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Sew on the Go - A Maker's Journey - Mary Jane Baxter

 


Thrilled to be on the Blog Tour today...


Description

● Have you ever dreamed of quitting your job and setting off on the open road to pursue your creativity? In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter did exactly that. ● Sew on the Go is an inspiring road trip and a practical guide to crafting wherever you find yourself, and is packed with easy, step-by-step instructions for craft.


● From decorating your own budget conscious bolthole, to achievable projects including clothes and fashion accessories, beautiful gift ideas and child-friendly makes, this book is the ideal companion for those who dream of devoting more time to their craft.

In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter quit her job at the BBC, rented out her flat and headed for the hills. Her home for the next few months was an upcycled 1986 Bedford Bambi campervan with a top speed of 60mph. She raided skips for vintage wallpaper and scoured second-hand emporiums to source stylish vintage accessories, creating her own travelling craft studio, packed with everything necessary for crafting on the road. She then set off around Europe searching for inspiration, travelling from Belgium right down to the Cinque Terre in Italy then around France and up to Scotland. Armed with her trusty hand-cranked Singer, she spent a summer sewing on the go. Like creatives the world over, she decided to see where her travels would lead her and returned with a head full of new projects. Fortunately, there’s no need for you to give up your job, wave goodbye to your family and rent out your house in order to reignite your own creativity; Mary Jane has done all the hard work for you. Sew on the Go is her guide to carving out more creative space in your life.

Review

A travel book combined with instructions for beautiful and different makes - what's not to love!

If like me you sew and also love to read about travelling, then you will be as entranced by this book as I was. When travelling is seen through the eyes of a creative person it tells a whole different tale and one that resonated with me. Whilst a market stall selling old odds and ends and materials may be just that to some, in the pages of this book the descriptive writing had me standing right there looking at all these treasures with envy. Then the suggestions and instruction for making them into something else entirely was just brilliant.

Then there's the milliner's workshop up for sale which the author gets an invite to go and see - reading about it was wonderful, being there must have been heaven. Interwoven into this is an insight into the author's former BBC career (which had nothing to do with crafting) which was so very interesting. The places described from polished floors to art deco features and the treasures found had me thinking all that was missing was to have Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly dressed fabulously there too.

The author undertook her journey through Europe in a wallpapered campervan.  Whilst a lot of the book is very idyllic and waxing lyrical over haberdashery and milliners items, she also lays bares some of the pitfalls of travelling alone and in an ill equipped camper van. No toilet, running water or air conditioning made for some discomfort at times. It's told in such a genial way that it felt like a catch up with an old friend.



The book is also accompanied by some beautiful photographs of the trip and the makes described in the pages of the book. If I had one tiny gripe it would be that I would have preferred them to be interspersed within the book rather than all at the end. Edited to say - I have now received a copy of the book and the photos are indeed within the pages rather than at the end as with the mobile version I reviewed

That doesn't stop me from giving this very unique book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Random Things Tours for the ARC to review.

The book will be published on 27 May 2021.



About the Author 

Mary Jane Baxter used to work as a BBC news correspondent and producer. In 2016, she set off on a crafting adventure across Europe in a mobile studio. She is the author of Chic on a Shoestring and The Modern Girl’s Guide to Hatmaking, and has presented on fashion and craft for the BBC, most notably bartering her sewing skills for board and lodging in a series of films for Newsnight. She lives in London and is available for interview, events, and to write pieces on commission. @maryjanemakes

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