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.

July Book Analysis - Textiles and Fashion

The next 4 book reviews will be dedicated to books on fabrics. Since very early in my sewing adventure, I felt a need to understand how fabric varies from each other, how is it woven, where does it come from, what does it look like. Basic things like the warp and the weft were a mystery to me. 

Textiles and Fashion by Jenny Udale was the first book I bought aimed at answering all those questions. 

 But it failed. Not because the book isn't good but simply because the book isn't about fabric and fabric caracteristics. The book is about textiles aimed at designers who want to produce their own fabrics. It leads an aspiring textile designer through the process of producing own fabrics, from researching and collecting samples, a basic explanation of fabric types and constructions, surface treatments and colour schemes. It's also aimed at the fashion designer who wants to design own fabrics to their collections.

 It has many interesting points such as the one below. Interesting placement on the fabric which complements and interacts with the design of the garment.

The book has some description and photos of fabric samples but the size and quality render them almost useless in getting a feel for what that fabric looks like.

If you are aspiring to print your own fabrics, not as a hobby but as a prospective career this book might be a good start for you. It doesn't have lots of detail but it covers all fundamental areas on textile design. For me, unfortunately it sits on the shelf and might one day be part of a giveaway.

March Book Analysis -" The Dressmaker's Technique Bible" by Lorna Knight

Welcome to the first of my monthly book analysis, aimed at pushing me to read the books I have. And there are a lot of them, I should say. I should disclaim first and foremost I am no book critic, so all the notations are my own opinions and thoughts.

So without further ado, please welcome the book of the month:

The Dressmaker's Technique Bible by Lorna Knight was one of the first books (if not the first) I got when I started sewing. My quest to find a easy to understand, comprehensive sewing book didn't take long and after reading good, consistent reviews I decided to buy it.

One of the first things you notice about the book is the compact size and easy to browse features. It's a A5 sized packed in a spiral bound, which helps it stay open on the desk for easy reference. For me these two are massive advantages. I struggle to read books who weight almost as much as I and hate damaging normal binders by opening the book too much, so this is perfect.

The book is divided into four main sections:

1) Getting started: Clear and concise, it lays down all the necessary tools for successful dressmaking, including commonly used haberdashery. It has an interesting section on body shapes and common pattern alterations. It also gives links in clothing items to the different techniques that can be used to make it. Very good for when you working without a pattern or with missing instructions.
2) Fabric manipulation: Every type of seams and seams finishes, darts and pleats and zips are in this sections. One of the first things I did was practice all seams in some canvas to see how difficult they were and how they could best be applied.

Welt Seam - great for leathers

3) Techniques: This sections guides you through different types of waistbands, necklines, sleeves, pockets and a few more essential elements of dressmaking. Buttons are also in this chapter and I will be testing some bound buttonholes later using the book as a reference.

4) Embellishment ideas: This is the section I have yet to explore but it covers pretty much every embellishment technique there is, from patchwork and applique, to adding ribbon or beads and smocking, pipping, fringing, felting, etc.

You could be forgiven by thinking that the book is too small and that one A5 page dedicated to inserting an invisible zip or making a bound buttonhole is not enough information. But surprisingly it is, no need to fluff it up. You could basically sew from this book alone and not buy any other basic technique one (but who wants that).
I would recommend this book to both beginners and more experience sewists. Some techniques might be more challenging for beginners but that has to do with the nature of the technique, not the book instruction. For those with more experience, it's a great reference book.