Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear [Spiral-bound]

Kay Whitt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 12, 2010

Lay it out, cut it out, sew it up, put it on!

Kay Whitt of Serendipity Studios proves that all you need to re-make your wardrobe are a few key things: Great fabric, easy-to-make patterns, a handful of simple skills, and your own personal sense of style!

Use Sew Serendipity to create a fresh, new look.

• Included in the book are tissue pattern inserts for the skirt, tunic/dress and jacket - each with 6 variations detailed in the book. 3 basic patterns x 6 variations=18 ways to show off your skills and style!
  
  
• Kay provides the master instructions for each basic garment, and individual instruction for each unique look. Once you master the basics, changing it up is a snap!
  
  
• Each clothing pattern is graded in seven sizes (bust: 32-44; waist: 24-36; hips: 34-46) from XXS to XXL. Use the "Custom Fitting" section of this book to learn how to measure yourself and adjust the patterns to get the best possible fit!
  
  
• Embellish your designs to match your style, whether you're feeling the need for classic, tailored elegance, or you're in the mood for a little ruffled whimsy. Kay's simple embellishments make it a breeze to adapt your design to the look you want.

With Sew Serendipity, you'll find out how to lay out the pattern pieces, cut them out and sew them up. All you have to do is put them on and strut your stuff!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A licensed designer for McCall's and regular exhibitor at spring and fall Quilt Markets as Serendipity Studio, Kay Whitt has been designing and selling patterns for the past 10 years.

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 160 pages
• Publisher: Krause Publications; 1 Spi edition (July 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1440203571
• ISBN-13: 978-1440203572
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Love what you do, and you will never work a day in your life"

In a nutshell, this quote describes exactly the way Kay feels about her work as a pattern designer for clothing and accessories with a classic yet fresh modern appeal. It was in fact what drove her to launch her company, Serendipity Gifts, in 2001 after spending the first nine years of her professional career as an elementary school teacher when she sewed in her spare time and sold her creations to colleagues.

Sewing has always been a passion of Kay's as far back as she can remember. From childhood when she first held needle and thread in her hands and put them to fabric with the patient supervision of her mother, she has been truly inspired. Soon after she was busy at the sewing machine making everything from pillows to doll clothes to creations for herself. This passion extended to all things creative which led her to crochet, paint and draw. Throughout her high school years, she took art classes to expand her knowledge of various art forms, laying the foundation for a future as a designer.

After resigning from her career as a teacher, her company sold appliqué patterns to local quilt shops and then eventually to distributors for the industry. In 2002, she attended her first International Quilt Market in Houston as an exhibitor. It was a phenomenal success and she has been blessed with a bustling business ever since. She has earned a reputation in the industry for her innovative designs with well written step by step instructions, making her patterns some of the most popular in the marketplace.

Since that first quilt market, Kay has worked diligently to be on the cutting edge of the design industry. Her patterns started out mainly as appliqué driven designs but have since evolved into highly tailored styles with a sophisticated vibe. In fall 2005, she launched Boutique Chic, a new line of tissue patterns for skirts. Because of their success, more of these patterns have followed and she has now added dresses, bags, and jackets to the collection. As of spring 2006, her company operates as Serendipity Studio. In addition to the designs she creates for her company, she is now a licensed designer for the McCall Pattern Company as Kay Whitt Designs.

In June 2010, her first book with Krause Publications, Sew Serendipity, was released. It has gone on to be a top seller in the industry and is known for great fitting patterns with clear instructions and stellar illustrations. Her newest book, Sew Serendipity Bags, was just released in September 2011. It bears the same great features as the first book, making it a perfect accessory companion to Sew Serendipity.

Kay resides in Texas with her husband Keith and their bird, ET. She is always busy working on something new and exciting and never tires of sharing her passion for design and sewing. From learning to sew as a girl to art classes in high school to teaching young children, her career has come full circle to become a love that never feels like work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

141 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great modern reference book for today's dressmaker, June 26, 2010

By 

Judie Bellingham (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear (Spiral-bound)

Even though my mother was a seamstress, I didn't learn how to sew until after I was married. We had a mortgage you couldn't jump over and my husband bought me a sewing machine and thought it "prudent" that I learn how to sew and stop spending so much money on clothing.

I booked myself into a private six week class and I was not impressed. The tutor was a dragon, I couldn't do anything right, the clothes never fitted and I gave up after about four weeks. Eventually I taught myself to sew, but I found it a difficult, tedious task to accomplish. I wasn't ever really satisfied with much of the clothing that I made for myself, though I did become pretty good at making clothing for my toddlers. And of course, my passion for patchwork and quilting came from the wonderful scraps left from dressmaking.

Krause Publications recently sent me a complimentary copy of Sew serendipity (Fresh + Pretty Designs to Make and Wear) by Kay Whitt. After reading this publication I wish I had access to a book such as this when I was taking my first learn-to-sew steps.

My first delight occurred on opening this book and seeing the extensive chapter on Custom Fitting. I realise that this is a very important part of dress making - without custom fitting, the garments aren't going to fit as well as you'd like. This chapter is comprehensive and written in user friendly language and covers important topics such as Steps to a Custom Fit, Taking Measurements, Making the Muslin and Adjusting the Fit. I really could have used this advice 30 or more years ago.

Kay Whitt then goes on to address the important tools of the trade. Not only how to use your sewing machine and sewing tools, but the accessories and indispensable notions that are available these days to give your creations a professional finish.

Sewing Techniques are then addressed. Kay not only offers great instructions for constructing the garments, but delivers some great advice for the best practice of the not so standard techniques that are very popular in fashion today, such as Pressing Intentional Creases, Double Top Stitching, Making Gathers and so forth.

The publication then includes various Skirt, Tunic & Dress and Jacket patterns (with full sized patterns sitting in a pretty pocket at the back of the book). But these patterns are very modern, and suitable for all skill levels.

I really like the way this book has been thought out. I particularly like the language that is used to describe complicated instructions. The graphics and photographs are fabulous and the overall feeling of the book is that the garments are accomplishable.

As most readers to my reviews know, I just love a book that is spirally bound, and this has been achieved spectacularly. The book sits flat, and is a good size for instant glimpsing at whilst sitting on the edge of your sewing table.

This book would make a great reference book in your library and a great gift to that young person starting out with dressmaking and developing a style of their own.

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it!, June 22, 2010

By 

Michele Quigley (Lancaster, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear (Spiral-bound)

I pre-ordered this book and received it a few days ago --it's beautiful!

Oftentimes sewing books will feature only a few really nice projects but I love ALL the designs in this book and can't wait to get sewing.

Not just skirts, this book also features, tunics, dresses and jackets. The designs are chic, stylish, modest and totally wearable.

Full sized tissue patterns from XXS to XXL are included and the custom fitting and sewing techniques will be a welcome addition to the new or inexperienced sewer.

The directions are thorough with plenty of drawings along the way and the lay flat binding a big plus. The layout of the book is charming and fun.

I am very pleased with this purchase --it was an impulse buy that turned out to be a winner!

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun & Creative, July 7, 2010

By 

S. Lahlum - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear (Spiral-bound)

This book is fun, practical and creative. Patterns are included! My SIL, who does not sew, picked it up from my stack of books because of the cover and was amazed to see models of varying sizes on the inside pages ... shows that the patterns are adaptable and will look good on different figures. I like the suggestions to make the garment your own. I hope to use some of the design elements to inspire my 9yo daughter, but I would be equally comfortable wearing any of these styles, too. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and wanted more!