The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Graphic Design
The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques Details
About the Author Alison Smith MBE is the founder of one the premier sewing schools in the UK, offering courses in all aspects ofsewing, including dressmaking, tailoring, and corsetry. She regularly lectures at specialized sewing shows and is acontributor to Sewing World magazine. She is also the author of DK's Dressmaking. She is the first person to beawarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire) honor for services to Sewing and Corsetry. Read more
Reviews
I've given this to my library. I'm in the minority, but here's why I didn't learn much from this book in case it helps...I feel like they went so far in an effort to make this about visual learning that there's not enough accompanying text left to give you a full understanding of a technique or make you feel like you're ready to proceed. The clearest parts are in the beginning, large photos of buttons and scissors that don't need a lot of explanation, but once you've passed the very first stage of sewing, you won't need to reference that. The sections I would have turned to time and again -- like making pattern alterations -- are so terse as to be barely an introduction. You get the basic steps in the fewest words possible with no alternate methods, extra tips, or common mistakes to watch out for.Although I was initially drawn to the clean look, I spent too much time going online to find more details. And when I did, the sites would often cover what was in this book and then some.The photos were also an issue for me. They didn't choose fabrics that had a clear right and wrong side. There's generally a text reference to which side you're working on, but it would have been better for me, and in keeping with the visual learning style, if the photos had made that obvious.I went on to get the out of print 'The Encyclopedia of Sewing' by Adele Margolis (which is sometimes available cheaply), and what a world of difference it made. Take for example Understitching. 'The Sewing Book' has a photo and the following:"Understitching is used to secure a seam that is on the edge of a piece of fabric. It helps to stop the seam from rolling to the right side. First make the seam, then layer, turn, and press onto the right side. Open the seam again and push the seam allowance over the layered seam allowance. Sew the seam allowances down."Compare that to 'The Encyclopedia of Sewing', which has five line drawings and the following for Understitching:"A line of machine or hand stitching that permanently positions the seam allowance of a garment section and its facing. There are several ways this may be done.After the layers have been stitched and pressed open, the seam allowances trimmed clipped, notched and graded, turn the facing to the underside. Press the edges with the seam rolled to the underside. If steam pressing as in tailoring, allow the garment to dry thoroughly before handling.In Dressmaking -- Open out the facing with the seam allowance directly under it.Stitch the seam allowances to the facing close to the seam by machine (fig. a) or, in delicate fabrics, by tiny hand stitches (b).In Tailoring -- Edge-baste firmly to hold the pressed seam in position (fig. a). Use either method below. Both are acceptable.1 As an enclosed seam: lift the facing gently and fasten the wider seam allowance to the tape or interfacing with either permanent basting or catch stitching (b). This will automatically enclose the narrower seam allowance.2 From the outside: hold the seam allowance in place with pickstitches (see Pickstitch) placed 1/8" from the edge of an undersurface. Work along the underside of the collar and lapel to the break of the collar. Work along the facing edge to the hem (c)."
