Product Description

- Covers the basic skills and techniques of sewing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7493 in Books
• Brand: QUAYSIDE PUBLISHING
• Published on: 2002-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 11.11" h x 9.11" w x 1.05" l, 2.34 pounds
• Binding: Spiral-bound
• 224 pages

About the Author
Developed by the editorial staff that created the best selling Singer(r) Sewing Reference Library.

Customer Reviews

You gotta start somewhere
This is a solid book recommended by the Sewing Association & after getting this I can see why. There is an intro the machine and hand sewing and then the all important hemming lessons. From there you start with t-shirts! Yes we're off and running already with garments. I was not prepared for this thinking I would be doing pillows and potholders and other nonsense, but no let's get practical. Garments like t-shirts, wrap skirts, pull on pants/shorts head the list. They tell you how to read the pattern and then guide you thru making the actual garment giving you hints and tips to making an easy & wearable piece.

After garments we go home dec and do the pillows, curtains and shades. There are enough projects in here to keep you busy for about 6 months at which point you should know the basics & know where to go from there on your own. Daunting, eh? Well I was impressed and got going immediately. I got really psyched and I think a project a fortnight is doable. They recommend making more than 1 garment of each type to solidify what you know so unless you're very industrious a project a week is a rough haul. This book is easy, approachable and most importantly, inspiring, so much so instead of using my old high school one I actually bought a brand new beginning machine (A Viking Huskystar 207).

If you've been thinking about sewing buy this book and take the plunge. Until I got this book I never realised how much was based on the simple t-shirt (pj's, sweats, turtlenecks). Enjoy.

Before this book, I thought I'd never learn to sew
Sure, your sewing machine retailer may offer lifetime lessons, but what about actual sewing projects? Was the last time you attempted sewing in middle school Home Ec? This book is the answer. It is very well-written with useful photos and highlights important information in a way that it becomes your working knowledge. It offers detailed instruction for window treatments including Roman shades, rodpocket, and grommet curtains, as well as a few clothing pieces. It also offers a section on reading sewing patterns, which can be intimidating to the novice. Other books I've seen have too much information, that it becomes confusing. This is perfect. If you have recently purchased your first machine OR want to do more with your sewing machine than let it collect dust but don't know where to begin, this is the book for you.

Light on the Basics, Heavy on Sewing Projects
If you want to learn how to sew women's garments or home decor items, then this may be a good book for you. But if you want to learn sewing basics using a sewing machine, or want to also sew men's garments, then buy a different book. The "Sewing Basics" section is about 50 pages long, half of which consist of descriptions and photos of tools and supplies. Instructions for basic sewing techniques are limited and brief. There are no comprehensive instructions on the various types of stitches.

More than half of the book consists of "Home Decor" sewing, so, if that's what you're interested in, I recommend that you instead just buy the book "Home Decor Sewing 101" by the same author. I also bought this book, and while there doesn't appear to be overlap between the two books in regards to the projects featured, the Home Decor book is more comprehensive.

I would have given this book an even lower rating, but, it deserves a few stars simply for the nice layout and copious color photos that accompany every page. Additionally, the spiral binding allows the pages to lay flat when open, which is great for using right at the sewing machine.

In summary, if you want a book full of beginning sewing projects, then this book fits the bill. But if you're looking for a good beginner's sewing book with basic techniques, another book might be better.