An authoritative and comprehensive guide to all sewing techniques and tips, The Complete Book of Sewing provides a fresh, clever update to this modern classic. Packed with modern computer-aided designs, cutting-edge advice on tools, supplies, and fabrics as well as a new, inspirational fabric gallery, and hundreds of specially commissioned full color step-by-step photographs, the book maintains its original appeal, while enticing a whole new generation of readers.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
With step-by-step instructions and illustrations of everything from the different types of scissors to the method for facing a waistband, this sewing manual, revised from the 1996 original, offers beginner and intermediate sewers a wealth of information. Hosegood starts with equipment, moves on to working with patterns and covers threads and fabric types; she then moves into actual sewing: handstitching, making pleats, finishing sleeves and applying pockets, among numerous other topics. There aren't any actual patterns, but there are plenty of color drawings and photographs to guide sewers on their own projects. Each section contains brief introductory remarks, definitions (e.g., the difference between a knife pleat and a box pleat) as well as a sidebar of related techniques. For anyone who needs more guidance than a store-bought pattern provides, this should prove a useful resource.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Chris Jeffreys leads a team of expert sewing writers and contributors on The Complete Book of Sewing. She taught needlework and embroidery for a number of years; since then Chris has contributed as a writer, consultant and editor to many magazines and books, including Essentials, Sew Stylish, and Successful Sewing.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
244 of 245 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I chose this book after carefully examining it against the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing. While the Reader's Digest book occasionally went into better detail about some techniques, I chose this book because it is far easier to see how something should be done. This is largely due to the ample-sized, crisp and clear color photos accompanying each technique. The Reader's Digest book has single color illustrations throughout instead and I find photos much easier to follow.
The fabrics in the photos are presented in basic colors and the fashions shown are timeless classics, so this book won't look out-of-date in a few years like many sewing books generally do. Everything you need to know about any sewing technique is covered is this guide so you won't be disappointed. As a reference, this book is great for beginners (like myself) and advanced sewer's alike (like my mother).
142 of 143 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've done a little bit of sewing--skirts with elastic waists, simple tops, small accessories--but everything I know about sewing I either learned in Junior High Home Ec class, or I figured out (read: muddled my way through) on my own. This book does a wonderful job of going from the very basic to the very advanced. I learned about several things that I was doing wrong, and also about techniques to further perfect what I've already been doing.
One of the most useful chapters for beginners is the chapter called "Tools for the Techniques." It has photographs and descriptions of dozens of tools for those who sew--from the absolute essentials to the things that cost a little extra but make things so much easier. I never would have thought about buying some of these time-saving tools were it not for this book.
The chapter on fabrics is one of my favorite parts. It explains characteristics of and differences between many of the most common cotton, woolen, linen/silk, and synthetic and special fabrics. I would have liked to have seen this section expanded a bit, with more fabrics and more information about each, but for the beginner it is definitely more useful than just walking into a fabric store and wondering which of the myriad fabrics in there might work for her project.
My biggest complaint about this book is that many of the techniques are not described or illustrated very well. When describing a technique, steps are often not illustrated clearly, or are not illustrated at all. Especially getting toward the middle and end of the book, many of the descriptions have me thinking "Huh? You lost me." This book is chock full of wonderful color photos, but they're not helpful if each step is not clearly described and illustrated. It's difficult to get from Point A to Point C when Point B is not labeled. Also, the book says that contrasting fabrics and threads are used in the photos to better show what has been stitched, but in many of the illustrations, the contrast isn't great enough and the stitches cannot be seen. That makes them pretty useless.
Despite this, I know a lot more about sewing than I did before this book, and now I know I have a very good reference to which I can turn when I come across a new technique in my projects. This book will definitely get the novice sewer up to speed on all the basics. I would recommend this book to anyone new to sewing, with the caveat that one shouldn't expect to be able to execute many of the techniques in this book without assistance from other sewers or references.
One of the most useful chapters for beginners is the chapter called "Tools for the Techniques." It has photographs and descriptions of dozens of tools for those who sew--from the absolute essentials to the things that cost a little extra but make things so much easier. I never would have thought about buying some of these time-saving tools were it not for this book.
The chapter on fabrics is one of my favorite parts. It explains characteristics of and differences between many of the most common cotton, woolen, linen/silk, and synthetic and special fabrics. I would have liked to have seen this section expanded a bit, with more fabrics and more information about each, but for the beginner it is definitely more useful than just walking into a fabric store and wondering which of the myriad fabrics in there might work for her project.
My biggest complaint about this book is that many of the techniques are not described or illustrated very well. When describing a technique, steps are often not illustrated clearly, or are not illustrated at all. Especially getting toward the middle and end of the book, many of the descriptions have me thinking "Huh? You lost me." This book is chock full of wonderful color photos, but they're not helpful if each step is not clearly described and illustrated. It's difficult to get from Point A to Point C when Point B is not labeled. Also, the book says that contrasting fabrics and threads are used in the photos to better show what has been stitched, but in many of the illustrations, the contrast isn't great enough and the stitches cannot be seen. That makes them pretty useless.
Despite this, I know a lot more about sewing than I did before this book, and now I know I have a very good reference to which I can turn when I come across a new technique in my projects. This book will definitely get the novice sewer up to speed on all the basics. I would recommend this book to anyone new to sewing, with the caveat that one shouldn't expect to be able to execute many of the techniques in this book without assistance from other sewers or references.
98 of 100 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is so great! I just bought a nice sewing machine but have no idea how to use it. So I went to a bookstore and decided to buy this book for its colorful presentation. I learn how to use my sewing maching just by looking at the step-by-step pictures since they are all very helpful. The colors of the fabrics are presented in high contrast so that the difference is obvious. There are equipment section, pattern, basic technique and professional technique and some more. I recomend it!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Lots of information but instructions not as clear as some other books
I think "New Complete Guide to Sewing (Readers Digest)" and "The Sewing Book: An Encyclopedic Resource of Step-by-Step Techniques" are better books. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Colleen Ng
Comprehensive and Succinct at the same time
I always turn to this book whenever I run into a challenge, and this book always has an answer. I've been sewing for 5 years, and I've bought quite a few sewing books. Read more
Published 23 months ago by moretolerance
Almost the best you can get...
...I just wish it had contained photos of the finished product for each of the skills it teaches. I don't know where the authors would have put them, since there are so many... Read more
Published on March 23, 2009 by deniisu
Very Good for Keeps!!
This book is very illustrative and colourful. Excellent for sewing courses. It was an invaluable help in compiling a portfolio of work which was required for my advance (level 2)... Read more
Published on March 13, 2009 by O. Lawrence
good
I received the product in a timely manner and in good condition. I'm very satisfied with my purchase
Published on February 27, 2009 by Kimberly Colquhoun
EXCELLENT BOOK FOR BEGINNERS
When I received this book I expected a good book based on the reviews i had previously read on Amazon, but when I started going through the pages found that its very comprehensive... Read more
Published on January 26, 2009 by I.M
Great Reference!
I have never sewn before and this book was a great resources. Especially for cutting out patterns & types of stitches. Read more
Published on November 22, 2008 by P. Robinson
The Complete Book of Sewing
Great buy! Book in excellent condition..I'm very happy with my purchase, will definitely make my future purchases thru Amazon.com!
Published on October 20, 2008 by D. Flores
Great for visual learners like myself
I looked at several other books trying to decide what would be "THE Sewing Book" and I decided this one is absolutely the best for me. Read more
Published on September 7, 2008 by Rhonda Hatfield
Great sewing book
This is a very good book for some one who is just learning this skill. Also lots of more advance techniques.
Only problem is it could have better illustrations.
Only problem is it could have better illustrations.
Published on June 14, 2008 by Helios Hawk
Inside This Book
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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parallel padstitch, remove the hosting, main fabric edge, turnhack cuff, integrated facing, facing scam, new foldlines, top collar piece, sleeve hoard, garment shoulder seams, required finished width, hens allowance, hound buttonholes, stretch neckband, blind hemstitch, seam bulk, neck seamline, fitting gathers, plain darts, slashed pocket, armhole seamline, bound neckline, plain ruffle, scam allowances, wrung side Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Side Center Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
parallel padstitch, remove the hosting, main fabric edge, turnhack cuff, integrated facing, facing scam, new foldlines, top collar piece, sleeve hoard, garment shoulder seams, required finished width, hens allowance, hound buttonholes, stretch neckband, blind hemstitch, seam bulk, neck seamline, fitting gathers, plain darts, slashed pocket, armhole seamline, bound neckline, plain ruffle, scam allowances, wrung side Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Side Center Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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