Table Of Content1 000
,
Clever Sewing
ShortCutS & tipS
001-089_18599.indd 1 4/30/10 10:03:34 AM
001-089_18599.indd 1 4/30/10 10:18:24 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::11
1 000
,
Clever Sewing
ShortCutS
& tipS
Top-Rated Favorites from Sewing
Fans and Master Teachers
Deepika prakash
Foreword by Sandra Betzina
001-089_18599.indd 3 4/30/10 10:03:35 AM
001-089_18599.indd 3 4/30/10 10:18:26 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::22 ##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::33
Foreword 7 Chapter three
Introduction 8 Design & Pattern Prep 41
Start with inspiration 42
Chapter One
Painless pattern prep 48
Sewing Gear 10
Machines, feet & needles 11
CoN Te NTS Pressing equipment 15
Dress forms 17
Cutting tables & tools 18
Marking & measuring tools 20
Pins & hand sewing needles 22
Useful odds & ends 23
Organization & cleanup aids 24
Chapter FOur
Fabric, Thread & Notions 58
Shopping savvy 59
Fabric chat 62
Thread chat 69
Notions chat 74
Chapter twO
Set Up Your Sewing Room 26
Get your gear in order 27
Keep track of information 29
Organize your fabric 30
Chapter FIve
Organize your patterns 31
Keep thread tidy 34 Layout, Cutting & Marking 81
Keep notions tidy 36 Cut with confidence 82
Marking smarts 87
001-089_18599.indd 4 4/30/10 10:03:48 AM
001-089_18599.indd 4 4/30/10 10:18:26 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::44
Chapter SIx
Fitting 90 Master Classes from
Master Teachers
Start with the right size 91
The big picture on fitting 92 Sarah veblen 37
Your body, your challenge 95 Secrets for Sewing Knits
SuSan Khalje 77
Essentials of Sewing
Chapter eIght Fine Lace
Finishing 140
Kenneth D. KIng 99
Top stitching chat 141 Sew Lamé Fabrics Like
Fastener chat 142 a Pro
Cool finishing touches 147
ShannOn gIFFOrD 150
Label it! 149 Rolled Hem Magic with
a Serger
Chapter Seven
anna Mazur 162
Sewing 105 Elegant Bead Embroidery
Strategies for easier sewing 106
Press as you go 110
Successful seams 111
Who makes mistakes?! 117
Elastic chat 118
Successful waistbands 120 Chapter nIne
Zipper chat 123 embellishments 154
Piping, binding & tube chat 125
Trim it! 155
Successful hems 127
Add embroidery or appliqué! 157
Garment bits & pieces 132
Add texture! 159
Sew for your home too 139
Index 166
001-089_18599.indd 5 4/30/10 10:03:57 AM
001-089_18599.indd 5 4/30/10 10:18:26 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::44 ##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::55
Dedication
To Shannon Gifford, beloved teacher, mentor, and To all my sewing friends around the world:
above all, a Friend. You’ve supported me in this journey and
continue to inspire me each day with your
From FBA to Stitch and Flip Jacket construction to creativity. And to women everywhere: This book
her Beginner 101 sewing classes, Shannon de-mysti- stems from a simple idea I had a number of years
fied the sewing process for everyone. While teaching, ago that evolved into PatternReview.com, and I am
she went above and beyond to help students achieve very passionate about it. I have run this online
the perfect fit. Whether it was a small dart or a sewing community since 2001 and during that time,
princess seam, she never gave up. She always had seen so many of my members afflicted with breast
a solution for every sewing dilemma. cancer. They have inspired me to donate all royalties
from this book to breast cancer research in their
On Monday, April 19th, 2010, we said goodbye to honor. So here’s another reason to feel good about
Shannon for the last time. However, her legacy still your purchase of this collection of sewing tips—you
remains on PatternReview.com, in her teachings, are helping millions of people out there you don’t
her students, and her kindness, which spread far even know.
and beyond. Even in her last days, she was giving —Deepika Prakash
sewing tips. Founder, PatternReview.com
Acknowledgments
The coming together of this book was truly a team be then? The unsung heroes of this story are the vol-
effort under the expert guidance of Carol Spier, my unteers who help out on the site, keeping it fun and
editor, and Deborah Cannarella, who commissioned organized for everyone else. You guys ROCK!
it and with whom I spent weeks brainstorming the I wish to express my gratitude to all the indepen-
concept. I’d like to thank Shannon Gifford, Susan dent fabric and pattern storeowners who pour their
Khalje, Kenneth King, Anna Mazur, and Sarah passion for sewing into their business and provide
Veblen for generously contributing their expertise us with inspiration every day. Also to the pattern
despite their busy schedule. Special thanks go to companies who listen to PatternReview.com mem-
the lovely Sandra Betzina, who wrote the foreword. I bers and design patterns we want so we too can be
also thank, from the bottom of my heart, all the Pat- runway ready!
ternReview.com members whose participation on And last, but not the least, I thank Creative Pub-
the site provided the content. After all, without you, lishing international for helping me to bring this
PatternReview.com would just be me writing reviews wonderful collection of sewing tips to you.
and commenting on them! And how lonely would I —Deepika
001-089_18599.indd 6 4/30/10 10:03:59 AM
001-089_18599.indd 6 4/30/10 10:18:26 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::66
PatternReview.com is something garment sewers
needed for a long time. Maybe we didn’t know we
needed it, but visionary Deepika Prakash did, and
she created this wonderful online service and com-
munity. Finally we have a forum where we can share
the good news about our sewing endeavors as well
as the bad, where we can write about our experience
with a specific pattern and even post photos of the
FoRe woRD way it turned out. Deepika has given sewing enthu-
siasts all over the world a way to benefit from each
other’s experience. Who wants to waste time making
a pattern that is just so-so, not to mention spoiling a
beautiful piece of fabric? And how wonderful to see
that that pattern we’ve been yearning to try worked
out beautifully for someone else—now we can happily
make it too. Kudos for PatternReview.com! There are
many good things on PatternReview.com in addition
to the reviews, and among my favorites are the clever
and useful tips so generously posted by many of the
users. I’m excited that Deepika has collected the best
of them here. You will so enjoy and treasure this won-
derful book, which epitomizes the spirit and value of
PatternReview.com.
001-089_18599.indd 7 4/30/10 10:04:00 AM
001-089_18599.indd 7 4/30/10 10:18:26 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::66 ##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::77
Murphy’s laws of sewing
• When you are two inches away from the end of the last
seam in your project, you will run out of bobbin thread.
• You will break your last needle five minutes after the
local fabric store closes.
• Buttonholes on your practice piece will go like a dream.
The first one you do on the real thing will be a mess!
Intr od uc tI on You’ve experienced this haven’t you? I have, and so have
many others who continue to share and inspire each other
every day through their wonderful projects and tips posted
on PatternReview.com.
Let’s face it, how many of us have friends and family
members who really understand how exciting it is to make
that first bound buttonhole or perfectly match a plaid? They
don’t understand why it is so important that the inside of
the garment look as nice as the outside. Oh, and how much
fun it is to insert your first zipper—it’s like magic. But they
don’t get it. They can’t; they don’t sew. We do! All 200,000-
plus of us. When you flip the pages of this book, you’ll see
how fun sewing can be when you learn from others like you,
who share their knowledge and discoveries. But before we
get started, and because everyone loves a good story, let me
tell you mine.
the story of Patternreview.com
When I decided I wanted to try my hand at sewing, back
in 2001, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. So I
did what I do when I need help with something: I searched
online for help. I made friends and got advice through
Internet message boards. But it was only after I bought
and returned two sewing machines that I realized I needed
more than that. I needed to do more research, to find out
what works and what doesn’t. After a couple of successful
attempts at making simple elastic-waist skirts, I made a
fitted blouse—not realizing there is a lot more to a pattern
than what is indicated on the envelope. So I started think-
ing: what if there was a Web site where people like me could
share their experiences on specific patterns and sewing
machines? After discussing this with a few friends,
001-089_18599.indd 8 4/30/10 10:04:01 AM
001-089_C56870.indd 8 5/18/10 5:13:4 PM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
05-C56870 (204) ##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::88
I decided to put my plan into motion, and a few but make you say “Why didn’t I think of that?” You
weeks later, on November 28, 2001, PatternReview. might even make some new sewing friends—all the
com was born. As the name suggests, the site is members contributing to this book can be found
primarily a place for sewers to review and share online on PatternReview.com.
their experiences with sewing patterns. As the word As you can imagine, categorizing one thousand
spread, I started getting requests to add reviews for tips is not an easy task, but I’ve tried my best to
books, sewing shops, and expos, for fitting help, tips organize them in a useful, accessible way. Since
and techniques, message boards, online classes and sewing is so much more than just pushing fabric
so much more. The Web site today is a true global through a machine, the tips have been arranged in
community of sewers who share a passion: Sewing chapters that cover a number of different aspects of
and Creativity! It’s a place where you’ll find every- our craft, ranging from advice for using and choos-
thing you need to be successful at creating your own ing gear, through organizing your workspace, trac-
fashions, in your own style. ing off patterns, and info about fabric, thread, and
When I travel, members of PatternReview.com notions, to great tips for the sewing process itself—
tell me their story, bits and pieces of which you’ll cutting, fitting, sewing, finishing, and embellishing.
read in this book. They tell me how much their sew- Some tips could have been appropriately placed in
ing has improved since they joined the site, how more than one chapter, so you may find the index
easy it was finding their dream sewing machine really helpful—especially if you’re looking for some-
after reading honest, unbiased reviews from the thing specific and don’t find it right off.
members. They tell me about the friends they’ve Not only does this book have sewing tips
made—and the mistakes they’ve avoided too. If you and techniques contributed by members of
are a PatternReview.com member, this is YOUR PatternReview.com, there are also five special
book. You made this happen! And if you’re unfamil- features created by master teachers who give online
iar with the Web site and wondering whether or not classes on PatternReview.com. These features bring
this book will help you, let me tell you a little bit professional expertise right into your sewing room—
about it. or take you right into the masters’ sewing rooms—
they are the icing on the cake in this book. Each
1,000 sewing tips piece focuses on techniques for which its author is
well known; I know you’ll enjoy seeing their work
Hanging out online at PatternReview.com is
and learning how they do it.
fun, but sometimes you just need to curl up in
Here’s what I recommend: Sit back with a drink
bed with a good book—this book. The tips and
of your choice and enjoy the different voices in this
techniques gathered here are unique and come
book. Not only will you discover things you weren’t
from sewers with many different skill sets. From
even looking for, you’ll find your horizons expanded,
time- and money-saving tips to finding notions
and besides, it’s more fun this way. And hey, keep a
in your kitchen (did you know you could use Glad
paper towel handy in case you spill the drink when
Press ‘n Seal for making patterns and stabilizing
you laugh out loud at some of the tips. Ask me how
garments as well as wrapping food?) to making
I know .
foolproof welt pockets, you’ll find a lot of useful
information that will not only help your sewing,
introDuCtion 9
001-089_18599.indd 9 4/30/10 10:04:02 AM
001-089_18599.indd 9 4/30/10 10:18:27 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::88 ##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::99
CHAPt ER One
Sewing Gear
“
I talked my husband into agreeing
that we spend our little money on a sewing
machine for me as a “cost saving device”
when we bought our first home. Boy, did I
”
trick him on the “cost saving idea!”
—drsue
001-089_18599.indd 10 4/30/10 10:04:03 AM
001-089_18599.indd 10 4/30/10 10:18:27 AM
JJoobb::0044--1188559999 TTiittllee::CCPPII--PPaatttteerrnn RReevviieeww::11000000 cclleevveerr sseewwiinngg sshhoorrttccuuttss&&TTiippss
(Text)((RRaayy))
##117755 ((PP)) DDttpp::221166 PPaaggee::1100
