Oh Sew Easy....

For the girl or guy who wants to learn to sew (but perhaps is intimidated and finds the prospect daunting), I'd recommend Wendy Mullin's Sew U: The Built By Wendy Guide to Building Your Own Wardrob. There are other good, if not great guides to learning how to sew. The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing is one of them.

What I like about Sew U is the back-to-basics attitude of it. While other great sewing resources assume you have a basic understanding and knowledge of sewing terminology, Sew U starts you from the beginning-- buying the tools you need, how to use them, and how to get around using them.

One of the most frustrating and complicating things about learning to sew, for myself, is the little details. Things like learning those lines next to the sewer foot are actually measurements and guides; interpreting how to read a pattern and its technical jargon (that is in NO manual!); creating and understanding the best technique to sewing a dart. Sew U features many of those basic introductory steps and concerns, but in a vibrant, personal, and hip fashion that makes learning to sew fun.

In other aspects, Sew U is vibrant and engaging, with personal drawings, and anecdotes from when designer Wendy Mullin was going through the sewing process herself. She gives suggestions and ideas on how to take a pattern and provide your own personal note, style and flair to it. She encourages flexibility, creativity, and enjoyment in the process. Overall, this book is like having your best girl friend with the killer wardrobe in the room with you, helping you out with all of the best tricks and tools of the trade.

Another Quarter on the Machine:

I've currently got two sewing projects scattered across my kitchen table and living room floor. One is Marie Skirt from Burda Style in the grey/mauve orchid print fabric on the left (the black on the right was made in to bedroom curtains!). My biggest complaint about this pattern is the instructions-- they're completely incomprehensible! I had to cut out two pattern pieces (one through the beautiful flower on another panel), and I have absolutely no use for these two pieces! It will feature olive bias on the inside, and a zipper, once I can get to the fabric shop!

The other project is a skirt by Butterick, pattern B485, which will be in the borderline tacky / fantastic leopard print & rose satin on the bottom. I've picked up a vibrant red bias tape to close off the inside seams, but am uncertain as to the buttons to use! I'd like to create an accompanying neck scarf, that I can tie in a large bow. (Thank you, Libertine at Target for giving new inspiration to my favorite shirt design.)

Sewing for Beginners

Growing up in the 80s, my mother often made much of my wardrobe; frilly dresses with princess sleeves, jumpers, frocks and aprons, occasionally with matching pieces for my dolls. She tried to engage me in this, teaching me to sew pieces for my Barbies. However, I was never a patient child. As a teenager, mother was always involved with sewing my costume pieces for the many plays I was in. Occasionally I'd help out by sewing on star-shaped sequins or tassles (and always involving myself in the shopping process). She purchased a small Singer machine for me, which I promptly broke (and lost pieces to). From that point on, I abandoned sewing, utilizing my best friend for the minor repairs I needed.

One of my goals for the summer has been to improve my sewing skills, and build myself a wardrobe of comfortable, well-fitting, and personalized garments. I have a machine, a stash of fabrics and threads, and patterns. Recently I broke the bank at Jo-Ann's fabrics, with a pattern sale and mass fabric sale. I came home with two handfuls of patterns, over a dozen yards of fabric, and miscellaneous notions. Today, I finish my first skirt, a sailor-inspired chambray skirt with yellow stitching and contrast bias, along with vintage-styled wooden buttons.