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Book Review – The Zenki Way: A Guide to Designing and Enjoying Your Own Creative Softies

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The Zenki Way:

A Guide to Designing & Enjoying Your Own Creative Softies by Trixi Symonds

 

A perfect sewing project for kids

 

A big part of my work in the last few years has been coming up with sewing projects that are perfect for parents and teachers to sew with young kids and first-time sewers. That means that the project has to be fun, has to engage our kids’ imaginations, and has to be simple enough for kids to complete by themselves in a reasonably short time.

 

I came up with the zenkis.

What are zenkis? Well, first of all, they’re the simplest friendliest softies in the entire known universe. Secondly, they are loyal and faithful friends who’ll always stand by you. Thirdly…well, you’ll find out once you start to sew them…they have an unusual way of developing their own, sometimes quirky, personalities…and if you do make your own zenkis, I take no responsibility for any mischief they get up to!

 

Sewing softies just got simpler

 

Zenkis are softies that require only two pieces of felt, a running stitch around the torso and no fiddly insertions for arms, feet and whatever other bits and pieces they need to express their wonderful, and sometimes headstrong, natures.

 

The zenki design is unique, simple and endlessly adaptable. It maximizes fun, simplicity and creativity while minimizing sewing difficulties and stress.

 

So The Zenki Way: A Guide to Designing & Enjoying Your Own Creative Softies is not just another softie sewing book. It shows a whole new way of creating softies. And it’s perfect for kids.

 

In The Zenki Way I reveal my zenki sewing secrets and more importantly, I lay the foundation for you and your kids to design your own zenki-style softies.

 

So if you are looking for some simple creative softies to make with your kids or students, or for a really good place to start sewing, or even if you’re just looking for a friend, you might like to give the zenkis a chance. They will certainly try their hardest not to disappoint you.

Have you read?

AITA for Saying No to Christmas Orders Because I Want to Enjoy the Holidays?

Dear Crafty Readers,

“I run a small sewing business. I sell handmade items that do really well at Christmas.

Every year, as soon as November hits, the messages start rolling in.

‘Can you squeeze in one more?’
‘It’s just a small order.’
‘I really need it before Christmas.’

The thing is… I’m tired.

I spend most of the year sewing, planning, listing, packaging, and selling. By December, I’m already running on fumes.

This year, I decided to do something different. I set a clear cutoff date for Christmas orders. After that date, I said no — even when people asked nicely, even when they said they’d pay extra.

Some people understood.

Others didn’t. I got guilt-laden replies, passive-aggressive comments, and a few messages implying I was being selfish — or lazy — or ungrateful for the business.

Now I’m second-guessing myself.

Am I the asshole for saying no to Christmas orders because I want to actually enjoy the holidays?

— Anonymous

If your chest tightened a little reading that, you’re not alone.

This question cuts straight into one of the most uncomfortable truths of handmade selling: Christmas can be both your most profitable season and your most draining one.

And the pressure to keep saying yes can be enormous.

Why Christmas Turns “Can You?” Into “You Should”

At Christmas, requests don’t feel optional — they feel urgent.

People aren’t just asking for handmade items. They’re asking for:

  • Last-minute solutions

  • Emotional reassurance

  • Meaningful gifts under time pressure

And because you can sew, it quietly becomes something you should do.

That’s where boundaries start to blur.

The Myth That Christmas Orders Are “Too Good to Refuse”

There’s a strong belief in the handmade world that Christmas business should be taken at all costs.

After all:

  • It’s good money

  • It’s high demand

  • It’s only once a year

But what that belief ignores is the cost of constant urgency.

Christmas orders often mean:

  • Late nights

  • Missed family moments

  • Sewing under stress

  • Rushing instead of enjoying the craft

More orders don’t always mean a better season.

When “Just One More” Becomes Too Much

Most sellers don’t burn out from one request.

They burn out from:

  • One more order

  • One more exception

  • One more rushed deadline

  • One more person saying “It’s really important”

By the time December arrives, many makers are exhausted before Christmas even begins.

And exhaustion makes resentment grow quietly.

Why Saying No Feels So Wrong

Saying no at Christmas feels harsher than at any other time of year.

You’re not just saying no to a sale — it feels like you’re saying no to:

  • Someone’s gift

  • Someone’s tradition

  • Someone’s stress

That emotional weight can make even reasonable boundaries feel selfish.

But wanting rest isn’t selfish. It’s human.

The Unspoken Assumption: Makers Don’t Need Holidays

There’s a quiet, unfair expectation that if you work from home or run a creative business, you don’t really need time off.

That you can:

  • Sew while others relax

  • Work while others celebrate

  • Fit rest in “later”

But makers have families. Traditions. Bodies that get tired. Minds that need space.

Christmas shouldn’t belong only to buyers.

Does Enjoying the Holidays Make You Unprofessional?

Some people believe that real business owners should push through.

That saying no to demand is:

  • Bad business

  • Lazy

  • Leaving money on the table

Others believe that protecting your time is the only way to stay in business long-term.

There is no single right answer — but pretending there is creates unnecessary guilt.

What Healthy Boundaries Can Look Like

For some sellers, enjoying Christmas means:

  • Setting firm order cutoffs

  • Limiting quantities

  • Closing entirely for a period

  • Only selling ready-made items

Boundaries don’t mean you don’t care about your customers. They mean you care about sustainability — yours.

So… Are They the Asshole?

This is where opinions split — and that’s exactly why this question matters.

Some readers will say:

  • “Christmas is peak season — you take the work.”

Others will say:

  • “No job is worth burnout.”

And many will quietly admit:

  • “I wish I’d done the same.”

Over to You, Crafty Readers 

Let’s be honest — because this one hits close to home.

  • Do you set Christmas cutoffs?

  • Have you ever regretted taking too many holiday orders?

  • Do you think sellers should push through December no matter what?

  • Or should enjoying Christmas be non-negotiable?

 Scroll down and tell us where you stand.
This is one of those conversations that deserves honesty — not judgement.

(If you have a sewing dilemma you’d like to submit anonymously, Sewing.CraftGossip would love to hear from you.)