Design Your Own Dress Patterns: A Primer in Pattern Making for Women Who Like to Sew [Hardcover]

Adele P. Margolis (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Doubleday (January 1, 1971)
• ISBN-10: 0385016743
• ISBN-13: 978-0385016742
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,780,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Book description August 15, 2007

By LINDA Riley

Format:Hardcover

FROM BACK OF BOOK JACKET:
For most sewers, creativity is often blocked by dependence on ready-made patterns. The artist-sewer has visualized something which cannot be found for all the looking in pattern books. What she is really searching for is her own design, which, of course, is not there...

If you are one who has been scared to death to move a dart (you think it was put there by an Act of Congress) or one who is awed by the seeming complexity of a pattern (the professionals in the field like to keep you that way), or one who doubts her ability to create ("I'm really not an artist")--relax! The basic principles of pattern construction are really neither too mysterious, too numerous, nor too difficult for the home sewer. Any woman who can work her way through the labyrinthian directions for sewing which accompany the commercial pattern can surely learn the comparatively simple and clear rules for pattern making...

It is my hope that the simple non-technical instructions contained in this book will open the door to a new world in which sewers may find creative excitement in executing their own dress designs.

FROM THE JACKET FLAP:
With 334 illustrations
"The making of beautiful clothes is an art," writes Adele Margolis. But as Design Your Own Dress Patterns makes dear, it is an art that need not be left to the professionals. For though styles may change from year to year, the principles of pattern making presented here remain the same and can be easily mastered by anyone who sews.

In these pages you'll find concise instructions on the basic elements of bodice, skirt, sleeve and neckline design, as well as the details of pockets, buttons, collars and cuffs.... Dart control and shaping, the primary devices of all pattern making, are explained in their many varieties, and styling techniques are discussed with clarity and ease. The final chapter is then devoted to a consideration of the handling and use of different fabrics and a step-by-step demonstration of how to convert your own design ideas into a finished product.

Complete with 334 illustrations that include numerous sketches of the most contemporary fashions, as well as dozens of valuable pointers on how to alter pattern sizes to get a perfect fit, Design Your Own Dress Patterns is an essential aid for all home-sewers, whether they want to make a complete design themselves or simply make a minor change in a ready-made pattern.

Adele P. Margolis attended the Anne Burrows School of Design and received her art training at the Graphic Sketch Club and the Barnes Foundation. Mrs. Margolis has been a dressmaker, tailor and pattern maker, and has taught all these subjects at her own shop and at adult education centers. She is the author of The Complete Book of Tailoring, The Dressmaking Book, and How To Make Clothes That Fit And Flatter, as well as the original How To Design Your Own Dress Patterns. Read more ›

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! March 20, 2013

By Sandy

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I can't say enough about this author and her way of making the process easy to understand. Overflowing with very useful information and a great source of inspiration. From novice to pro this author and this book in particular, are a must have for your library.