Sewing for Dummies

Sewing for Dummies

by: Janice Saunders Maresh

Topics include:

Book Description:

Book Description Sewing is fun, relaxing, and tremendously rewarding. It feels great when you sit down and sew something together (and are tickled with the results)! Besides the fun and satisfaction you get out of sewing, this wonderful hobby can also save you money. You can make your clothes last longer when you stitch up your own hems, repair split seams, and sew on those loose buttons. You can save even more money by making your own home dcor projects, such as curtains and pillows. Sewing For Dummies is a book for both absolute beginners and experienced sewers. If you're a stone-cold beginner, you'll find explanations of all the tools and skills necessary for beginning-level projects. If you've had some experience with sewing, you'll benefit from the tips and tricks that might otherwise take years to pick up. Whether you're quilting, embroidering, mending, or constructing a project, you'll need to know some sewing basics to get you through your projects. Sewing For Dummies covers all the important sewing fundamentals such as: Mastering hand stitches and machine stitches Reading a sewing pattern Sewing sensational seams Hemming a variety of fabrics Shaping garments with darts, tucks, and pleats Installing zippers, buttons, and other fasteners Negotiating sleeves and pockets Working with home d cor fabrics Adjusting projects for better fit and function Once you've explored the basic techniques, you'll be ready to start some easy sewing projects. This friendly book will guide you through the following projects, and more, with confidence: Children's costumes Tablecloth and place mats Duvet cover Fleece scarf, hat, and jacket ensemble Teddy bear Window treatments Creative pillows Fabric touches almost everything in a person's daily life. Children cuddle up with pillows and soft toys and dress up in costumes for fun. People wear clothing to be comfortable, stay warm, and to be fashionable. People also appreciate and admire handmade heirlooms. When you finish your projects, wear them with pride, play in them, admire your work, and hand them down to your loved ones.

From the Back Cover 8-page color insert of new projects Get the basics of sewing and stitch up a storm in no time! This easy-to-follow guide gives both beginners and more advanced sewers techniques to sew faster and easier . . . and have more fun with the craft! This updated edition shows you how to sew sensational seams, shape garments with tucks and pleats, or revamp a room with quick home dcor projects. Praise for Sewing For Dummies "Just in time for those of us with no time, Jan's book is about 'reality sewing.'" - Gail Brown, coauthor of Simply Napkins "Jan's . . . clever techniques and home d cor projects . . . make sewing a fun event." - Dewey Sadka, President of Dewey Color System Discover how to; Master hand and machine stitches Read a sewing pattern Create custom cornices and draperies Make a bedroom ensemble in a weekend Install zippers, buttons, and other fasteners --This text refers to the Paperback edition. About the Author Jan Saunders is a nationally known sewing and surging journalist and home economist. After graduating from Adrian College in Michigan, she became the Education Director of one of the largest sewing machine companies in the country, and then the Director of Consumer Education for the largest fabric chain in the country. Both professional experiences gave her a solid foundation in the home sewing industry, which she continues to service with her many writing, marketing, and industry consulting projects.

The most thorough basic sewing book, period -- There is one annoying feature of this book: a lot of the stitching instructions are given in metric or stitches per inch - not inches. Other than this, Sewing for Dummies is hands-down the best, most clearly written general sewing book I've ever read. The people behind the "Dummies" books definitely picked a good sewing expert for this. I've been taking weekly quilting classes for years, and I own a lot of sewing and quilting books, but I learned something new by page five. This book covers all the basics about: -- proper use and care of of sewing tools and machines -- fabric, notions, and threads -- using patterns -- hand stitching -- sewing perfect seams and hems -- special techniques for clothing such as tucks, pleats, zippers, buttonholes, sleeves and pockets -- special techniques for home decor items like pillows and curtains -- tailoring, patching, and repairing clothes The book also includes several projects like a shower curtain and a Halloween costume although none of them looked interesting enough to me to lure me away from my quilts. That said, my copy of the book is already filled with underlining and highlighting. I would recommend this book even to experienced sewers and definitely for a novice who wants to skip the usual frustration and mistakes of beginning sewers and turn out a perfect project the first time.

Reviews:

Learn how to sew the easy way. -- Knowing nothing at all about sewing, when I first set out to master the craft I went straight to the big-name references (Singer books and the like) only to find either huge guides overloaded with incomprehensible technical information and impractical advice, or beautifully illustrated books with little or no instructions. I was about to give up the teach-yourself idea and enroll in some very expensive classes when I chanced upon this book. Amazingly by the time it took me to finish studying it (less than a month) I had not only learned to sew, but had also completed several Halloween costumes that earned the praise and admiration of friends and family. Written in the friendly Dummies style, illustrated with over 200 pictures, drawings, step-by-step diagrams, humorous icon guides and even hilarious cartoons, this book covers all the fundamentals of sewing from general information for beginners to tips and tricks for experienced sewers. Through simple, yet detailed, fully cross-referenced, clearly written explanations in plain English, and using proper, well-defined terminology, this reference contains all the basics. It includes: assembling a sewing kit; selecting fabrics and threads; understanding and using patterns; working with hems, sleeves, pockets, collars, and closures; sewing for the home; and making repairs and alterations. It also offers some projects to test your acquired knowledge and progress, an appendix listing wonderful sewing resources in the US and on the Web, and a very thorough index for quick check-ups and specific consultations. Although the author could have been a bit more generous with the step-by-step diagrams, which are barely enough to get you through the instructions, and the projects could have been a bit more attractive, even if that meant sacrificing some of their simplicity, this fun to read, informative guide is still in my mind the best how-to reference available on the fundamentals of sewing, especially for those with no prior experience. The excellent instruction and practical tools and advice presented in this volume are well worth the price. Also recommended: The Complete Book of Sewing: A Practical Step-By-Step Guide to Every Technique by Chris Jefferys.

Excellent for the beginning seamstress -- If you can't take a class, educate yourself in the basics with this excellent beginner's guide. I've read lots of sewing guides, but this is the most user-friendly. From selecting patterns and how to read them, picking fabric, sewing machines and basic construction skills, this book has it all. Highly recommend! Sewing for Dummies -- This is a great book. I have several Dummies books and they are all very good. This is a subject, however, that could use some real hands-on, in person support. I run a non-profit, faith based lifeskills training center called Lydia's House. You can find it on-line at www.lydias-house.org. Don't dismiss this book, though. It's worth it's price. Horrible. -- Yes the dummy series are good for some of their books (Computer for dummies, or whatever) but they do not know everything. I am very disappointed with this book. It is NOT for the 'New to sewing' people. (not for dummies!) It's not the worst books, but I have a few better books in my collection that are great for reference. I think that the Complete Book of Sewing is a clearer book for new sewers. It has a lot of pictures, that the Sewing for Dummies lacks! But it is up to you. I do own this books, but I use it very little, if at all. It's okay -- This book is just okay really. I knew absolutely nothing about sewing when I got this book. I wanted to start sewing clothing to sell, so I thought this would be a good place to start. It's not something you can sit down and just read at all. There's ALOT of information just sort of thrown together. It seems less like a how-to book and more like someone who knows alot about the subject just babbling at you. Honestly, I'd suggest 101 Essential Tips Basic Sewing. It gives you good basic advice in a quick simple manner. It's alot easier to follow. You dont have to skip from this section to this section to see what they're talking about, AND it's ALOT cheaper.

Excellent for the beginning seamstress -- If you can't take a class, educate yourself in the basics with this excellent beginner's guide. I've read lots of sewing guides, but this is the most user-friendly. From selecting patterns and how to read them, picking fabric, sewing machines and basic construction skills, this book has it all. Highly recommend! Sewing for Dummies -- This is a great book. I have several Dummies books and they are all very good. This is a subject, however, that could use some real hands-on, in person support. I run a non-profit, faith based lifeskills training center called Lydia's House. You can find it on-line at www.lydias-house.org. Don't dismiss this book, though. It's worth it's price. Not for Sewing Dummies! -- If you have no prior experience with sewing, I do not recommend this book. There are no step by step photos or even illustrations for that matter, so reading through and trying to visualize what its talking about will most likely frustrate you to no end like it did with me at first. After trying to read this book a few times, I put it away to collect dust and chalked it up as a waste of money. I recently bought The Complete Book of Sewing by Chris Jefferys and remembered I had the Sewing For Dummies book so I dug it out with the intent to return it to the bookstore where I bought it. After looking through it a bit I (reluctantly) changed my mind about taking it back. After reading through the Complete Book of Sewing and also having successfully sewn a few things here and there, the For Dummies book makes a lot more sense now. There is some information in there that makes for good shortcuts and sometimes expounds upon certain topics the Complete Book of Sewing only went into at the most basic level. So the bottom line is: only after getting the Complete Book of Sewing and the Reader's Digest New Complete Guide to Sewing do I recommend the Sewing for Dummies book, but by then you may not need it anyway.

Lots of helpful hints -- I decided to get this book in order to stop being embarrassed about my lack of sewing skills. I didn't even know how to put on a button! This book has been great for teaching me those kinds of simple things like buttons and hemming. It has info on bigger projects as well, which I haven't tackled yet. Not very thorough -- I received this book along with another, Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book. As I began to work on my first project, I found myself turning more and more often to the Simplicity book. My pattern called for several techniques that were not described in Sewing for Dummies at all. For instance, the section on darts only covers one kind of dart. My pattern included a curved dart, but I didn't even realize it until I consulted the Simplicity book. Also, I needed to "ease the hem." Sewing for Dummies does not describe what "ease" means, nore does it say how to do it or what the ease-stitch is. I'm glad I had the other book to compare it too, or I may have never realized how much information is missing from this one. This dummy is sewing! -- I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who has never sewn before. Within 48 hours of reading this book, I was inspired, "hardware" list in hand, to go to the local fabric store and gather all the supplies necessary to make placemats and potholders. Ms. Saunders included all necessary information and I have brought it to the store to use as a reference. This book gave me the confidence to ask a store clerk a question using the proper terminology and to also get the things I needed myself without having to ask. Good title little content that a new sewer needs........... -- mean you should write it, or hundreds of them. Yes they are good for some of thier books (Computer for dummies, or whatever) but they do not know everything. I am very disappointed with this book. It is NOT for the New to sewing people. (not for dummies!) It's not the worst books, but I have a few better books in my collection that are great for reference. I think that the Complete Book of Sewing is a clearer book for new sewers. It has a lot of pictures, that the Sewing for Dummies lacks! But it is up to you. I do own this books, but I use it very little, if at all.

Great book for newbies! -- I used this book to help me when I decided to sew my daughter's first Halloween costume. My husband and I decided that we wanted her to be an armadillo, but there are no patterns, so I had to get a pattern that was close, and change it to my specifications. I could not have done it without this book. The book taught me all about bias, nap, threading a sewing a machine, and has tips to make the process easier. I wish I could post a picture here to show you how cute the costume ended up. My mother-in-law, a lifelong sewer, couldn't believe that my first project turned out so beautifully. It was all thanks to this book! I've never touched a sewing machine before ... -- reading this book! Luckily I was not looking for clear-cut instructions on hemming, seaming, and pattern design, because I found the author's instructions to be very difficult to understand due to the absence of pictures and diagrams. I would suggest purchasing other books for project ideas and coherent instructions. "Sewing for Dummies," however, helped me to become more confident about actually going near my new sewing machine because of the author's use of plain English and the absence of "advanced technical sewing jargon." Although disappointed about the confusing hands-on instructions, I was happy that I chose this to be my very first sewing book because the author really does make the basics easy to understand! Not for beginners -- If you are a true beginner, this book lacks sufficient pictures and diagrams. Written instructions are pretty good. This book runs the gamut from home decor, craft projects, and any type of clothing you'd ever want to wear.