Review: Little Green Dresses

Little Green Dresses by Tina Sparkles
Genre: Sewing and craft
ISBN: 9781600851216
Published: September 14th 2010 by Taunton Press
Rating: 3.75

Never shop retail again with this chic and sweet collection of DIY patterns from a former host of DIY Network’s Stylelicious, Tina Sparkles. Joining the green movement was never so easy — and cost saving! With Sparkles’ stripped-down approach to patterning and sewing, the delightful dresses, tops, skirts, and pants in this fashion-forward project book will not only raise your eco-IQ, but open your eyes to new methods for sewing garments. Author Tina Sparkles, a talented and imaginative designer, offers up an array of project ideas that are both earth- and user-friendly. Readers can pick and choose the patterns that suit them best, from A-line, tiered, and bubble skirts to “body tube” dresses and “cap-sleeve cutie” blouses. Included are sewing and shopping resources and a fitting guide.

Little Green Dresses is a very creative interesting craft book. The instructions are good, and Tina has step by step instructions for how to cut or create your own patterns, or make your own based on the ones in the book.

As far as the dresses themselves: They are all very unique. It's hard for me to visualize how I personally would wear some of them. Some are really cool. I like most of them. Some are just odd.

But then I was never much of a fashionista. My sister used to match my clothes for me. And I'm amazed I haven't gotten kicked off campus for some of the things I've worn.

Still, most of the dresses have a very artistic appeal to them. Only a very few do I actually dislike.

The only reason I don't give this book a 4 or a 4.5 is because, although they are very creative and interesting, some are impractical and I can't really see someone wearing them for anything other than a very specific occasion.

Recommendation: intermediate/advanced seamstresses