Like many of you, I like to read about sewing almost as much as I enjoy sewing. The process of advancing my skills and technique excite me. I return to many of my sewing reference books a lot and each time I see things in a new way.
This week I went to the library and checked out a bunch of sewing books. Many were real winners.
For advanced beginner to rather advanced sewers, I highly recommend the following two books. Both contain lots of photos and thoughtful tips and techniques that will likely save you time. Your skill will depend on how much you get of the book, but there is likely something for most:
Secrets of Successful Sewing: Techniques for Your Sewing Machine & Serger; Barbara Weiland; 1997.
The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques; Lynda Maynard; 2010.
I told you how difficult a time I had working with patterns. Every pattern I made came out HUGE. I would have saved a LOT of time if I had read this book before beginning my adventures in sewing with patterns. No matter what your body type or sewing issue, this book likely explains how to adjust the pattern to (in the wise words of Tim Gunn) make it work for you. It is a really, really helpful book:
Every Sewer's Guide to the Perfect Fit: Customizing Patterns for a Sensational Look; May Morris, Sally McCann, G Street Fabrics; 1997.
My only quarrel with the book is that it was co-authored by G Street and yet the G Street folks were no help to me at all when I explained the problem of excess ease and my frustration with making the patterns fit me. Why didn't they tell me about the book they wrote? hmmmm
As you know, my favorite way to sew is to use garments hanging in our closet as a guide. Garments we own fit and look flattering. Duplicating the design of garments we wear is almost always a sure success. Until recently I was not very disciplined when duplicating designs. I just draped, cut and sewed. The issue is I had to repeat every time. I wanted to be able to expand to create master patterns of designs that work for me and my family. This
book is instructive (although the video by Nancy Zieman was also a great help).
Patterns from Finished Clothes: Re-Creating the Clothes You Love; Tracy Doyle; 1996.
There were a couple classic sewing books on the shelf that I either had not seen before or had not reviewed in a while. All had helpful hints, especially for beginning sewers:
Vogue Easy Sewing; Lynn C. Ferrari; 1985.
The Complete Book of Sewing; Deni Brown;1996
I loved reading the classic text on patternmaking. Whilemy interest is only in creating patterns for me and my family, the concepts and sketches in this book were a nice complement to the G Street book:
Patternmaking for Fashion Design (3rd Ed.); Helen Joseph-Armstrong; 2000.
Finally, I spent time reading a specialty book on handbags. Making handbags is one of my very favorite use of scrap fabric. The concept of this book was to give a handful of basic patterns and then show how to adapt these basic designs. This is another really fun idea book:
Hip Handbags; Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader; 2005.
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