What do you think?
Rate this book
Sew on the Go: A Maker's Journey
In 2016, Mary Jane Baxter did what many people dream of: she quit her job at the BBC, rented out her flat and headed for the hills. Her home for the next few months was an upcycled 1986 Bedford Bambi campervan with a top speed of 60mph. She raided skips for vintage wallpaper and scoured second-hand emporiums to source stylish vintage accessories, creating her own travelling craft studio, packed with everything necessary for crafting on the road.
She then set off around Europe searching for inspiration, travelling from Belgium right down to the Cinque Terre in Italy then around France and up to Scotland. Armed with her trusty hand-cranked Singer, she spent a summer sewing on the go, foraging in flea markets, meeting artists and hosting pop-up events to help fund her trip. Like creatives the world over she decided to see where her travels would lead her and returned with a head full of new projects.
Fortunately, there’s no need for you to give up your job, wave goodbye to your family and rent out your house in order to re-ignite your own creativity; Mary Jane has done all the hard work for you. Sew on the Go is her guide to carving out more creative space in your life. From decorating your own budget-conscious bolthole to achievable projects including clothes and fashion accessories, beautiful gift ideas and child-friendly makes, this book is the ideal companion for those who dream of devoting more time to their craft.
She then set off around Europe searching for inspiration, travelling from Belgium right down to the Cinque Terre in Italy then around France and up to Scotland. Armed with her trusty hand-cranked Singer, she spent a summer sewing on the go, foraging in flea markets, meeting artists and hosting pop-up events to help fund her trip. Like creatives the world over she decided to see where her travels would lead her and returned with a head full of new projects.
Fortunately, there’s no need for you to give up your job, wave goodbye to your family and rent out your house in order to re-ignite your own creativity; Mary Jane has done all the hard work for you. Sew on the Go is her guide to carving out more creative space in your life. From decorating your own budget-conscious bolthole to achievable projects including clothes and fashion accessories, beautiful gift ideas and child-friendly makes, this book is the ideal companion for those who dream of devoting more time to their craft.
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 27, 2021
3 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 27, 2021
A travel book combined with instructions for beautiful and different makes - what's not to love!
If like me you sew and also love to read about travelling, then you will be as entranced by this book as I was. When travelling is seen through the eyes of a creative person it tells a whole different tale and one that resonated with me. Whilst a market stall selling old odds and ends and materials may be just that to some, in the pages of this book the descriptive writing had me standing right there looking at all these treasures with envy. Then the suggestions and instruction for making them into something else entirely was just brilliant.
Then there's the milliner's workshop up for sale which the author gets an invite to go and see - reading about it was wonderful, being there must have been heaven. Interwoven into this is an insight into the author's former BBC career (which had nothing to do with crafting) which was so very interesting. The places described from polished floors to art deco features and the treasures found had me thinking all that was missing was to have Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly dressed fabulously there too.
The author undertook her journey through Europe in a wallpapered campervan. Whilst a lot of the book is very idyllic and waxing lyrical over haberdashery and milliners items, she also lays bares some of the pitfalls of travelling alone and in an ill equipped camper van. No toilet, running water or air conditioning made for some discomfort at times. It's told in such a genial way that it felt like a catch up with an old friend.
The book is also accompanied by some beautiful photographs of the trip and the makes described in the pages of the book. If I had one tiny gripe it would be that I would have preferred them to be interspersed within the book rather than all at the end.
If like me you sew and also love to read about travelling, then you will be as entranced by this book as I was. When travelling is seen through the eyes of a creative person it tells a whole different tale and one that resonated with me. Whilst a market stall selling old odds and ends and materials may be just that to some, in the pages of this book the descriptive writing had me standing right there looking at all these treasures with envy. Then the suggestions and instruction for making them into something else entirely was just brilliant.
Then there's the milliner's workshop up for sale which the author gets an invite to go and see - reading about it was wonderful, being there must have been heaven. Interwoven into this is an insight into the author's former BBC career (which had nothing to do with crafting) which was so very interesting. The places described from polished floors to art deco features and the treasures found had me thinking all that was missing was to have Audrey Hepburn or Grace Kelly dressed fabulously there too.
The author undertook her journey through Europe in a wallpapered campervan. Whilst a lot of the book is very idyllic and waxing lyrical over haberdashery and milliners items, she also lays bares some of the pitfalls of travelling alone and in an ill equipped camper van. No toilet, running water or air conditioning made for some discomfort at times. It's told in such a genial way that it felt like a catch up with an old friend.
The book is also accompanied by some beautiful photographs of the trip and the makes described in the pages of the book. If I had one tiny gripe it would be that I would have preferred them to be interspersed within the book rather than all at the end.
May 23, 2021
Thank you to Anne Cater for my invitation to the tour and for the e copy of the book in return for a fair and honest review.
As the blurb says if you have ever wondered what it would be like give up your day job and follow your dream this is the book for you.
Mary Jane had a stressful and all encompassing job working for the BBC as a news correspondent and decides that as she is approaching 50 she wants to do something radical. So she gets her van affectionately called Bambi and heads off on an adventure. Starting in France she meets up with friends and travels around.
The Mobile Makery is such a imaginative idea and the crafts that are in the book are really accessible.I loved the creative synchronicity that she talks about when she finds that one of her favourite artists Nathalie Lete has an exhibition in Roubaix, then on to Antwerp. Mary Jane writes so beautifully the book almost felt like a travel guide around Europe with some lovely crafts woven in to her travels. As we visit Paris fashion houses and she talks about milliners and their craft and amble along through the flea markets. Her travels continue through Italy and finally ending in Scotland where I really want to visit and this made me want to all the more.
One of the things I love most about being a blogger is being invited to read unique books that would have probably passed me by, this is definitely one of those books. I am creative but not practically with crafting the enthusiasm is there but generally I get frustrated when it does not go to plan. I actually felt like I may be able to take on one of Mary Jane’s projects and be able to succeed.
This is a gorgeous book engaging, creative, imaginative and calming I really loved it. Travel and crafts may not be something that you would usually put together but it really does work !
5 stars ***** for originality and transporting me to Europe at a time when we are not able to leave the country !
As the blurb says if you have ever wondered what it would be like give up your day job and follow your dream this is the book for you.
Mary Jane had a stressful and all encompassing job working for the BBC as a news correspondent and decides that as she is approaching 50 she wants to do something radical. So she gets her van affectionately called Bambi and heads off on an adventure. Starting in France she meets up with friends and travels around.
The Mobile Makery is such a imaginative idea and the crafts that are in the book are really accessible.I loved the creative synchronicity that she talks about when she finds that one of her favourite artists Nathalie Lete has an exhibition in Roubaix, then on to Antwerp. Mary Jane writes so beautifully the book almost felt like a travel guide around Europe with some lovely crafts woven in to her travels. As we visit Paris fashion houses and she talks about milliners and their craft and amble along through the flea markets. Her travels continue through Italy and finally ending in Scotland where I really want to visit and this made me want to all the more.
One of the things I love most about being a blogger is being invited to read unique books that would have probably passed me by, this is definitely one of those books. I am creative but not practically with crafting the enthusiasm is there but generally I get frustrated when it does not go to plan. I actually felt like I may be able to take on one of Mary Jane’s projects and be able to succeed.
This is a gorgeous book engaging, creative, imaginative and calming I really loved it. Travel and crafts may not be something that you would usually put together but it really does work !
5 stars ***** for originality and transporting me to Europe at a time when we are not able to leave the country !
May 20, 2021
For many of us, life changed in March 2020 when we were asked to work from home and many of us were furloughed because our jobs couldn’t be done from home. Having spoken to friends over zoom and by text, many of us started to look at whether our pre-Covid lives were making us happy and some people decided to use this time to explore new career opportunities or to take early retirement to indulge in their favourite hobbies.
Mary Jane Baxter was ahead of the curve and decided to swap her job in 2016 for an adventure in Bambi, her one of a kind motorhome made for one. When I saw the invitation from Anne to join the blog tour I was supposed to be saying no to any more blog tours, but as you can see, the synopsis and the photos on the front cover of the book meant that I just had to join in.
This is a book to be enjoyed by so many different readers. It is a book about sewing, recycling, being brave, travelling, crafting, hunting for unique objects and wild swimming. I enjoyed reading about how Mary Jane Baxter found herself travelling around Europe in Bambi, meeting interesting characters (most of them nice) on her journey and learning more about some of our European neighbours.
My Mum and her cousin used to make lots of their outfits when young and my own daughter loved to create outfits for her toys when young. Personally I preferred to knit clothes rather than sew them, but I have enjoyed cross stitch over the years. However this book has inspired me to think about amending and adapting existing outfits, rather than buying new.
I also loved the travel stories, having rarely travelled more then 5 miles from home this past 15 months. Just the thought of being sat on a beach or eating outside a foreign cafe was a virtual holiday for me. This is one of my favourite books of the year, full of adventures and ideas.
Mary Jane Baxter was ahead of the curve and decided to swap her job in 2016 for an adventure in Bambi, her one of a kind motorhome made for one. When I saw the invitation from Anne to join the blog tour I was supposed to be saying no to any more blog tours, but as you can see, the synopsis and the photos on the front cover of the book meant that I just had to join in.
This is a book to be enjoyed by so many different readers. It is a book about sewing, recycling, being brave, travelling, crafting, hunting for unique objects and wild swimming. I enjoyed reading about how Mary Jane Baxter found herself travelling around Europe in Bambi, meeting interesting characters (most of them nice) on her journey and learning more about some of our European neighbours.
My Mum and her cousin used to make lots of their outfits when young and my own daughter loved to create outfits for her toys when young. Personally I preferred to knit clothes rather than sew them, but I have enjoyed cross stitch over the years. However this book has inspired me to think about amending and adapting existing outfits, rather than buying new.
I also loved the travel stories, having rarely travelled more then 5 miles from home this past 15 months. Just the thought of being sat on a beach or eating outside a foreign cafe was a virtual holiday for me. This is one of my favourite books of the year, full of adventures and ideas.
May 21, 2021
What a delightful journey this turned out to be as not only have I travelled around Europe vicariously but I have also learned how to make simple sewing projects, which to a non sewer, like me, is just as fascinating.
Mary Jane Baxter gave up her job at the BBC and after renovating the delightfully named Bedford Bambi Camper van she set off on a journey across some of the more beautiful parts of Europe. Occasionally stopping to visit friends, but mostly exploring on her own, the author travels across light with nothing but herself, Bambi, and her trusty sewing machine for company.
Sew on the Go is a beautifully written travelogue which combines the author's love of travel with her creative skills of turning something unloved into a item with value and purpose. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and felt like I was sitting beside her in Bambi and stepping out alongside her as she explored the open air markets and antique sales in France and Belgium, carefully picking items of bric-a-brac, or vintage linens and lace, in order to upcycle them into something deliciously different.
With a wonderful sense of direction and a keen eye for spotting those interesting quirks about places you don't find in a conventional travel guide, the book works as an introduction to some beautiful European destinations, however, I think where its absolute strength lies is in the author's passion for making do and mending, something which we, in our throw away society, have forgotten how to do. I enjoyed perusing the sewing projects at the end of each chapter; some, like the patchwork pin cushion, can be made by novices, like me, some need a modicum of skill, some can be sewn by hand, whilst others need a machine but all are explained with easy instructions.
Mary Jane Baxter gave up her job at the BBC and after renovating the delightfully named Bedford Bambi Camper van she set off on a journey across some of the more beautiful parts of Europe. Occasionally stopping to visit friends, but mostly exploring on her own, the author travels across light with nothing but herself, Bambi, and her trusty sewing machine for company.
Sew on the Go is a beautifully written travelogue which combines the author's love of travel with her creative skills of turning something unloved into a item with value and purpose. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and felt like I was sitting beside her in Bambi and stepping out alongside her as she explored the open air markets and antique sales in France and Belgium, carefully picking items of bric-a-brac, or vintage linens and lace, in order to upcycle them into something deliciously different.
With a wonderful sense of direction and a keen eye for spotting those interesting quirks about places you don't find in a conventional travel guide, the book works as an introduction to some beautiful European destinations, however, I think where its absolute strength lies is in the author's passion for making do and mending, something which we, in our throw away society, have forgotten how to do. I enjoyed perusing the sewing projects at the end of each chapter; some, like the patchwork pin cushion, can be made by novices, like me, some need a modicum of skill, some can be sewn by hand, whilst others need a machine but all are explained with easy instructions.
June 8, 2021
I love crafting. I love reading about crafting, I love traveling, so I thought to myself, Sew On The Go by Mary Jane Baxter be the perfect book for me and I was right, it is!
The best thing about this book, is the way the writer combines advice about crafting with a moving and fascinating account about her journey around Europe, as she carves a more creative space into her life. I loved how tips and advice, with full instructions on making some items was interspersed with the trials and tribulations, as well as incredible rewards, such a radical change in lifestyle brought about for her. It made the book feel inclusive, because not only did the writer make you feel included in her journey, but she shares her tips around crating, so that you to can make items such as a simple Provencal skirt. The way she works these craft projects into the narrative of her journey feels seamless, rather than breaking up the way her story unfolds, in fact it adds to the enjoyment for the reader,. Reminding us what this book is about, living a life that enriches you.
At a time when we are more aware than ever about the effect we are having on the environment around us and the need to live in a more sustainable way, Sew On The Go is an important book, about how changes to our lives have the power to be challenging and enriching in so many ways. Mary Jane Baxter, shows us how we can live in a way that helps us to protect the world for future generations, while finding pleasure in the things that bring us joy and lets us feel more connected to the world around us.
I can’t wait to buy this book for friends and family alike.
The best thing about this book, is the way the writer combines advice about crafting with a moving and fascinating account about her journey around Europe, as she carves a more creative space into her life. I loved how tips and advice, with full instructions on making some items was interspersed with the trials and tribulations, as well as incredible rewards, such a radical change in lifestyle brought about for her. It made the book feel inclusive, because not only did the writer make you feel included in her journey, but she shares her tips around crating, so that you to can make items such as a simple Provencal skirt. The way she works these craft projects into the narrative of her journey feels seamless, rather than breaking up the way her story unfolds, in fact it adds to the enjoyment for the reader,. Reminding us what this book is about, living a life that enriches you.
At a time when we are more aware than ever about the effect we are having on the environment around us and the need to live in a more sustainable way, Sew On The Go is an important book, about how changes to our lives have the power to be challenging and enriching in so many ways. Mary Jane Baxter, shows us how we can live in a way that helps us to protect the world for future generations, while finding pleasure in the things that bring us joy and lets us feel more connected to the world around us.
I can’t wait to buy this book for friends and family alike.
May 19, 2021
I love how this book is set out as a travel memoir that shares everything, when travelling alone you are going to have good and bad days and here we see Mary’s experience in all this. I haven’t really read any book like this book and I certainly will in the future, Mary gives a lot of information and advice if you were to take off on an adventure of your own. Mary goes off on her travels in her little van and shows us how to make do and mend with pretty much anything she can get her hands on. Also I liked the step by step crafts she demonstrates I even feel as though I could make some of the things she has made. There is all different types to choose from too, I just love how the book is laid out, it will really inspire people to get crafting. If you need inspiration or you want to learn to do crafts, I would highly recommend reading this book.
September 28, 2022
I was ready to really love Sew on the Go - a crafting woman travelling Europe in a vintage camper van is such an enticing proposition - and I feel slightly bad not loving it as Unbound is a relatively small crowdfunded publisher and Mary Jane Baxter was clearly seeking something when she set out on her adventure. I get the sense, however, that she didn’t quite find what she was looking for from her European trip and in the end it felt like it petered out a little with a bit of extended time spent with family in Scotland. For me it lacked a strong core thread (ironic in a sewing memoir!) pulling me onward through the story, and I struggled to make the series of travel anecdotes a whole.
June 30, 2025
An interesting account of a women travelling alone in a mini campervan and sewing/crafting along the way to get by. It includes various projects you can make yourself, mostly either hand sewing or by machine.
September 17, 2021
Lovely book, great ethos on life and really easy to dip in and out of. Very clear instructions on lovely makes along the way. Really enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews