Step-By-Step Techniques For Making Clothes And Home Accessories From Reader’s Digest
The Readers Digest Complete Guide To Sewing contains a wealth of great content for the beginner and intermediate sewists. It covers various aspects of sewing, helping readers take the guesswork out of their sewing projects.
Sewing With Sandi is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate advertising programs designed to earn advertising fees by linking to sellers’ websites.
You can find the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide To Sewing at Amazon. The latest version was published in August 2022 and offers current and informative advice. This updated version, from the first edition in 1978, does cover new projects with detailed drawings and thoroughly explained instructions.
Chapter One – Sewing Equipment And Fabrics
Chapter one does a great job of covering all the different types of tools you need as your sewing skills grow. It also includes a brief description of fabric types along with swatches of fabric. However, it would have been more helpful to show the swatches (or label them) as to which fabric description they correspond. For example, across from the definition of lace is a houndstooth, denim, and other unidentified fabrics which leaves you wondering.
Pattern And Fabric Selection
When you are ready to start your project, check out my Tips for Beginners video to help with your pattern and fabric selection.
Chapter Two – Cutting
This chapter has an extensive measuring guide with good illustrations. The guide also includes a large number of pattern alterations which can help with pattern adjustments.
One important item this book completely ignores is garment ease. Even when there is the explanation regarding the pattern sheets, they completely bypass finished garment measurements, which is a key component in figuring out and assuring a great fit.
Discover what finished garment measurements are and where to find them in the video below.
Chapter Three – Stitches And Seams
This chapter is a good primer for machine stitching and seaming techniques. It also covers hand stitching, which is sometimes necessary to achieve a great finish.
Chapter Four – Neckline Finishes And Collars
There are several neckline finishes covered in this chapter. My favorite neckline finish is with a lining — this is not covered. Learning old fashioned techniques like facings, which still permeate the commercial pattern world will not help take your garments to a high-fashion, beautifully finished level. Lining a garment is a simple couture detail that will improve the look and wearability of your garment.
Learn how to Ditch the Facings and add lining to your garments in the video below.
Chapter Five – Waistlines And Belts
There is a good variety of waistband options in this chapter.
Chapter Six – Sleeves And Sleeve Finishes
Sleeves are a great stepping stone from beginner to advanced beginner. The Complete Guide To Sewing does a nice job of covering sleeve insertion. There are also a good amount of line drawings to guide you along the sleeve path.
Chapter Seven – Pockets
The chapter on pockets covers pretty much everything a beginner will need to add a pocket to their favorite pattern. You can add interesting details to your projects with the addition of a simple pocket.
Chapter Eight – Hems
The hem chapter is a good reference book for expanding your hemming techniques. Whether you prefer to hand sew or machine stitch your hems, you will have options in this new book.
Chapter Nine – Fastenings
Zipper instructions are a challenge for some beginner sewists. There are many sewing books on the market but they do tend to skip over zippers. I like the way Reader’s Digest covers zippers in depth, including fly-front zippers, zippers underlays, and more.
One thing they do not cover in this edition is invisible zipper insertion. Most ready to wear garments do not have centered or lapped zippers, they have invisible zips.
Chapter Ten – Tailoring
The brief chapter on tailoring and alterations is a good peak into this area of sewing. Fine sewing techniques like French seams, boning, and other advanced techniques are briefly mentioned or completely left out.
Chapter Eleven – Patchwork And Quilting
A nod to quilting, chapter eleven goes over some very basic quilting techniques to get you off and running on the patchwork bandwagon.
Readers Digest Complete Guide To Sewing Book Review
I give the book a 4.0 out of 5.0. It contains lots of great sewing information, good diagrams, and clear writing. Techniques and tips that are very useful for someone learning to sew and exploring new sewing skills.
Some of my issues are that it only takes into account styles under the Simplicity Patterns umbrella. There is very little size or age diversity in any of the models. The size chart in the Appendix is only for Simplicity Patterns which can be misleading for someone new to sewing patterns. It also has very few photographs, while the illustrations are good, a nice mix of photos would be helpful. All in all, The Readers Digest Complete Guide To Sewing is a good guide for beginner and intermediate sewists.
Happy Sewing,
Sandi
PIN FOR LATER
