Singer Complete Photo Guide to Sewing - Revised + Expanded Edition: 1200 Full-Color How-To Photos

Sewing garments and home-decor items does not have to be mutually exclusive; there are certain skills and fields of knowledge peculiar to each, and there are some areas of overlap. Remarkably, this extremely comprehensive, heavily illustrated volume manages to do justice to both apparel and decortechniques, from the rudiments of the sewing machine and other essentialequipment to an exploration of fabric types, from taking propermeasurements (of people as well as of windows and tables) to learning allthe basics as well as more advanced skills for many kinds of sewing:women's wear, including tailoring; activewear, including swimsuits; babies'and children's clothes; window treatments, pillows, bed coverings, andtable linens. The section on making custom alterations to store-boughtpatterns is especially helpful for garment sewers perpetually frustrated intrying to achieve a perfect fit. Novices will find this a very usefulreference in understanding the often-cryptic instructions of commercialpatterns; experienced sewers should have this guide on hand to help themachieve thoroughly professional results. --Amy Handy