Couture Sewing Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)This is truly a wonderful book for those ready to step beyond "speed sewing" and rotary cutting to creating beautiful garments with exquisit finishing. I've been sewing for 40 years and never knew how different couture sewing techniques are from those the rest of us commonly use. As precisely used in this text the word "haute couture" only applies to those 20 or so designer houses in France who meet certain strict standards regulated by the government. Fascinating!
This is a book to read and study, lots of carefully detailed text and good photographs of haute couture designs and finishing techniques. Did you know there are at least five different hand basting stitches and even more permanent hand sewing stitches for garment construction? Did you know couture houses don't use paper patterns? That their seam allowances are usually at least one inch wide? That most of their basting is done from the RIGHT side of the garment? That most seam edges are finished by hand -- even into the curve clips? That most garments are constructed entirely by hand? That steaming, shrinking and molding garment sections by pressing are as important to the shaping process as the sewing? And I'm not just talking about pressing seams open here. Wow! And I thought I knew how to sew.
While other books may use "couture" in their titles this book means it. While I've said this isn't for the fainthearted anyone who sews clothing will find some new and accessible technique here. Grab it, keep it near your sewing machine and if you only add one new technique with each project your skill, pride and satisfaction in your work will grow immensely.

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Sewers who have ever longed to create clothing with the distinctive look of haute couture will love this book. They'll learn the finer points of hand sewing, shaping, and finishing for a high-end, professional look. This book is for all sewing enthusiasts who appreciate fine workmanship.

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Classic Tailoring Techniques: A Construction Guide for Men's Wear (F.I.T. Collection) (Language of Fashion Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have wanted to write a review of this book for months, but forced myself to finish a suit before writing. I made a sport coat and pants for my husband a couple years ago using an advanced Vogue Pattern and skills from a women's tailoring class and was not impressed with the results. I bought this book because I wanted to learn how to do men's tailoring the right way. Yesterday, I finished a suit, sport coat and pants following the directions of Classic Tailoring Techniques. All I can say now is, Wow! I have been sewing for 15 years, took several construction classes in college including a women's tailoring class and this was the most work of any sewing project I have ever done. The jackets are easily over 100 hours each. For every 10 minutes of machine sewing, I spent about 10 hours of hand sewing. In the middle of the project I thought I had lost my mind - I could have gotten a job at Burger King and purchased twice as many suits. But...the end result was absolutely worth it. Actually, I am going to start another suit tonight! Classic Tailoring Techniques has been the best sewing book I have ever purchased. Although my basic pattern was from Vogue, I didn't look at their directions even once during the project. The directions in the book are very different from Vogue or anything else I had ever seen. But the author's directions are very clear and with plenty of illustrations. If you follow the steps exactly (yes, every time he has you hand baste it's for a reason), I promise your results will be beautiful. This book has completely revolutionized how I sew - most notably pockets and collars, which have always been troublesome for me. Since I can now speak with the voice of experience, make sure you spend extra time in the fitting section of the book. Mr. Cabrara has very detailed instructions for correcting a pattern and getting the perfect fit. Making the muslin is worth the time. Also, it is a must to get the right understructure supplies. Good wool canvas interfacing feels very different from the stuff you will find at fabric stores. I called local tailor shops to ask where they buy their supplies. Most companies will send samples and let you order over the phone.
If you buy good fabric, good supplies and follow the directions in the book - your suits will be fantastic. My husband has always been spoiled with expensive suits, usually about $1,000 each. He has decided that the suit and sport coat I made are nicer than his purchased suits and has offered to do more cooking and cleaning if I will make him more suits. That has to be the best endorsement a book could get!

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Fashion Illustration: Inspiration and Technique Review

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(More customer reviews)What a great way to learn rendering! Anna Kiper provides modern day techniques to make beginners learn fashion art with style. Her book is comprehensive and a work of art in itself! I would recommend this book to any one interested in learning about fashion illustration! Great buy!

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A complete fashion school for drawing and painting fashion figures, garments, and accessories for all aspiring fashion illustrators and designers. Designed for newcomers and improvers, this book shows you how to construct the head and figure, compose for impact, and use all available media. Practical, interactive and beautiful, instruction will be via step exercises, hardworking fashion sketches and beautiful fashion illustrations.

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Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers Review

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(More customer reviews)I will tell u - I was very skeptical about purchasing this book. The reason? Some months aback, I had bought a book which stated that it was about sewing techniques. What a dreadful mistake - the illustrations were wack and unprofessional, I could hardly follow what the author was trying to bring across. But this book, oh my gosh!!! The illustrations are in great detail... the explanations and procedures are clear and precise! A couple of reviews of this book i noticed are from students, but if you are a home seamstress/sewist like myself, u really need this book. It covers every single thing u need to know about putting a garment together. I kid u not! If you are deterred about the price, and I know in some aspect that u are, it is definitely worth it!!! Don't waste your time and money buying any other sewing technique books, this one has every thing in it. Don't find yourself buying a whole bunch different books that concentrates on only one aspect of sewing/designing. Get this book, trust me, u will not be disappointed. I love it, love it, love it!!! At last, a book that covers all sewing techniques and problems u may encounter and how to solve them. For those who bought PATTERNMAKING FOR FASHION DESIGN by Helen Joseph Armstrong, this book I think is the 2nd step. It shows you how to put your patterns together. Just buy the thing!!! It's great!!!

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Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers is a modern, colorful, and up-to-date sewing guide that teaches fashion design students the construction skills they'll need to execute their original designs in a professional environment. Each chapter covers a particular theme such as seams, collars, and zippers and reflects the order of assembly of any garment, offering many insights into techniques appropriate to varying levels of proficiency. Based on their belief that it is impossible to have good designs without having accurate patternmaking and quality construction skills, Cole and Czachor hope to increase student's sewing skills, inspire their confidence, and stimulate their creative experimentation from the beginning stages through their development as successful designers.

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