Contents
PREFACE xii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii
INTRODUCTION xiw
STYLE KEY xvii
CHAPTER 1
The Design Process: Why Construction Should
Matter to the Fashion Designer I
Style I.D. 1
Key Terms 1
Gather Your Tools 2
Now Let’s Get Started 2
The Fashion Designer 2
The Importance of Having Construction
Knowledge 4
The Design Process 5
Review Checklist 12
CHAPTER 2
Getting Prepared: Avoiding Snags 13
Style I.D. 13
Key Terms 13
Gather Your Tools 15
Now Let’s Get Started 15
Know Your Fabric 15
It All Begins with the Pattern 21
Seam Allowance 25
Laying Out and Cutting Fabric 31
Thread Types 45
Needles 45
Stitches 51
Let’s Stitch! 51
Project Preparation 53
Fitting the Garment 54
Pressing Equipment 56
How to Press a Garment 57
Transfer Your Knowledge 58
Stretch Your Creativity 59
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 59
Self-critique 59
Reeiew Checklist 59
CHAPTER 3
Introduction to Stabilizers: Fabricating a Stable
Foundation 61
Style I.D. 61
Key Terms 61
Gather Your Tools 63
Now Let’s Get Started 63
What Are Stabilizers? 63
Why Use a Stabilizer? 63
How to Judge if the Garment Needs
a Stabilizer 63
Who Chooses the Stabilizer for the
Garment? 67
Types of Stabilizers 69
How to Choose the Best Stabilizer for Your
Project 72
How to Apply Stabilizers 74
Vllt
Fabric Stabilizers 75
Stabilizing Tapes 75
Underlining-Fully Covering the Fabric 79
Interfacing Garment Parts 82
Interfacing Tricky Fabrics 83
Transfer Your Knowledge 86
Stretch Your Creativity 86
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 87
Self-critique 90
Review Checklist 90
CHAPTER 4
Darts: Tapering to Fit the Garment 91
Style I.D. 91
Key Terms 91
Gather Your Tools 92
Now Let’s Get Started 92
Stitching Tricky Fabrics 99
Transfer Your Knowledge 104
Stretch Your Creativity 107
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 108
Self-critique 108
Review Checklist 108
CHAPTER 5
Pockets: Building a Handy Compartment 109
Style I.D. 109
Key Terms 109
Gather Your Tools 109
Now Let’s Get Started 111
Interfacing in Pockets and Flaps 111
Pocket Linings 111
Pocket Styles 113
Bar Tacks 129
Closures on Pockets 130
Pockets in Tricky Fabrics 130
Transfer Your Knowledge 131
Stretch Your Creativity 131
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 133
Self-critique 133
Review Checklist 133
CHAPTER 6
Seams: Joining It All Together 12,
Key Terms 135
Style I.D. 137
Gather Your Tools 137
Now Let’s Get Started 137
Let’s Prepare to Stitch 138
Let’s Begin to Stitch 142
Open or Closed Seams 145
Serged Seam Finish 145
Safety Stitch 147
Shaped Seams 147
Piped Seams 149
Eased Seam 154
Gathered Seam 156
Topstitched Seams 157
Sandwiched Seam 161
Intersecting Seams 161
Other Seam Finishes 164
Some Essential Hand Stitches Used for
Stitching Seams 170
More Advanced Seam Stitching 171
Stitching Seams in Tricky Fabrics 178
Transfer Your Knowledge 182
Stretch Your Creativity 183
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 183
Self-Critique 184
Review Checklist 185
CHAPTER 7
Tucks and Pleats: Tailoring a Texture 187
Style I.D. 187
Key Terms 187
Gather Your Tools 188
Now Let’s Get Started 188
Tucks 190
Meats 196
Stitching Tricky Fabrics 201
Transfer Your Knowledge 204
Stretch Your Creativity 204
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 2C ‘
Self-critique 205
Review Checklist 205
CHAPTER 8
Zippers: Fastening Your Way into
the Garment 207
Style I.D. 207
Key Terms 207
Gather Your Tools 207
Now Let’s Get Started 209
What Is a Zipper? 209
Zipper Types 211
Stitching Tricky Fabrics 228
Transfer Your Knowledge 235
Stretch Your Creativity 235
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 235
Self-critique 237
Review Checklist 237
CHAPTER 9
Waistbands: Planning the Horizontal Edge 239
Key Terms 239
Style I.D. 241
Gather Your Tools 241
Now Let’s Get Started 241
Stitching Tricky Fabrics 255
Transfer Your Knowledge 258
Stretch Your Creativity 258
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 259
Self-critique 260
Review Checklist 260
CHAPTER 10
Ruffles and Flounces: Feminine and Fli~ty 261
Style I.D. 261
Key Terms 261
Gather Your Tools 262
Now Let’s Get Started 262
Let’s Stitch Ruffles and Flounces 264
Stitching the Hems 265
Surface Application 269
Seam Application 272
Edge Application 273
How to Press 275
Stitching Ruffles and Flounces in Tricky
Fabrics 276
Transfer Your Knowledge 278
Stretch Your Creativity 279
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 280
Self-critique 281
Review Checklist 281
CHAPTER 11
Collars: Silhouetting the Neck 283
Key Terms 283
Style LD. 285
Gather Your Tools 285
Now Let’s Get Started 285
Types of Collars 286
Stitching Collars Begins with Correct
Patterns 287
Stitching the Collar to the Neckline 288
Get the Stabilizer Right! 289
Collars Stitched with No Neck Facing 290
Collars Stitched with Front Neck Facing
Only 300
Collars Stitched with Front and Back Neck
Facings 304
Stitching Collars in Tricky Fabrics 305
Transfer Your Knowledge 308
Stretch Your Creativity 308
STOP! What Do I Do I f . . . 309
Self-critique 311
Review Checklist 311
CHAPTER 12
Facings: Encasing Un5nished Edges 313
Style I.D. 313
Key Terms 313
Gather Your Tools 313
Now Let’s Get Started 315
Shaped Facings 320
Keyhole and Slashed Openings 325
Extended I Self-Facing 329
Bands 331
Bias Facing 334
Bias Bindings 338
How to Join the Facing to the Lining 339
Other Edge Finishes 339
Stitching Facings in Tricky Fabrics 339
Transfer Your Knowledge 342
Stretch Your Creativity 342
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 342
Sclf-Critique 344
Review Checklist 344
CHAPTER 13
Cuffi and Other Wrist Fiiiishes: Encircling
the Wrist 345
Style I.D. 345
Key Terms 345
Gather Your Tools 347
Now Let’s Get Started 347
Make Sure the Cuff Fits Comfortably 348
How to Choose the Appropriate Wrist
Finish 349
Stabilizing Cuffs 350
Let’s Stitch 350
Open Cuffs 350
Plackets 350
Preparing the Wrist 355
Trims Stitched to the Cuffs 355
Stitching the Cuffs 356
Closed Cuffs 361
Other Wrist Finishes 363
Casings 363
Bias Binding with Ties 365
Shirring Elastic 366
Sleeve Vent 366
Stitching Cuffs and Other Wrist Finishes in
Tricky Fabrics 367
Transfer Your Knowledge 369
Stretch Your Creativity 369
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 372
Self-critique 373
Review Checklist 373
CHAPTER 14
Sleeves: Rounding Off the Arni 375
Style I.D. 375
Key Terms 375
Gather Your Tools 377
Now Let’s Get Started 377
Set-in Sleeves 378
Sleeves Cut-in-One With All or Part of the
Garment 385
Sleeve Heads 389
Shoulder Pads 390
Pressing the Sleeves 392
Stitching Tricky Fabrics 393
Transfer Your Knowledge 396
Stretch Your Creativity 396
STOP! What Do I Do I f . . . 396
Self-critique 398
Review Checklist 398
CHAPTER 15
Hems: Defining the Length 399
Style I.D. 399
Key Terms 399
Gather Your Tools 401
Now Let’s Get Started 401
How to Choose the Appropriate Hem 401
A Smooth, Even Hem Begins with the
Correct Patterns 403
Now Let’s Prepare the Hem 405
Let’s Stitch 406
Bulky Seams 406
Hem Stabilizers 407
Hem Finishes 409
Preparing the Hem 411
Hand-Stitched Hems 412
Hem Stitches 413
Machine-Stitched Hems 415
False Hems 421
Horsehair Braid 423
Cuffs 424
Vent 425
Hem Slit with Facing 427
Stitching Hems in Tricky Fabrics 428
Transfer Your Knowledge and Stretch Your
Creativity 432
STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 435
Self-critique 436
Review Checklist 436
CHAPTER 18
Lining: Covering the Inner Surface 437
Style I.D. 437
Key Terms 437
Extended Contents
Gather Your Tools 437
Now Let’s Get Started 439
Types of Lining 439
The Lining Pattern 441
Full or Partial Lining 441
Full Lining 444
Partial Lining 462
Final Pressing of Lined Garments 468
Lining Tricky Fabrics 468
Transfer Your Knowledge 469
Stretch Your Creativity 470
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 470
Self-Critique 470
Review Checklist 472
Snap Fasteners 497
Hooks and Eyes 499
Belts 501
Stitching Closures in Tricky Fabrics 502
Transfer Your Knowledge 504
Stretch Your Creativity 504
STOP! What Do I Do If. . . 505
Self-critique 506
Review Checklist 506
CHAPTER 18
Finishing Touches: All Sewn Up! 507
Style I.D. 507
Key Terms 507
Gather Your Tools 507
CHAPTER 17 Now Let’s Get Started 508
Closures: Closing the Garment 473 Finishing Touches That Need
Style I.D. 473 Attending To 508
Key Terms 473 Pressing Tricky Fabrics 510
Gather Your Tools 473 STOP! What Do I Do If.. . 511
Now Let’s Get Started 474 Self-critique 511
Closing the Garment 475 Review Checklist 512
Stitching Successful Closures Begins with
the Correct Pattern 476
Extension for Closures 477 Buttons 479
Buttonholes 481 GLOSSARY 814
APPENDIX: WHERE TO BUY 525
NOTES 827
INDEX 528