I’m ridiculously pleased to announce…

Those of you who've picked up the current Threads magazine may have noticed a little something in the byline of my article, and it's something I'm so! excited! about! but haven't been able to mention online at all before now...

Those of you who’ve picked up the current Threads magazine may have noticed a little something in the byline of my article, and it’s something I’m so! excited! about! but haven’t been able to mention online at all before now…

Yes – I’m writing an activewear sewing book! How cool is that?? Right around the same time last year that Threads came calling asking me to write an article, a publisher dropped me an email asking if I’d ever thought about writing a book. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting it to go anywhere as I know how these things work, so I didn’t get my hopes up. But after a few months of calls, emails, outlines, approvals by the American office, then several rounds of contract negotiations – HOLY CRAP I’VE SIGNED A BOOK DEAL! 😳

Let me tell you it was SO hard to keep my excitement off of social media! I went down to F&W’s UK office for an all-day meeting last November, and during a break I happened to pose with this amazing sewing pattern wall art in their office:

At the time, I couldn’t say where it was taken, but it ended up being one of my top liked photos on Instagram for the whole of 2016! So now you know the story, too. We’d already agreed what the rough content of the book would be before contracts were signed, but in that meeting I got to meet the amazingly lovely F&W team, flesh out exactly what would be on every single page of the book, and (apparently) wow them with all the crazy organisational and timesaving templates and tricks I’ve acquired over the years. I had no idea I was that much more organised than everyone else – that’s just how I work!! 😂

I can’t tell you much about the contents of the book at the moment, but what I can say is that it’ll contain a section of activewear techniques and fabric selection info (way more than I’ve had space to share in any of my previous articles!), plus basic blocks and 13(!!) new designs.

THIRTEEN, PEOPLE. I am a crazy busy woman.

And I just want to say again how freaking lucky I feel to have F&W as my partner for my first book. The ladies there have given me complete creative control and I know you are going to love what I’ve got to share. I’m still in the writing process now, and every time I finish the instructions for a new design, all I want to do is sew up a million versions for myself! But as my deadlines are tight, I’ve got to carry on with the next design, and save my selfish sewing for after the deadlines – my athlete models’ samples must take precedence!

So I hope this explains a bit why my posts have been a bit more sparse than usual, or why I’ve not had another pattern release since the Knot-Maste Yoga Top, or why the second Print Club fabric kit is taking forever to come out – it’s just because I’m working full time on creating the best damned activewear sewing book the world has ever seen (ok, so it’s not got much competition, but still!). And come “early 2018”, I really hope you guys will agree!

47 Comments

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  1. 1
    wakeymakes

    Congratulations that’s great news. No less that you deserve. Your patterns are amazing and you are truly generous at sharing hints tips mistakes and shortcuts. Can’t wait to see it K xXx

  2. 6
    PsychicSewerKathleen

    Congratulations on signing your book contract! I look forward to seeing the book – they are smart to recognize there is a huge demand for this subject and you’re the one to lead the way 😉

  3. 11
    Olga Morozova

    Congratulations! You are so awesome and have always been so generous with your sewing knowledge, I couldn’t be happier or more excited for you! I am really looking forward to your book.

  4. 12
    Pam (sweetpeagreen)

    Many congratulations Melissa! Roll on 2018! All we need now are UK suppliers to give us the choice of activewear fabrics that the US and Australia enjoy

  5. 13
    melissa

    Wow, you guys, I’m getting a bit emosh over here! Thank you all so, so much! It’s really making my day/week/month/year to see how excited you are about this too, and to know you have so much faith in me!

  6. 33
    Denise

    Congratulations – that’s fantastic news! Very well deserved.
    I’ll get in early too and say happy birthday for Saturday week!!
    x

  7. 35
    Susan

    I knew you had a book in you! To soon to say if you are going to do a book tour? I would love to see you on Sewing with Nancy on PBS! I think I am going to plant a bug in ber ear. Congratulations!

  8. 37
    Anita Steiner

    Wow, congratulations. I look forward to this, even though I’m not the greatest sports person. Greetings from a sunny Basel Anita

  9. 39
    Donna Emberson

    Melissa – this is such great news- Congratulations from across the pond! I am such a big fan of your designs, and love your blog, so hope you will still have time to carve out some posts during your book-writing adventures. And I am looking forward to getting a copy of the book when it comes – and really looking forward to the next print club kit – I love my hills/mountain trails kit – makes me really happy every time I wear them, which for some weird reason makes my workouts seem more fun – Congratulations again – hurrah!

    • 40
      melissa

      aww thank you, and I’m glad you love your Print Club fabric so much! 🙂 The next one is designed, test printed, and pretty much ready to order, but I am swamped with book work right now so it may have to wait another month or so. But the design is sooooooo good!

  10. 44
    Lisa Pollock

    Wow that’s fantastic. So looking forward to adding activewear to my repertoire. Will be great to get tips on where to find the right fabrics with cool designs. ‍♀️

  11. 46
    Marie

    I noticed the little blurb about the book right away in your first post about the threads article, and only.just.now. found the magazine. I am so excited for you! Ever since I got back into sewing in 2014, as a runner your blog was the only one to come up when searching for “how to sew activewear” and I learned TONS reading all your archived posts. My only disappointment now is having to wait until 2018, it feels like forever, but I know it will definitely be well worth the wait…especially with thirteen new designs. Wow!

  12. 47
    M Kate McGinn

    I am so totally buying your book!!! So happy for you! Keep up the great work, Melissa; we are all cheering for you, as always.

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