This book was developed through the efforts of an online community, including children, designed to help kids all over the world learn how to sew by creating little soft toys, with basic stitching of simple felt designs. Their mission to make sewing fun is a great concept and this book exemplifies it very well. The book’s layout is really cool, colorful, and engaging, with lots of full-page photography. There is clear and helpful text and step-by-step instructions. There are simple templates for each project in the back of the book.

Several of them just have one shape — very straightforward and fun. Most projects are quite short — just of about five brief steps — and don’t require a lot of reading, even for the more complex projects. Honestly, the photos convey most of what needs to be done. Projects include a koala, tomato, spiders, panda, sandwich — which is delightful, and my family’s favorite — seashells, taco(!), lovebird, toucan, flowers, tiger, mermaid, cockatoo, bear, ballerina and more. Even though the projects are really simple, the finished products are really cute and fun and I’m sure that they will be keepsakes for years to come.

This book is about helping children learn to sew by making fun and simple stuffed creatures and animals. Many of the patterns are based on very simple geometric shapes — circles, squares, triangles — and are very straightforward to make and sew. Simple patterns in the back help children to cut out the shapes, although there is lots of room for a personal spin on things. The book itself is beautiful, very colorful and with a super engaging design that children of all ages will enjoy.

There are a 14 patterns included here, along with lots of opportunities for personalization, customizations, and adding you or your child’s personal spin on all of these. I love how all the shapes are so simple and fun with friendly, engaging text throughout. My daughter loves her Long Tall Zenki, which started as a bookmark but turned into a puffy little friend that she helped make herself. What a fun and delightful concept for children of all ages!