The Dressmaker's Companion: A practical guide to sewing clothes

by Elizabeth Haywood

Overview

Patternmaker and sewing expert Elizabeth Haywood offers you a comprehensive sewing reference like no other. Are you comfortable with a sewing machine? Moved beyond the sewing basics? Here's the book you'll refer to again and again for reliable, practical, easy-to-follow advice.

Among the many techniques included, you'll learn how to...

Install any type of zip

Sew a perfect dart, first time

Make a concealed front

Fit sleeves to large upper arms

Pleat perfectly

Sew a men's waistband

Cuff a pair of trousers

Make a pattern for a jacket lining (and then sew it)

Develop your sewing skills, master new techniques and discover the answer to your sewing questions. With over 3,000 detailed illustrations, step-by-step instructions, clever ideas, troubleshooting and fitting advice all arranged in 41 chapters, The Dressmaker's Companion will enable you to sew with confidence.

Winner of the 30th Benjamin Franklin Award for best craft book and silver medal winner for best large format cover.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780646985473
Publisher:	Cooatalaa Press
Publication date:	04/30/2018
Edition description:	2nd The Dressmaker's Companion ed.
Pages:	460
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 11.60(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Elizabeth Haywood always loved making clothes. She trained as a clothing patternmaker and worked in many interesting areas of the fashion industry in Australia and overseas for 20 years. Her experience includes ladies wear, bridal gowns, formal and race wear, swimwear, corporate and school uniforms, sports uniforms and assorted theatre costumes. For several years she taught sewing to students ranging from beginners to advanced. She also worked as a knitting pattern writer, technical editor and technical feature writer. She is passionate about beautiful fitting clothes, great cut, understanding garment construction and developing sewing skills. Elizabeth now lives in the country with her young family, where she writes the fashion and sewing blog The Craft of Clothes at www.lizhaywood.com.au

Table of Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Alterations for over 50's

Belt loops

Belts

Bias Cut

Bias Strips

Binding

Buttons and buttonholes

Collars

Construction

Cutting

Darts

Facings

Front stands and tab fronts

Gathering

Godets

Handsewing essentials

Hems

Interfacing

Linings

Measurements and ease

Mitres

Overlocker FAQs

Party Fabrics

Patternmaking Essentials

Piping

Pleats

Pockets

Pressing

Rouleau

Seams

Shirt cuffs and plackets

Shirt yokes

Shoulder pads

Sleeves

Stain removal

Strapless tops

Topstitching

Tucks

Vents and splits

Waistbands

Zips

Glossary

Further Reading

Index

Editorial Reviews

"If you can have only one sewing reference book, THIS IS IT! " -Australian Sewing Guild

"A lovely well written and illustrated book. Very informative, easy to comprehend even for a novice sewer. So many sewing and pattern making tips and ideas from an expert in her field. I highly recommend this book be added to any sewers library." -Lis Moritz, Catwalk fabrics

"This book includes instructions on a range of techniques you will come across once you have mastered the basics. A valuable resource." -Elizabeth May, House of Cloth

From the Publisher