Singer (Nancy Langdon) - The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing

3rd edition BY NANCY LANGDON

Take a moment to look around your environment and see how many things are made of textiles. Most likely, those things have been assembled to great degree through sewing. Now think how many of those things dont fit quite comfortably, are looking worn and dated, or dont serve the intended function.

Now, if you can sew, you can make almost any textile item look and function exactly how you want it to. Besides being very practical, sewing can be an energizing and empowering life skill. Sewing for yourself and the people in your life allows you to create garments that fit and flatter all body types and personalities. Your clothes are the skin you choose, one way you communicate with the world around you. Sewing allows you to wear your true you. Maybe youve returned home from a shopping trip empty handed, feeling that youve been left out of fashion. No need to sit at home and miss out on the fun simply because you cant find anything to wear. Sewing can be your way back into fashion. With a good sewing pattern, some knowledge on how to adjust that pattern correctly, and the right fabrics, not only will you walk confidently into a room in beautiful garments, but youll also feel that sense of personal accomplishment that comes from having made something with your own two hands. Sewing for your living spaces will add those wonderful uniquely you touches that make a house a home. Switch up your dcor style on a whim for only pennies on the dollar. Sewing also allows you to play a greater role in voting with your dollars to support textile production techniques, farming, environmental, and labor practices that align with your own values. Finally, sewing is life-long learning activity. There will always be new fabrics, advances in technologies, and innovations in fashion design. Each project, no matter how small, will be a new experience that will add to your skill set. Sewing is a wonderful activity that marries mathematical, spatialrelational, and methodical thought processes with the free-spirited creative mind to make tangible, useful, beautiful everyday items.

The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing, 3rd Edition, owes much to its predecessor editions. This edition has been updated to reflect advances in textiles and technologies, changes in tastes, and evolving sewing practices influenced to a great degree by the vibrant, global, infinitely resourceful, and selflessly helpful online sewing communities. Although what we sew and how we sew may have changed from our mothers time, many techniques survive the centuries and create a consistent thread of knowledge to be passed along, stitch by stitch, sewist to sewist, generation to generation. This book is intended to share what was given to us.

Like any other art or craft, sewing begins with basic techniques. In addition, specialty sewing topics such as fitting, sewing activewear, and sewing home dcor projects are also included.

Getting Started

This section gives you information on the sewing machine and the serger. We show you how to get the perfect stitch and tell you about special features and accessories for both machines. We also tell you about the equipment and notions you will need, plus some specialized equipment that you may find indispensible.

Also covered here is the sewing pattern. You will learn how to take your measurements, select and fit the correct size. A guide to fabric selection is included, as well as cutting and sewing tips. There is also information on how to choose and apply interfacing.

Sewing Techniques

The basic sewing techniques include seams, darts, gathering, sleeves, collars, waistbands, cuffs, and closures. Each is given an overview, followed by a step-by-step description of how to achieve excellent results. Often, several methods are presented with suggestions on which may be best to use.

Home Decorating Projects

The Home Decorating section is divided into six project categories: pillows, cushions, slipcovers, windows, bed and bath, and tables. Four basic pillow styles are shown with variations for closures. For windows, we give instructions for standard favorites, such as pinch-pleated draperies and variations, Roman shades, and many others. For the bedroom, we give you instructions on how to make a duvet cover, and then the matching pillow shams and a dust ruffle. For the table, learn how to make rectangular and round tablecloths, placemats, and many variations of napkins.

For easy reference, fabric and notions required to complete many projects are included in a box labeled You Will Need. The step-by-step instructions for the home dcor projects are complete, so theres no need to purchase additional sewing patterns. The photographs show you how each project should look each step of the way.

Step-by-Step Guidance

The photos add depth and dimension to the instructions, giving you a close-up look at each step. In some cases, the stitches are shown in heavier thread or a contrasting color to make them more visible. Some marking lines have also been exaggerated to show a crucial matching point.

If you are learning to sew or getting back to sewing, you may want to practice your skills on an easy project before starting a larger one. Try sewing simple placemats and napkins to practice a new edge finish. When you sew a first garment, choose a simple style that is easy to fit with few details.

Whether you are new to sewing, an experienced sewist, or a returning sewist, this book is designed to be a help and an inspiration. There are many techniques, tips, and tricks within these pages for successful results that even some very experienced sewists may not yet know. Keep this book near your sewing machine, make notes on the pages, and, most importantly, enjoy the sewing experience!

Getting Started

The Sewing Machine

A sewing machine is your most important piece of sewing equipmentyour vehicle on your sewing journeyso select one with care. A sturdy, well-built machine will give you many years of sewing enjoyment.

If you are buying a new machine, there are models available to fit any budget or sewing need. Types range from a basic zigzag with one or two built-in stitches, to electronic machines that use advanced computer technology to control and select the stitching. Just like you wouldnt drive a rusty old car found in a barn out on the highway, use caution when using a machine found in a closet that hasnt been used in years. It is best to have the machine thoroughly checked and adjusted by a trusted professional before heading out on your road to creativity.

Common sewing machine features include built-in buttonholer, stitch selection, instant reverse, snap-on presser foot or shank feet, free arm for stitching small round areas (such as pant legs), built-in bobbin winder, automatic tension and pressure adjustment, automatic stitch length adjustment, and even automatic thread cutters and thread tie-offs. Embroidery machines, in addition to conventional sewing, allow the user to use digital files to make elaborate and colorful machine embroidered designs. Each feature adds to the cost of the machine, so look for a machine to match your sewing projects. Invest in a machine that satisfies your sewing needs, but dont pay for features you will rarely use. Also consider the amount and difficulty of the sewing you do and the number of people you sew for. Talk to fabric store personnel and friends who sew and read reviews of different sewing machines online. Ask for demonstrations and try out and compare several models. Look for quality workmanship and ease of operation, as well as stitching options. A heavier machine will be less likely to dance around your sewing table while sewing at higher speeds. Also take a look inside at the inner workings of the machine and look for metal parts: Plastic parts are subject to deformation and since sewing is a matter of tiny, tiny fractions of inches, even the very slightest variations in the gear works can have significant impacts on your machines timing and stitch quality. However, also be wary of inexpensive machines with a lot of metal parts. It is likely that a lower quality steel was used and this lesser quality steel will allow burrs to form easily on, for example, the hook, causing threads to tangle. Also consider a machines piercing power: Make sure the machine you choose will punch a needle through four to six layers of heavy material without bending or breaking the needle (think about hemming jeans or stitching heavy upholstery).