August Book Analysis - Fabric Guide: The Ultimate Fiber Resource

I'm very happy to be reviewing this book by Simplicity. I love it! I was very lucky to have been offered the chance to get a free copy for review and have had it for a couple of months now. This is the fabric guide I didn't have but wanted when I first started sewing. The illustrations and photos are gorgeous and super clear, the text informative and easy to understand and the layout is brilliant. And charts, oh my, what a joy! Also being on a ring binder, always adds points in my book.
The first chapter of the book tells us a little bit about fabric construction. What's a weft and a warp and differences between different weaves. The illustrations make these different weaves easy to understand.
The second chapter introduces us to fibers and explains, like I never read before, where does fiber come from and how it comes to be. For me it is one of the most fascinating chapters to read. Did you know it's possible to make fabric out of camel hair? What about from these cute rabbits? Always wanted to do a burn test on fabric and don't know how? It's in it.
Progressing very nicely on from fibers we have fabric types and here we can find a vast array of fabric types with fairly large and quite clear photos and a small description of its characteristics. One thing I particularly enjoy is that if the fabric has a different name in the UK it will say so(although I confess I'm not sure it does it for all).

Next on there's a fairly small chapter on fabric finishes and trademark fabric, such as Lycra or Teflon. For me, personally, it's the only chapter that doesn't arouse much interest.
Chapter 5 explains us all about linings, underlinings, interfacings and stabilizers. It is so easy to get confused with all these different materials and great to read such a easy to understand guide to them all. Charts (or whatever they are called) like the ones below make it a great reference resource. I'm sure I will be using it frequently.

 Next you get some valuable help and advice on how to work with fabrics, including grain, yardage conversion, cutting layouts and pre-shinking. It also lays out the most common and useful tools to use in sewing. With very nice photos!
Colour is very important so next there's some advice on how to combine colours, what works and what doesn't and the book presents a few colour storyboards. I love the blue one.

The next chapter also gets me quite excited. It's about fabric care. How to wash and remove stains and how to press. Lots of charts here making it very, very easy to find the information wanted when you need it.
The last chapter expands on different threads including how to match to fabric and to needles. Again all in easy to find charts.

This book is lovely and if you like fabric books you have to get this one.

I must say that even though I was sent this book for a review, all I wrote here is my most sincere opinion and I have not gained anything to say it.

A Week of Giveaways - Day 1

Welcome to my first giveaway of this week! As well as June being the month I started sewing and blogging, one year ago, it's also my birthday month. It's actually today, so what better day to start celebrating.
Without further delay, the item up for grabs today is this lovely 1980 sewing book:

Despite its name, the book re-assures its readers that sewing with shortcuts does not mean lower standards and all the book shortcuts "...make for excellent results."
The book has two main sections: processes and techniques, with all the range you can see from photo below and designs featuring 15 patterns (unscaled) very 70s/80s.

I purchased this book from a charity shop some months ago but have not used it. I decided to part with it as I do have two other technique books that I refer to more often. I am also not attracted to late 70s/ 80s  fashion, so the designs don't appeal to me. I hope this book will be of more use to someone else.

To enter this giveaway is simple:
1) You have to be a follower on my blog
2) Leave a comment on this post telling me what you think of the 80s, fashion wise.
3) Very important, leave your email address. I had trouble in the past contacting people because not all profiles allow access to email.

The giveaway is open to my readers all over the world and deadline for entry is Sunday 26th June 2011, 6pm GMT time. Winner will be announced the following day.

Good Luck!!

Sewing Books Analysis

 One day of this week I found some time, between work meetings, to do a charity shop crawl at a busy town centre. I was so excited as there are about 5 or 6 of these all in the same street. However I was very disappointed. Even bearing in mind the brilliant words by So, Zo... on her post Saving and Sewing (brilliant stuff, by the way) there was nothing that sparked my interest. As I abandoned all hope I decided to enter the remaining one, dedicated to books only and there I managed to salvage the crawl by purchasing two sewing related books.

As I got home I struggled to find room for them (need more book shelves) and was somehow surprised at the amount of sewing books I have managed to accumulate in 7 months. A lot of times I browse the book, get some general ideas and put it aside as a reference book. That sort of bugs me! I want to be able to read it all, find out exactly it's contents, if instructions are easy, etc, etc. So what's stopping me? Nothing other than myself. 

I decided  I will get all the books I purchased so far and aim to read and use them and do a review in this blog! All in agreement, I would aim for one book review a month to be published on the last Sunday of the month, starting March (too soon to do it February).

By no means am I saying that I'm a professional reviewer or critic and I know there are tons of places to get book reviews but I think this will be a good chance to read a (potentially) more in-depth review by someone with a limited sewing experience. It will also "push me" to read it :) 

How does this sound to you all? It is something you would like to read?