Professional Documents
Culture Documents
contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fabric Glossary 12 • Thread Glossary 18 • Setting up a Sewing Area 20 • Good Things for Sewing 22
basic techniques
Sewing �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26
appliqu�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������38
embroidery�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������44
dyeing���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������74
printing�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������84
projects a to z
animals ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 92 flowers����������������������������������������������������������������������� 238
dolls���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 234
xyz
Tools and Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 buyer’s guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fabric Glossary 12 • Thread Glossary 18 • Setting up a Sewing Area 20 • Good Things for Sewing 22
basic techniques
Sewing �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26
appliqu�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������38
embroidery�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������44
dyeing���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������74
printing�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������84
projects a to z
animals ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 92 flowers����������������������������������������������������������������������� 238
dolls���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 234
xyz
Tools and Materials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356 buyer’s guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
introduction
s a child, I was fascinated with sewing. Mother always I can remember so many of the projects we made together:
sewed—her own clothes, the clothes for her three daughters, the white Swiss organdy First Communion dress with wide tucks
Halloween costumes for all six of her children, and random gifts and short puffy sleeves, my first “formal” of blue silk Shantung
and objects for family and friends. She had an old Singer with pale pink tulle overskirt, my graduation dress with pale blue
machine in a wooden carrying case given to her by her mother, embroidered flowers on imported white cotton, my prom dress
but that was put away when bought a new White machine. The of sophisticated dark brown voile with a sweetheart neckline, and
White, in its maple wood cabinet table, occupied one wall of of course, my wedding dress, of embroidered Swiss organdy, with
our large eat-in kitchen. It was always open, with a project or two a peau de soie lining and cotton voile interfacing.
neatly folded on the work table or on the ironing board next to it. In college, I continued to sew, and all of my fancy clothes were
It was inevitable that I, my sister Kathy, and the youngest made from designer patterns from my friend Ann Boswell’s aunt,
sibling, Laura, would all become proficient seamstresses. Buying who owned a couture shop called Chez Ninon. I wore Balenciaga
fabrics in specialty stores mother discovered in Passaic, Rutherford, and Dior and Givenchy to class and fell in love with great couture.
and Belleville, New Jersey, and later in the myriad fabric shops When I married, my first sewing machine was a Singer, with the
on West 38th Street in New York City, was another favorite pastime. most advanced technology and features of the 1960s models. I
I learned all about weaves, textures, fibers, and which fabrics learned a lot on that machine, and I sewed with it for many years,
and threads were best for which projects and for specific patterns. experimenting with construction and design. Even today, with
The pattern books by Vogue and Butterick and Simplicity were construction so much more relaxed, I still examine seams and fab-
like great art books to all of us, and we pored over them for hours, rics and the way things are made, and I still sew all the time.
dreaming up lavish costumes that of course we could not afford This book is meant to be both a primer for new sewers and a
but desired to wear. We all made small projects like aprons, refresher for those of us who know how to sew and want to get
scarves, and some decorative household objects, but we were some new ideas and projects. Sewing is, of course, not just fashion.
primarily interested in the creation of clothing for everyday as It incorporates appliquéing, embroidery, quilting, and fabric crafts,
well as special occasions. I took sewing courses in the Nutley public such as dyeing and printing, as well as many other things. We
schools and learned to make a blouse with set-in sleeves and at Martha Stewart Living hope this volume fills voids in your knowl-
yoke and collar, a circle skirt, a simple jacket, and a pair of cuffed edge and inspires you to try new things. Enjoy!
shorts with zippered-fly front. Mother taught me all the rest of
what I know—tailoring, interfacing, bias cutting, bound button-
holes, handmade buttonholes—and she instilled in me the basic
good habits that make one a good sewer for life.
introduction
s a child, I was fascinated with sewing. Mother always I can remember so many of the projects we made together:
sewed—her own clothes, the clothes for her three daughters, the white Swiss organdy First Communion dress with wide tucks
Halloween costumes for all six of her children, and random gifts and short puffy sleeves, my first “formal” of blue silk Shantung
and objects for family and friends. She had an old Singer with pale pink tulle overskirt, my graduation dress with pale blue
machine in a wooden carrying case given to her by her mother, embroidered flowers on imported white cotton, my prom dress
but that was put away when bought a new White machine. The of sophisticated dark brown voile with a sweetheart neckline, and
White, in its maple wood cabinet table, occupied one wall of of course, my wedding dress, of embroidered Swiss organdy, with
our large eat-in kitchen. It was always open, with a project or two a peau de soie lining and cotton voile interfacing.
neatly folded on the work table or on the ironing board next to it. In college, I continued to sew, and all of my fancy clothes were
It was inevitable that I, my sister Kathy, and the youngest made from designer patterns from my friend Ann Boswell’s aunt,
sibling, Laura, would all become proficient seamstresses. Buying who owned a couture shop called Chez Ninon. I wore Balenciaga
fabrics in specialty stores mother discovered in Passaic, Rutherford, and Dior and Givenchy to class and fell in love with great couture.
and Belleville, New Jersey, and later in the myriad fabric shops When I married, my first sewing machine was a Singer, with the
on West 38th Street in New York City, was another favorite pastime. most advanced technology and features of the 1960s models. I
I learned all about weaves, textures, fibers, and which fabrics learned a lot on that machine, and I sewed with it for many years,
and threads were best for which projects and for specific patterns. experimenting with construction and design. Even today, with
The pattern books by Vogue and Butterick and Simplicity were construction so much more relaxed, I still examine seams and fab-
like great art books to all of us, and we pored over them for hours, rics and the way things are made, and I still sew all the time.
dreaming up lavish costumes that of course we could not afford This book is meant to be both a primer for new sewers and a
but desired to wear. We all made small projects like aprons, refresher for those of us who know how to sew and want to get
scarves, and some decorative household objects, but we were some new ideas and projects. Sewing is, of course, not just fashion.
primarily interested in the creation of clothing for everyday as It incorporates appliquéing, embroidery, quilting, and fabric crafts,
well as special occasions. I took sewing courses in the Nutley public such as dyeing and printing, as well as many other things. We
schools and learned to make a blouse with set-in sleeves and at Martha Stewart Living hope this volume fills voids in your knowl-
yoke and collar, a circle skirt, a simple jacket, and a pair of cuffed edge and inspires you to try new things. Enjoy!
shorts with zippered-fly front. Mother taught me all the rest of
what I know—tailoring, interfacing, bias cutting, bound button-
holes, handmade buttonholes—and she instilled in me the basic
good habits that make one a good sewer for life.
also available
Just like the New York Times bestseller Martha Stewart’s
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