Kaari Meng

French General: Home Sewn is one of those books that makes you want to push everything to the side, pull out the sewing machine and make.something.right.now. It’s the latest in the French-influenced line of books, stationery, and other sundries from Kaari Meng. And she does it so well. The photos are gorgeous. The illustrations are charming. And it never feels uppity-French (That’s a technical term. ;) ) It has a rustic elegance suited to almost any home.

I want to make everything in this book. Fortunately, everything is labeled according to its difficulty - one spool for beginner, two spools for experienced, and three spools for advanced. The one spool projects are perfect for when I just have a couple hours and want whip up something simple and pretty. Speaking of simple, some of the projects will have you thinking “Why didn’t I think of that?!” Yet they’re so beautiful you won’t feel like they are a waste of space in the book.

The beginning of the book is dedicated to finding and caring for vintage French fabrics and notions. The instructions are applicable to all old fabrics. Next is a small chapter on putting together a sewing basket. In the back of the book you’ll find general sewing and embroidery techniques. Kaari has listed her favorite suppliers and designers in the resource guide, as well.

The book lies flat with a convenient spiral binding. There is an envelope of full-size patterns as well as monograms and embroidery designs.

All in all, I love this book. It’s my new favorite sewing book.… (meer)