Sew your way through the menopause with creativity, confidence and a joyful riot of color!
Discover 10 beginner-friendly sewing projects to create beautiful accessories and wearables for yourself, or to gift to friends.
Feel good while making the projects and feel even better using them: the act of sewing can help to curb brain fog and anxiety, while the finished pieces will keep you cool, relieve insomnia, and hopefully inspire some pampering and self-care.
This vibrant book from sewing experts Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh is here to transform how you experience this important life transition. These 10 fabulous projects will help you to rediscover joy and creativity when peri-menopause and menopause seem to take the reins.
Whether you're a sewing newbie or dusting off old skills, Jenni and Kay have crafted beginner-friendly projects that are as practical as they are beautiful. Whip up a chic potion pouch for those essential pick-me-ups, or an elegant eye mask to banish sleepless nights. Stay cool and stylish with a breezy cover-up, or find moments of calm in slow-stitching a charming log-cabin placemat.
Here's what you'll find inside:
An introduction to the menopause, and the benefits of crafting on wellbeing, from Dr Hannah Davies (BSc MBBS MRCGP), who specializes in menopause and lifestyle medicine at the world-renowned Newson Health Clinic
10 unique sewing projects with pull out pattersn, designed to ease the various physical and mental discomforts that come with menopause, from insomnia and memory loss to brain fog
Inspiring photos, step-by-step instructions and easy-to-follow illustrations to guide you through each project
A handy chapter on essential sewing techniques for both beginners or for those needing a crash course
Designer spotlights, celebrating a range of female indie fabric designers whose fabrics have been used throughout the book: Sally Kelly, Karen Lewis, Rashida Coleman-Hale and Alice Caroline
Menopause Makes is both a celebration of creativity and an invitation to self-care. Sew away the symptoms and stitch together a new chapter of confidence and craftiness!
Library Journal - Jan 15, 2025 Longtime crafters Smith and Walsh’s guide to crafting for people with menopause incorporates an introduction by a doctor who discusses menopause and some of the related issues that might arise. It also suggests ways to moderate symptoms, including through craft. The book then shares 10 projects aimed at helping with different symptoms—e.g., a cooling quilt, organizational baskets, a sleep mask, a lotion pouch—with each one focused on a specific issue. Some projects have been contributed by guest makers, who are also in the target age range and well-known in the crafting field. The writing style is light and encouraging, and each project is accessible to new crafters. The instructions are adequate and there are photos and illustrations for each project. While the authors address a strong theme, the target audience seems vague at times. The level of difficulty in the projects and cheerleader tone of the text make it feel aimed at younger readers, while the stated intent is to encourage menopausal people to craft for relaxation. VERDICT Those who are new to crafting or were previously unaware of the strong anti-stress benefits of crafting might find this book most helpful.
Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh are experienced sewing and quilt teachers based in Yorkshire, UK. They travel the globe producing online textile workshops for Quilt Folk magazine and produce their own patterns sold at www.jenni-smith.co.uk. Menopause Makes is Jenni and Kay's second book; their first was Quilting with Liberty Fabrics (Lucky Spool Media).
Sew your way through the menopause with creativity, confidence and a joyful riot of color!
Discover 10 beginner-friendly sewing projects to create beautiful accessories and wearables for yourself, or to gift to friends.
Feel good while making the projects and feel even better using them: the act of sewing can help to curb brain fog and anxiety, while the finished pieces will keep you cool, relieve insomnia, and hopefully inspire some pampering and self-care.
This vibrant book from sewing experts Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh is here to transform how you experience this important life transition. These 10 fabulous projects will help you to rediscover joy and creativity when peri-menopause and menopause seem to take the reins.
Whether you're a sewing newbie or dusting off old skills, Jenni and Kay have crafted beginner-friendly projects that are as practical as they are beautiful. Whip up a chic potion pouch for those essential pick-me-ups, or an elegant eye mask to banish sleepless nights. Stay cool and stylish with a breezy cover-up, or find moments of calm in slow-stitching a charming log-cabin placemat.
Here's what you'll find inside:
An introduction to the menopause, and the benefits of crafting on wellbeing, from Dr Hannah Davies (BSc MBBS MRCGP), who specializes in menopause and lifestyle medicine at the world-renowned Newson Health Clinic
10 unique sewing projects with pull out pattersn, designed to ease the various physical and mental discomforts that come with menopause, from insomnia and memory loss to brain fog
Inspiring photos, step-by-step instructions and easy-to-follow illustrations to guide you through each project
A handy chapter on essential sewing techniques for both beginners or for those needing a crash course
Designer spotlights, celebrating a range of female indie fabric designers whose fabrics have been used throughout the book: Sally Kelly, Karen Lewis, Rashida Coleman-Hale and Alice Caroline
Menopause Makes is both a celebration of creativity and an invitation to self-care. Sew away the symptoms and stitch together a new chapter of confidence and craftiness!
Praise
Library Journal - Jan 15, 2025 Longtime crafters Smith and Walsh’s guide to crafting for people with menopause incorporates an introduction by a doctor who discusses menopause and some of the related issues that might arise. It also suggests ways to moderate symptoms, including through craft. The book then shares 10 projects aimed at helping with different symptoms—e.g., a cooling quilt, organizational baskets, a sleep mask, a lotion pouch—with each one focused on a specific issue. Some projects have been contributed by guest makers, who are also in the target age range and well-known in the crafting field. The writing style is light and encouraging, and each project is accessible to new crafters. The instructions are adequate and there are photos and illustrations for each project. While the authors address a strong theme, the target audience seems vague at times. The level of difficulty in the projects and cheerleader tone of the text make it feel aimed at younger readers, while the stated intent is to encourage menopausal people to craft for relaxation. VERDICT Those who are new to crafting or were previously unaware of the strong anti-stress benefits of crafting might find this book most helpful.
Author
Jenni Smith and Kay Walsh are experienced sewing and quilt teachers based in Yorkshire, UK. They travel the globe producing online textile workshops for Quilt Folk magazine and produce their own patterns sold at www.jenni-smith.co.uk. Menopause Makes is Jenni and Kay's second book; their first was Quilting with Liberty Fabrics (Lucky Spool Media).
