People assume because of my proximity to the garment district that I must buy loads and loads of fabric. Au contraire, my friends. I am actually quite restrained when it comes to buying fabric because having a stash makes me feel unproductive and wasteful. (Blame my New England parents for this philosophy.) But I am a total junkie when it comes to books: Must. Have. Books. And more books. Been addicted to books all my life.Let's talk about three sewing books I acquired recently. I'm reading Claire Shaeffer's Couture Sewing book now--actually reading it from cover to cover. Learning about les mains of the ateliers in Paris and their techniques helped me tackle all the hand sewing I had to do with my recent Chanel jacket.
Shaeffer's newest book is her updated Fabric Sewing Guide, published in late 2008. This is one hefty book! I've just flipped through the pages so far but it looks like a valuable addition to any sewist's library. I'm itching to spend some time with this tome and properly give it its due.
The Easy Guide to Sewing Tops, T-Shirts, Skirts and Pants by Marcy Tilton and Lynn MacIntyre is just out (pub date 1/1/09) and I got it last week at a Barnes & Noble in Towson, MD. It compiles the other Easy Guides by Tilton and MacIntyre into one neat volume. I have the Easy Guide to Sewing Tops and T-Shirts, which I like, so I figured it would be nice to have a book that acts as a central resource for sewing these garments. Will get around to reading it one of these days.
Found at an antiques mall in Fredericksburg, VA: Two Simplicity patterns from the seventies. The Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress knock-off (1976) is a welcome addition to any sewist's vintage pattern library if you can't get your hands on the original pattern DVF did for Vogue. (Plus it only cost me 75 cents.)And I was wrong! My first pattern was not a peasant blouse but this Simplicity elastic-waist skirt (1971). If you took Home Ec in the early seventies you too probably made this skirt. Look how cute the model in the red top looks even today: This outfit could pass for Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne, doncha think?
26 comments:
My four year old daughter took one look at the pink skirt in the collection and said, "Can you make one like that? And then buy me the shoes?"
doh! I was just in Fredericksburg, but I was distracted by looking for antique buttons!!! I didn't even think of patterns!
Hi Lindsay T. I love books, too. I preordered the Tauntom book before it even hit the press :-) (December) through B&N. I know it will be very useful as I continue to sew. I like the pictures and it's easy enough for me to understand.
I have Shaeffer's book too. I'd really like to have any of Ralph Rucci's books. Have you used any of his patterns? I thought about getting one. I love him.
I have a pattern from 1907, its very interesting and complicated.
Ooh, I just bought that Couture Sewing book! Waiting for the Amazon fairies to send it my way...
I tell ya, I'm a book junkie too. And all the PR classes I have folders for too, right next to my books. I'm the nerdy gal at sporting events that usually has her nose in a book rather than do the gossipy chitchat routine with the ladies.
I am a book junkie, too. I have the Couture book and used it quite a bit in my latest project. I buy several sewing books from Edward R Hamilton bookseller, great prices. I also agree with you, Lyndsay, too much stash overwhelmes me.
I'm a bit of a sewing book junkie too. I have the first two by Claire (though an earlier version of the fabric one) but not the third...mmmm, maybe I need it, lol
Girl I have a book buying problem too.
I love books too - Marcy Tilton is one of my favorites.
I have the original CS Fabric Guide and I saw the new one the other day in Borders...almost bought it...because it has a better look and it looks better organized than the first one.
And I totally understand about the book thing...I have that problem along with the fabric issue!
I love books. I try to check them out at the library so I can gauge whether I will truly use them and if I should invest the money. I did buy Sandra Betzina- One of her "fit' books. The illustrations were cute and the advice was great. Love the Claire Shaeffer book-a classic. I am looking for a great embroidery book (must have illustrations) if anyone knows of a good one! Impressed you don't own a stash living so close to fabric heaven Lindsay!
I love sewing books too - Amazon loves us! I'm going to have to check out the Fabric Sewing Guide book. I've been using Fabric Savvy and have loved it and would like another good reference book.
So am I the only one who noticed Vicki Petitt written on the front? Was the original owner? client of a seamstress? Creative juices flowing just on a name!
I notice this stuff since I buy a fair number of patterns at the thrift store.
I recently had a sew-along with my 9yo niece who is learning to sew, so we made the typical rectangle-elastic waist-skirts. They turned out so cute I started wondering - why even bother with complicated patterns? For kids anyway; I'm beyond the age when "just anything" looks cute, lol!
Oh my word, I am preordering the Easy Guide now - thanks! I have the linings book in the series and have been wanting the others, so a compilation is brilliant! I have done far more reading about sewing than actual sewing, sadly, as I've been really ill over the last couple of years. Am on the mend, though (please God!) so hopefully all the research will have magically transformed me from a rank beginner into an old hand ;)
I recently ordered the Threads Great Sewn Clothes (?) book, and am probably going to order the Cool Couture book, also. I love the Claire S Couture book, and the Roberta Carr one.
Uh. I both buy a lot of fabric and a lot of books.
In Danish, the word for drug and fabric is the same, 'stof', so I sometimes get funny reactions when I tell people that I hardly ever buy any clothes because I spend all my money on 'stof'.
If one has the older edition of Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide, do you still recommend the new edition? Of course, being a book junkie myself, I'll probably buy it anyway.
You are too funny. No I don't need another thing...but those two Easy Guide books. Running over to Amazon right now.
OMG! I DID make that exact skirt in home ec sewing class. Contrast patch pockets and all. What a flashback!
I love books too :) and it's a good thing!
Oh my.....books are my vice. I have a prime membership(free shipping) to Amazon since I order so many.
Along with sewing books I have every self help book known to man. My kids, friends, H all laugh at me.
Can we form a self help group?! Bobbie K
Bonjour Linsday, tout comme vous, je ne suis pas du genre à engranger les tissus. En contrepartie, les patrons et les livres garnissent agréablement bien mes étagères.
I have the Schaeffer couture book and the first fabric guide. The former is fascinating, but it's not a how-to book. You need to have a firm foundation in sewing to apply the techniques.
I'm turned off by sewing books that feature "Easy" in the title. Maybe this is because I think the trade off for easy is something that will look homemade.
Clothing construction is hard; there's a lot to learn.
I love the Couture Sewing Techniques book, which I too have read from cover to cover and which I refer to often. I think it offers something for people at all sewing levels -- or at least I can state confidently that it's excellent for this beginning/intermediate sewer!
I would recommend two other books, in addition, to those who are beginning sewers who want to sew clothing (rather than quilters or crafters).
The Vogue Sewing Book, 1970 edition, is excellent, and is also a fantastic reference book for me. I got it secondhand at Powell's in Portland OR.
Sew Fast, Sew Easy: All You Need to Know When You Start to Sew completely set me straight when it comes to how to choose and read patterns, how to get the most out of my sewing machine, and how to do simple alterations. I can't recommend it highly enough, and I ADORE the skirt I made with the basic 3-panel skirt pattern that comes in the book. It's awesome.
I hear a lot about how great Fit for Real People is, but for some reason I have not found the Palmer/Pletsch materials and approach easy for me to integrate into my sewing. Maybe with more experience and more garments produced, I'll have a better sense of how to make this book and their patterns work, but not yet for me.
I consider myself a sewing book junkie too. I have the Claire Shaeffer's Couture Sewing book and the earlier edition of Fabric Sewing Guide... Great book and I'm wondering how much the new edition adds to the previous one
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