Experienced sewing instructor and blogger Barbara Emodi shares her sewing wisdom to help readers get started, get started back up, or hone their existing garment-sewing skills. Not a sewing reference book as much as a book of experience, this is a book that will make a novice sewist say, “Oh, so that’s why you do that,” make a practiced sewist think, “Now that’s a neat trick,” and make a very experienced sewist smile and say, “That is sooo true!” Take advantage of her thoughts, tips, and tricks on the benefits of sewing, the importance of fit, basic techniques, available tools, patterns, and materials, and so much more. • Droll, well-informed, readable, interesting, and useful— the how-to book of sewing wisdom you always wanted • Get the inside scoop on sizing and alteration, patternless sewing, what to sew and what to buy, and many other topics, with mini lessons sprinkled throughout • Tips and ideas on choosing and using the best fabric, gear, and sewing machines

This comprehensive guide explores the fundamental sewing methods fashion designers need and teaches professional garment construction. Chapter One introduces sewing tools and machinery (including industrial machines). It discusses how to work with patterns and explains cutting-out methods. Chapter Two is devoted to different fabrics and how they work, focusing on the construction of a garment, including fastenings and trimmings, and the use of materials to support structured pieces, such as corsets. Hand-sewing techniques and basic seams are explored in Chapter Three. Techniques are demonstrated with step-by-step photographic guides combined with technical drawings. A guide to making garment details and decorations, such as pockets, waistlines, and necklines, is found in Chapter Four. Chapter Five addresses fabric-specific techniques, for everything from lace to neoprene. The best technical approaches to use for patternmaking and construction are discussed for each fabric. Catwalk images demonstrate how these kinds of techniques are employed by designers.

Sheets of patterns are in an envelope inside the front cover, each sheet is doubled sided.

An introduction to the basic principles of pattern cutting, this practical book shows students how to interpret the human form and look at clothing through the eyes of a designer rather than a consumer. As well as explaining the proportions of human anatomy, the book introduces key tools and then takes the reader from simple pattern-cutting ideas to more advanced creative methods. Finally, the book looks at the work of fashion designers who are masters of pattern cutting, such as Comme des GarCons, John Galliano, Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake. With photographs of final and dissected garments, along with CAD/CAM diagrams to explain how those pieces were cut, the book will gradually build an understanding of pattern cutting, and enable students to experiment and create exciting patterns for their own designs.

A Sewing Course in a Book If you have just decided that you want to learn how to sew, this book has been designed for you. Learning to sew can be simultaneously frustrating and rewarding, so you want a book that will start slowly, build your confidence and help you avoid common problems. Designed as a thorough sewing course, How To Start Sewing will walk you through the entire sewing process, from your first hand sewing stitches to your first complete garment. You don't even need to have a sewing machine to start learning. Just like having a sewing teacher in your own home or studio, let us show you how to choose and use your first sewing machine, troubleshoot your way through common sewing issues and build your sewing confidence. Go easy on your budget by buying new equipment and materials only as you need it, then put your new supplies and skills to use in hands-on exercises. Don't let the large size of this book intimidate you; everything is explained in straightforward language with practical examples. No prior experience required. The Perfect Reference Book For the more experienced sewer, How To Start Sewing is designed as the perfect reference book. Forget trawling multiple books and videos to decipher sewing instructions, sometimes you just want a book on your studio shelf that you know you can trust. Use our Table of Contents and Index to get right to the technique that you need. We have focused on the most versatile techniques and explained them step by step with detailed drawings. Use our troubleshooting guides to master your sewing machine, improve your stitch quality and solve recurring construction issues to raise your sewing skills to the next level. Practical Sewing Exercises with Patterns to Match It can be frustrating trying to learn how to sew a detail when your pattern doesn't match the instructions. To solve this common problem we have included a whole library of small sewing patterns. Trace off the patterns, cut them out in fabric and follow the step-by-step exercises to sew seams, darts, pockets, zippers, vents, and plackets. This process will help you to create a reference folder full of your favourite techniques. Next time you forget how to sew the lining for an invisible zipper, or how to adjust the tension on your overlocker, you will have your reference sample there to remind you. And next time you want to swap or modify a detail on a sewing pattern, you will have the pattern library to use as a handy reference. Professional Techniques for Superior Results Whether you are studying fashion design, have your own label or sew for yourself at home, we know that you want to master techniques that are of a professional standard. We have specially selected the details that are the most versatile in womenswear and menswear collections so that you can mix and match them endlessly across your own garment patterns. Or apply the details in this book to your favourite commercial sewing pattern. We will only teach you the details and methods that are used to create high-end ready-to-wear garments. With practice, you will be able to consistently create garments of a superior quality. Designed for Different Types of Sewers If you are a perfectionist, this book will suit your pragmatic desire to know everything about the how and why of sewing and will help you build your skills and knowledge in a specific order. Learn to analyse garments and diagnose construction problems like a professional and fine-tune your techniques. Or if you prefer to make mistakes first, and then ask questions later then we are here for you too. Just use our troubleshooting guides to tell you why you keep breaking needles and tangling your thread so you can quickly solve your issues and plough through your first projects. The sooner you start making mistakes, the sooner we can help you fix them.

New York Times Bestseller Learn the Historically Proven Stitches Every Seamster Needs with Beloved Historical Fashion YouTuber Bernadette Banner Whether you are just getting started with sustainable fashion and need to alter your new secondhand finds, or you want an introduction to sewing techniques for making your own clothes, Bernadette Banner’s signature voice will guide you through all the traditional stitches and techniques you need to extend the life of your favorite pieces and take fashion into your own hands! From tips and tricks on choosing your materials and preparing your fabric for sewing to more complex techniques like mending small holes, adding pockets to garments, making your own buttons and beyond—this book has everything you need. Complete with step-by-step photos and insight into what alterations each sewing technique is best suited for, Bernadette walks you through every step of your sewing journey. For added inspiration, this book also includes profiles on exciting voices in the historic sewing community and their perspectives on how taking fashion into their own hands has changed their lives for the better. Make, Sew and Mend is the perfect foundation for beginner sewers to start making their fashion their own.

Join Matt Chapple, the UK's top amateur stitcher and winner of the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee2015 as he shares everything you need to know about repairing and maintaining your attire in this non-nonsense guide. Focusing on making sewing easy and fun, it covers tools of the trade, essential repairs and alterations as well as complete step-by-step instructions instructions for making projects from scratch, such as a box-pleated skirt and adding bias binding to pocket edges for a splash of colour. Matt’s no-nonsense language strips away the complexity of sewing, as he gives practical advice on how to repair fabrics from denim and corduroy to tweed and wool, and offers tips to make wardrobe malfunctions a thing of the past. Written for the uninitiated stitcher, concentrating on common clothing issues we all face, be it a loss of a button, a hole in the pocket or something more serious like a fallen hem.

Ahead of the Curve is the first sewing book to empower curvy and plus size women to feel body confident by sewing a wardrobe that fits. Don’t change your body to fit your clothes – change your clothes to fit your body! Ahead of the Curve includes 5 basic garment patterns (UK sizes 16–36/US size 12–32/EUR sizes 44–64), which includes a pair of trousers, a t-shirt, a sleeveless top and two dress designs. Jenny takes you through a series of “Fit Clinics” – tutorials and case studies demystifying the fitting process – showing you how to adjust these patterns to master the perfect fit for your body shape. Once you have got to grips with this, you can go on to customize your closet and create an unlimited array of fantastic clothes that celebrate your body. If you’re curvy or plus size, trying to find clothes that fit and reflect your personal style can be incredibly difficult and frustrating. Plus size women feel constantly excluded and like they can’t express their personality through clothes. This book finally changes that.

Black Girls Sew supplies tools, builds skills, and offers encouragement to help young sewists create a powerful sense of self and style Black Girls Sew is a nonprofit organization built on strong messaging: teach and empower young girls to take ownership of and have pride in their clothing. Their first book offers the tools, knowledge, and vocabulary to help young people take back their fashion narrative. Black and brown girls and boys need a space where they do not have to encounter misrepresentation of their culture, and this book provides them with a safe space in which to explore their creativity. Primarily the book teaches basic sewing skills and design principles so that readers can create one-of-a-kind looks. By encouraging them to follow their curiosity, rather than telling them what to create, Black Girls Sew helps young fashionistas learn to take risks and explore creative play in clothing design. The way we dress is a means of expression, and by encouraging boys and girls to immerse themselves in the world of fashion, providing projects to create their own wares, and offering historical looks at prominent Black figures who have impacted the industry, Black Girls Sew is a guide for all who are interested in fashion, design, and building their own powerful sense of self and style.

Summary: "The perfect introduction to the core principles of garment construction, "How Patterns Work" simplifies and explains the relationship between pattern making and the body." -- Back cover.