Product Description

Full of unhemmed edges, ruffles, buttons, and lace—and above all, personality—the garments presented in this book offer whimsical charm and practical playfulness. From simple dresses with ruffled sleeves to blouses with lace and pants with legwarmers, all of the clothes in this book are of simple construction, yet full of romantic details. Intended for girls ages 4 to 7, each garment is presented in four sizes so readers can find the perfect fit for their own little girl.

Carefree Clothes for Girls is full of beautiful full-color photographs that reflect the distinctive Japanese craft book style. Each project comes with clear, step-by-step instructions and detailed diagrams—perfect for the strong beginner and intermediate sewer. Full-size patterns are included with the book and as individual downloads online at makegoodbooks.com.

Projects include:
• blouse with lace trim,
• quilted bodice dress,
• lace-trimmed coat,
• crossover tunic,
• natural cotton skirt.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40489 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-13
• Released on: 2009-10-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781590307175
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

It's okay...probably not worth the money
This book is okay. It has some basic patterns (full-size, you have to trace and add seam allowance) that you could use as a springboard for your own ideas, but you could also wait for a sale at Jo-ann Fabrics and get a Simplicity pattern or two for 99 cents for the same purpose. As for the unfinished hems and general 'shabbiness' of the finished products...well, I'm not a fan. I don't like threads hanging off of clothes. I prefer French seams and finished hems. From what I can see, this shabby look takes more work than having lovely French seams.

So far, I've made one thing, the bag, which doesn't have any pattern pieces, just measurements. The instructions are not good. One step is impossible unless you rip out some of what you've already done. I followed the instructions meticulously for the purposes of this review and was not impressed. I'm a fairly experienced seamstress and I've sewn a lot of bags, and I cannot fathom why anyone would put a bag together the way you're told to in this book. I felt like I was following the instructions of a six-year-old beginning seamstress. And the finished product looks like a six-year-old beginning seamstress made it. I deliberately followed the instructions so that I could see how the bag looked in real life (and, like I said, for this review), as opposed to cutesy-photos in a book. It's as, um, 'homemade' as I thought it would look. My three-year old likes it, though. It's her new library book bag. I'll definitely use these measurements to make another bag, but I'll put it together the RIGHT way and I won't leave any raw edges showing.

I'm probably going to make a few projects in this book, but I'm not going to follow the instructions. From reading through--not just skimming or glancing, really reading through--the instructions on several projects I can say that there's going to be frustration going on for those who aren't very experienced. Me? I know how to put pants together and do a (proper) facing and hem and, and, and. These projects are simple and basic, but if you don't have the know-how, it could get confusing.

The photos could be clearer, too, though I don't think this book is alone in that respect (I've seen plenty of sewing books that don't show enough of a project). I prefer clear close-ups of important details with a good full-body shot for the overall look. This book is nice to look at, but not great for the nitty-gritty. It's kind of like a magazine that happens to have some basic pattern pieces included.

If I hadn't gotten this book with a gift certificate and it hadn't gotten milk spilled on it the first day I had it, I probably would have returned it. It's a charming cover that promises something it doesn't deliver. You'd do much better buying a basic A-line dress pattern with pants from one of the Big pattern companies, or, even better, investing in some Sense & Sensibility patterns ([...]). The Sense & Sensibility Girls' Pinafore and Pantaloons pattern is great.

Overall, I'd say save your money. If you want the shabby look, you don't need the instructions in this book to achieve that (if you do, here they are: Leave unhemmed.). The patterns are basic and you can find something similar in any of the Big patten companies pattern books. For inspiration, there are a plethora of crafty blogs that have clearer instructions.

Perhaps a matter of taste, but these clothes looked like feedsacks to me
I read about this book on a crafts blog that I trust, so I splurged and bought it right away from Amazon. I'm afraid I was terribly disappointed. The patterns are almost all the same, and they're these big sloppy sack-looking things. The photography is beautiful, but it can't completely disguise the fact that these are awfully messy looking garments. I think if I made one of these dresses for my daughter and sent her to school in it, they would send her back home because she was wearing dirty underwear as a dress.

I, too, love the Japanese aesthetic, and I've purchased a bunch of clothing books in Japanese, figuring I might be able to decipher the patterns. So, I was really looking forward to having a Japanese clothing book that was actually translated into English. What a disappointment that the publishers chose to translate this one when there are so many adorable Japanese kids clothing books out there.

AWFUL
I can not give this book any stars! (but I had to...so just 1... but I really mean 0 stars)It contains 18 patterns for little girls' garments that are unflattering and just plain awful!.I was looking forward to the release of this book as I have purchased other translated Japanese craft books and I really like them. Not the case with this book. Everything looks unfinished with threads hanging and fabrics wrinkled. This could be a cool deconstructed look for adults but for kids it's just plain hideous. These clothes don't look fun or "carefree" as the title suggests. I honestly think that if your kid wore any of these outfits they'd be bullied!!! Don't buy the book! and if you do...would you honestly let your kid wear the Black Linen Hat for anything other than some good dress-up fun? I'm actually returning my copy.