Offers techniques for designing and making clothes, whether you are following a pattern, adding embellishements, or designing garments from scratch. This book includes illustrated instructions, which explain the essential dressmaking techniques. It is suitable for beginners, or those who are already designing or making their own clothes.

An invaluable resource, Dressmaking will guide you through all the stages of making, altering, and customizing clothes. Starting with the Tools and Materials, you will learn what you need to buy and how to use it. The Fabrics chapter demonstrates the drape and weave of fabrics and explains the best uses of each. The Patterns chapter covers everything from understanding a pattern to altering one. In General Techniques, close-up photography and guiding annotation to explain key techniques step by step. A section on Basic Patterns and Variations then guides you through creating six garments. Patterns and detailed step-by-step instructions are provided for a skirt, dress, shirt, tee, jacket, and pair of trousers. Instructions are also given for possible variations of each garment. Finally, chapters on Alterations and repairs and Customizing offer practical tips for repairing worn items and inspiration for modernizing tired pieces. Packed with essential advice and inspiration, this is the dressmaking bible that no budding seamstress should be without.

Whether you want to create a tailored jacket, sew a collar that lies flat, fashion a one-of-a-kind special-occasion outfit or learn the subtleties of working with faux leather, the information is in this book. You will also find detailed instructions based on Clotilde's years of experience and sewing expertise. It's like having Clotilde in your sewing room to answer your questions as you plan and create each new clothing project.

A sourcebook for the home sewer contains more than 500 fundamental techniques for altering or repairing garments, using patterns, and creating your own designs

Choose the perfect fabrics for any project, try your hand at a range of machine-sewing techniques, and put your new-found knowledge to use with 13 downloadable patterns that can be adapted to create more than 30 stylish garments. With step-by-step guides and patterns to make classic dresses, skirts, tops, trousers, and jackets, alongside ideas for refreshing and reinventing your old clothes

The author guides the novice and the experienced knitters in short-cuts and construction tricks and offers twenty original designs.

A practical illustrated guide to techniques, tools and troubleshooting from a couture dressmaker. This book is a beautifully presented and comprehensive resource for dressmakers new to the craft and for those who want to take their skills further. It features scores of step-by-step sequences showing every kind of technique, from using and adapting paper patterns, to couture-inspired seaming techniques that will take garment-making skills to a new level. Some notable and practical features of the book are: all photos illustrate the sewer's perspective from above, whether hand sewing or using a machine fine details (such as a small notch) are shown in close-up photo call outs photo annotations point out important details lengthy descriptive captions leave no opportunity for confusion. The contents cover the full breadth of dressmaking. The following are just a few of them. Sewing Kit -- the tools and materials required, including a sewing machine, overlocker/serger, and how to choose and use them Preparation -- Natural and synthetic fabrics, how to choose fabrics, prepping and handling, pre-washing, types of thread, interfacings, understanding and sizing a pattern Cutting -- Laying out and pinning fabric and patterns, weighting, marking, and tacking Making - Pressing is not ironing, creating shape, open and closed seams, pockets, openings and closures, zippers, sleeves and cuffs, collars, yokes, waistbands, decorative features, sewing jersey Finishing -- Bound edges, facings, hems, and linings Resources -- Metric/imperial conversion, sewing machine needles sizes and uses, common seam allowances, and US, UK and European size conversions. Other valuable topics covered are the anatomy of a stitch, correcting thread tension, fixing stitches, working 4-thread jersey, what selvedge is and how grain lines work, how to measure yourself (and why), how to alter a pattern to fit, making a toile (a personalized, muslin, fitting dress). Dressmaking: The Indispensable Guide is an essential reference.