Debbie Shore's Sewing Journal

Debbie Shaw Press Reviews

Debbie Shore’s Sewing Journal is a hive of information for all sewers of all abilities. Concise and extremely informative complete with lovely poems, photos and plenty of space for your own ideas and information. A great size to pop in your bag with elastic to keep all your additional notes and swatches intact. Easy to take with you once all your information has been filled out so no need to panic in those shops or fabric shows when you need sizes and colours to hand. Filled with all manner of information from sewing basics, colours, laundry tips and reference guide to name just a few. -- Helen Finch - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

I love the idea of Debbie Shore’s Sewing Journal. As sewists we all have fabric and patten stashes, so to keep a record is not only practical but also a great aide memoire. I love the fact that Debbie has included some useful information such as how to take body measurements (and of course a place to record them), colour choices, fabrics, tools you need and more. I can see this becoming a well-thumbed, much-loved record of all my dressmaking and craft projects, with slips of paper and sketches added, making a delicious historical journal to muse over in future years. I love it! Now I need to get some more copies for my sisters, nieces and sewing friends! -- Wendy Gardiner - Author, TV Presenter, Sewing Teacher

This is a journal aimed at anyone who stitches so that you can keep track of your sewing throughout the year from goals and intentions through to achievements and progressions. I absolutely adore that, very early on in the journal, Debbie creates space for you to record the things that make you happy as well as space for you to stick photos or swatches in of these things. This is a really beautiful book and it bridges a gap between sewing and journalling so it is a very welcome addition! -- Naomi Clarke - naomialice.co.uk

Debbie's Sewing journal contains many different sections to help plan and design all your sewing projects. It has special sections for fabric swatches and planners. There are also sections for learning how to measure yourself and then you can keep note of any important notes and measurements for your projects. I believe this book will be very useful for people as they can keep note if they have many projects on the go at once. It's also handy if you want to refer back to projects that you have made before. The book is a handy size to take with you to sewing classes and would fit in your hand bag. I like the design of the book that have been taken from Debbie's own fabric designs. This book is hard back and has an elastic strap to close. This is handy because as you add fabric swatches and notes to the book it may become bigger and open by itself so the elastic strap will keep everything together and safe from falling out. It also has a ribbon bookmark so you can save a page easily. This book has exceeded my expectations and has many sections that I will find handy for my project plans. Especially for when I'm planning projects for selling for my business. This book is priced fairly and is great value for a hard back book. This book has many pros and has contents for all types of sewing planning such as measurements, fabrics, tools, monthly/project planners, quilting, dressmaking, homewares etc. I believe this book could be improved with a pocket at the back for any loose notes. Overall I cannot wait to use this book and is another amazing book by Debbie. And this is different to her usual project books. This is personal to yourself. Thank you Debbie. -- Megan - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

I do love the Sewing Journal from Debbie Shore. Its hardback cover and colour scheme makes it look and feel like a quality product. The internal pages are good quality for writing on, and you are encouraged to write in this journal to make it your own. I think the content is very encouraging whether you're new to sewing or experienced. I wasn’t sure a sewing journal was necessary as I do have a notebook to “jot" bits into but this Journal will definitely “organise" my jottings, as I am constantly creating headings and trying to leave space for future notes, however Debbie has done all of this for me and I can just open up the Journal and start writing. Although filled with hints and tips the journal is not a "how to” guide book for instance it doesn’t explain different sewing seams such as a French seam or a Flat Felled seam, but you could certainly jot down reminders on Project Pages to look up how to do certain techniques if your pattern/project calls for it. And there are a lot of pages for Project Notes - 90+. There’s also space for notes on sewing tools, for instance I have to change the tension when using different threads on my sewing machine and so will definitely use this area of the Journal, and there’s a colour wheel and advice to help with matching fabrics. Debbie provides 'Introduction' and 'How To Use This Journal' pages to help the user get the most from the Journal, she also has little notes about herself and you’re treated to some of her witty Ditties. At first I thought the book should be spiral bound but the quality of the bookbinding is so good the Journal can easily be opened out for writing in/lying flat without worrying about the book falling apart. The only improvements I think would be a second elastic page saver on the front of the Journal just to keep the pages flat on both sides whilst working from it, especially as the Journal has space for attaching fabric swatches, and also a plastic pocket on the inside back cover for saving other bits of info from a fabulous sewing journey. -- Juliet - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

The sewing journal by Debbie Shore is a must have for every level of sewer. The hardback is robust and has an elastic stay and ribbon bookmark. Excellent quality paper and lovely colours and style. It begins all about you, your ideas and inspirations and shows you how to correctly measure yourself. The sewing essentials section is full of information on different fabrics and what they are best used for what colours go together plus details all the tools you need in your sewing kit to be successful. You can even put in swatches and details of your fabrics in your stash (because we all have one from the moment we begin). The projects section is perfect for planning each project and detailing everything you need including machine settings, needle types, thread, materials and notions. With a review section to document what went well and what you would change to improve your project. Finally the sewing reference section tells you everything you need to know from basic sewing terminology, repairs and tips on dressmaking quilting and home furnishings. Between each section Debbie has added a brilliant verse which we can all relate to and makes you smile. This book really is like having all of Debbie’s expertise at your side as well as giving you somewhere to organise your sewing projects. Having started out sewing with Debbie’s tutorials and books on home furnishings gifts and bags and through her half yard club I now want to improve my dressmaking and I can’t wait to use the journal it to plan and record my progress. -- Jackie - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

Debbie Shore's Sewing Journal Initially I wondered if this journal would be relevant to me considering the amount of sewing I do and the years of experience I have under my belt. But, my doubts were short lived, as I feel this journal is a fabulous edition to anyone’s sewing room regardless of experience or the projects you are used to sewing, there is something here for everyone. . This journal is a very different publication from Debbie’s usual pattern books and is a very welcome addition to her library. What I like when opening this is journal is the obvious capacity to customise it and to make it your own and having a useful handy elastic strap to secure any loose samples you may wish to add to the journal. It will become an invaluable tool to any projects that I will be making in the future, and with the added feature of it being a hardback, this makes it far more robust and durable compared to others in the market. The book itself has been well thought out regarding its layout, from how to recognise different fabrics, what to best use them with and what needle is required for the specific job in hand. Even finding how to measure and record your own body size. There are plenty of project pages in the journal and my only minor criticism of this, would be that, if there was a ring binder then you could easily add more pages, if required, on both the project and sample material pages. I love how Debbie has brought to the journal some light hearted poems and some of her own experiences with needle craft, with some lovely humorous snippets. One of the sections I particularly liked, were the pages to put your own swatches in and the cost, and where you purchased them from. As if your anything like me, I can never remember either and this makes it easier to repeat the project at a later stage. Being able to put all the details down for different projects enables me to refer back to these easily, and as I make a lot of different items for customers it is an invaluable reference source to search for a particular customer and what they had previously ordered. The section on the sewing machines is another useful reference. The only thing I would add would be a date for servicing and maintenance. This journal will make an ideal present for any friend or relative that sews or even a gift to yourself. There is so much inspiration in it for ‘newbie’ sewers and even for experienced sewers who may have lost their ‘mojo’. Thank you Debbie for understanding what us ‘sewers’ really need. -- Sandi - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

Wow! The only all round sewing journal you will ever need (until you run out and need another one). Two fabulous books in one, a comprehensive journal and a fabulous sewing reference book make this excellent value for money. I couldn't think of anything else that could be added. A lovely outer cover design and colour and the elastic strap is very useful as a potential bookmark. The print, diagrams and photos are clear and concise and delightfully thought out with so many extras. I can't wait to get using this and it would make a fabulous gift. -- Sue - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

With sew many projects on the go what a great idea to have a journal to document your makes. A nice A5 size hardback journal secured by a piece of elastic to keep your swatches secure and a ribbon to mark your page. The cover is a pretty, themed stylish addition to your sewing kit. This is a handy journal and reference book in one neat size, with some of Debbie's ditties included. As an experienced sewer Debbie has thought of everything you would need to record about your projects and some. From needles, machine settings, threads and notes etc, the only little bit I probably would never get round to doing is adding a photo. A whole section on really useful tips covering everything from quilt sizes and how to take measurements There is a comprehensive section on colour, needle sizes, stitches, fabric, interfacings, machine maintenance etc and just about anything you can think of that is useful to have a quick clear reference to, printed clearly on quality paper. A great size journal to have with you when shopping to remind yourself you really do not need anymore fabric, but you can add the new purchase in anyway This would make a lovely quality gift for any sewer at any level including those who have everything already. A good price and I highly recommend. -- Sandra - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

When I opened my journal I was amazed by how much is packed into this. You have sections you can write your info in & sections where Debbie has given you loads of essential information. Debbie being the amazing teacher that she is has so much sections giving you tips. Like Using zips, Fabrics, Needles even a colour chart. You can store you info in the sections provided & I would recommend writing some of the sections in either pencil or the erasable pens so you can amend them as needed like the measurement charts or for the section where you put dates in when you write in the dates you serviced your machine. Even though she has provided numerous sections to write in. I don't want to give too much away or it will spoil some of the surprises that's in store when you purchase this. This would make a lovely gift for someone that loves sewing. I only wished they had it in a choice of colours like lilac & pink as well. But it's so useful & I love it. -- Pauline - Half Yard Sewing Club Member

I used to write up all my makes in a notebook, but this is a step so much further than that! There are a number of different sections, but each one has hints and tips. There is so much to learn from this journal, including your own notes from the projects you have worked on, materials used, measurements etc. I love the addition of Debbie's little ditties, scattered through the journal, they are quirky and fun. There are pages describing different fabrics, recommendations for how to use it and needle suggestions, very handy. I have actually read the journal through, like a book, before starting to write my projects, favourite fabrics and colours into the easy to find sections. The design and colouring of the journal is very classy, something I can carry around in my project bags as I use it for knitting as well as sewing. -- Tracey - Half Yard Sewing Club Member