the projects from Stitch and Sew Home was published in Issue 17 of Mollie Makes. You can find a Google Preview and more images of the book at Fishpond.

Stitch and Sew Home would make a lovely Christmas gift for someone who loves sewing and needlecrafts.

Book details:
Publisher:    David and Charles
Format:      Paperback, 128 pages
ISBN:        9781446302354
RRP:         $29.00

Stitch and Sew Home is available from Fishpond.

Disclaimer: Please note that we are not paid to write book reviews but we do receive a review copy of the book from distributors/publishers. We are affiliates of Fishpond. 


For your daily sugar fix you can subscribe or follow us on facebook, twitter, google plus and pinterest.   

Filed Under: Christmas, Crafts, Sewing, Uncategorized Tagged With: book review

« Words to Live By
Double Chocolate Brownies »

Comments

  1. thesnailgarden says

    November 10, 2012 at 3:13 am

    Lovely books! I do like Eline Pellinkhof’s designs and that Christmas book looks very interesting. Pj x

    Reply
  2. AllyJo says

    November 10, 2012 at 4:14 am

    I love these craft type books and can never get enough. Thanks for the review.

    Reply
  3. Terriaw says

    November 10, 2012 at 5:47 pm

    This looks like a great book – just my style. I am craving such holiday projects to work on, so thank you for the tip!

    Reply
  4. Kristy LifenReflection says

    December 4, 2012 at 10:57 am

    Love that little reindeer so adorable!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
×

Categories

Archives

PURCHASE PDF PATTERNS

We offer over 100 affordable PDF sewing patterns available for download from our store website or Etsy store. Each pattern includes detailed instructions, numerous photos, and templates.

WEB STORE ETSY STORE

Instagram

A quick, satisfying make for your weekend ✂️ This A quick, satisfying make for your weekend ✂️
This Easy Hexagon Trivet comes together in minutes — no binding, straight seams, and a very pleasing turn‑through moment.Perfect for charm packs, leftover 10" squares, or your favourite scraps.Comment TRIVET for the pattern link.Pattern Details: Easy Hexagon Trivet & Coasters — available in our Pattern Store and Etsy Shop.#easysewingproject #scrapsewing #beginnersewing #sewingreels #weekendsewing
A beautiful, captivating read by local author Tess A beautiful, captivating read by local author Tess Woods inspired this sweet little Heart Bookmark. I adored the way The Cairo Bridal Shop wove together family, secrets, and sisterhood — it’s one of those
stories that stays with you long after you close the cover. If you missed my book review, check my previous post.This tiny Heart Bookmark is scrap‑friendly, quick to sew, and perfect for book lovers or handmade gift‑givers.Comment BOOKMARK for the free Pattern or click on the link in my bio.Save this for when you are looking for quick handmade gift ideas.#freesewingpattern #scrapfriendlysewing #handmadegifts #bookloversofinstagram #sewingcommunity
A beautiful new read + a sweet sewing project insp A beautiful new read + a sweet sewing project inspired by the Albi sisters.Thanks to @tesswoods_author and @penguinbooksaus for the advance copy of this captivating story.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I’ve just finished reading The Cairo Bridal Shop by local author Tess Woods — and it completely swept me away.Set at the foot of the pyramids, the Albi Bridal Shop is home to three sisters fighting to break tradition and shape their own futures. Inspired by ancient pharaoh queens, they draw on generations of women, culture, sacrifice, and resilience to find their strength.Tess calls this “the book of her heart,” weaving her family history into a story of sisterhood, identity, faith, strong women, and delicious Egyptian food.While reading, I kept thinking about the three Albi sisters — Sarah, Aya, and Lola — each navigating their own challenges, each fighting for the life she deserves.So I stitched three Heart Bookmarks, one to represent each sister. A tiny handmade nod to their courage, creativity, and connection.Each bookmark is made from quilting cotton, wool felt, lace, and a silky tassel — quick to sew, lovely to gift, and perfect for marking your place in a story full of strong women.I was completely captivated by The Cairo Bridal Shop. The relationships between the sisters are truly the heart of the story — tender, complicated, loyal, and full of resilience.I loved the structure: six dresses, each inspired by a Pharaoh queen, each opening a new chapter of their lives. The cultural details, the food, the history, the Cairo setting — it all felt vivid and immersive.A beautiful, emotional story of family, identity, courage, and the strength we find in the women around us.If you only read one book this year, make sure it is The Cairo Bridal Shop.If you’d like to stitch your own Heart Bookmark, the pattern is free.Comment BOOKMARK and I’ll send you the link.A sweet, quick project — perfect paired with a good book.Thanks for being here — I love sharing small sewing projects that bring joy to your day.
A sweet little scrap project ✂️✨ The Zakka Scisso A sweet little scrap project ✂️✨The Zakka Scissor Keeper is one of my favourite small  makes — quick to sew, perfect for coordinated scraps, and so handy to keep your scissors protected in your sewing bag. I’ve never shared a reel of this one, so here’s a little peek at how it opens and closes.It’s also my Pattern of the Week, which means you can save 25% for a limited time. If you love small, satisfying projects, this one is a fun weekend sew.Comment SCISSOR and I’ll send you the link.#sewingprojects #scrapfriendlysewing #smallsewingprojects #zakka #sewingaddict
The Hexie Placemat Series ✂️ Six designs and endl The Hexie Placemat Series ✂️Six designs and endless ways to make your table feel special. From festive holiday colours to cosy autumn tones, these placemats are quick to sew, scrap‑friendly, and perfect for gifting or decorating your home.Featuring:
• Hexie Holiday – a Christmas favourite
• Hexie House – the newest addition
• Hexie Heart – sweet and sentimental
• Hexie Star – crisp and modern
• Hexie Pumpkin – warm autumn vibes
• Hexie Bunny – playful for springSwipe to see all the looks — each one has its own personality and is fun to customise with your favourite fabrics.Comment HEXIE and I’ll send you the link to the full series (available in my Pattern Store + Etsy Shop).#sewingprojects #quiltedplacemat #scrapfriendlysewing #pdfsewingpattern #sewingcommunity
The Easiest Oven Mitt You’ll Sew ✂️✨ The Baker’s The Easiest Oven Mitt You’ll Sew ✂️✨The Baker’s Buddy Mitt is one of those projects that never leaves my sewing table — smooth curves, no fiddly binding, and a construction that’s genuinely beginner‑friendly. It comes together fast, looks
beautifully shaped, and is one of my most‑gifted makes because it actually gets used in the kitchen.Here’s why makers love it:
• No binding (yes, really!)
• Modern silhouette that works with any stash fabric
• Insul‑Brite + batting layers for hand protection
• Quick, practical, and gift‑readyIf you’re after a satisfying project that looks impressive and is useful, this is the one.Comment BAKER and I’ll send you the pattern link (available in my Pattern Store and Etsy Shop).#sewinggifts #beginnersewing #quicksewingproject #scrapfriendlysewing
#bakersbuddy
Follow on Instagram

Featured Pattern

Travel Sewing Kit Pattern

Featured Tutorial

Retro Drawstring Bag

Featured Recipe

Lemon Pound Cake

Connect

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER
×

Popular Posts

  • Rediscovering Your Fabric Stash: Hidden Treasures, Changing Tastes, and Fresh Inspiration
  • Apple Crumble Slice
  • Liberty Scrap Gift Tags – A Quick, Pretty Project for Using Tiny Fabric Offcuts
  • Lavender Sachets
  • Patchwork Fabric Tray
  • Charm Square Fabric Tray
  • Business Card Wallet

Copyright © 2026 Lisa. K. Cox - A Spoonful of Sugar