Chesterfield woman turned to sewing to calm herself down amid Brexit uncertainty - and now she's published a book extolling the virtues of the craft

Karen Ball's The Little Book of Sewing is a pocket-sized guide to creating your own zen with nothing more than a needle and thread.

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From body confidence to mental health, kindness to passion, Karen explores the ways sewing can make people feel great about themselves.

Karen, 49, who grew up in Ashgate, said: "When the uncertainty of Brexit hit two months after I'd left a full-time job to set up own consultancy, I felt a wave of emotions hit me - anger, frustration, fear.

"I turned to sewing to calm me down and noticed how important the emotions of sewing are. From mental health to body image, kindness to sexuality, it's all there.

"I decided to write a book around the emotions of sewing, along with lots of handy tips and tricks thrown in.

"I wanted it to inspire anyone, from a total beginner to an expert sewist.

"A friend called the book ‘a hug in a book!’ and that’s exactly what it is - friendly, informal and the perfect size to keep on your bedside table.

"Lots of people have told me that the book has inspired them to start sewing or return to sewing."

Karen decided to write the book after running her successful sewing blog, Did You Make That?, for the past nine years.

You can order The Little Book of Sewing at amazon.co.uk