Today I’m writing about Sew Adorkable, a new book by Samarra Khaja. Samarra is a fabric designer for Timeless Treasures, and I first met her in person about a year and a half ago. I think she is one of the funniest people (both in person and artistically) that I’ve ever met.
Samarra is always photoshopping herself into scenes that are hilarious, and if you follow her on Instagram, you’ll find some of these treasures, such as above. Also, the photograph below is from a trade show (Quilt Market) in which she’s assembled various people, including me (I’m sitting next to Michael Jackson). Samarra’s the one with the red pants.
Samarra designed one of my favorite fabrics, this black-and-white print that I used to make a version of my Dot Dot Dash Bag sewing pattern. I also used this fabric to make a dress, which I really love but have strangely never photographed.
However, this blog post was supposed to be about Sew Adorkable and not about how fantastic Samarra is (sorry Samarra). If I could think of one phrase to describe this book, it would be that every single project in it was thinking outside the box. If you’re looking for a traditional quilting book, this is not it. I mean, how fun is that dinosaur mini quilt in the collage above? These projects are to make for yourself or for your favorite person who has a great and quirky sense of humor.
The projects are in a variety, from patchwork to applique, and home decor and kids items. All of the instructions are succinct and accompanied by illustrations. None of the projects look difficult, however, I think that the magic in this book is the cool things that I never would have thought to make.
This pattern for little tikes’ pants with a twist are called TRAWRzers. I know when my son was younger, he loved dinosaurs, and I totally would have made these pants for him at the time if I would have been smart enough to think of this idea myself. Would also be great for a quick Halloween costume; if you live in an area that will likely be cold for Halloween, you could still keep your little one bundled up in his winter jacket but have these cute dinosaur pants showing. Just an idea.
The Red Stapler pillow is my most favorite project from the book, and the first one that I would make. It is assembled using applique and topstitched down to the background fabric. This would be a great project for a teacher gift, and I can see myself making several of these.
I’ve been re-reading the Harry Potter books with my kids and watching the movies, and the projects in this book represent the same type of whimsy.
I made a couple of kitchen towels from panels of fabric that I purchased from Samarra’s Spoonflower shop…aren’t they awesome? Both are fat quarter printings from Spoonflower. These are just great and they make me smile every time I look at them.
Have a look at the rest of the stops on the tour!
Would you like to win a copy of Sew Adorkable?? Leave me a comment and let me know which project from the book looks good to you! *One book per winner. Open internationally, however if winner lives outside of the US, they will receive a promo code to purchase the ebook version free of charge. US winner will receive a hard copy.
I love the quilt with the colored puffy dots!!
I want to make some pants like that to wear myself!
Love the tissue box cover pattern.
I would have to be making the tooth pillows for the grands!! They are adorable!!!
Must be the matching TRAWRzers for my 5 year old son and his 18 month old sister. They look great!!
I really liked the meta pencil skirt.
Wow, I love the tissue box cover. So cool!
I love every single item!
I think the stapler pillow is very fun!
My niece would love those pants.
I like the typewriter tissue box and my nephew needs a pair of those pants.
I love those dinosaur pants! Dinosaur everything 🙂
The Trawzers are so amazing!
The (literal) Pencil Skirt totally makes my day! So cute!
I had no idea the dinosaur potrait was a quilt! I clicked on the book link and saw the close up picture. I would make a couple of those Teeth for my sister, she’s a Dental Assistant. Looks fun!
This looks so cool! The tissue box cover looks really neat and achievable (for me) 🙂
I like the tooth pillows.
If I got this book, my first make would be the dinosaur mini quilt, #2 would be the tissue box cover. And the “pencil” skirt on the book cover is too cute!
I would make the Duck Hunt block.
i would make the Dot Dot Dash Bag
Are you kidding me!? This book is SO up my alley! I want to make ALL of them, but I’d probably start with the Red Stapler pillow… then the Trawrsers… then everything else (but probably the tooth next)!
The tissue box is so cute! Would have to make one or five.
Definitely the Trawrzers! Cute idea and cute name for them!
Well, I have 3 year old twin boys so you know the trawzers would be THE biggest hit around here!!
I love the stapler pillow. I can see me making a couple of these . My daughter would want that too cute pencil skirt on the cover.
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I would want to make the Circle Dot quilt and the Trawrzers right off the bat! Both are fun-loving and perfect for people that I know.
Love the dot quilt!
I HAVE to make the Odd Socks Quilt for my son. He will love it. We are always joking about him losing his socks, so it would be a funny quilt to give him. Has to be my next project!
that stapler pillow NEEDS to be in my life!
My son is the perfect age for those TRAWLsers. He tells me he’s a dinosaur every day!
I love the Dot Dot Dash bag and the hysterical stapler pillow.
I love that throw with the big dots (and would love a pair of those TRAWZers for me!)
I would definitely love to make that stapler pillow.
Love the TRAWZers, a must for my Grandson!
They are all fun! Tissue box for a starter would be fine with me.
I would make the TRAWRzers for my three grandkids!
I love the stapler pillow.
I love the typewriter tissue cover, and I know I would make the red stapler pillow for my son for his dorm room and maybe I might be nice and make one for my husband’s home office. They are both big fans of Office Space and this is perfect! I love the way she has done the illustrations in the book! So cool.
Thanks, so many unique and wonderful sewing ideas, will make this a regular stop on my web cruises.
Love the tissue box!
I think I need to make some of those cute dino pants for my nephew!
I love the pencil skirt.
Oh…. I love those little dinosaur pants! Eek!
I have my eye on several projects in this book! The tooth fairy pillow for my grandson, the dinosaur pants for my other grandson and the stapler and tissue box for me! Love it!
What a fantastic book! Thanks for sharing Sara! I’d make the tissue typewriter thingy first, so clever!
Those trawrzers are adorable! I’d make those for sure!
The tooth pillow!
I really like all of them! They are such a breath of fresh air! I’m not kidding. I think as a 56 year old lady I could rock some trawlers. Totally rock them out. But, ok, the first thing I would want to make is the dinosaur mini quilt. Rawr!
I would make the TRAWRzers for my grandson!
I love that pencil skirt so much
I like the dot quilt.
I feel like I’ve been left out. I just found this blog hop (thanks aurifil) and will be working my way backwards to see what I’ve missed. My first thought is “I love the word ‘adorkable’ and will be adding that to my vocabulary
I like the stapler pillow! There are so many other cute projects I would like to make as well.
This looks like my kind of book! I love the quilt with the bright circles!
I see some fun projects in my future!
Love that bag… but that tissue box is calling my name. 🙂
I want to make the red stapler pillow!