Customer Reviews

Adventures With Polarfleece: A Sewing Expedition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this book simulataneously with Rochelle Harpers "Sew the New Fleece." There is much overlap and both books are good. Cornwell's book had a very useful section in the beginning that lists all the mills that make synthetic fleece and pile fabrics, who they supply (e.g., who supplies LL Bean, who supplies Patagonia, etc.), and what the various characteristics are of each type of fabric--she knows what she is talking about in this area. As far as fleece construction techniques, I thought that Harper's book beat out Cornwell's with more options and details. Cornwell's had a lot of "cheater" shortcuts that I wasn't interested in since I want to make good, solid ready-to-wear style outdoor garments. Also, Cornwell's focus was too much on the baby-bunting/"fashion" jacket/granddaughter's outfit-type projects rather than the serious outdoor garment scene. Many of the photographed garments screamed "I'm homemade!," and she spends too many pages on techniques like "fleece sculpturing" that could only have applications in tacky, crafty, homemade looking projects. If your goal is serious outdoor wear, Harper edges out Cornwell, but the serious sewer will want to read both.

I just purchased this title and can't put the book down. It is extremely thorough and includes everything you could possibly need to know including identifying quality fabric, choosing the correct needle, troubleshooting, inserting zippers and embellishing. A definite must read for fleece lovers!

There is no question, the techniques and practical guides in this book are the best I've read. Nancy has comprehensive and detailed photos for each technique! And the ideas are todays look and ready to wear professional. I would urge anyone who is sewing on fleece to hurry and purchase this one. No affiliation just a happy customer! Enjoy

Since this book is getting harder to find make sure you grab a copy while it's still available. "Adventures With Polar Fleece" consists of three major sections: a) introduction to fleece fabric and sewing tools, b) construction techniques, and c) sample projects.

Personally I did not care much about the fabric overview, but I guess to some it might be interesting to learn the history and current factory locations. The tools section was quite helpful to me as a beginning sewer and mentioned some items that other books frequently skip (e.g. double sided sew-through adhesive). The sample projects are somewhat limited in scope and appeal but still can provide you with some ideas for your own projects.

The two downsides of this book are a) no index and the section arrangement is a bit random, b) poor photography which not only makes the garments look bad but sometimes hides important details. For example in a section on satin stitching a pattern the accompanying photograph is so bad that you can hardly see the pattern at all.

Where this book really shines is in the construction techniques, e.g. how to add wrapped zippers, elastic cuffs, etc. It's a wonderful collection of little tips that work best with fleece & suede but can be transferred to other materials as well.

I really enjoy this book. I have used it for a long time and will continue to use it.