By Alison Smith
CONTENTS
Introduction 7
Tools & techniques 8
Basic sewing equipment 10
Cutting tools 12
Sewing machine 14
Serger 16
Useful extras 18
Cutting out 20
Stitches for hand sewing 29
Machine stitches and seams 32
Reducing seam bulk 38
Darts 40
Gathers 44
Interfacings 46
Facings 48
Waistbands 52
Sleeves 54
Pockets 60
Hemlines 65
Zippers 67
Buttons 71
Buttonholes 72
Hooks and eyes 73
Garments 74
Classic A-line skirt 76
Classic tailored skirt 80
Tailored evening skirt 85
Classic pleated skirt 88
Topstitched pleated skirt 94
Classic shift dress 97
Classic waisted dress 103
Sleeveless waisted dress 108
Classic empire waist dress 113
Sleeveless empire waist dress 118
Classic tailored pants 121
Classic palazzo pants 126
Wide-leg shorts 132
Classic shell top 134
Tie-neck top 138
Classic princess-line blouse 142
Classic boxy jacket 149
Classic shawl collar jacket 154
Lined shawl collar jacket 160
Patterns 164
Glossary 218
Index 220
Acknowledgments 224
Introduction
Making your own clothes is really rewarding. With so many terrific fabrics on sale, you can choose just what you like and create a garment that is totally you. In addition to making something that you won’t find in a store, you can also save money. What’s not to like about that? But the question beginners always ask themselves is: where to start? This book is your perfect introduction. It shows you all you need to know to make a basic collection of clothes—five skirts, five dresses, two stylish pairs of pants, one pair of shorts, three goanywhere tops, and three must-have jackets to give your outfits the perfect finishing touch.
In the book’s first section you’ll find clear pictures of all the gear a beginning sewer requires, followed by detailed instructions for the sewing techniques you need to make the garments to a professional standard. Next come the garments themselves, with photographs of how they’ll look when they’re finished, together with fabric suggestions for each. The clear step-bystep instructions that follow will take you right from cutting out your fabric to sewing on the last button. The final section of the book is the key to it all—the 12 garment patterns. Each of these has been drawn up in a range of sizes, so you’ll also find full instructions for choosing the correct size for you as well as for scaling the patterns up and transferring them to paper. So all you need to do now is choose your fabric and get started. Happy sewing!