More Fabric Savvy: a book review

I come from a knitting background. Some of my favorite knitting books talk about the yarn...not just what to use, but why, what to look out for, what it is made of, how to care for it, and so on. I had been asking sewists for recommendations on books on fabric. I'm sure that there are non-sewists who know more about types of fabric than I. I really needed some help!

Then, this week I went to a local fabric store to look for bobbins. My sewing machine was a gift, and the included bobbins didn't fit! While I was there, I asked the sales associate about my book quest. She started to write down my info, and I walked around the side of the counter toward their book selection. Right in front of me was "More Fabric Savvy," by Sandra Betzina. I picked it up and asked the associate about it. She had never seen it and wondered if someone had left it there by accident, for a second. But no, the book was mine!

The title may be a little confusing; I know I wondered, was there a part one? A little research revealed that some time ago, Ms. Betzina wrote "Fabric Savvy" and this was an updated version of that book.

Ms. Betzina had a genius idea with this book, because instead of making it a boring read, she set it up as if she were filling out a form. On the left side of the page is a photo of a garment made from the fabric. On the right side, there is information on everything from construction materials, appropriate needles, to presser feet. The whole thing is spiral bound which makes it lovely to work from because it lays flat.

Ms Betzina also includes a nice techniques section complete with pictures. I do wish that this section were a little more detailed because if you don't know anything about the particular technique, it isn't going to help you. However, I also recognize that this book can't be everything and her focus is on fabric, not techniques.

If you are looking for a down and dirty book on fabrics and how to sew with them, go check out "More Fabric Savvy," by Sandra Betzina!

Resources

As a novice sewer (I do hate that word. It looks like another word for the tunnel Andy used to escape Shawshank), I am finding that having plenty of resources are important not only for learning new skills, but also for improving technique.  As I mentioned last time, I have been taking lessons from CP. She's an experienced seamstress, but that also means she has TNT (tried and true) methods that she uses consistently. What that means for me is that I could miss out on another method that works better for me. The good news is that CP is fully aware of this, and encourages me to try different methods (including following the written directions) when I try something new so that I can figure out what technique I like best for a particular project.

For the past few weeks, I took a few lessons on altering tops with bust darts from another friend, Kate. Kate is a newer sewer, but she has a different sort of experience than CP. She has done extensive quilting, and also has taken some courses on bra-making (really! Very cool!) and swimsuits. She took a Palmer/Pletsch course last year and wanted to try fitting me with a decidedly unfitted knit top. Her quilting skills really come out with her precision with rules and lines, in contrast to CP who is more of the "make it work" school of thought. It was a good lesson for me to see how different people approach fitting.  It made me put a Palmer/Pletsch fitting book and class on my wish list for the future!

I have also mentioned that I'm taking classes at Craftsy.com. If you are interested in trying a class, sometimes there are free courses you can take that will let you see how the courses work. Right now, there is a Chocolates class being offered, and who doesn't like chocolate? (Look for "Dipped, Dusted, and Rolled: Handmade Chocolates" to sign up.) The courses are frequently on sale, and there are a good variety of crafting projects. I definitely like the format, and when the classes are on sale, they are within my price-point. I'm currently taking Gertie (aka Gretchen Hirsch)'s class called "Sew Retro," was well as a class by Susan Khalje, "The Couture Dress." The class members seem to be at all levels, the courses never expire, and you have access to the teachers for questions and for garment evaluation (by sharing photos.)

In addition to courses and private lessons, I have a few books in my arsenal that I am enjoying. First and foremost, I really like "Vogue Easy Sewing", by Vogue Knitting Magazine. This book covers an extensive range of topics, and while it doesn't have much in the way of photos, I find that it's a good starting point on what to do if everything seems to be going wrong.  It's pretty easy to find, and as a paperback book, the price-point is reasonable for most people (I paid less than $20 dollars for this book, new.) Just the other day, I was having dart issues, so I referred to this book to make sure that I was headed in the right direction (and it helped me realize that, yes, I was doing it right, and no, a dart was not a good technique for this garment.)

The next book I recommend is a Reader's Digest book called "The New Complete Guide to Sewing."  This is a book I got on the recommendation of Gertie, from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing. True confession time: I did not buy this book new. I found an older version (mine has a different cover photo) at a used-book store. I paid 4 dollars, although I've since learned I might have to only pay a dollar in the future, as this type of book is considered a "trade" book. In any case, the contents of the book, as far as I can tell, is the same, except the photos are updated to reflect current fashion trends and newer technology (in terms of machines.) However, a dart is a dart, a hem is a hem, and the methods involved have not changed.

The next set of books I like can be harder to find: The Singer Reference Library. I got "The Perfect Fit" (which has been republished by "Creative Publishing") as a Kindle book (but as I am Kindle-free, it resides on my laptop.) I found "Tailoring" at the aforementioned used-book store for a dollar. (Score!) I'm told you can sometimes find these as a set in used-book stores, but a few are still available on Amazon. The new ones may be labeled as being edited by "Creative Publishing, so be sure to search in both places if you look online.

The last book I'm going to talk about today is one that Gertie also recommends is "Make Your Own Dress Patterns," by Adele Margolis. I know you will all be shocked when I share that I found an older version of this book at the local used-book store. It was a 3 dollar bargain. The book hasn't changed that much except that photos are updated, as far as I can tell. This is a great book for looking at how you can change a pattern that you bought into something that is customized for you. I almost always want to change patterns so this is a great find for me.

I hope that you fine a resource here that is helpful for you and where you are in your sewing process. I am no expert, so this is the voice of a relative novice and I hope that more experienced seamstresses will speak up if there is a "must have" that should be in my arsenal!

How I Got Here

I first took a sewing class when I was 11 as a part of the local 4H organization. My mother didn't really enjoy sewing, and that ambivalence sort of rubbed off on me. I made the two dresses for my required projects and then never sewed again, until...

Last year sometime, while knitting with friends, I mentioned that I'd like to learn how to sew. I figured it would be an interesting side thing to know, but I really didn't expect much to come of it. A woman in my knitting group, CP, is an amazing seamstress. I won't share any details, because she is a private person, but I will say that she has pretty much been sewing her entire life. And it shows. She volunteered to teach me at her home. I couldn't believe my luck! She took me to Jo~Ann's to get some supplies, and we set up a date to begin.

I lugged my ~50 pound, green Adler sewing machine to CP's house for my first lesson. The machine is mechanical and older than I am. In fact, Adler no longer makes home sewing machines. To call this machine "industrial strength" would be an understatement. I will put a picture of big green up in the future, but trust me when I say that this is not a machine for wimps. No free arm. No auto-button holer. No clear window to see your bobbin. Not easy to thread. But it worked, and it had all of the features I needed to get started.

We started with this pattern: Simplicity 2241: Learn to Sew Girl's and Child's dresses. I made it once with CP's help. Then she had me go home and work on it again, alone. She suggested I make it a few times so that I'd really have it down. The fact that I have twin daughters, whom I lovingly refer to as "my two divas," was very helpful. You'd think that the girls would not have been impressed with the idea of wearing handmade clothing, but instead, they were very excited. I made this pattern as a nightgown, so they had the opportunity to wear it, even if I made a mistake. And mistakes were made. But every time I made a mistake, I learned something new and I gained confidence. I learned that most mistakes can be fixed, and if they can't, well, you are less likely to make that mistake again!

After I got some practice making this particular pattern, I made a girl's dress with a zipper. And a girl's jacket. Then I got brave and made a fleece nightgown for myself. It was in that moment that I realized that sewing was the ticket for clothing for me. I had always purchased things to fit my largest part, and was ending up with clothing that was ill-fitting or I needed to spend a fair amount to get the clothing adjusted to my body. Yes, the gown was probably more expensive than anything I could buy, but I enjoyed the process and the quality was definitely better than a similarly priced "store brand." Most importantly, it was a true fit!

I still have "seminars" with CP, and but I've been exploring more on my own now. Plus now I have a new sewing machine, courtesy of my parents. I'm also taking classes on Craftsy.com, which have been very interesting and well-worth the cost.

So that's me, and I hope you'll follow me on my sewing adventures!

My first gown

The second gown:
 can you spot the mistake?