Learn to Sew - Softcover

Reid, Alison

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1402763344 ISBN 13: 9781402763342

Publisher: Union Square & Co., 2008

Synopsis

Sewing may be the most rewarding and practical craft of all. With basic skills, even a beginner can make beautiful and useful items, as this clearly illustrated tutorial demonstrates. Assuming no prior knowledge or experience, it covers all the elements of machine and hand sewing, from how to sew a button to basic embroidery techniques. Charming projects put the reader’s growing skills to work right from the start, from the simple Drawstring Bag and Fringed Throw to the more challenging Pompom Slippers and stuffed Toy Dog to fanciful designs such as the all-fabric Flower Necklace and Brooch. With each project, new techniques are introduced, from how to make button loops, patch pockets, and French knots, to the fundamentals of quilting.

About this title

About the Author:

Alison Reid teaches textiles and embroidery at Liverpool College of Art.

From Booklist:

Thanks to shows such as Project Runway, sewing (quilting has never quite bottomed out) is having a renaissance. And while Reid’s little book—which assumes readers have figured out how their sewing machines work—steers clear of wearable items, it does introduce some basic skills every sewer needs. The tricks and tips are all related to the 15 projects that appear in the second half of the book, which results in some inevitable omissions; instructions for installing a zipper are given, for example, but there’s nothing on machine buttonholes. That said, there’s enough to get beginners started, including instructions for finishing a seam, finding the grain line of a fabric, making pompoms and pockets, and creating a few fundamental embroidery stitches. The fun projects, which range from a simple tote bag to a decorative animal cushion, are clearly presented and abundantly illustrated with excellent line drawings. Each project is also graded for difficulty and shown from several angles in accompanying color photos. Though hardly comprehensive, this is still worth purchasing. --Stephanie Zvirin

About this edition

• Publisher: Union Square & Co.
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1402763344
• ISBN 13: 9781402763342
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96