Sew & Stow: 31 Fun Sewing Projects to Carry, Hold, and Organize Your Stuff, Your Home, and Yourself!

Urban sewing lounges and stitch-centered bridal showers point to the rebirth of sewing. A new generation has finally picked up needle and thread, and they're ready to sew. And why not? With a basic machine and a little know-how, crafters can make stylish and utterly distinct items.

In Sew & Stow: 30 Fun Projects to Carry, Hold, and Organize Your Stuff, Your Home, and Yourself!, Betty Oppenheimer, an avid crafter and sewer, shares 30 of her favorite patterns, including functional items for the home, workshop, camp, and garden. From aprons to hammocks, and from lunch totes to laundry bags, Oppenheimer's projects will help crafters get organized and help the planet with a wide assortment of reusable totes, carry-alls, and shopping bags.

Oppenheimer includes fuss-free patterns for everyday necessities, as well as one-of-a-kind items not often found in sewing books — a log tote for a strapping lumberjack, a stadium seat for the sports enthusiast, and a dog bed for that favorite furry friend. Her projects will appeal to novice and expert crafters alike; each pattern includes step-by-step instructions and illustrations, and each can be completed in just a few hours. Projects are presented with fresh, contemporary fabrics, and are sure to delight even the most trendsetting crafter. With Oppenheimer's help, anyone can turn a swatch of fabric into a practical — and eye-catching — item that can be used again and again.

Sew & Stow includes everything today's sewer needs to move beyond the mass produced, and to create items that are functional, fabulous, and ecofriendly!