The most thrilling part by far is when the final colour layouts arrive for me to check with all of the styled shots in place. It’s really hard work writing a book like this, probably harder than writing a novel I would say (at least a novelist can make do with a laptop rather than a sewing machine, pattern drafting equipment, samples, photographs etc). Technical books, or ones that show people how to make stuff, have to be absolutely spot on. It’s a responsibility encouraging people to make a hat or a bag from your instructions. I did a teacher training course so I know a bit about learning styles, but everyone’s different and I always feel nervous about how the projects will be received by home sewers. I do virtually everything for the books myself before I hand them over to the publisher for layouts and styling.

When I say “everything” I mean the whole shebang from thinking up the idea and synopsis for the book and pitching it to the publisher with samples and photos, to handing over the finished projects and text ready to be turned into a book. I design the patterns for the accessories, make up the finished pieces then create a series of workable pattern templates. I write all of the instructions in an orderly fashion; work out how much fabric is needed for each project and list suitable materials and tips for how to vary each style.

Then I have to make each accessory in stages (by far the most tedious part) for the step-by-step photographs to go with the instructions, bag them all up and write up a running order list, then spend a day with a photographer taking the pictures. For this book, professional photographer, work colleague and good friend Will Russell took the step-by-step shots for me in Australia. It was great working with someone who is as organised, talented and accommodating as Will and I am very pleased with the results.

After that, all of the pictures have to be saved with a number/letter that I refer to in my text for each project. The introduction section has to have photographs linked to the text too. All in all, it is as I said very hard work. It makes me laugh when I read about pattern designers stressing over writing the instructions for one pattern, when in effect, craft book authors have to do the same for up to 25 projects in each book, double check that they all work and then proof read them over and over because we are the only ones who know whether you need ½ yard of rickrack to make a rose (of course a professional proof reader is also employed at a later stage by the publisher to check for typos and glaring errors).

Anyway, the amount of time and patience it takes to write each book is the main reason why I get on my high horse over the copyright issue. Although it’s not in my nature, I find myself seeing red when people make items from the books to sell and claim they have “designed” them themselves. Craft book authors want people to enjoy making things from their books for sure, but if crafters really looked at the hard work entailed in putting a book together, often for very small royalty payments, they might better understand the frustration and why it is hurtful not to be credited for the creative aspects let alone the graft. Being a journalist too, I guess copyright is a particularly prickly issue, and one that I will be exploring further in future blogs.

For now, I will get back to the laborious job of putting fractions back into the layouts where they have been lost in formatting. At least I can now be sure that ½ inch is roughly 13mm.

Lace earrings from the new book...