Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe: Mullin, Wendy, Hartman, Eviana, Orpin, Beci: 9780821257401: Amazon.com: Books

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Sew U: The Built by Wendy Guide to Making Your Own Wardrobe Spiral-bound – September 1, 2006

by Wendy Mullin (Author), Eviana Hartman (Author), Beci Orpin (Contributor)

4.3 101 ratings

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Stitch N' Bitch for sewers complete with 3 full Simplicity patterns from downtown fashion darling Wendy Mullin.

Length

212
Pages
Language

EN
English
Publisher

Bulfinch
Publication date

2006
September 1
Dimensions

8.5 x 1.4 x 9.0
inches
ISBN-10

0821257404
ISBN-13

978-0821257401
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Wendy Mullin is a self-taught seamstress whose hip clothing line Built by Wendy has found fans amongst musicians, artists, and actors such as the Beastie Boys, Natalie Portman, Drew Barrymore, and Pharrell. She was tapped by Wrangler to reinvigorate their label and created the new Wrangler 47 line. Originally from suburban Chicago, she currently lives and works in New York City.

Eviana Hartman is an editor at Nylon magazine, and was formerly a fashion writer for Vogue and Teen Vogue. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bulfinch (September 1, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Spiral-bound ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0821257404
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0821257401
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.76 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.5 x 1.38 x 9 inches

Customer Reviews:
4.3 101 ratings

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Eviana Hartman
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Wendy Mullin
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WENDY MULLIN founded Built by Wendy, a NYC-based line of women's and men's clothing and accessories in 1991. In addition, Wendy authored Sew U and Sew U: Home Stretch and designed a line of sewing patterns for Simplicity. For more information visit www.builtbywendy.com.
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

101 global ratings

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Khadijah Meredith

The best of the best!

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2007

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I've done a little sewing in high school (the ubiquitous home ec. class), but my sister made some amazing dresses that didn't look "home-made" at all, which intrigued and impressed me. I thought I'd do a little investigation into sewing and sewing books, and came upon this gem. I can't imagine a better beginner's sewing book (albeit one for adults and older teens). Just some of the things I love about this book: it is a hardcover, yet it's spiral-bound inside (so it lays flat if you need it as a constant reference for a beginner such as myself); the artwork/illustrations are really beautiful and unique looking; the writing style is very friendly and inspiring; and the book is filled with tips and tricks (such as why a tempting, seemingly logical shortcut is a really bad idea). I've read it cover-to-cover, and I'm on my second read-through now, but this time in an actual hands-on manner. If you're new to sewing (or a bit rusty), this is hands-down one of the best sewing books out there!

8 people found this helpful

Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2006

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This book is perfect for a novice sewer. It includes your basic pants, blouse, and skirt patterns. The instructions are easy to follow and help you with everything starting with the basics all the way up to giving you ideas for making your own embelishments on the patterns as your skills progress. I also liked the few extra pages Wendy adds to the end of each section for making your own notes about your ideas for current and future projects. Best of all the patterns fold up and slip into a nice sleeve in the back of the book for safe-keeping.

17 people found this helpful

Great with a few catches

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2010

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I bought this book as an addendum to my purchase of a new home serger. I've been sewing professionally for a few years, but never attended school for it, and always have had problems with patterns - whenever I make my own, the crotch is weird or the armholes are wrong or the neck doesn't drape the way I want. So I mainly bought this for the three patterns. I was able to make each one in a day, easily and with total success - they all fit great, and/or took only minor alterations to make them fit.

Wendy's detailed sewing instructions are also really helpful, even for someone who is used to constructing garments from scratch. Her tips are worth heeding, and the order of operations help keep you organized during your projects. There are a few basic things that I knew how to do, but I imagine some people would need instruction on, and they are lacking. The pants section does not tell you how to make your belt loops, and fails to explain the process of pressing seam allowances on pockets and then top-stitching them, nor whether or not they're supposed to be sewn into the side seam.

This is a great, useful book, just be sure to read the beginning first, before starting a project, especially if you're a beginner. Things like seam allowances aren't provided on the patterns or in the specific garment sections, so look in the opening chapters for details that apply to all the patterns. THE PANTS IN HERE ARE AMAZING.

14 people found this helpful

Very inspiring!

Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2006

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I absolutely adore this book and the creativity that oozes from the pages! This is not a dull how-to book, but a fabulous kit that guides you through all the steps of constructing a garment (with the given patterns) and then using your creativity to customize. She presents a basic shirt, skirt, and pants pattern and then gives different project ideas to tweak each one for a totally different look. I am a craft/sewing book addict and this is hands-down my favorite new book!

17 people found this helpful

Good starting point for beginners

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2011

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Although I didn't learn how to sew with this book, I could see that it would make a good starting point. You might find that you would need to learn about fitting from another source in order to get the finished garments to fit correctly since it's not an encyclopedia of sewing. I love that Windy gives you many options to customize so you could be make many different looks from one basic pattern.

Spurs Creativity, But Not Suitable For The Complete Novice.

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2008

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Update, 23 May 2010

My opinion of "Sew U" is essentially the same -- it's a fun supplemental sewing book with patterns that would tend to appeal more to teenaged girls and young women with casual tastes. The only thing I would add is that it IS really helpful to have the proper tools -- the author downplays this because she and other contemporary authors of beginning sewing books tend to dumb down things with the misguided idea of being less intimidating to novices.

But if you're not that experienced, it's actually helpful to have specialized tools. A professional has the dexterity to make do with fewer tools, although most pros do have well-equipped workrooms. Fortunately, apart from tools like scissors, many sewing notions are reasonably cheap. You can afford to buy several different kinds of chalks to find the one that works best for you and the job at hand.

To discuss a specific point in the book, I personally find it hard to simply lay down a pattern on fabric, weight it down and cut. The fabric slides. I obtain more accurate results if at least I pin the fabric down and cut. My preferred method, however, learned from tailoring teachers, is to pin the fabric selvages together, pin the two layers together at various places, transfer the paper pattern to oaktag, lay down the oaktag, weighting it if necessary, and to trace the outline with chalk. Then I remove the oaktag and cut the traced outline.

I know it's time-consuming, but following steps like the ones I suggested is why clothes made with professional methods tend to look better. If you decide to pursue this and hold yourself to the highest standards, you'll see what I mean.

******

I bought "Sew U" several months ago. I leafed through it and found it interesting but a little overwhelming, as I have found most sewing books. I did like the author's attempt to demystify sewing, noting that not all the fancy tools are necessary at the beginning, and her suggestions for modifications that the readers can make to the patterns. It's a nice-looking book, in a format that lays flat when open, which is handy for a crafts book.

Having said that, "Sew U" does not connect all the dots for the beginning sewer. A few months ago, I enrolled in a rigorous beginning sewing class at a famous school that specializes in fashion design. I have by far the least amount of experience in the class.

Early on in the class another person saw me with the book and said she'd liked it, but it "left things out." I didn't know what she meant until last night when I was trying to do a class project, making a fitted shirt not unlike the one featured in "Sew U." I flipped to the pages in the book dealing with attaching the cuffs and collar, but the book treats in summary fashion a fairly complicated process.

I had to ask a more experienced student, and if she hadn't been available, I'd have had to consult a truly comprehensive guide, such as the "Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing," the Dorling Kindersley "Complete Book of Sewing," or David Page Coffin's "Shirtmaking."

The style of some of the patterns isn't really to my taste, but I'm not complaining about that; you can tell from the illustrations that the style is laid back -- I figured I could alter them -- mainly, I was looking for a more concise reference book than the ones mentioned above. As noted, this book does have some deficiencies for a guide with its title.

But if you have basic sewing construction skills, you will enjoy the book. I plan to look at the "Sew U" book on knits in the future, but again, I will assume that it is not a standalone text.

73 people found this helpful

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Cliente de amazon

Es un libro perfecto para quien empieza a coser

Reviewed in Spain on August 6, 2023

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Se explica perfectamente cómo empezar desde cero. Trae los patrones base para poder modificarlos y así adaptar tu modelo.

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Michelle P

Fabulous book and a delight to read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 16, 2013

Verified Purchase

I just received this book today. I'd never heard of built by Wendy before discovering it in a couple of blogs.

I am an experienced sewer but rusty and looking for a bit of inspiration and motivation to take the dust cover off of my machine.

I love it. It was just what I was looking for. In contrast to most other books I own about sewing this one is light, chatty and informative. Reading this book is like having a conversation with the author. It isn't just a book about sewing it is her story too.

I will be buying more of her books soon, but first I need to dust off my machine and make something using one the patterns included in this one.

I can recommend this book to all beginners and people like me who need to catch the sewing bug again.

One person found this helpful

Happyfamily

Great fashion sewing book with full size patterns for skirt, shirt, trouser

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2007

Verified Purchase

Excellent book for those wanting to be more creative in their sewing. The book comes with 3 full size patterns for a skirt, shirt and trouser, they come in 4 sizes: XS, small, medium and large, large being the usual size 12 for Simplicity patterns. The measurements for the large size are: bust 38.5", waist 31", hip 42", so if your measurements are equal or smaller than those ones then you will be able to use the patterns. If not, the patterns can easily be made bigger, this however is not explained in the book. What makes this book different from the others are that the author clearly shows you how to make a variety of designs from each pattern, so for example although there is only one skirt pattern, you can make lots of different skirts by altering it (A line skirt, pencil skirt, ruffle skirt, summer skirt, back to school skirt, holiday skirt, spring skirt and so on). Same with the shirt and trouser patterns. The tutorials are clear and comprehensive. The book is aimed at beginners and intermediate sewers.

51 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

I found this book to be practical and very useful. Have tested one of the patterns ( the ...

Reviewed in Canada on September 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

I found this book to be practical and very useful. Have tested one of the patterns ( the skirt) and it turned out fine, except for the waistband. Perhaps more assistance and guidance on this front would have been useful. Have yet to try out the other patterns in the book ( top and pants).

One person found this helpful

miss brunette

The Best Series on Sewing! A Great Book to Start Your Sewing Adventures!

Reviewed in Canada on August 16, 2014

Verified Purchase

I love this series! These are the best books on Sewing that I have found. You will learn solid basic sewing skills and then learn how to modify the pattern to your liking. This allows for more freedom in sewing so that you don't have to always buy a pattern!

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