Sewing For Dummies

Sewing is fun, relaxing, and tremendously rewarding. It feels great when you sit down and sew something together (and are tickled with the results)! Besides the fun and satisfaction you get out of sewing, this wonderful hobby can also save you money. You can make your clothes last longer when you stitch up your own hems, repair split seams, and sew on those loose buttons. You can save even more money by making your own home décor projects, such as curtains and pillows.

Sewing For Dummies is a book for both absolute beginners and experienced sewers. If you're a stone-cold beginner, you'll find explanations of all the tools and skills necessary for beginning-level projects. If you've had some experience with sewing, you'll benefit from the tips and tricks that might otherwise take years to pick up.

Whether you're quilting, embroidering, mending, or constructing a project, you'll need to know some sewing basics to get you through your projects. Sewing For Dummies covers all the important sewing fundamentals such as:

• Mastering hand stitches and machine stitches
• Reading a sewing pattern
• Sewing sensational seams
• Hemming a variety of fabrics
• Shaping garments with darts, tucks, and pleats
• Installing zippers, buttons, and other fasteners
• Negotiating sleeves and pockets
• Working with home décor fabrics
• Adjusting projects for better fit and function

Once you've explored the basic techniques, you'll be ready to start some easy sewing projects. This friendly book will guide you through the following projects, and more, with confidence:

• Children's costumes
• Tablecloth and place mats
• Duvet cover
• Fleece scarf, hat, and jacket ensemble
• Teddy bear
• Window treatments
• Creative pillows

Fabric touches almost everything in a person's daily life. Children cuddle up with pillows and soft toys and dress up in costumes for fun. People wear clothing to be comfortable, stay warm, and to be fashionable. People also appreciate and admire handmade heirlooms. When you finish your projects, wear them with pride, play in them, admire your work, and hand them down to your loved ones.

Jan Saunders is a nationally known sewing and surging journalist and home economist. After graduating from Adrian College in Michigan, she became the Education Director of one of the largest sewing machine companies in the country, and then the Director of Consumer Education for the largest fabric chain in the country. Both professional experiences gave her a solid foundation in the home sewing industry, which she continues to service with her many writing, marketing, and industry consulting projects.