Alistair Macdonald provides 18 fabulous projects, including a lovely baby’s play mat, a stylish gentleman's scarf, a useful hobby bag, a tea cosy, a gorgeous tote bag and a make-up purse.

All the patchwork is done by hand sewing, using the English Paper Piecing method in fresh, bright cottons and with clear, step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs. There is some machine sewing for putting projects together, but you can hand sew if you prefer.

Templates for all the projects are included at actual size at the back of the book, and there are basic, step-by-step instructions on this classic technique at the beginning of the book. All the projects make fabulous gifts for friends and family.