Customer Reviews

The Sewing Book: An Encyclopedic Resource of Step-by-Step Techniques

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can't say enough good things about this book. I saw it in a borders bookstore, pretty much right when it came out, flipped through it briefly and knew I had to have it. There are clear, step by step, close-up pictures of every sewing task. This is exactly what I've been looking for.

I've been very frustrated by other sewing books or magazines that don't have clear photographs, or have ambiguous illustrations of sewing techniques. I wish that Amazon had the look inside feature on this book so everyone could see the photos. It starts off with showing a basic toolkit, plus extras to fill it out, then pictures and descriptions of all kinds of sewing tools. Then an index of fabrics and how they are made. This section seemed a little skimpy to me, but not terrible. Next is a section on how to lay out your patterns, which is a big plus for a beginner like me. Then it moves on into the techniques section, first with hand sewing, then machine sewing. I would say that the book is heavily bent towards apparel sewing, but you can apply these techniques to all kinds of projects.

There is a projects section at the back of the book, simple designs in plain fabrics, don't expect anything mind-blowing. Things like a pillow, an apron, etc. There is also a glossary of terms and an index at the back.

The best thing (besides the photos) about this book is the cross-referencing. Someone obviously took a lot of time to make sure that the reader wouldn't get lost. Every technique is rated on difficulty, and as you progress through the book, on the bottom of every page is a list of previously learned techniques that are applied on that page, plus the page number they are on. This really gives you an idea of how to build on previous knowledge, and all the little techniques that make up a more complicated one.

I am very pleased with this purchase, and know it will improve my sewing.

I just love this book! I found it in a Barnes and Nobles, and even though there weren't any reviews on Amazon yet and even though it was pricier than some of its competitors, I bought it anyway. (That's pretty unusual for me.) Every time I open it, I'm grateful to myself all over again. It's just wonderful. Where to start? First, it's absolutely gorgeous, with an inviting color scheme and a pleasing layout that makes it super easy to read through. (Trust me, you don't want to skimp on the readability of your sewing book.) The book itself is both lovely and sturdy -- beautiful glossy pages and a binding that promises to hold up for a long time, yet easily lays flat.

But my absolute favorite thing about this book is that all the lessons are presented in photographs, which means it's realistic. The truth of the matter is that when everything is drawn, a lot of the nitty-gritty details are left out. Then when you go to sew something, you get confused because it looks different than it does in the illustration. This book shows the fabric just the way it is -- raveling edges, not-quite-straight stitching, and everything -- which reassures me that I'm not doing it wrong.

You visual learners will also love that this book is all pictures with minimal text. Have you ever read through a sewing book where it was mostly text? It's ridiculously confusing, full of technical terms and spatial references like "the curve on the side adjacent to the side closest to you." Yuck! Unless you already know how to do it, it's impossible to piece together. Which sort of defeats the point of buying the book. This book does it all in pictures which, I should mention, are superbly photographed. Some books have pictures where the camera is several feet away from the sewing machine and you can't see anything at all. These photographs are taken up close and have comments on the side with neat little arrows showing which part they're talking about. It's an ingenious presentation. I just can't praise it highly enough.

Now, my limitations as a reviewer: I've not used this book extensively, nor am I an experienced seamstress, so I couldn't tell you how comprehensive the material is. Nor have I pawed through every other book on the market for comparison. All I know is that this book works great for me, and everything it presents, it does so spectacularly.

the GOOD:

1. pictures are great. easy to follow (when she takes the time to include enough step-by-step pictures).
2. looks nice. hardback. pink. pretty.
3. extensive. it has things in it some other books of mine don't talk in detail about or mention at all (i.e. buttonhole hand-stitching)
4. i have been using this book as my first go-to book as i proceed to make a dress. it is a good first go-to guide

the BAD:

1. i still have to refer to other books on my bookshelf to get a better description of some things. (i.e. that buttonhole hand-stitching thing i mentioned before. her picture still left me with some questions so i had to refer to 2 other books until i found a better written explanation. then i had to practice on some other fabric since i had not done it before and had trouble at first understanding)
2. sometimes i like another book's procedure better. when i need to install a lapped zipper for the first time, this book explained it fairly decently. but then i found a different procedure in another book that had more photos on how to do it AND i think the procedure sounds like it will produce a better result. i have not tried it yet, but it required more steps and i will do it on my actual dress. right now, i'm practicing on the muslin.

the UGLY:

1. have not found anything yet :)

Having been an avid sewer for over a year now, I was thrilled when I found this book. It has so many techniques, tips, and ideas, that you will never ever get tired of it. I've used it countless times already, and I've only had it a little over a month. I recommend this book to all of my friends as well, since they always come to me with questions about their sewing projects.

I have sewn by the seat of my pants for years; however, I have wanted to get serious about sewing recently. If you are interested in a complete sewing guide, this is the book for you. Please note this book leans to clothing rather than crafts.

Color photos are pretty and helpful. I loved the section on hemming techniques particularly. The only thing is I wished there were more information about the different sewing feet and sewing machine tools out there--the information it had could be summarized as "FYI, there's a bunch of different sewing feet out there". But the plethora of other information, such as about different fabrics, finishing suggestions, and the techniques section more than makes up for that small disappointment.

This book in a one word summary; Amazing!!!!

Totally easy to comprehend, incredibly indexed and step by step instructions. This book is aesthetically pleasing with it's durable cover, beautifully colored illustrations and easy to read print. This book is full of useful information. It has a plethora of different tools, threads, fabrics, stitches, techniques and even ready to do projects.

There is much, much more than I expected and as a beginner in the sewing field, I am ecstatic to start reading through all of the chapters. I highly recommend this book for all persons interested in sewing. You will not be disappointed. This is a book I intend to keep and pass down to future generations.

Some of the included content;
Stitch essentials, many different types of seams, finishes, Darts, Tucks, Pleats, Gathers, smocking, ruffles, collars, flat trim, piped edges, linings, tailoring, mending, and much more.

Projects included;
Drawstring bag, book cover, apron, child's skirt, roman shades, sewing aids, "shopping"bag, baby towel, man's tie, place mats, kimono, baby blanket, bolster pillow, jewelry roll, polar fleece hat & scarf, and a cafe' curtain.

It also has an extensive Directory of Fashion and Soft Furnishings and also a very detailed glossary.

BUY IT, BUY IT, BUY IT!!!!!

I *love* this book! I am a true sewing beginner and have looked at tons of books in the past to help me understand how to put together garments, but none of them have been as helpful to me as this book. Every kind of sleeve, pleat, tuck, and zipper imaginable (and then some) are documented with full-color pictures of the actual fabric laid out in each step. There is also a wonderful, lengthy section on how to read those confusing patterns you buy in the stores, as well as descriptions of the many kinds of fabrics one can work with.

You simply cannot go wrong with this book! It is honestly one of the best purchases I've ever made as far as a hobby/craft book goes.

I have book-stalked this book in Boarders for about 2 months and was delighted to see it here on amazon. Hands down this is one of the best sewing books I have ever experienced. The photos are SO helpful and are very clear in their approach. I think this would be a good book for any home sewist, beginning, intermediate or advanced. LOVE THIS BOOK!

My only wish is that Amazon give their readers a quick look for this title.

This book has been very helpful already! I am a complete novice and I was glad to see a section detailing all the different kinds of fabrics. I am also very pleased with how detailed each section is: altering patterns, attaching sleeves, adding embellishments such as ruffles or pintucks. These are not just one page of instructions, but entire sections! The last section is projects, and there are at least a few that I am interesting in making.