Note: This contest has now ended. Congratulations to Angie for being lucky #53! Thank you all for your entries and please be sure to check back soon for more fabulous giveaways.
I shouldn’t admit this but I’m totally that person who will send her shirt that’s sporting a missing button to the dry cleaner in order to have it sewn back on. If my hem falls I set the pants aside and hope and pray that I’ll remember to pack them the next time I go home to Maine so that my grandmother can fix it. I often buy fake pie crust and I’ve never attempted to make chicken stock even once. There. Now you know all of my dirty little undomestic secrets.
But there’s hope for people like me (and you too)! This Tuesday, December 15th a fabulous little book with a shocking pink cover is being released that is sure to give confidence to even the most timid and delivery man addicted of us.
Erin Bried happened upon the idea for How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew after a failed attempt at making rhubarb pie. I’ll simply mention that Swiss chard was involved… and it was this inedible moment that began her quest to seek out a host of essential life skills that she had forgotten. To accomplish this Erin touched base with grandmothers all over the country who had lived through The Great Depression. The insights she gleaned from interviewing this outstanding group of creative and energetic women are doubly essential to us now, especially given our current economic state.
Conveniently, as we’ve all begun to tighten our purse strings, this book has appeared on the scene to offer us more than 100 straightforward and step-by-step how-to’s for everyday life. Each is written in a practical yet humor filled and very approachable tone — as if your best friend suddenly morphed into a Donna Reed-Tina Fey hybrid.
This weekend, thanks to an advanced copy of How to Sew a Button, I successfully made my very first batch of delicious homemade gravy via Bried’s easy to follow and decidedly fear-free instructions. There is so much amazing content between the covers of this guide including how to: hone a knife, iron a shirt (wow do I need to study up on this one), clean an oven, tie a necktie, make a hot toddy, barter, start a book club, wear red lipstick, and my personal favorite how to make a Manhattan. CK’s grandparents always serve Manhattans when we visit and even though I’ve observed them being mixed a number of times I always seem to forget the steps (probably because one lovingly composed Manhattan goes straight to your head).
I’m confident that you’ll find dozens of useful tips in this book. I even discovered additional insights while reading write-ups on tasks that I thought I had down to a science. How to Sew a Button is a fantastic addition to your bedside table. In addition, I believe this title would make an excellent holiday present. Freaking out over what to buy for that friend, relative, or co-worker who has everything? Why not give them the gift of practical knowledge?! It will certainly last longer and be more appreciated than a box of chocolates or a scarf. Besides, after reading this book they’ll be able to knit their own.
Are you ready to test your luck at potentially winning your own must-have copy of How to Sew a Button? If so, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post.
In addition, If you share the link to this contest on your own blog, Twitter, Facebook etc… you may have one additional entry for a total of two possible chances to win. If you choose this option please leave a link to your shout out as your second comment. A winner will be selected via the random number generator this Friday, December 18th at 6:00 PM EST and then I’ll promptly arrange to have the book shipped to your home. Best of luck!
If you’d like to learn more about Erin Bried you can follow her on Twitter, read her blog, become a fan on Facebook, or view other fabulous how-to videos on YouTube.