Sew What! Skirts: 16 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics (Spiral-bound)

by Francesca DenHartog (Author)
Key Phrases: elastic waist, desired hemline, waistline edge, Fitted Waist, Stuff You Need, A-Line Skirt (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"With its straightforward instructions and style… a great choice for the no-frills seamstress who wants a little flounce."—Rose Annis, Bust Magazine, November 2006 (Rose Annis Bust )

With its straightforward instructions and style a great choice for the no-frills seamstress who wants a little flounce.Rose Annis, Bust Magazine, November 2006 (Bust )

Product Description
Sewing is back! Young, crafty women are discovering the fun and creativity of working with fabric, needle, and thread to create simple, colorful skirts, suitable for showing off as wearable art. Sew What! Skirts assumes no prior sewing experience (and no home ec. class or mother with sewing skills!), and doesn’t get bogged down with overly complicated instructions or patterns.

Author Francesca DenHartog, a fabric fanatic and sewing instructor, has stripped skirts down to the basics: 15 styles, ranging from an A-line to a circle, wraparound, gored panel, tiered “hippie,” layered, and more. All it takes to get started is basic body measurements (no need to go out and buy an expensive pattern), a machine, great fabric, fun embellishments, and a few sewing fundamentals.

With a creative can-do attitude, playful photographs, and super-simple step-by-step instructions, Sew What! Skirts will connect a whole new generation with the craft of making clothing that expresses your own unique look and personality. It’s all about the fabric, as DenHartog demonstrates with the colorful array of patterns and motifs featured throughout.

Whimsical, colorful, and easy, the designs in this book are sure to unleash the creative spirit of every budding seamstress.

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Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 128 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580176259
• ISBN-13: 978-1580176255
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,685 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

152 of 157 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Free yourself from patterns, October 31, 2006

By	Morgan of the Lake (NC, USA) - See all my reviews

I sew almost every day. I never use patterns. I hate them. I mean, what's the point of putting all that time into making a garment if it's going to look like something you bought at the store?

That's why I design all my clothing and handbags, and this book is now one of my favorites. It doesn't come with built in patterns, but directions for how to measure yourself and make patterns or - better yet -mark the skirt dimensions right on the fabric. What's more, the designs are unique and versatile, and the author encourages personal creativity.
The day after I bought it I sewed the Country Charm skirt using some quilters cotton and another cotton fabric I'd hand-dyed a few days before. The directions were simple, accurate and within a couple of hours I was done. Thanks to the wonderful instructions, my fabric choices and an applique I ended up with unique, wearable work of art and a new style of skirt to sew for myself or others.

It's not often I'm impressed with a sewing book. This one gets my highest recommendation.

81 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference book for sewing a real skirt that fits, January 7, 2007

By	Mia C. Schober-king (Bloomfield, NJ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The colorful presentation goes beyond pretty pictures making me fantasize of sewing 25-piece patterns garments which I just don't have time for. The skirt style I chose fitted in a flattering way. I used the other skirt samples as inspiration for altering my skirt. I have sewn a half a dozen now each taking about 3 hours. Also took apart several garments in my wardrobe and modifed to fit better and embellish. Greatly appreciated all the detailed explanations, instructions and materials list. Very nice job Francesca and staff. I hope to see future titles soon (please). How about an easy jacket.

84 of 86 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One glaring flaw, July 11, 2007

By	Amie G. Glasgow "rosebyany" (Halethorpe, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a terrific book - it's visually attractive, the binding makes it easy to use, the skirts are fashionable and adaptable, many (if not all) patterns show an alternative skirt in the same style, and the directions (and the reasoning behind them) are clearly explained.

But my one complaint is that very little is mentioned about fabric quantities - something one would need to make a completed garment, yes? There is a brief paragraph in the beginning that defines her use of the word "length" and gives a size small as an example, and from there on out there is one quantity given for each skirt. Since one of the reasons for this book is to make a skirt that fits a specific person, this doesn't strike me as enough information. Running out of fabric (and possibly not being able to buy more) would be tragic, and having enough fabric to make two skirts (and not being able to return it) would be frustrating. For this book to be perfect, more discussion would need to be given to such an important topic.

But in every other way I can think of, the book is terrific, fun, educational and effective.