Best fashion craft books according to redditors
We found 257 Reddit comments discussing the best fashion craft books. We ranked the 116 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
16. The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting
3 mentions
The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting
Here is a great article from NPR laying out the world of men's suits http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/09/05/160607575/the-difference-between-a-99-suit-and-a-5-000-suit-in-one-graphic
There's a great documentary on Netflix called "Dior and I" (translated from "Dior et Moi"). It examines the design of one line of Dior haute couture. It's a French language film. Haute Couture is the most expensive fashion on the market and the right to be called haute couture is regulated with strict rules.
The world of ready-to-wear uses patterns based on average bodies to create garments. Ultra high end ready to wear (most of the stuff you see at fashion week) is meticulously constructed with premium materials and highly skilled techniques.
Haute couture is designed specifically for the body of the client, with design elements scaled up and down to flatter the client's figure and maintain the integrity of the design. A mock up garment is painstakingly created by draping it on a dress form to create the sewing pattern. This garment is tried on by the client and taken apart to trace for the final garment. The garment is hand stitched for a fitting, then hand stitched (often from the front side of the garment.. which is very very skilled and time consuming labor) only the finest materials are used, and the dress is often made with "features" that only the most skilled sewers can accomplish. Dresses have intense structure to best hold and display the drapes and folds. Necklines are painstakingly shaped to ensure that there is no gaping. The most skilled levels of ironing and pressing are used (I'm not kidding here) to shrink and stretch fabric. Similar techniques of pressing and shaping fabric are really only used on the sleeves of fine suit jackets outside of this world. Expensive fabric is used with great care to match design elements across the seam lines, which means that the fabric is not used in a conservative manner. The most labor intensive and technically challenging techniques are used to create a masterpiece.
[Edit] if you're interested in learning about the techniques used in couture sewing, I highly recommend the book "couture sewing techniques." It gives very practical information on the subject.
Definitely. Pressing is part of the process and some of the problem may be that you haven't pressed so you can't see everything that's happening.
I know of many resources. Some of the books are expensive or hard to find. You may be able to borrow them from a library.
Online
Books
Some Japanese men's pattern books can be found here and here.
For Inspiration
I can't make a recommendation for menswear patternmaking books. I plan to take a class this spring and the teacher told me he was going to follow the basic format of a particular book, but he noted that the book had mistakes.
I would start with something basic like a simple top and bottom before you get all fancy. Sewing with stretchy fabrics is a little different.
You will want to use a zigzag stitch or, if you have one, a serger for your seams.
Also you need to become familiar with the concept of "negative ease". Which is the garment is made actually slightly smaller than your measurements so that it is already stretched a bit when you are wearing it. If you buy a premade pattern this is generally already taken care of, but it's something you need to worry about if you make your own pattern.
When looking for stretch fabrics I would suggest looking for 4-way stretch fabrics. I would start with either an athletic brushed poly or a swim type spandex. Absolutely do not use stretch velvet for your first garment; It looks cool but is an absolute nightmare to work with.
I have found this is a good book to use as a reference.
I get a lot of my fabrics from SpandexWorld, Zenith & Quasar and Etsy has some great stuff too.
There is a Facebook group called Sew Aerialists for Polers and Aerialists who make their own stuff.
I've had good luck with patterns from Jalie for stretch stuff, although I've only used their leotard, unitard and leggings patterns.
The pattern is from this book it was the shirt dress, I just added longer sleeves and stiffer interfacing.
I recommend joining the Cutter and Tailor forum, which is a terrific resource. As a beginner, you will not be able to post or ask about jackets until you've learned the fundamentals. Learn to sew shirts, trousers, skirts, and vests before attempting a jacket.
There's is an older edition of the below book that probably is cheaper now.
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Tailoring-Techniques-Menswear-Construction/dp/1628921706/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
Good photos, and discusses hand, machine, and hybrid methods:
http://www.amazon.com/Tailoring-Classic-Sewing-Perfect-Jacket/dp/1589236092/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1G1MR8C41H6P2XHD4KD9
Discusses women's tailoring, but the techniques are good, if somewhat lighther than those used for men.
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Couture-Tailoring-Thomas-Nordheim/dp/1847973736/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1459214116&sr=1-1&keywords=vintage+couture+tailoring
I paid ~$40 for all between eBay and Amazon. The only book I bought new was Amy Herzog's book for ~$20.
Unfortunately there isn't any sort of industry standard - every designer or manufacturer is going to have their own set of measurements they call standard. I have this book and I use it to check their suggested measurements on gloves, hats and socks all the time. For sweaters I am rather fond of patterns that size everything according to finished bust measurement and give finished waist and hip measurements - generally the various sizes are given in increments of 2" (ex. 36", 38", 40", etc.). No need to worry about which one is a size 8 or medium or whatever, just measure!
I haven't started to make my own clothes, but I have taken some in which improve the fit tremendously. I plan on making some pants and I've found the resources below that have been recommended to me either here on reddit by the r/tailor or r/sewing sub and have purchased the books but haven't had time to test out my skills.
Teach Yourself VISUALLY Fashion Sewing
Making Trousers for Men & Women: A Multimedia Sewing Workshop
Joost - Trousers from scratch
How to Tailor Your Own Clothes
Good luck!
edit: formatting
Actually I'm going to tell you NOT to start by altering your own clothes. It is actually easier to make something new than to alter clothing. I suggest you learn to sew from the following books: The Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnik, the SEW Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp and Stitch by Stitch. All three of these books come with patterns for all sorts of projects. Once you graduate to some harder things, and especially if you are interested in sewing 1950s-inspired retro clothing, try Gerties New Book for Better Sewing By Gretchen Hirsch. This book has beautiful patterns and also helps with more couture techniques. Happy sewing!
I would recommend the following books:
New Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing
Old Reader's Digest Complete Guide
Patterns from Finished Clothes
This book: Making Trousers for Men & Women: A Multimedia Sewing Workshop by David Page Coffin.
I cannot begin to describe how fantastic this book is. I went from an "okay" seamster (my word for male seamstress cause I'm not a tailor yet), and when I presented my first pair TO my tailor, his jaw dropped and he said "Ryan, I don't even make trousers anymore."
It covers a little more history than you need, but the book combined with the DVD is irreplaceable. I reference it every time I make a pair. GO FOR IT!!
EDIT: unless you're making jeans, you're most likely going to need to blind stitch the leg openings. And unfortunately, most home sewers don't own or have access to a blind stitch machine. I would suggest simply leaving this part undone, and having your local tailor do it for like 10 bucks max
|i've searched the sub and seen that posts on mens clothing seem to be lacking. P
m me with your "Male. Problems." :D. I am in the vast minority as a male on here so bit me up via
PM if you get stuck.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1589234499/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1406736256&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40
I am literally on the exact same path as you right now. Shirts that I can afford don't fit, and shirts that fit are way too expensive.
First off, go buy Shirtmaking: Developing Skill for Fine Sewing, as all the rookie mistakes you'll make will not be made by reading this book. You will learn about the frills, yes, and you can change your mind about whether or not they are worth your time.
Second off, don't be afraid to make a few "practice" shirts that will never be worn. The process of actually making a shirt will familiarize yourself with the "tough" spots (warned about in the book mentioned above). I'd buy (or make) a pattern and buy some cheap shirt-weight cotton from the bargain bin and some blank paper (for the modified pattern that fits). Make a shirt, see where things went well & where things could improve, modify the pattern, repeat. You'll definitely feel comfortable wearing your third shirt.
However long it takes you to do those two things is how long it will take you to be able to make a shirt you can wear out.
I really like the Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns for things like this.
It's basically a book of recipes. You plug in your gauge, and the size that you want, and it tells you how many stitches to cast on, where to put your decreases, etc. It tells you a lot of about things are actually constructed, so that you can take it and make your own patterns from there.
It does require swatching. So you'd have to find or create your own cable pattern, swatch, get the gauge in pattern, and then work out how to make your hat. And don't forget to swatch in the round if you're going to be knitting in the round!
Also, here's a Rav search for free, cabled, fingering weight hats, in case you spot something there that you didn't spot yesterday. Sometimes a second look can help. :)
Do find your local sewing shop and get the serger in to be looked at. Once it does what you want it will do it FAST and it's perfect for knit clothing.
Tracing existing garments to make clothing is hard! That's why so many flat patterns sell. If you don't want to work with a commercial pattern to start with, consider picking up a good reference book for making knock-off garments (like https://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Finished-Clothes-Re-Creating-Love/dp/0806948752).
(And get yourself a nice french curve for making your seam lines nice and pretty.)
What kind of sewing are you interested in? Is there something you want to be able to make? I make quilts, and I am teaching myself how to make clothing so I recently picked up a few books to help me improve my skill and I really enjoy them.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589235126/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1589234340/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1574327968/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933027002/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I started out by sewing potholders and burp-rags -- rectangles and squares are definitely the easiest things to sew. I can send you the tutorials that I use when I get home (they're save to my favorites). I use Pinterest quite a bit to come up with ideas. I also bought [this One Yard Wonders book] (https://www.amazon.com/Publishing-One-Yard-Wonders-Patricia-Hoskins/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484607417&sr=8-1&keywords=one+yard+wonders), but I haven't made anything from it yet.
I really like this book for doing just that.
I recommend
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knitting-Perfect-Fit-Melissa-Leapman/dp/0307586642/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404892943&sr=1-4&keywords=knit+to+fit
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knit-Flatter-Amy-Herzog/dp/1617690171/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404892943&sr=1-2&keywords=knit+to+fit
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knits-that-Edited-Potter-Craft/dp/0307586669/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404892943&sr=1-7&keywords=knit+to+fit
These have patterns but also how to make patterns fit you, also there are some good video courses on designing your own stuff which i would recommend too, after all, you dont want just 1 thing to wear a few would be nice right?
Recommended books:
Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear
Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket
Vintage Couture Tailoring
I dunno, I think it comes down to learning styles - I'd take a book over a video 9 times out of 10, and I get frustrated when I search for a technique and just get video results :P
Anyways, OP, I liked the patterns in Knit Socks!, but I was already pretty familiar with sock construction so I don't know how helpful the 'how-tos' really are for a beginner. The Amazon reviews are pretty glowing though :P On the other hand, though, it's all one-at-a-time top-downs...
Are you wanting to learn a bunch of different constructions? I think maybe the best thing would be going to the bookstore and flipping through some likely suspects - I.e., does it have a long section on TAAT toe-ups, or does it have one vanilla construction with a few textures thrown on? In the index, how many heels does it mention? (There is no 'best heel', because feet are actually pretty weird in their own way, so it's best to try out a bunch!) And if all else fails, Knitty has spent the last 10ish years reviewing books as they come on the market; I'm sure reading through a few of those would give you a good idea of what to look for, even if you didn't find the perfect title!
It's this one: https://www.amazon.com/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358
I have this book: http://www.amazon.com/One-Yard-Wonders-Sewing-Fabric-Projects/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344757073&sr=8-1&keywords=one+yard+fabric+projects because I have a problem with buying single yards..I haven't made anything out of it but I have plans to!
I agree with all of the answers here. Having never sewn before, it's a huge undertaking making this self-drafted. Your best bet is to take an existing pattern, perhaps something like this, and modifying it. I also highly recommend this book which will help with altering features such as necklines, sleeves, bodices, etc. Take your time and make a muslin test before diving in. Good luck.
My first sweater experience was with Elizabeth Zimmerman's great, clear instructions for an easy basic sweater in this book. I'd highly recommend it.
All the best!
Couture Sewing, especially the second edition, has decent instructions. Her DVD, Couture Sewing Basics Workshop, is informative. Her books on Chanel-style suits are good, but that is a specific kind of soft tailoring. She's supposed to be coming out with a book on more traditional ladies tailoring. Although she's not a specialist, that book probably would be fine for a home sewer. I did not like her 2013 Tailoring Techniques book, finding it a bit superficial.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=claire+shaeffer&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Aclaire+shaeffer
Her most recent books have come with DVDs.
Another good basic book is Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket, primarily for the photos.
https://www.amazon.com/Tailoring-Classic-Sewing-Perfect-Jacket/dp/1589236092/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1524153310&sr=1-1&keywords=tailoring+classic+jacket
I have this book: One yard wonders And it is awesome. Full of simple projects. Clear instructions on sewing basics. A lot of the projects are very cute.
I like the book "One Yard Wonders" - http://www.amazon.com/One-Yard-Wonders-Sewing-Fabric-Projects/dp/1603424490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322711978&sr=8-1
also, check out http://sew4home.com/ - i made a lot of patterns from this site, it's a great source!
Ok, I know this is a little pricey, but this book comes with a ton of patterns you can mix and match, which rocks. They fully explain everything, and you can create your own patterns based on the basic ones they give you (you alter a muslin to be the perfect fit for you and BAM, you have your own custom fit pattern). I am super slowly working my way through this book, it's just taking me ages because I don't really have a good place to work.
Judging by your posting history in this sub, I highly recommend you invest in a shirt-making textbook, like The Shirtmaking Workbook by David Coffin.
This is gorgeous!
I grabbed links a couple of books you might be interested in, if you haven't found them already.
adapting/altering sewing patterns and couture finishing techniques
I found them when I decided to challenge my sewing skills. I really enjoy them both.
I love the book One Yard Wonders. It has a great variety of projects, from cute plushies to clothes for grown-ups and kids to household items. Plus, it includes all the pattern pieces. It's really good for beginners, but not so simple that your friend would get bored with it.
I can personally attest that it is certainly possible to go from zero sewing experience to making mens' garments in a few years, but there is a huge, yawning chasm between home sewing from patterns and becoming a good enough bespoke tailor to garner a brand/reputation. From a basic "where do I get started" standpoint, I recommend having a go at some vests; something super simple at first (Simplicity 2346 is a great starter pattern) and then you can move on to patterns that add details like facings, darts, lapels and/or actual pockets. You get the satisfaction of a functional garment without a lot of complex technique.
When I first started sewing and thinking about how cool it would be to eventually make old-fashioned mens' clothing, I did a lot of googling for books, web tutorials, etc. on the subject... and came away frustrated because the overwhelming message was (and still is) "Fine tailoring is a trade that is still handed down from master to apprentice, and there is really no other way to truly learn it."
Which sounds rather snobby on the one hand... but on the other I think the real issue is not that the knowledge can't be communicated by any other means than old-fashioned apprenticeship, but that it's just not really worth the time and effort it would take someone to write an extensive book/shoot a DVD containing it all; there's no way it would ever sell enough copies to be profitable, so nobody's ever bothered.^
I haven't gotten into production sewing garments yet, although I do make accessories; I don't think I'll ever make a living at it, but I've done OK on Etsy and at local shows. Over the last year or so I've been thought about targeting a niche market: vintage clothing enthusiasts, but come away discouraged. While I may know how to assemble a vintage style newsboy cap or flat cap, I really don't know anything about the historically accurate details (construction, materials, etc) that vintage people would be looking for; if I wanted to establish a strong vintage style brand I would need to invest a whole lot more energy in learning all about the market, which doesn't really interest me. Similarly, even if devoted the next 10 years teaching myself traditional tailoring (cutting, drafting, sewing, fitting) I would still be lacking so much general industry/marketplace knowledge that I'd be lost trying to compete at that level.
I don't actually mean to be discouraging - these are just my observations as someone who first touched a sewing machine five years ago with similar daydreams. You can certainly learn to sew and become very good at it, and even make some money if you can find that sweet spot where you can sell your products to enough people at enough of a profit to make it worth your time and materials. But establishing a fine fashion brand requires a whole other level of knowledge outside of the nuts and bolts of actual sewing, and without making the conscious effort to immerse myself in that world (and without having the background, connections, or money to afford my own products) it's not a realistic goal. So I spend a lot of time thinking about those niches where I do have both the sewing ability and domain knowledge to tap into a market. And I try to keep making new/more complex garments; that's the other thing about apprenticeship, you spent a lot of time doing basic, repetitive tasks over and over again, far more than most people would when sewing as a hobby. Hard to become a pro at something when you can only spend the occasional evening/weekend working at it on top of a full-time dayjob.
That being said, there are some books out there on the subject of tailoring... but all of the ones I've looked at assume a fair amount of sewing knowledge up front; I've never seen a book that starts with "This is how you use a sewing machine" and concludes with "Here is your custom-drafted three-piece suit." I'm trying to work my way towards drafting by way of sewing from commercial patterns, so I can get an overall sense of how garments are constructed before attempting it myself; once you have a grasp of both technique and construction, you can start to mix and match them to get the results you want. You should definitely check out three books by David Page Coffin:
David also learned to sew as an adult and in the introduction to Shirtmaking he explains that the book is an exploration of how to construct fine quality, bespoke shirts in a home-sewing context; that is, without a lot of the specialized equipment or assembly line techniques that a production shop would be likely to have. It's an astoundingly thorough book, but very accessible. Making Trousers for Men and Women takes a similar approach with pants, detailing the overall construction of trousers as well as the many variations and finishing touches that can be applied to them. And if nothing else it's encouraging to see how much a person can learn on a subject as an adult!
Oh, I understood.
As for resources, here's what I suggest:
A good sewing class at a community college. I took classes at a fashion-oriented one and in under four months I had learned how to sew on an industrial machine and done several seams and seam finishes, basic hand stitches, two types of zippers, facings, a skirt with zipper, darts, waistband, and closures and a fairly complex woman's blouse (it had 14 pieces). At the end, I didn't do any of these things as well I would have liked, but I knew the fundamentals and what I had to improve on. All projects were in some kind of cotton because it is easy to work with.
In the second sewing class, I learned welt pockets, made corduroy pants with a waistband and fly, and sewed a wool jacket with patch pockets and a bagged lining. Again, I learned a lot, but there was still plenty of room for improvement. Then I took tailoring and couture classes and menswear classes.
A community college setting is good because there's a curriculum into which they have put some thought and by law, they have to make sure you do the work. It's also usually cheaper than private classes if you qualify for the in-state rate.
If you can afford it and want to do things on your own schedule, private classes are great. I would have a teacher show me how to fit and modify a pattern and teach me to sew it. One source for teachers is the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals.
Online, I recommend the University of Fashion because the teaching, in general, is very good. For pattern making and draping, they tell you the sequence of videos to watch. I think that the sewing videos aren't organized that way, but if you need to look up a technique, it's very easy.
If you want a complex project, I recommend Susan Khalje's The Couture Dress on Craftsy. Even if you don't use the pattern that comes with the course, she teaches very good methods. Couture-style sewing is actually good for beginners because there are many more steps that give the sewer more control. It was only after a basic couture class that I really began to improve because I needed to break down the process more. Khalje also teaches a lace skirt class, but the lace used is pretty expensive. As you may know, Craftsy offers frequent sales.
There are many good sewing books, but any edition of The Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing is decent. It's a really encyclopedic home sewing book. If you ever look into tailoring, Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket and these books for men and women are very helpful.
Elizabeth Liechty's Fitting and Pattern Alteration is usually considered the most comprehensive book on that subject.
All these books are available in the library if too expensive to buy.
I'd recommend picking up a sewing book that comes with patterns, like the Colette sewing Handbook or BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook
I have both. The Colette book is laid out kind of like a lesson plan where you sew all the projects in order, and they gradually introduce new techniques. They cover a lot on fitting, but not a ton on modifying the pattern to look different.
The BurdaStyle book is laid out in a more "traditional" way, so all the reference stuff is at the front, then they move onto the patterns. The book has great details and ideas on changing up the patterns to suit your preference.
I also picked up Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing recently, which if you're into vintage style clothing, I'd recommend you pickup later on. (it's a more intermediate-level book, so I would recommend working on other patterns first.)
I don't know how much you know about corset making, but I recommend you use coutile or duck cloth to reenforce your corset. I'm also a big fan of steel bones if you aren't already using them. http://www.corsetmaking.com/ and http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/ are both great suppliers of quality corset making supplies. This is also a good book about corset construction, it's basic, but through. Sorry if I'm saying things you already know. Your corset is beautiful!
Yes! My favourite sewing book is all about exactly this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00L2223DM/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1462594687&sr=1-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Claire+B.+Shaeffer&dpPl=1&dpID=61NyFHd8qDL&ref=plSrch
The author also does a bunch of other books in a similar vein, with slightly more specific focuses (like tailoring and trim), but I haven't had the money for those ones yet.
Sweater Design in Plain English is a great resourse, though it may be more detailed than you really want. (It goes into how to design a sweater from scratch.)
Knit to Flatter goes into ways to modify existing patterns by changing details like length and necklines. I don't think it talks about sleeves much, though.
Knitty has an archive of Thinking Beyond the Pattern articles, which go into a great deal of pattern modification, including sleeve types. (The articles are listed in reverse chronological order, so it makes more sense to read them from the bottom up.) I think this is your best starting point, plus it's free!
I bought this book. I recommend Truly Victorian patterns. They are copied from period patterns and have fine details that will lend a look of authenticity to your stuff. For instance, in order to help with fit the sleeve at the top of the shoulder is angled from the neck to the back of the arm (varying degrees depending on the year) which makes that top of the shoulder on the bias. A modern pattern maker won't do that, but the Truly Victorian ones will.
I personally don't think you are too old.
I used to sew for fun when I was 16, stopped after leaving school and began again at the age of 23/24. I have been steadily re-learning all of the techniques I was taught at school, and have been attending college courses on sewing and dressmaking too. I am now at the stage where I am working on my own project portfolio, but will happily admit that I am still learning lots of new things.
I will agree with /u/heliotropedit though. you do have to be completely 100% dedicated to learning everything you can.
You will end up spending hours and hours practicing the same techniques over and over again. You will want to quit at times and need to motivate yourself to carry on and push through to the end. You'll want to cry on occasions at how tired you are and how you feel that your work simply isn't good enough and how it never will be. You will see other people wearing beautifully crafted garments and feel angry at your own lack of skills. but when you finally break through and create a perfectly drafted and constructed garment, you will realise all of that time, pain, upset and sheer panic will have been 100% worth it.
But before you ever reach this point, you need to be completely certain that it is what you want to do, the tailoring profession is very difficult to break into and it takes true dedication and sacrifice and time (years) to make it.
NB a few good books to help:- (the first three books are good for beginners, the last 4 books are aimed at the more intermediate level sewers)
Easy Does It Dressmaking
The Sewing Book
The Dressmakers Handbook
Couture Sewing Techniques as recommended to me by /u/heliotropedit.
Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques
Classic Tailoring Techniques: Menswear
Classic Tailoring Techniques: Womenswear
I really like Johanna Lu of The Last Stitch channel and she has a book out called Sewing Activewear and a playlist for Sewing with Knits.
1- Sloths can cheer anyone up!
2- For when you learn to knit again!
3- The other day I had a practical physics exam and misheard what we were doing it on, so I spent hours revising the complete wrong topic and I almost know for a fact I have completely failed this and it counts at 25% of my years work which sucks.
4- I think any one of these 3 would make a cool key ring :
Orca
Shark
Wailord
I always recommend the Reader's Digest Guide and Vogue Sewing to anyone looking to start a sewing library. They cover very similar ground, so take a look inside each. I prefer Vogue most of the time, but it all depends on how she learns best.
Knit Socks is the book I learned from. It assumes you have basic knitting knowledge, but takes the process of knitting socks very slowly.
However, I highly, highly recommend starting with the tutorial sock. Use a worsted weight yarn, and large needles (size 10?) so you can see what you're doing. Once you've made a cute little sock (use it for a Christmas ornament!), then you can go full-size using the book I mentioned.
After that, I found Sensational Knitted Socks to be very good, if a bit dense. It fit very nicely with my programmer mind. :)
My current favorite method to make socks, is toe-up, using this generic pattern. And this bind-off for the cuff.
Yikes, I just went to try this and all the dresses available on amazon.ca are the fast fashion/low quality type that I just can't dig :\ I don't wear jeans/trousers/slacks/shorts because I find them uncomfortable, so I need me some robes! I'm gonna make my own dress robes.
Construct a full pair of pants for yourself from a pattern as a muslin and then use that to tailor. To size down it's a lot easier once you know how pants are constructed and there's essentially only three places that get trimmed. If the pants have butt pockets like jeans style then you shouldn't go down more than 3 sizes but for dress slacks you can essentially whittle them down as far as you like.
Here's a very good sewing book I recommend https://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/
My sister got me this book for Christmas last year and it sounds like it's right up your alley:
Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time: The Ultimate Dressmaking Guide https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0770434940/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_K146BbPZAB490
It has instructions for several styles of bodice, skirt, and necklines. It should give you a good start on bringing your design to life!
I have been sewing for what seems like forever. I mostly sew clothing, corsets and costumes and have done a lot of embellishments. Not sure what types of projects you’re interested in but the book Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Shaeffer is a must have for anyone wanting to learn hand sewing techniques as it applies to sewing clothing. Its beautifully illustrated, has clear photos and easy to read instructions to learn and apply any and all of the sewing techniques you would want or need to create a couture garment. The book shows everything from the most basic stitches to advanced techniques.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/259-1357415-7367116?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1600853358&pd_rd_r=4d9997ec-7940-11e9-a9b2-57670b156927&pd_rd_w=NWeji&pd_rd_wg=fgcr5&pf_rd_p=18edf98b-139a-41ee-bb40-d725dd59d1d3&pf_rd_r=397B75RS3KFC698DJWNG&psc=1&refRID=397B75RS3KFC698DJWNG
I bought The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns on a whim, and now I've got the sweater one and the top down sweater one too. I love them so much. I'm tall so I was constantly having to adjust patterns and it was driving me mad, paying £5+ for a pretty cardigan pattern then having to re-write most of it to make it fit! Now I don't bother, I make my own patterns to fit me properly.
What about this pattern? Took me about 4 month of trial an error to learn to sew. and the whole thing was handsewn. Ended up remaking it and it took 6 months of off and on sewing while I was working 50-60 hr weeks at a new job. Three may be a stretch but one by 2016 by hand sewing and not knowing up from down sounds perfectly doable. The Vogue Sewing book was a tremendous help in learning and and i like the old copy from the '70s that i have more than the modern one. There are some content differences but no egregious omissions.
Honestly, $335 seems more than reasonable for a tailored item. 2 years is a long time to save up. I would probably charge more if I did the commission (sorry, i don't take commissions right now). Looking at the other items on that etsy page, the sewing quality could be better but its not terrible. The fit of the Narnia dress is too baggy for a custom item and that's with the back completely cinched tight. You can see a bit of seam puckering along the back seams and front neck line. The last picture of the Girls Civil war dress are a it suspect . Quality of the top looks pretty bad but that could be due to it being way too big or not so great posture on the girl.
Find someone local for the commission if you can. Even the best seamstress in the world wouldn't be able to tailor the suit to your body from across the webs.
Here is the desktop version of your link
I have a copy of The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd, and it is more or less the only knitting book you really need. Basic patterns for socks, gloves, mittens, hats, sweaters, in multiple sizes and gauges, you just figure out your gauge(which it explains super clearly) pick a size, and then start knitting. Add whatever fancy touches you want, that you saw online. XD I'm doing a pair of fingerless gloves with a lattice cable right now, from the basic glove pattern.
While I'm sure there are other fab resources out there, this is the only one I actually own and it hasn't steered me wrong yet. So I can only vouch for this being a solid investment.
Hmm.. No replies? 8 days ago? Not sure how this snuck by me, I camp sewing/new like it's my job. Better late than never, and I'll be thorough to make up for it:
First, the bad news. There aren't any good men's wear patterns.
Just kidding. ;) I'm exaggerating, but unfortunately, not by much. Good men's patterns are few and far between, especially compared to the plethora of amazing women's patterns, and what's available is a bit limited. Judging from pattern company offerings, most men are either chefs or nurses, and they spend all their free time sleeping. There are a hundred patterns for scrubs, pajamas, and bathrobes. It's still a good idea to start off with commercial patterns though, if only to get a feel for how garments are made and how the pieces fit together. A lot of the basic shirts and pants are good starting points. Here's some of the better things available for men:
A lot of people recommend patternreview.com, but I think the site is so hideous and hard to navigate that it's not worth the time.
Now the good news! Drafting your own patterns for yourself is actually pretty easy. Start with ready-to-wear patterns so you can learn the basics of how you get from a piece of fabric to a completed, wearable garment. Then move up to taking a purchased garment you like, copying it to paper, adding seam allowances, and making your own version. And then from there, you should be ready to just draft your own.
A couple random bits of advice:
You need an iron and ironing board/surface too. It's just as important as your sewing machine. Press all your seams; pressing is what keeps garments from looking home-made in the not-so-nice Little House on the Prairie kind of way. Coffin recommends a dry iron in Making Trousers; I've got a steam iron. Whatever floats your boat.
Make sure your presser foot is down before you start to sew. The feed dogs will eat your thread and make a snarly mess on your fabric if you don't. I had an unhappy start to sewing because I used to forget this. :)
Don't worry about notions yet. To get started, you need your sewing machine, a good iron, good sharp shears for cutting fabric, machine and hand needles, thread to match your fabric, and pins. A seam ripper, seam guide, silicone thimble, and point-turner round out my basic kit and are nice to have, but you don't actually need them. You can ignore the bewildering array of extras for now and save your money. (I mark fabrics with a number 2 pencil and weight down the pattern pieces with heavy beanbags I made with fabric scraps. Heresy, I know, but I'm not made of money.)
Don't use your sewing scissors for cutting anything other than fabric. I like to use a fine-point sharpie to write dire warnings for those who would even think about cutting paper with them. Skulls and crossbones and everything.
Needles and pins get dull over time and aren't meant to last forever. The strawberry attached to the tomato pincushion is an emery/sharpener thing that'll keep them going a little longer, but you'll eventually need to replace them.
Be choosy about who you make things for. People will ask for things when they find out you know how to sew. Personally, I only sew for people on the Kidney List, which is to say, if I would give you one of my kidneys, I'll make something for you. People are so used to easily available cheap things that they don't understand how much time, effort, and money go into hand made items. If the person isn't on the kidney list, they should pay you for your efforts, or at least trade you something of equal value.
I'm going to plug this book since it was written by my brilliantly talented sewing teacher. It has just gone into its second printing, so it is on backorder, but well worth the wait. It really has everything you need to understand and manipulate a pattern to fit yourself. I can't recommend it enough. You will love having well-fitting patterns so much!
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Photo-Guide-Perfect-Fitting/dp/1589236084/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335300541&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Flatter-instructions-youll-sweaters/dp/1617690171/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1368252978&sr=1-1&keywords=knit+to+flatter
BONUS JONAS
Oregon--The company is called Made In Oregon. They can't lie about that, right? ...Right?
I found your name in this album. I didn't know your butt was that of a monkeys
Fear cuts deeper than swords
Edit: name and gift card.
My brain just about exploded when, in reading Knitting Without Tears, EZ suggested not wrapping yarns in Fair Isle/Intarsia.
Mock up, mock up, mock up. You will need a fitting buddy. And you will want to fit it WITH bones (just slam on some tape for channels and slide them in). Most dress forms tend to be less than useful for checking these, as they are not squishy enough.
Linda Spark's book is more geared towards victorian corsets, but has a lot of good, basic info on materials and finishing. It also talks about mock-ups and fitting - not all of the notes will apply for this period, but it is a good point of reference.
The best material for a corset is a coutil - it is a twill weave with minimal stretch. You can get it in a basic finish, and do it with a fashion fabric, or Farthingales has some absolutely beautiful brocades and other fancies. They are expensive, but you don't need a lot of fabric for a corset.
When it comes to boning, some folks will say zip ties - these are cheaper, but I prefer spiral steel for this period. Spring steel/flat steel is fine for later periods, but 18th tends to have the bones closer together so you want something with a bit more give.
Do you mean Knit to Flatter? From your recommendation, I searched for the book and that's the one I found.
I have an old Vogue Sewing book. It is fantastic for techniques and fabrics and pattern help.
http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002
This is my go-to book when I need an answer.
Bridal Couture by Susan Khalje has a great section about working with lace, as does Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Schaeffer.
No problem, let me know if you have any other questions. Pyrogirl mentioned this book, which I bought for a class. It's quite excellent and has good descriptions of techniques if you're interesting in high-end sewing.
In addition, the same author has a book about working with various types of fabric. You can find the page on lace here.
You may have some difficulty marking the lace as normal home-sewing techniques (wax paper, pencil, chalk, etc) dont like to show up on sheers. If you're up to it, thread-trace everything. This will yield the best results but can be time consuming as hell, especially if you're not used to hand basting. Otherwise, mark with pins or safety pins.
If you're working off of a commercial pattern, you can simply aline edges instead of marking stitch lines, but make sure to take a good look at the seam allowance before hand. Most commercial patterns have 5/8" allowance, more than enough to finish with a 1/4" french seam, but it's always good to check.
I found a copy of Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman at the used bookstore for ~$3! It's been on my Amazon wish list for awhile now, so I was super excited when I saw it on the shelves.
A bit. I used the instructions from the Amy Herzog book, Knit to Flatter to add some shaping.
https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Flatter-Instructions-Youll-Sweaters/dp/1617690171
$13.42 is as close as I've got.
For books I highly suggest the following books:
http://www.amazon.com/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372453039&sr=8-1&keywords=couture+sewing
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Photo-Guide-Perfect-Fitting/dp/1589236084/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y
The first one is great if you ever have an interest in doing high end stuff properly, and the second one is just super useful. Great guide to altering existing patterns and making your own!
Both Vogue and Readers Digest have pretty good books that cover a majority of techniques. That will cover the basics, but if you think she would like something a little more fun and less textbook-y, you could try this and this. The authors both have blogs that I follow, and I really like them!
Gertie's book is wonderful, I've been able to learn so much from it! She also has a blog.
May I make the radical suggestion of learning to sew yourself?
There are classes, and once you have a sewing machine, it's relatively easy to start to make things from patterns - maybe try somthing simple first, and then move onto editing or even making your own patterns from clothing scaled up or down in the right places (I'm currently doing this with a project, and it's relatively easy using deconstructed clothing [a footed sleeper in my case] as a good starting point.
If you need more information on this kind of subject, books such as the Readers Digest guide to Sewing ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Readers-Digest-Complete-Guide-Sewing/dp/0276446410/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325004944&sr=1-1 ) or the Vogue sewing guide ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vogue-Sewing-revised-updated/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325004950&sr=1-1 ) tend to be fantastic (I own older editions of both of these books, and they are well worth getting!).
Other than that, I'm sure that some of the shops like Privatina may well be able to help you if you send them an email...
http://www.ehow.com/search.html?q=sewing&skin=corporate&t=all
These are not bad, however, in my learning experience, I have never really been able to find a good solid source for sewing videos. Most of the time, only some videos are good from a specific person or company. I usually end up just researching a certain topic until I find a video that is decent. If you are on YouTube, check the ratings so you don't waste your time with ones that others deem terrible. : )
That being said, here is a good list of a variety of people/companies and their videos.
http://sewing.about.com/od/publicationsandmedia/tp/sewingvideos.htm
Blog tutorials can be very helpful. This blog post was where I first learned to sew on a zipper. (And make a handy little coin purse / ID holder) :D
http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2007/02/had_a_quiet_wee.html
I know you said videos, so this may not be very helpful to you, but I learned the most from this book.
http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311004049&sr=8-1
It has very basic and advanced techniques. It includes tons of pictures and is written so that anyone can understand it even if you have never touched a sewing machine. I've yet to go through the whole thing and is always my go to place when I want to learn something new.
Good luck and congratulations! :)
I am SO with you. It drives me crazy when I can't get things to match up the way I want them to. Very precise cutting helps (I am so bad at scissors!), as does using tailor tacks instead of chalk/pen markings. The best way to get perfect matching seams is (after you have precisely cut and marked) to hand baste instead of pinning, and to always baste and ease your curves. Since all of that is time consuming I tend not to do any of it and then curse myself later.
Book recommendation!
MAKEUP!! I'm a huge fan of it in general, loving NYX and BH Cosmetics at the moment.
Also super cool that you get to learn about lasers and microscopes, I'm a little jealous.
Sewing is tricky! I highly suggest checking out Vouge Sewing it really helped me a lot with understanding how to alter patterns, and determining how to figure out what part of the dress is or isn't fitting right.
If you can only spend $50, you can't buy a tight-lacing capable corset for that much. You may however be able to make your own. See if your library has books like this
http://www.amazon.com/Waisted-Efforts-Illustrated-Corset-Making/dp/0968303900/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333199178&sr=8-1
and this
http://www.amazon.com/The-Basics-Corset-Building-Beginners/dp/0312535732/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333199178&sr=8-2
I recommend David Page Coffin's shirtmaking or trousers books. Plenty of helpful tips, equipment suggestions, guides on how to do small things, and you'll be able to wear what you make.
Shirts: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1589238265/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_VafJDbJPXMT7P
Pants: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1589234499/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HbfJDbGG1FTAA
[This book] (https://www.amazon.com/Knitting-Without-Tears-Easy-Follow/dp/0684135051) helped me a lot. Also it helps to have a person teach you one on one if you can find someone to show you.
I taught myself to knit socks using the book KNIT SOCKS! It's even shaped like a sock (the book is). I found the instructions to be very helpful, and the patterns are varying levels of difficulty in case you want a challenge.
Here it is on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Socks-Betsy-McCarthy/dp/1580175376/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1416946884&sr=8-4&keywords=knit+socks
Relatedly, you might enjoy this book. I bought it before realizing that I need to work on some basic skills first, but if you're interested I can flip through a little more and answer any questions you might have about it. Just reading the first few chapters, I liked it, even though it was a bit complex for me.
I think /u/LaLocaChristina should get a gift as she was nice enough to gift me. Here Item
I don't have a workspace, I just use the floor, but I can give you some book ideas. I've recently been really into learning about Haute Couture and Claire Shaeffer's books have been very helpful. I find her books super informative and easy to read, and I can easily see myself applying many of her techniques to every day sewing. The books I've enjoyed so far are Couture Sewing Techniques and Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide. I really want a hard copy of the latter as it's a fantastic reference, I have the kindle edition right now. She also has another fabric guide book that is much less detailed that is handy too. Another good book is Vogue Sewing which was one of my first sewing books and is a very useful reference for anyone, especially if you're following a pattern with unfamiliar techniques.
Also, don't be intimidated by the word couture. I know people generally associate it with super fancy difficult sewing, but Claire Shaeffer breaks down the techniques really nicely and I feel like I have a better understanding of how sewing works on a general level now. It's not scary and I'll definitely be using many of the techniques on my next project!
Thanks! The bags are out of this book which has some really cute projects in it.
If you are trying to be frugal about it, sewing your clothes isn't the way to go. It may be good to learn a lot of mending techniques and how to alter clothing.
Answering the actual question:
I second Craftster.org, but also Burdastyle has a ton of free patterns that you can cut out. The two books I refer to most for information are teh vogue guide to sewing (which as an almost encyclopedic how to on every basic thing you would need to know) and the High fashion sewing, which helps you refine your skills by teaching how to correctly do different seams (also explains when and why you would use them.)
Vogue book:http://www.amazon.com/Sewing-Revised-Updated-Knitting-Magazine/dp/1933027002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269758900&sr=8-1
High fashion:http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Sewing-Secrets-Worlds-Designers/dp/1579544150/ref=pd_sim_b_28
You can definitely get teh vogue one at teh library.
Another thing I would highly recommend is to purchase a serger. It cuts down on time and finishes all of your seams to keep things from raveling. It can cost a decent chunk up front, but if you are planning to make clothes, I've found that it keeps them neat on the inside and makes them last longer to fave nicely finished seams.
A guide to making my own corsets is pretty unique, right?
Honestly, I've not gotten any comics in a while, because the comic book stores here tend to stock the more generic types. I like when a book has some sort of humour- if it's just "oh my gawd life is so angst" all the time, I get bored. Representation is key- it's nice when there are female characters, LBGT characters, what have you, who have other traits beside stereotypes. And I also quite like stories that I can see happening right now- I'm a sucker for any sort of fantasy that takes place just under the radar of modern life, you know?
I don't know my model number by heart either... Hm youtube videos have helped me loads too! And books! I got this one and it's proven quite helpful and fun. Maybe you could get one on quilts if that's what you wish to do?