Customer Reviews

How to Use, Adapt, and Design Sewing Patterns: From store-bought patterns to drafting your own: a complete guide to fashion sewing with confidence

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Let me first say that I've read more of sewing foundation books, and skimmed my fair share at the local bookstores. Secondly, this is the first review I've ever written for Amazon despite buying everything from curling irons to pooper scoopers from this site. I'm telling you this in order to convey my absolute adoration of this book. I borrowed it from the library a couple months ago and had to buy it after reading it.

Most of the youth-targeted books out there (ahem Built by Wendy, Design-it-yourself clothes, etc) give you patterns for clothes that I consider dowdy and granola, and there's not a super amount of versatility in the offerings. This book shows you how to take existing patterns and customize fit and aesthetics (increasing or moving bust darts, adding collars, adjusting sleeves, etc) before you start cutting fabric. It also shows you how to create your own patterns from scratch, from these doohickeys called pattern blocks. I didn't even know pattern blocks existed, but after reading about how they allow you to make customizable, perfectly-fitting clothes, I now believe they are the key to my happiness.

I assume that there are no other reviews because this book is new (2010), but SERIOUSLY, BUY THIS BOOK! And overlook my excessive parentheses!!!

I've been sewing for years and bought this book for the "how to design patterns" information. I already know how to use and adapt patterns, but I read through those sections anyway. I was impressed by how clear and thorough the instructions are. This book explains what you need to know about sewing garments from patterns and then how to adapt those patterns to give you a better fit, information I've had to work out through trial-and-error (and many many hours). It even includes instructions on printing out patterns and assembling the pages, for those patterns that you can download from online. I couldn't help but think how much easier it might have been if I'd had this book when I was first learning to sew.

If you want to sew clothing, get this book. "How to use patterns" will give you a great start. And once you've made something, you're going to want to learn how to make the pattern fit you better, so "how to adapt patterns" will be of great use to you as well.

In high school I had a phase where I wanted to sew- anything and everything. I took home ec, but we didn't do anything more exciting than potholders and a bag that came pre-cut in a kit. My mom, a woman who was amazing at everything, including sewing (she made the wedding dress, jacket, and flower girl getup for a friend's wedding) was more than happy to help me, but her years of experience, short-cuts and handy tips made it difficult for me to learn some of the basics and I struggled to make a lot of things, eventually giving up because I didn't really know what I was doing and nothing came out how I wanted.

As a 20-something who is trying to get back into sewing, I was browsing the local bookstore and found this- the book I wish I had in high school. It explains everything in a way that doesn't assume you know a lot about sewing but is still engaging even when you are reading about something you already are familiar with. I found it incredibly helpful as someone who already knew a lot of the basics. I read it cover to cover and have it by my sewing table as a handy reference. The pictures are clear, and there are a lot of them!

I am finding this to be an indispensable reference as I get back into sewing, and I know I will be using it again and again as I get into more challenging patterns and eventually want to design my own clothes.

I bought this book because I need to revamp my wardrobe and plan to do as much as possible by making my own clothes. I've been sewing since I was a kid and have done some minor pattern modifications already (mostly for fit). I found the info in this book both ridiculously basic and unexpectedly boring. The sections on actually changing the design of a pattern were very unimaginative. I guess I'll never know what some of the other reviewers were referring to when praising this book. I wish this book had a "see inside" feature; that would have saved me the hassle of buying it and now having to return it. If you have any experience with fitting patterns and/or elementary pattern alteration (rotating darts, shortening or lengthening sleeves), you won't learn anything new here. If you don't, then this book does provide a good overview of the basics.

I like the colorful visual presentation of the book. It's loaded with just about everything you need to learn how to sew garments, I would consider this a good reference book for alteration techniques, and for those who already have experience sewing but are new to making clothes, even if they prefer to stick with store-bought patterns forever. Even a veteran seamstress (or seamster) may pick up something new. Like many others, I bought this book primarily for design, so that's what I will review here. The design part of the book covers elementary techniques, such as shaping with darts, converting darts to seams, and using slash and spread. Besides the positives the other reviews already described, I do have a few complaints about this book though. First, the alteration techniques basically destroy your pattern and seems sort of wasteful to me - I hate to have to buy the same pattern again if my measurements change, especially since I prefer classic styles with a twist. (Nancy Zieman has a book that demonstrates an alternate method that doesn't render your pattern obsolete after one use). Second, there is no instruction on drafting your own blocks directly from your own measurements; instead it contains several pages of various sized sets of standard pattern blocks that I would still have to alter anyway before I could design with them. Third, even though the author included pattern blocks, there are no blocks for pants, which is annoying because I find pants need to be altered more often than anything else, plus, they are a staple in my wardrobe.

I flipped through this book locally and was impressed by the clear illustrations and explanations, great layout and nice concept. This book takes the reader from starting to use using commercial patterns (how to mark, cut, choose etc) to improving the fit, to then creating your own through dart manipulation. The book also includes pattern blocks for resizing and using. This book is therefore not so much a pattern drafting book to help create master blocks, but how to use basic master blocks to design/create something more personal. It also covers sewing techniques, padding a mannequin, creating facings, waistbands - all you need to get your design from idea to a wearable garment. I was very impressed.

Then, I noticed the name and it took me by surprise. It is written by my former undergraduate professor in the UK. I was privileged to see some of her design work and garments when I studied under her and was impressed by her teaching ability. My review for this book was initially only based on the book itself and was definitely a 4 star for content, explanations and usibility. In having seen the author at work, it comes now as a 4 star recommended! It is good to see a highly skilled professional write something that is accessible to all, rather than only writing for the industry/students.

So why the 4 stars not 5? I love pattern making (it is my love and occupation!) and would have liked to have seen more ideas in it, such as adjusting the master for a closer fit/strapless which are in some pattern making books. It IS very good, and definitely the book for someone new to pattern drafting - completely recommended! If however you have taken classes or have experience in dart manipulation, then you will likely find that you need/want something more. (Maybe Lee Hollahan could write a second, advanced one, please?)

Taken as an introduction to the subject, I don't think you can get better. It is beautifully presented, clear and well written. Once you master these basics, the possibilities are endlessly exciting.

I borrowed this book from my library (thinking on buying it later), but I could not find the size chart used for the blocks at the end of the book, There is only a small chart for size US8/UK12, but nothing else. How can you use the blocks if you don't have the sizes? How can you alter them without measurements? How can you compare your measurements only with the size US8/UK12? I tried to find a "standard chart" online but every pattern company has its own. Conclusion: I'm not going to buy this book.

I was expecting this book to be a thorough overview of pattern adaptation, and was expecting it to be one of those books that I would keep as a kind of 'bible' on my sewing table to refer to constantly. Well, I was really disappointed when it arrived. It is ok but certainly not great and I will have to buy other books to get more detailed information. I wish I had read a few more of the reviews before I purchased it, and I wish I had realised that the book is only 139 pages long (and pages 1-45 deal with how to take your measurements and how to cut out your pattern on the fabric)). I also with I had realised this was made by someone with obvious close ties to the McCall pattern company.
I wish I could say it is a book for beginners, however there's a lot of info in the book that in my opinion requires a more detailed knowledge of pattern drafting (for example, there is a whole section at the back of how to draft your own pattern blocks. This is pretty advanced knowledge in my opinion). Yet other parts of the book are really, really basic such as how to cut out your pattern, what the grain of the fabric is, what all the symbols on the patterns mean (as long as you have a Vogue or McCalls paattern). It also seems to gloss over the basic issues you may have with your purchased commercial patterns. For example: in the "altering pants pattern" section, it dealt with how to lengthen and shorten your pants, and also how to lengthen or shorten the crotch and then how to adapt for a full tummy or bum. Some of these problems have illustrations with them to show you what the pants look like if you have, for example, a big bottom. But not all of the adaptions have illustrations, which means you have to be able to identify the problem yourself. For example...if I made a pair of pants which do not fit me properly, I can see they are sagging or pulling at certain points but I couldn't figure out which of the problems I have, as I cannot see any examples in the book to compare them with. And if my probem is not on the list of adapations (and it's a short list) then I am stuck. The other criticism is that the pattern adaptions only cover a small selections of styles, mainly involving moving darts apparently. There is nothing there for yokes, waitbands, collars,horizontal seams, etc etc.
In summary it is ok but I do regret buying it as I don't think it will be that useful. As I said, I will have to look further for more detailed information. If the book as called something like, An Overview of patern Adaptation, I wouldn't have a problem with it. To refer to it as 'the complete guide' is really misleading in my opinion. Keep loooking.

For many years I've collected books on pattern making, alterations and adaptation and have found each book to have at least one or two gems but quite often they have seemed too basic. This book, How to Use, Adapt and Deisgn Sewing Patterns shows good, sound procedures for fitting and changing a domestic sewing pattern and also lends itself to sparking a would be pattern maker into tracing out one of the blocks/slopers from the "Pattern Blocks" section and having a go at creating their own. The combination of line art, photos and techincal drawings gives a great interpretation of the text and is clear and consise for anyone at any level to give it a go. It's very hard to please a commercial industry pattern maker but this book comes pretty close to most of the conventions that I feel are important in both a classroom or at home. Well worth the money spend and well worth lending to fellow pattern makers who are learing this art.

I have not done any real sewing in about 20 years -- I wanted to start sewing again, so I bought a series of books aimed at a number of things: 1. as a refresher 2. to learn about new things (basting tapes, glues etc.) 3. as motivation. I found this book did a great job in all 3 areas. It covers how to make alterations to patterns, it covers redesign (redesigning darts, fullness on skirts etc.) it covers all the basic seaming techniques. I certainly learned a few things, and it reminded me just how easy it can be to get clothing to fit, if you make the alterations to the patterns before you cut. I am very happy with this book and would recommend it.