Sewing Book Review – Felties by Nelly Pailloux




Felties is a sewing book that shows you how to make cute stuffed friends. I made sure to use the word “friends” here, because the illustrations in this book give each one so much life and character that I feel like they deserve to be called friends, not toys. Nelly Pailloux is an artisan and writer, and is popular in the blogosphere primarily for her amigurumi creations. Her blog, La Fee Crochette, has some free tutorials and lots of photos of her creations. Suitable for absolute beginners, this book is a wonderful introduction to sewing. Even for seasoned craftsmen, Felties is a great source of inspiration and challenge for anyone to be able to resist these adorable little friends.

There are step-by-step instructions for each character, which are very easy to follow. There is also a pattern included in actual size, so all you have to do is trace and cut. This makes you realize how small each one really is; nimble fingers are essential. I also recommend using tweezers when gluing bits and pieces to avoid dirty finger marks on the felt. I liked the author’s method of inserting arms and legs into the body with glue before sewing. I suppose you should try it yourself to see what I mean, but basically the method makes sense and even with the most basic sewing skills each project would take less than an hour. It gives you a great sense of accomplishment to finish a project so quickly.

What really won me over at Felties is the illustration and photo that are included for each character. Each one comes to life on the page with its own unique backdrop. Full of personality, the illustrations remind me of a manga comic. The 18 Felties are adorable, but my favorites are the Sailor Puppy and the Polaro-roo (featured on the cover). It’s so much fun just flipping through the book to see the pictures!

I suppose the question on many people’s minds would be, “What do I do with these toys once I have made them?” Perhaps a page or two with ideas for answering this question would have been helpful in this book. All of the Felties characters are really cute, so in addition to showing them, I have these suggestions:

* Stick on a magnet and use it as a fridge magnet.

* Sew a safety pin to make a brooch.

* Sew some of them on a piece of ribbon and tie them together for decoration.

The ease and speed of each project at Felties is extremely satisfying, especially for people like me who are always trying to complete multiple craft projects. I enjoyed making my Felties so much that I was inspired to make my own felt possum friend. This book will also make an ideal gift for someone just starting to sew. All things considered, I think Felties is an inspiring and fun book that injects a healthy dose of cuteness into your sewing repertoire.

Nelly Pailloux’s Felties is published by Penguin Books (ISBN: 978 0 14 3203391)

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