Cal Patch

This is, first of all, about a million times better than [b:Improv Sewing|13336366|Improv Sewing A Freeform Approach to Creative Techniques; 101 Fast, Fun, and Fearless Projects Dresses, Tunics, Scarves, Skirts, Accessories, Pillows, Curtains, and More|Nicole Blum|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348679674s/13336366.jpg|18544544]. You can click through and read my review of that title if you'd like; or you can satisfy yourself with the knowledge that Improv Sewing is the first, show more last and only book on sewing that I have actually been offended by. I can't understand why anyone would want to go to all the trouble of sewing their own clothes from their own patterns and not also want to take the steps of making sure it does not look like crap.

In the case of Design-It-Yourself Clothes, the patterns you make will not look like crap. Or at least, not as much like crap as the ones in Improv Sewing. There is even a chance, particularly if you are in highschool, that the clothes may even be flattering and wearable.

She has some really lovely pattern ideas that are well-executed. This is promising. She also talks through the process of making basic alterations to cut and construction, like changing pattern shapes to add darts or pleats. (Unlike Improv Sewing, where you just take the same fabric shape you would have used for a basic top and sew pleats into the neckline without somehow totally altering the fit of the sleeves or the sides.) She also clearly knows what she's talking about in terms of drafting original patterns.

But the book still suffers from some of the same problems in Improv Sewing; namely, you'd better be under 23, childless, thin, and otherwise without obvious lumps or bulges: there are no darts in the shirt patterns, and no instructions for adding shaping to the fronts of tops. She has some instructions for adding darts to skirts and dresses, but no guidance on how to make them even. Also, the book suffers from a notable lack of photographs or illustrations showing the very detailed technical steps in pattern construction and alteration. So expect to do a lot of re-reading and make a lot of mistakes on the way to your first finished garment.

This book will help you make clothes like those in H&M or Joe Fresh. You know? They look great on a hangar or on the mannequins in the store windows, and if you are slim and have few curves, they may also fit well and look ok on you. The models wearing the clothes in the book certainly have mannequin-like builds. But I myself have never been able to try on a shirt in those stores that does not make me feel simultaneously as if I am wearing an ace bandage on my chest and also potentially hiding a first-trimester pregnancy due to the bagginess around the waist. I don't need to try it to know that it won't fit.

If it fits you, though, and if you are very patient and love to sew, you might really like this book. show less

nonfiction (advanced sewing/patternmaking).
This shows you how to draft your own made-to-order/personalized-fitting patterns from scratch (there are no actual patterns in this book), and then how to adapt those patterns (slash and spread) to create various styles. While I am not in the mood to attempt such a project now, the instructions appeared to be pretty good. See also Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing for actual patterns that she shows you how to adjust to fit to your measurements and show more more instructions on the slash and spread method. show less

I saw a number of reviews, but one I thought old both sides of the story was Liesl's (from Oliver Co) review. I put this book on my Amazon Wishlist and then I reserved it at the library so I could see if I really wanted to devote shelf space to this book.