Jan 13
This book is a trouble shooting guide to help sewists overcome any frustrations so they can get on with their sewing. The book is set out in a way which helps you avoid potential problems through each stage of a project, from choosing the right fabrics and tools to fitting and finishing touches. It shows you many different techniques for things like finishing seams, adjusting patterns, sewing zips, attaching trims etc and is scattered with tips and answers to common questions throughout. There is also a comprehensive guide to tools and fabrics at the start telling you what to use the different tools for, where to buy them and what it is useful to know about this tool before you start using it. There are colour photos showing the tools or fabrics and colour diagrams illustrating techniques. This book would be a useful reference guide for beginners, and I think even more experienced stitchers would still pick up some useful tips from it.
* Sewing Directory, The *
Mar 13
A brilliant book by an experienced craft teacher. It's a technically perfect book which makes you feel relaxed about sewing when you pick it up. It's very much aimed at the novice sewer about to buy a sewing machine for the very first time. The emphasis on machine sewing continues throughout the book so bear this in mind if you prefer to handstitch. There are ten chapters in total: - Section one - Tools and equipment - Sewing tools, notions and trims, marking, measuring and cutting tools, miscellaneous tools, and Section two - Solutions and tips - fabric solutions, pattern solutions, sewing solutions, embellishment and trimming solutions, fitting solutions and finishing solutions. It covers all aspects of sewing such as choosing a sewing machine and a guide to different feet, to making a muslin and facings. It includes a guide to fabric and how to choose patterns. Basically it's all you could ever want to know about dress making and sewing with a machine. I learnt many things from this book - for example I had no idea you could sew a button with a sewing machine. I thought maybe you could do the buttonhole but this is aimed at those who want to save time and get really whizzy with their machine. I also found out that when sewing knits you shouldn't use a 100 per cent cotton thread, it should be an all-purpose polyester as it stretches with the fabric. They may seem like small tips but they all add up to a better sewing experience and less stress. Another tip amongst the thousands in this book is to iron fusible interfacings onto the back of your tissue paper patterns to make them last. All great advice from a sewer with a huge amount of experience and talent to boot. This book is so well worth the money if you feel your sewing knowledge could be improved upon or if you didn't grow up with a parent who made a lot of your clothes in front of you. Maybe you have no-one to ask in your friends and family and you can't afford a class or proper tuition. This book is for you.
* sewingisforgirls.blogspot.com *
Mar 13
This is one of those books that would be a useful addition to any sewist's library, particularly if you are sewing clothes. Packed full of troubleshooting tips to get you out of any sewing spot, it is organised in a logical order from choosing tools to reading patterns and offers solutions and tips on fabrics, seam finishes, darts, sewing machine issues, embellishments, fitting and finishing. Clear diagrams support the text to offer a very useful reference book you will turn to again and again.
* SEWING WORLD *
