Sewing: Techniques for Beginners

Ideal aid to U of F courses. Has a good flow and clear instructions.

As a beginner I was looking for a book that would cover what I would most often see. At first glance it looked like this book was it. After getting a patternmaking book I realized how basic this book was. Doesn’t cover plackets or collars except a rib knot t shirt collar. Solid book but beware if you’re serious about sewing you’ll need another book.

While browsing the fashion section at the Rizzoli book store at 1133 Broadway in Manhattan this winter, I saw the covers of three new books on draping, sewing and patternmaking. I am an Assistant Professor in the Fashion Design Department, Apparel Area at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I have taught sewing at FIT for more than twenty years and I have several sewing books that have been published at different times over past 25 years. I picked up the sewing book, flipped through it quickly and was pleasantly surprised that a colleague, Barbara Seggio is the editor. I requested a desk copy from the Publisher. The step by step photos of sewing techniques are excellent. It is essential that students learn the sequence of techniques and master them as a foundation. Understanding sewing and construction techniques enhance and inform their creative designs. The University of Fashion’s online video of sewing techniques now has an excellent step by step companion book that supports learning how to sew. Students have different learning styles and while we are in the digital age of the internet, there is still a need for books that support technology. When a student forgets a step or two while sewing, they can quickly reference the photos in the book.The book also has very important information about the history of sewing and the sewing machine, a comprehensive list of sewing tools and much more. There is information on seam and hem finishes for various types of fabrics, facings and interfacings, button and buttonholes, zippers, pockets etc. Learning how to sew goes hand in hand with the experience of using these techniques when sewing different fabrics of different fibers and in different weights. This book is a great starting point for the adventure of sewing!

As a former designer and now an educator for the past 6 years, I received a desk copy of this book from the publisher and was impressed with how in tune it is with today’s learner. Written by fashion college educators, the content ranges from the history of sewing to important basics such as the tools used in sewing (needles, pins, thimbles, and pincushions, etc.) to comprehensive step-by-step high quality images accompanied by written instructions covering all you need to know about threads, pressing, buttons & buttonholes, sewing buttons, interfacings, hand stitches and seam and hem finishes for various types of fabrics. It also includes how to construct a variety of pockets, bindings, spaghetti straps and zippers. This book is a must for teachers and students alike and I love that it is an excellent companion to University of Fashion’s online videos, which my students use frequently inside and outside of the classroom. Additionally, as an educator, I appreciate that each lesson begins with Learning Objectives and ends with a Self-Evaluation section, as these are important learning practices in education today. I highly recommend this book as it is the perfect beginner sewing book, for the home-sewer and aspiring fashion designer alike.

I am a high school fashion teacher. I have a passion for quality construction. That is how I became familiar with the University of Fashion. For my purpose with high school students, I really like the new book, Sewing Techniques For Beginners. I work with students of all ability levels. I think this book is adaptable for diverse abilities. The photos make the instructions crystal clear. “Novices” can study the sequence of photos and work side by side with the book to produce excellent results. The learning objectives coupled with the tips and self-evaluation checklist make this book an excellent resource for both students and teachers.This book has comprehensive content. All the basics are thoroughly presented. If you love creating beautiful fashion, this book is for you.

I am a fashion teacher at a high school and also at Bergen Community College. I brought this book to my students to review it and they absolutely love it! They love the cover and size of the book and how easy is to find all the lessons, they also love that the book has lots of pictures so they can see step by step how to follow the lesson visually too. They are glad to have this book in our classroom. As a teacher I really love the book because this is a great reference when creating my lesson plans and implementing new and different techniques. Love most of all the fact that this book has many pictures and visual demonstrations.

Great book and in a very good condition

So comprehensive step by step, I wish I'd found this years ago