Sewing 101: Pocket Guide: A Guide to Necessary Skills for Garment Making

By Rocky Nook

Quickly learn and reference the basic skills of sewing and apply them to garment making and crafting.

Designed for sewists and DIY crafters who need a guide to the many common stitches, fasteners, pleats, darts, and hems  used for sewing. This handy and ultra-portable quick reference Pocket Guide offers sewists information on the basic and necessary skills you need to follow a pattern, alter and embellish your projects, and create exquisite and accurate works of textile art! The spiral bound format allows sewists to have their hands free to sew while they reference information.

• Get tips on pleats, darts, and hems so you can fit and finish your projects

• Understand how to install fasteners of all kinds

• Lessons on the most effective ways to place and measure your pattern pieces

• Learn to read pattern instructions, and reference terms and skills for most projects

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rocky Nook
• Release date: Sep 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888141182

Book preview

READING PATTERNS

There is a lot to know when you’re beginning a sewing project that uses a pattern! Patterns have lines and symbols and arrows—oh my! First thing’s first: When you purchase a pattern, it will list the amount of fabric you’ll need based on the size and options you choose. It’ll also provide a list of notions necessary to the project.

Pattern Instructions: Most commercial patterns include step-by-step instructions for making the garment once the pattern pieces are cut out. These instructions also include recommendations for fabric types that will work best for the intended finished product. For instance: If a pattern calls for a knit fabric, your final garment may not fall correctly if you try to use a woven fabric instead. The more fabric types you work with, the better an understanding you’ll have of how each fabric settles and falls, and you’ll be better able to determine what kind of fabric will deliver the desired outcome for the garment. Until then, follow the pattern’s recommendations.

Notions: Notions include all the extra little pieces you’ll need to make the garment. This includes fasteners, interfacing, thread, etc. Make sure you have everything you need before you begin your project!

When you’re ready, unfold your pattern pieces and decide what size you’re going to make. Use the sizing guide so you can determine what size will fit best according to your or the model’s measurements.

Note: Your pattern pieces may be creased from being folded in their package—you may want to iron them (on a low heat setting) so they are crisp and flat for more accurate cutting.

Cutting Lines: These are the lines on the outside of the pattern pieces. Different patterns of dashes and dots indicate the different sizes of the pattern. Refer to the pattern instructions to determine which line/size is right for