If you're tired of items that just fit so-so—sew, sew! This guide will have you expressing your personal in no time. You'll learn the basics of hand sewing and sewing with a machine and get detailed information about tools and fabrics. From there, you'll progress to sewing seams, darts, facings, zippers, fasteners, and more. You'll learn to use patterns and try your hand (and your sewing machine) on warm-up projects like a tote bag or a baby receiving blanket. Then it's on to more creative designs like a stylish messenger bag and fun, flanged pillow shams. If you learn by seeing and doing and want to create chic, unique accessories and home décor, this book is a perfect fit! Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review Each skill or technique is defined and described Detailed color photos demonstrate each step Step-by-step instructions accompany each photo Helpful tips provide additional guidance

Discover how your wardrobe (and your wallet) can reap what you sew Even the easiest garment sewing patterns won't come together correctly if you don't have the skills to execute them. Teach Yourself VISUALLY Fashion Sewing is the go-to book for aspiring fashion sewers who learn faster by seeing and doing than by wading through tedious instruction books. You'll get visual guidance on the specialized tools and skills you need to move beyond the basics to advance to garment sewing. Photo by photo and stitch by stitch, you'll learn how to make darts, pleats, and gathers; work with facings and underfacings; and so much more. Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review Detailed color photos demonstrate each step Helpful tips provide additional guidance Packed with step-by-step instructions and fun, innovative projects, Teach Yourself VISUALLY Fashion Sewing gives you the tools you need to create fashionable new pieces and the skills to repair and repurpose old ones.

It's amazing what you can do with two pieces of fabric and a layer of batting—the variety of quilts and quilting techniques is staggering. This guide introduces you to the essential skills you need to set off on your own quilting adventures. It walks you through everything from selecting fabrics to assembling blocks to binding the edges. Examples and patterns include both traditional and modern designs and use both hand-stitching and machine quilting so you can create unique quilts and quilted items that reflect your personal style. Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review Each skill or technique is defined and described Step-by-step instructions accompany each photo Detailed color photos demonstrate each step Helpful tips provide additional guidance

Algebra may seem intimidating?but it doesn't have to be. With Teach Yourself VISUALLY Algebra, you can learn algebra in a fraction of the time and without ever losing your cool. This visual guide takes advantage of color and illustrations to factor out confusion and helps you easily master the subject. You'll review the various properties of numbers, as well as how to use powers and exponents, fractions, decimals and percentages, and square and cube roots. Each chapter concludes with exercises to reinforce your skills.

Do you learn faster by seeing and doing than by wading through tedious instructions? Then pick up a guitar and start strumming! Teach Yourself VISUALLY Guitar shows you the basics—photo by photo and note by note. You begin with basic chords and techniques and progress through suspensions, bass runs, hammer-ons, and barre chords. As you learn to read chord charts, tablature, and lead sheets, you can play any number of songs, from rock to folk to country. The chord chart and scale appendices are ready references for use long after you master the basics. Concise two-page lessons show you all the steps to a skill and are ideal for quick review Each skill, chord, or technique is clearly described Detailed color photos demonstrate proper fingering and technique Concise and understandable instructions accompany each photo Helpful tips provide additional guidance

Want to go beyond "Chopsticks?" This visual guide to tickling the ivories will show you the way. By Chapter 2, you'll be playing simple pieces and practicing scales. You'll progress from getting familiar with notes, symbols, and keys to playing basic chords and reading music like a pro. Without getting bogged down in boring theory, you'll learn what you need to know and enjoy playing as you go! Whether you like Bach or rock, jazz or country, golden oldies or new age, you'll love learning to play the fun, visual way. Concise two-page lessons show you all the crucial skills and are ideal for quick review Each skill, chord, or technique is clearly described Concise and understandable instructions accompany each photo Detailed color photos demonstrate proper fingering technique Helpful tips provide additional guidance

This highly VISUAL guide makes it easier than ever to get hooked on crocheting The approximately 30 million crocheters in the U.S. make crocheting one of today’s hottest hobbies. This VISUAL guide makes it easy to pick up a hook and a ball of yarn and get stitching, with clear, step-by-step presentations of techniques accompanied by detailed color photos that show readers exactly what to do. The book’s more than 20 patterns–everything from blankets to mittens to a man’s necktie–appeal to hip, modern crocheters.

This COLOR edition is written for the purpose of self-teaching the basics of planning, designing, cutting, and sewing of cloth fabrics at home. The author presents her experience in mastering the art of tailoring for 45 years and hopes to transfer her skills to the new generation of students of professional tailoring, TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO TAILORING Types of Tailoring Prerequisites of Learning Tailoring Sewing Tools The Basics of Stitching 1. Normal Harness 2. Alternate Stitch 3. Overcast Stitch Catch stitch Cross-stitch tack Whipstitch (Overhand) Needle Threading CHAPTER 2. SEWING WARES Types of Fabrics Used in Garments Sewing Machine o Finishing or Over Machine o Description of the Sewing Machine o Making Stitches in Sewing Machine o The Two Sources of Yarn in Sewing Machine o Fitting the Sewing Machine to the Type of Stitching o Filling and Changing Bobbin o Changing Presser Foot and Needle o Changing Machine Needle o Use of Sewing Machine o Placing Fabric on the Sewing Machine o Sewing Fabric with Sewing Machine o Sewing straight lines and curved lines o The Preparation of Cloth o How to Buy an Embroidery Machine That Will Fit Your Sewing Needs Description of Sewing Tools o Scissors o Machine Needle o Stitch Remover o Pins and Pin Holders o Thimble CHAPTER 3. CUSTOM-FITTING TAILORING Method of Taking Measurements Stages of Making Patterns Transferring Patterns To Fabric Marking Tools Trimming the Pattern Transferring Marking onto Satin Fabric I. Marking by Chalk on Fabric II. Marking by Pinning Fabric Layers III. Marking by Temporary Stitching of Fabrics IV. Transfer of Marks by Carbon Paper and Roulette Pinning Dantelle fabric to Satin Fabric Cutting Two-Layered Fabrics Initial Hand Stitching of Marked Fabric CHAPTER 4. PATTERN TAILORING KEY TO SYMBOLS USED ON PATTERNS STEPS OF PATTERN TAILORING (1) Taking measurements for female garments (2) Choose your pattern (3) The sketch of the style (4) Fabric (5) Pattern pieces (6) Finding the right pieces on the pattern sheet (7) Preparing to trace the pattern pieces (8) Tracing (9) Pattern layout 1. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS I 2. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS II 3. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS III 4. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS IV 5. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS V 6. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS VI 7. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS VII 8. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS 9. TAILORING OF WORK DRESS 10. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS II Cost of Tailoring Single Dress and Ten Dresses. Cost of Tailoring Single Dress and Ten Dresses (A) The cost of a single dress for one person with an experienced tailor is calculated based on time taken to cut and mark as 90 minutes and the time to sew and finish as 2 to 2.5 hours. Fabric cost (width 140 cm x length 2 meter, $3 to $ 4 per meter length) = 4 x 2 = $8 Zipper (50 cm) = $1 Thread = $1 Cost of electricity = $2 Net cost = $8 + $1 + $1 + $2 = $12 Sale Price = $100 (B) The cost of cutting 10 dresses is based on 4 to 5 hours using 17 meters of fabric Fabric (17 meters x $2) = $34 Zippers 10 x $2 = $20 Thread = $5 Electricity = $15 Net cost = (34 + 20+ 5+ 15) /10 = $7.4 Sale Price = $50 per dress.

Are you a visual learner? Do you prefer instructions that show you how to do something — and skip the long-winded explanations? If so, then this book is for you. Open it up and you'll find clear, step-by-step screen shots that show you how to tackle more than 160 Photoshop Elements tasks. Each task-based spread covers a single technique, sure to help you get up and running on Photoshop Elements 12 in no time. You'll learn to: Use both the Organizer and Editor Import photos from various sources Enhance lighting and color Restore old photos and add effects Save, back up, and share photos Designed for visual learners Two-page lessons break big topics into bite-sized modules Succinct explanations walk you through step by step Full-color screen shots demonstrate each task Helpful sidebars offer practical tips and tricks