Sewing For Dummies [Paperback]

Jan Saunders Maresh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2004

Do you love to sew—or want to learn how? Then this book will have you in stitches in no time. There’s nothing like the feeling of completing a project using beautiful fabrics and great timesaving tools and then sharing it with your family and friends. Plus, learning to sew will save you money too! Before long, you’ll be stitching your own hems, repairing split seams, sewing on buttons, and much, much more.

Sewing For Dummies is a book for both absolute beginners and experienced sewers. If you’re a stone-cold beginner, you’ll find everything you need to know to sew beginning-level projects—and the book doesn’t assume that you’ve ever even picked up a needle and thread before. If you’ve had some experience with sewing, you’ll find tips and tricks that it took author Janice Saunders Maresh, a nationally known sewing and serging instructor, years to pick up! You’ll discover how to:

• Master hand and machine stitches
• Read a sewing pattern
• Hem a variety of fabrics
• Negotiate sleeves and pockets
• Install zippers, buttons, and other fasteners
• Shape garments with tucks and pleats
• Adjust projects for better fit and function

This updated edition features a fresh 8-page color insert of all the new home decorating projects, including new patterns and instructions for a traditional living room with slipcovered couches and throws; a French country dining room with drapes and slipcovered chairs; and a bedroom with shams, duvets, dustruffles, and window treatments, as well as:

• a bathroom with a shower curtain and towels
• hip and funky tote bags
• the perfect little black dress

Complete with lists of quick fix-it tools, sewing fundamentals, and sewing resources, Sewing For Dummies, 2^nd Edition, is the fun and easy way^® to get the basics and stitch up a storm in no time!

Editorial Reviews

Review

&covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format& -- Ideal Home, February 2003

“…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…”(Ideal Home, February 2003)

“…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…”(Ideal Home, February 2003)

&covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format& -- Ideal Home, February 2003“…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…”(Ideal Home, February 2003) “…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…” --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

&covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format& -- Ideal Home, February 2003“…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…”(Ideal Home, February 2003) “…covers everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format…” --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (August 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764568477
• ISBN-13: 978-0764568473
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 0.9 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (109 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #390,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jan Saunders Maresh is a nationally known sewing instructor, educator and journalist, and has worked as the education director for Viking Sewing Machine Company and as the director of consumer education for JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts. She is the bestselling author of 13 sewing books and a frequent guest on national sewing TV shows.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

321 of 324 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Learn how to sew the easy way. June 29, 2004

By M. E. Volmar

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Knowing nothing at all about sewing, when I first set out to master the craft I went straight to the big-name references (Singer books and the like) only to find either huge guides overloaded with incomprehensible technical information and impractical advice, or beautifully illustrated books with little or no instructions. I was about to give up the teach-yourself-idea and enroll in some very expensive classes when I chanced upon this book. Amazingly by the time it took me to finish studying it (less than a month) I had not only learned to sew, but had also completed several Halloween costumes that earned the praise and admiration of friends and family.
Written in the friendly Dummies style, illustrated with over 200 pictures, drawings, step-by-step diagrams, humorous icon guides and even hilarious cartoons, this book covers all the fundamentals of sewing from general information for beginners to tips and tricks for experienced sewers.
Through simple, yet detailed, fully cross-referenced, clearly written explanations in plain English, and using proper, well-defined terminology, this reference contains all the basics. It includes assembling a sewing kit; selecting fabrics and threads; understanding and using patterns; working with hems, sleeves, pockets, collars, and closures; sewing for the home; and making repairs and alterations. It also offers some projects to test your acquired knowledge and progress, an appendix listing wonderful sewing resources in the US and on the Web, and a very thorough index for quick check-ups and specific consultations.
Although the author could have been a bit more generous with the step-by-step diagrams, which are barely enough to get you through the instructions, and the projects could have been a bit more attractive, even if that meant sacrificing some of their simplicity, this fun to read, informative guide is still in my mind the best how-to reference available on the fundamentals of sewing, especially for those with no prior experience. The excellent instruction and practical tools and advice presented in this volume are well worth the price.
Also recommended: The Complete Book of Sewing: A Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Every Technique by Chris Jefferys.
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

180 of 188 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not very thorough December 28, 2002

By Sara G.

Format:Paperback

I received this book along with another, Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book. As I began to work on my first project, I found myself turning more and more often to the Simplicity book. My pattern called for several techniques that were not described in Sewing for Dummies at all. For instance, the section on darts only covers one kind of dart. My pattern included a curved dart, but I didn't even realize it until I consulted the Simplicity book. Also, I needed to "ease the hem." Sewing for Dummies does not describe what "ease" means, nore does it say how to do it or what the ease-stitch is.

I'm glad I had the other book to compare it too, or I may have never realized how much information is missing from this one.

149 of 161 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for beginners December 30, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you are a true beginner, this book lacks sufficient pictures and diagrams. Written instructions are pretty good. This book runs the gamut from home decor, craft projects, and any type of clothing you'd ever want to wear.