Sewing
Book - 2025
This complete guide to sewing basics teaches you basic hand stitches and sewing machine operation, with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step illustrations. You'll work your way forward to develop the skills to create or repair clothing and furnishings that fit your personal style, your measurements, and your aesthetic. Find great patterns in stores and online, give thrift store finds new life, and learn about cool new fabrics and sewing trends. You'll also get an overview of common sewing mistakes and how to avoid them, so you can take up this relaxing, creative hobby with confidence. A full-color insert brings the text to life.
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- Subjects
- Published
-
Hoboken, NJ :
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
[2025]
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Edition
- 4th edition
- Item Description
- Includes index.
- Physical Description
- xiv, 416 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (some color) ; 24 cm
- ISBN
- 9781394279555
- Foreword
- Introduction
- About This Book
- Foolish Assumptions
- Icons Used in This Book
- Beyond the Book
- Where to Go from Here
- Part 1. Ready…Set…Sew!
- Chapter 1. The World of Sewing from 30,000 Feet
- Getting Started: Gathering Tools, Fabric, Pattern, and Your Sewing Machine
- Using good tools
- Understanding fabrics and fibers
- Getting the sewing notion
- Pondering the pattern
- Sizing Up the Sewing Process
- Preshrinking fabric
- Finding the right pattern pieces
- Laying out the pattern on the fabric
- Pinning and cutting
- Marking
- Interfacing
- Pressing for the best shape
- Moving On to the Needle and Thread
- Finishing the edges first
- Shaping
- Seaming
- Closing
- Hemming
- Adding Fashion Detail with Sleeves and Pockets
- Sewing for the Home Is Where the Saving Is
- Doing Your Part for the Planet with a Sustainable Wardrobe
- Chapter 2. Tooling Around: Assembling Your Sewing Kit
- Making a Sewing Survival Kit Inventory List
- Measuring Up
- Cutting Up (without Cracking Up)
- Marking Up
- Holding Down Your Projects
- Getting to the Point with the Right Needles, Thimbles, and Seam Rippers
- Selecting needles for hand sewing
- Selecting needles for sewing machines
- Using a thimble: a maybe or a must?
- As ye sew, so shall ye rip
- Selecting Thread for Your Project
- Pressing Issues
- Real Machines: Sewing Machines and Sergers
- Working with a sewing machine
- Finding your way around a serger
- Chapter 3. Fabrics, Findings, and Interfacings … Oh My!
- Choosing the Right Fabric for Your Project
- Figuring out fiber
- Getting to know common fabric types
- Taking fabric nap into consideration
- Considering fabric width and yardage needed
- Reading labels and bolt ends
- Getting Notions about Findings
- Busting bias (tape) basics
- Going bonkers for braid
- Expanding on elastic
- Loving lace
- Piping up for piping and cording
- Running with ribbons
- Refreshing with rickrack and twill tape
- Getting the lowdown on drapery headers
- Adding zip with zippers
- Investigating Interfacing
- Preshrinking Your Fabric: Why It Needs a Spa Day
- Chapter 4. Pondering Patterns in the 21st Century
- Sewing Patterns in the 21 st Century
- Shopping for Patterns
- Sizing Up Things for Fashion Sewing
- Deciphering the Pattern and Its Parts
- Checking out the front of the pattern envelope
- Reading the chart on the back of the pattern envelope
- It's what's inside that counts
- Preparing the pattern pieces
- Decoding the pattern pieces
- Laying Out the Pattern
- Getting to know your fabric
- Preparing the fabric
- Knowing right from wrong
- Placing the pattern pieces on-grain
- Laying out plaids, stripes, and one-way designs
- Pinning and Cutting Out the Pieces
- Making Your Mark
- Marking what matters
- Using the right tool at the right time
- Part 2. Going to Sewing School: Getting the Hang of the Basic Skills
- Chapter 5. Taking the First Steps of Your Sewing Adventure
- Threading the Needle: A Survivors' Guide
- Hand needles
- Machine needles
- Serger Needles
- Tying a Sewing Knot
- Choosing and Using the Proper Hand Stitches
- The securing stitch
- The hand-basting stitch
- The running stitch
- The even backstitch
- The blind hemming stitch
- The slant hemming or whip stitch
- The hemming slipstitch
- The even slipstitch
- Using Machine Stitches
- Examining the basic machine stitches
- Selecting a sewing machine stitch
- Choosing the length of the stitch
- Setting the stitch width
- Taking a Look at Essential Serger Stitches
- Starting and Stopping
- … with your sewing machine
- … with your serger
- Basting Projects for a Better Fit
- Pressing Matters
- Why press and iron as you sew?
- When and where to press
- Pressing napped fabrics
- Sew Simple Project: Stitch Sampler Pin Cushion
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Chapter 6. Securing Sensational Seams
- Finishing the Edges First
- Pinking your edges
- Using your sewing machine or serger
- Securing Your Seams
- Backstitching: yes or no?
- Tying off threads
- Seaming Fabrics
- Sewing straight seams
- Turning corners
- Serging outside and inside corners
- Sewings ¼-inch seams
- Serging ¼-inch seams
- Ripping into Un-seamly Mistakes
- Shaping Up the Seams
- Starting by stitching the seam on your sewing machine
- Clipping the curve with your scissors
- Sew Simple Project: Repurposed Sport Jersey Pillow
- Chapter 7. Hemming Almost Anything by Hand and Machine
- Marking the Hem's Placement
- If you're the hem-ee
- If you're the hemmer
- Deciding on the Hem Allowance
- Finishing the Raw Edges of the Hem
- Using a straight stitch
- Using a three-step zigzag or overlock stitch
- Using a serger
- Securing the Hem
- No-sew hemming
- Pinning up the hem for hand or machine hemming
- Hand blind hemming
- Machine blind hemming
- Hemming Knits with Twin Needles
- Chapter 8. Playing Around: Sewing for Kids, Pets, and the Kid in You
- Getting into Costume
- Sew simple project: ballet tutu
- Sew smart project: The superhero cape
- Sew Simple Project: Recycled Denim Dog Bone
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Sew Smart Project: Plush Pet Bed
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Sew Simple Project: Cornhole Bags
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions for the bags
- Instructions for the tote
- Part 3. Strutting the Runway: Fashion Sewing 101
- Chapter 9. Shaping Your Silhouette
- Darting Around
- Sewing the straight dart
- Sewing the contour dart
- Finishing the dart
- Gathering Fabric from One Piece into Another
- Gathering with two threads
- Gathering over a cord
- Sew Simple Project: Ruffled Apron
- Cutting out the apron parts
- Finishing the apron side seams
- Gathering and attaching the ruffle strips
- Tying up the apron strings
- Completing Pleats
- Defining the types of pleats
- Making a pleat
- Adding Stretch and Comfort with Elastic
- Chapter 10. Zip It. Button It. Close It
- No-Sweat Zippers
- Putting in a centered zipper
- Putting a zipper pull back on
- Putting in an invisible zipper
- Buttonhole Basics
- Sizing buttonholes
- Marking buttonholes
- Sewing beautiful buttonholes
- Cutting open buttonholes
- Figuring out button placement
- Attaching buttons
- Other Fasteners
- Chapter 11. What's Up Your Sleeves?
- Finishing Sleeveless Armholes
- Facing sleeveless armholes
- Sewing exposed binding to sleeveless armholes
- Rarin' to Sew Raglan Sleeves
- Taking On Set-In Sleeves
- Using easestitch-plus to prepare traditional set-in sleeves
- Setting sleeves in flat
- Setting sleeves in the round
- Chapter 12. Pockets: More Than Just a Place to Put Your Hands
- Putting Together Patch Pockets
- Making unlined patch pockets with square corners
- Making unlined patch pockets with curved corners
- Attaching patch pockets
- Using Your Own Pocket Patterns
- Sew Simple Project: Four-Pocket Winter Scarf
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Part 4. Casa Couture: Sewing for Your Home
- Chapter 13. Decorating on Demand: Home Décor Sewing
- Overcoming Décoraphobia
- Understanding color
- Unmasking your home's complexion
- Determining your color odds
- Homing in on Home Décor Fabric
- Sew Smart Project: Easiest Shower Curtain Ever
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Chapter 14. Tablescaping with Terrific Table Toppers
- Finding, Selecting, and Measuring Fabric for Table Toppers
- Sew Simple Project: Dinner-Ready Napkins
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials: figuring out fabric yardage
- Instructions
- Sew Simple Project: Chalk-It-Up Reversible Table Runner
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Chapter 15. Personalizing Praiseworthy Pillows
- Selecting Materials for Pillows
- Tackling Trim
- Braving braid basics
- Conquering cord
- Figuring out fringe
- Dealing with decorator trims
- Attaching Piping, Cording, and Fringe
- Making your own piping
- Cutting bias strips for covering cable cord
- Sewing on piping and fringe
- Attaching and joining cord-edge trim
- Finding a Fit for a Pillow Form
- Measuring your pillow form and cutting the pillow cover pieces
- Sewing the seams
- Wrapping the corners
- Stitching the closure
- Chapter 16. Brightening Up Your Bedroom
- Sew Simple Project: Flat Panel Bed Skirt
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Measuring the box spring
- Buying your fabric or sheets
- Cutting the fabric
- Double hemming the skirt and pleats
- Attaching the skirt and pleats to the fabric stabilizer
- Positioning the bed skirt on the box spring
- Sew Simple Project: Custom Duvet Cover
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Cutting out the front duvet cover piece
- Constructing the back duvet cover piece
- Putting everything together
- Part 5. Makeover Magic: Mending, Alterations, and Quick Fixes for a Sustainable Wardrobe
- Chapter 17. Fitting Finesse: Altering Clothes for All Shapes and Sizes
- When It's Too Short
- Cutting off pant legs and rehemming them
- Letting down and facing the hem
- Adding ribbing into an opening
- When It's Too Long
- Moving the button on a sleeve cuff
- Removing the cuff to shorten the sleeve
- Shortening jeans
- When It's Too Tight
- Moving the buttons on a jacket
- Adding room to the waistband
- When It's Too Loose
- Sew Smart Project: Restyled Jacket with Ribbing Insets (Gussets) in the Side Seams
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Chapter 18. Sewing SOS: "Help, I Ripped My _____"
- Repairing a Split Seam
- Repairing a split seam on woven fabrics
- Repairing a split seam on knit fabrics
- Patching Holes and Rips
- Covering holes with patches
- Patching with appliqués
- Mending Tears in Fabric
- Visible Mending
- Fabric, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Sew Simple Project: Best Sewing Tool Ever - "Sew Help Me" Lanyard
- Fabric, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Chapter 19. Sustainable Restyling: Giving Existing Garments New Life
- Sew Smart Project: Felted Wool Hat
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Sourcing and preparing the wool
- Felting the wool
- Instructions
- Sew Smart Project: Jean Jacket with Lace Tulle Insets
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Sew Smart Project: Restyled Sweatshirt with a Button-Fly Side Slit
- Fabrics, findings, and raw materials
- Instructions
- Part 6. The Part of Tens
- Chapter 20. Ten Rookie Sewing Mistakes to Avoid
- Attempting a Project Beyond Your Skill Level
- Choosing Difficult Fabrics to Work With
- Choosing an Unflattering Style
- Using the Wrong Fabric for the Pattern
- Laying Out the Fabric Incorrectly
- Neglecting to Use Interfacing
- Falling to Press as You Sew
- Using an Old, Beat-Up Sewing Machine
- Neglecting to Use a New Needle
- Refusing to Cut Yourself Some Slack
- Chapter 21. Ten Tips for Buying and Maintaining a Sewing Machine and Serger
- Knowing Your Current Equipment
- Deciding What Kind of Sewing You Want to Do
- Picking the Right Price Point for Your Machine
- Thinking Granny's Castoff Is Just What You Need
- Establishing Where to Buy Your Machine
- Determining What Machine Features Are Important to You
- Finding the Right Stitch Options … but Not Too Much
- Testing Out That Baby
- Counting On Your Customer Service
- Understanding That Your Machine Needs TLC
- Chapter 22. Ten ABCs of Sewing
- Buying the Best Fabric You Can Afford
- Understanding Your Fabric Terminology
- Knowing the Difference between Right and Wrong
- Putting Your Foot Down before Sewing
- Stopping and Starting - the Right Way
- Righty, Tighty; Lefty, Loosey
- Test-Stitching First
- Sewing from the Bottom Up and the Center Out
- Pressing Seams Together and then Open or to One Side
- Clipping with Your Scissor Tips
- Index