Zakka Handmades

Zakka Handmades
By Amy Morinaka
Gifted by Creative Publishing International
www.creativepub.com
Reviewed by Melissa Conner, Editor of FaveCrafts.com

Zakka is a Japanese term for the many small household goods that organize our homes and help us with daily tasks.  From totes to purses, bibs to booties, these everyday items are must-have's for anyone who likes to stay neat and organized.  While it's easy to find most of these items in stores nation wide, there's nothing like adding a personal touch to the things you use every day...and with the easy sewn projects in Zakka Handmades, you'll be able to transform beautiful fabrics into useful bags, totes, shoes, purses, bibs, lanyards, and so much more.

In her new book, Zakka Handmades: 24 Projects Sewn from Natural Fabrics to Help Organize, Adorn, and Simplify Your Life, author Amy Morinaka teaches you how to create your very own home accents to keep for yourself or to give as gifts.  From super easy sachets to insulated lunch bags, there's a wide variety of projects for sewists of all skill levels.

Each project in Zakka Handmades comes with an easy-to-use pattern and a full-color photo of the finished project.  There are also some helpful tips along the way for those who are new to sewing or are looking for ways to add their own unique touch to these adorable projects.

Broken down into four sections, Everyday Zakka, Bags and Pouches, Baby and Young Child Zakka, and Handmade Kitchen Zakka, these projects can help organize your life room by room.  The Fabric Bucket with Hangtag is a great way to organize toys, yarn, and towels in the bathroom, and you can use Roll-Up Eco Shopper Bag to tote home groceries, books, or use it as a summer purse. 

That's the great thing about the projects in Zakka Handmades.  Not only are they versitile, but they're easy to customize to suit your needs.  Follow the patterns to a tee for a perfect replica of one of Morinaka's patterns, or alter the pattern slightly to create something all your own.  The tools and techniques you need to master these projects are all right in this book, and you'll love all the fun and cute projects you can make with just a few scraps of cute and colorful fabric.
 

Watch author Amy Morinaka create an adorable Fabric Scrap Wreath embellished with the little booties from Zakka Handmade!