SEW JEWISH: The 18 Projects You Need for Jewish Holidays, Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebrations, and Home
Sew your own tallit prayer shawl, challah cover, Passover matzah cover, and more — 18 projects in all.
Beginning sewing skills are all you need!
A collection of modern projects and classic Judaica reinterpreted for today’s sewists. If you can set your machine to straight and zigzag stitching, you can make all the projects in this book.
Alternate format: PDF with printable patterns
Also available in paperback from
Make Jewish tradition your own through sewing!
With these 18 beginner-level projects, you can celebrate Jewish tradition while bringing your own personal touch to your holiday table, wedding, bar and bat mitzvah celebration, and your home.
This book will walk you through all the steps of each project:
- Detailed, step-by-step instructions.
- More than 100 illustrations to guide you.
- A section on basic sewing techniques from choosing fabrics to hand embroidery stitches.
- Helpful tips throughout.
Every project is accompanied by an explanation of the item’s history and significance in Jewish tradition.
What reviewers are saying about Sew Jewish
Publishers Weekly
The color photos and simple instructions and patterns will help anyone feel confident in taking on a project. Suggestions on choosing and cutting appropriate fabrics make this a perfect book for beginners.(BookLife).
Library Journal
The instructions are easy to follow, and additional information about the history and significance behind each of the items is provided. The combination of handcrafting and Jewish tradition adds further value and meaning to these projects.
Cathy Perlmutter, President, International Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework
I especially like her detailed prayer shawl pattern/instructions, which answers all the questions beginners and beyond have been asking me for years about construction. A terrific present for anyone who wants to sew and is interested in Jewish heritage and ritual.
Also available in paperback from
See the full reviews
Publishers Weekly
Bywater, who designs wedding chuppahs for the wedding rental company Huppahs.com, assembles 18 projects for crafters interested in creating items for Jewish events. Each project is introduced with a quote from the Torah or rabbinical texts. Bywater introduces readers to each project with a quote or idiom and a short explanation of the religious significance of the item. There are projects for all skill levels, ranging from a simple decorative wrap that can transform an everyday jar into a special tzedakah box (used to save coins for charitable donations) to a DIY wedding chuppah with directions for both the canopy and stand. The color photos and simple instructions and patterns will help anyone feel confident in taking on a project. Suggestions on choosing and cutting appropriate fabrics make this a perfect book for beginners. Bywater’s cheerful writing style and helpful explanations of the religious significance of items will appeal to younger readers or those new to Judaism and wishing to learn more. Color photos (BookLife).
Library Journal (09/15/2016)
Jewish tradition and culture and handmade crafts combine in designer Bywater’s collection of sewing projects. The “Shabbat and Holidays” section includes an appliquéd challah cover, a Havdalah spice pouch for Shabbat, and more. “Celebrations” features a wedding huppah, a kippah, a tallit with tzitzit strings, and tallit and tefillin bags. “Home” offers a mezuzah case with a vinyl covering, as well as several home decor items. The instructions are easy to follow, and additional information about the history and significance behind each of the items is provided. VERDICT The combination of handcrafting and Jewish tradition adds further value and meaning to these projects, and Bywater’s approach is both thoughtful and celebratory.
Cathy Perlmutter, President, International Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Needlework
One of the most exciting new voices in the world of fibrous Judaica design…Clear and beautifully illustrated…I especially like her detailed prayer shawl pattern/instructions, which answers all the questions beginners and beyond have been asking me for years about construction…A must-have for synagogue and Jewish school libraries.
A terrific present for a teen, especially a bar or bat mitzvah who is interested in sewing, for newlyweds, for people who are celebrating conversion, for new retirees, and for anyone who wants to sew and is interested in Jewish heritage and ritual.
More reviews
The Quilting Room with Mel blog
This book has projects than anyone could or would make…There is more than enough information in the book to make it worth your money. It has a great section in the back of techniques. It covers fabric basics, transferring patterns, machine and hand embroidery, as well as machine and hand stitching. Many of the projects can quickly and easily be adapted to many other applications.
Sarah Jacobs, the sarah in nyc blog
This is a great book for beginners, both people new to Jewish practice as well as people new to sewing. Maria’s sewing directions are incredibly clear…I particularly loved Maria’s thoughtful and thorough explanations of Jewish customs and laws.”
The Jewish Lady blog
You can’t help but feel inspired while thumbing through the pages. I saw many projects that I’d like to try; best of all, it’s something I can actually do! Many crafting books that I’ve seen claim to be simple, but are way more complicated than I can manage. (My enthusiasm for crafting greatly exceeds my ability!) Sew Jewish is truly for beginners. The last chapter—which I actually started with—is a treasure trove of practical advice about choosing/cutting fabric, hand and machine sewing, appliques, and markings. I loved that the instructions are clear and concise and each project has large, traceable patterns that make sense and are easy to use.
Alternate format: PDF with printable patterns
Also available in paperback from
Paperback: 150 pages | ISBN 9780996858229 | March 2016 | Crafts/Sewing
PDF: 159 pages | ISBN 9780996858205 | October 2015
Sew Jewish LLC
Email: maria.bywater{at}sewjewish.com
Sew Jewish 