Customer Reviews

Sewing Secrets from the Fashion Industry: Proven Methods to Help You Sew Like the Pros (Rodale Sewing Book)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a sewing teacher at a college, and I discovered this book in the library as I was looking for texts to improve my skills and knowledge. I got so excited about the book that I read it from cover to cover. I am going to propose that we include this book as one of our textbooks for my Advanced Clothing Construction class to help them learn better sewing techniques and improve their skills. I like all the helpful hints throughout the book, as well as the alphabetical organization. I also like the pictures that show exactly how to measure yourself, and I think the book explains techniques pretty well. The only thing that I think needs improvement is that it is hard to see what they are illustrating in many of the photographs. The reason is because they used bright colored fabrics that look identical on the right and wrong sides, and the thread blends in so well that it is difficult to see. However, if you can follow directions, you can still understand how to do the techniques because their step-by-step directions are pretty good. I want to get one of these books for myself.

As one of those odd ducks who spends the extra time to have custom clothes that fit me properly, I have found that this book is a fantastic aid to creating better-quality clothing in less time than traditional home-sewing techniques would require. Not only does this book give good descriptions of the techniques, but it is arranged alphabetically, allowing the sewer to use it as a quick reference, rather than having to reserve it for study use.

There are also several specialty tools and attatchments described in this book that I would not have known existed, let alone how to use, but these are most often described in sidebars, leaving the main pages free for techniques using basic straight-stitch and serger equipment.

Fantastic!

This is an excellent reference for those who want to make their custom-sewn garments look even better than ready-to-wear and still keep the time involved minimal. The book offers concise, well-illustrated instructions showing how to efficiently perform the most common sewing activities, such as setting in zippers or lining vests, just as they are performed in the industry. In addition, the book is so logically organized, the reader can fine the topic almost without consulting the index or table of contents. This one is now a mainstay in my sewing library

This book is for all of us odd types pressed for time who, nevertheless, love the feel of fabric in our hands, enjoy the process as well as the product of sewing, and who find immense satisfaction in creating individualized, beautiful garments that fit! Or maybe we just love beautiful books on the subject. This one is crammed with up to date techniques on hundreds of topics from the most basic to most advanced. Everything is covered from "crowding" the top layer of fabric while sewing to a flawless method for marking and constructing bound buttonholes to industry standards for seam allowances. Each topic is presented with a perfect balance of detail between text and full color photographs.

The book is bound with a wipable hard cover, is printed on high quality paper, lays flat when opened and its 250 plus pages take up only about 1/2 inch on your book shelf. It is a pleasure to read and to use. "Sewing Secrets" has become almost as indispensable to me as my sewing machine. Every time I open it I learn something new and so will you!

I'd still classify myself as a beginning sewer, but this book is very helpful. I've got a Singer Sewing book that has illustrations that are less clear, in my opinion. This book certainly doesn't take the place of a basic reference, but I'm pleased that I bought it, and I've been referring to it a lot. I consider this book a replacement for someone nearby who is an experienced sewer who would drop by my house and say things like, "you know, you can use invisible thread for that..." and things like that that I'd never know about otherwise. I do have to agree with the reviewer who said the colors of the fabric in the book are not the easiest to look at. As far as I can tell, this is true of all sewing books that include color photographs.

I wanted to know the techniques that make a garment look store bought rather than home made. This book had lots of great tips. No hand sewing at all.........why can't the pattern companies follow this lead ? Easy to read, quick reference information. My only complaint is the photographs can be a little difficult to see..............dark coloured fabric with dark coloured thread or perfectly matching threads so that you can't clearly see the example - should have used contrasting threads.

Anyway, I enjoyed it and would recomemend it.

Karen

I never make a garment anymore without consulting this book. The back section that summarizes the steps to construct various types of garments, with references to detailed descriptions elsewhere in the book is a stroke of genius. I do find that while all of the techniques are well-described, some of the photo illustrations are next to useless. Be warned if you need a good picture to help you visualize a tricky procedure.

This book is worth it's weight in gold! I have been sewing for many, many years and immediately found things in the book that I never knew about. Great pictures and explainations and worth getting for even the most skilled seamstress as you will most likely find something new in this book. The best by far of any sewing book I have purchased. Would recommend highly! A good "read"!

After reading the raving reviews here I ordered this book from Amazon. This book is not "cheap" by any standard and so the price should justify the contents or vice versa....not so. My first impression was that this book offers mediocre sewing information. The colours chosen for the samples are very difficult to look at. If you have aging eyes you will have a very difficult time trying to see what the samples look like. Then when you are able to figure out the samples you will wish you hadn't! The sewing is of a very poor standard.

Usually, when a sewing book doesn't impress me, I will still try to find that *one* technique which is unfamiliar, that one reason to keep the book. With this book, I went through it 3 times and got more annoyed that I paid so much for sub-standard work. For example, the author did a sample of a sleeve cuff, in red plaid fabric. The plaids on the sleeve and cuff didn't match, it looked careless and would have been so simple to do properly. Then there was the stitching of the collar stand that I wish I had not seen or that it was hidden in the hard-to-see colour.

I was also of the impression that this book was an advertising campaign, showing how to use sewing tools (not really necessary in order to produce acceptable work) and notions sold by mail order companies.

There are better books available. If you are a beginner, I would suggest the Singer Sewing books. They are easy to follow and the step-by-step instructions are clearly written, the samples well done. If you are advanced or intermediate then go for books like Claire Shaeffer's, Susan Khalje and others. Claire's book High Fashion Sewing Secrets is by far better value for money and of course ALL the books published by Taunton Press, publishers of Threads Magazine.

This book transformed my sewing. I learned to sew as a child and steered away from clothes with too many details for fear of ruining the garment with bad technique. After reading this book my sewing was dramatically improved.