Sewing Books with Patterns

 1. Love at First Stitch : Demystifying Dressmaking by Tilly Walnes

This Book contains Patterns of Scarf, Skirts, Blouse, Pyjamas and Dresses. It is a beginner's book with easy sewing projects.

2. Tilly and the Buttons : Make it Simple by Tilly Walnes

This Book Contains Patterns of Trousers, T-Shirt, Dress, Pyjamas, Playsuit, Cardigan and Pinafore Dress.

3.  A Beginner's Guide to making Skirts by Wendy Ward

This Book Contains Patterns of Skirts like Pencil, Wrap, Circle, A-line, Bubble and a Pattern of Culottes.

4. A Beginners Guide to Sewing With Knitted Fabrics by Wendy Ward

This Book Contains Patterns of T-shirt, Trousers, Skirt, Pant and Cardigan. It is a good book, the details on Knitted fabrics and how to use them are great.

5. Sew Many Dress, Sew Little Time: The Ultimate Dressmaking Guide by Tanya Whelan

This is the best mix and match book. It contains Different Patterns of Bodices like Basic, Halter, Strapless, Wrap, Cowl and Princess. Patterns of Skirts like Straight, Panel and Bias. Patterns of Sleeves and Necklines. 

You can use this book's Bodice Pattern with any Skirt book, like use Strapless Bodice Pattern with a Bubble Skirt Pattern from Wendy Ward Skirt Book to make a Bubble dress. The Halter Neck and Off the Shoulder Bodice Patterns are very nice. 

The Review of this book is in the link below:-

Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time by Tanya Whelan Book Review

6. Sew Beautiful by Kennis Wong

This Book has Patterns of Tops, Cardigan, Pants, Shorts, Dresses and Wrap Skirt. This Book has more variations on tops and they are nice and wearable casually.

7. Gertie Sews Vintage Casual : A Modern Guide to Sportswear Styles of the 1940s and 1950s by Gretchen Hirsch

This Book covers variety of garments with its variations. It contains Tops, Pants, Skirts, Shift Dress, Jumpsuit, Romper. It has Beginner level Projects like Tops, Shorts, A-line Skirt. In all the Gretchen Hirsch Books the details to alter the Patterns are explained nicely and in detail.

There is a Flip Through/Preview of this book in the YouTube link below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDilQvlOiOE

8. Gertie's New Book for Better Sewing by Gretchen Hirsch

This Book Contains Patterns of  Skirts, Blouses, A Jacket and Dresses. The Skirt Patterns are very stylish like the one with scalloped waist. The Jacket and the Coat Dress is very nice. There are a variety of  dresses in this Book.

There is a Flip Through/Preview of this book in the YouTube link below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMHlXS1uDG8

9. Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses by Gretchen Hirsch

This Book Contains Patterns of 5 Dresses with its variations. The first 3 patterns can be used by a beginner as the patterns does not use any zipper and the Sewing techniques are simple. The Last 2 Patterns uses a zipper and one of it is a tiered Dress.

There is a Flip Through/Preview of this book in the YouTube link below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEbbhIWKytY

10. Gertie's Ultimate Dress Book: A Modern Guide to Sewing Fabulous Vintage Styles by Gretchen Hirsch

This Book is a mix and match book and has variety of lovely dresses with its variations. It has total of 23 dresses.

There is a Flip Through/Preview of this book in the YouTube link below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHW5pV1skLM

11. The Wedding Dress: How to Make the Perfect One for You by Becky Drinan

This Book Contains Patterns for three styles of  Wedding Dresses and has details on how to choose a wedding dress style according to your body shape. 

The Book includes Instructions to make Three Wedding Gowns, A Bolero Jacket, Veils and a Corsage.

12. The Party Dress by Mary Adams

 

This Book contains a Basic pattern of the dress with its 3 variations. The Book is more focused on the techniques used to create the dresses. 

There is a Flip Through/Preview of this book in the YouTube link below-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n4zIORDzx0

• Overall the Tilly Walnes books are useful for a absolute beginner. 

• For Knitted fabrics use the Wendy Ward book on Knitted fabrics and Gretchen Hirsch book on Gertie Sews Vintage Casual. 

• For Tops Kennis Wong's Sew Beautiful Book.

• For Pattern Alteration like increasing cup size, Waist and Hip size are explained nicely in all of the Gretchen Hirsch Books. 

• For Pattern Modification to create a new design like by shifting the darts and Sleeve modifications are explained in Tanya Whelan's Sew Many Dresses Sew Little Time.

• For Skirts use Wendy Ward's book on Skirts and Most of the books have Skirt Patterns.

• For Pants use Gretchen Hirsch book on Gertie Sews Vintage Casual and Tilly Walnes book have few Patterns on Pants.

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Sewing Books For Beginners

 The 8 Best Sewing Books For Beginners

1.  The Sewing Book By Alison Smith 

The Sewing Book by Alison Smith contains the basics to sew Darts, Pleats, Collars, Hems, Zippers, Buttons and many more. It contains few Sewing Projects as well.

It is a perfect book to learn or refer basic sewing techniques like finishing the seam and hem...

There are many books containing the sewing basics but I like this book for its clear pictures. 

2.  Mend it, Wear it, Love it By Zoe Edwards

   

Mend it, Wear it, Love it! Book by Zoe Edwards is a book for beginners who want to learn only the mending or repairing of clothes. 

The Sewing book by Alison Smith has few pages on mending but this book contains more details like repairing a buttonhole, mending a hole, tear, split seam, cuffs and many more.

3.  Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques By Nancy Bednar

The Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques Book is not a recently published book but its worth owning it. It explains how to use the Sewing Machine Accessories (Presser Foots). The Explanation is simple to follow which is good for beginners.

The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible by Wendy Garner is good if you want an updated details on Presser foots. 

Buy Now From Amazon India "The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible Book" or

Buy Now From Amazon India "The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible Book"

(Both the book's contents are the same, Only the Book Cover is different, check which one is cheaper before buying as the price keep changing.)

4. Love at First Stitch By Tilly Walnes

Love at First Stitch Book by Tilly Walnes comes with Pattern Sheets. It Contains Patterns to Make Scarf, Pyjamas, Dresses, Skirts and Blouse. The Sewing Projects are simple to make.

5. A Beginner's Guide to Making Skirts By Wendy Ward

A Beginner's Guide to Making Skirts Book by Wendy Ward Comes with Pattern Sheets. 

It Contains Pattern of Culottes, A-Line, Pencil, Circular, Wrap and Bubble Skirt.

This is the only book on Skirts which has Pattern Sheets.

6.  Sew What! Skirts By Francesca DenHartog 

Sew What! Skirts Book by Francesca DenHartog does not include pattern sheets. It contains details to Draft and Sew Straight, A-line, Wrap, Circular, Tiered and Ruffle Skirts.

The Contents and Review of this Book is in the Link Below:

Sew What! Skirts Book Review

7. Easy Guide to Sewing Tops and T-Shirts, Skirts, and Pants By Lynn MacIntyre and Marcy Tilton

Easy Guide to Sewing Tops and T-Shirts, Skirts, and Pants Book is an Combined version of 3 Books - Easy Guide to Sewing Tops and T-Shirts, Easy Guide to Sewing Skirts and Easy Guide to Sewing Pants.

It is not a recently Published Book but the Instructions to make Tops, Skirts and Pants are very good.

8. Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses By Gretchen Hirsch

The Gertie Sews Jiffy Dresses Book Comes with Pattern Sheets. When you are at a level to make dresses try this book. 

The Patterns Starts with Bias Dress without the zip Closure instead Elastic, Belt or Elastic Shirring is used. Dress Patterns with Bodice and Skirt Flare without a zipper and Patterns with zip closure are included which are beginner level dresses.

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Notes For Beginners:-

• Have Any one of a Sewing book on Basics which will be useful for a lifetime to refer it.

Before buying any book, read its review in amazon, as few of the books may have different titles but their content is same inside Eg. the Book "First Time Sewing : The Absolute Beginners Guide By Editors of Creative Publishing International" and the Book "Sewing 101 : Master Basic Skills and Techniques Easily By Editors of Quarry Books" have Same Content.

• First time Sewers :- 

Start with Home Sewing Projects or Projects from the Books like One Yard Wonders and Debbie Shore Books,

then Practice Skirt Patterns as it is very easy to make and the skirt patterns can be altered easily in the case of any mistake,

then Patterns from Tilly Walnes book 

and at last Gertie's Book

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