05 Clothing Design/Fabrication/Illustration
05.3 Fabrication/Assembly Construction
05.3.2 Fabrication/Assembly Assurance
Podalk, C. (1995). Easy guide to sewing jackets. Newtown, CT: Taunton. ISBN 1-56158-087-2, 111 pages, $17.95 softcover.
Tilton M. (1995). Easy guide to sewing skirts. Newtown, CT: Taunton. ISBN 1-56158-088-0, 112 pages, $17.95 softcover.
Reviewed by Patricia A. Fischer, Washington State University
Educators,
theater costume designers, seamstresses/tailors, and home sewers will
all appreciate publication of the first two volumes of the Sewing Companion
Library published by Taunton Press. While the series is dedicated to bringing
the best of professional techniques to the home sewer it would be a welcome
in-house library addition for any of the above professions. The volumes
may be particularly suited to construction courses at the high school
level and at some post-secondary institutions. Volume text is addressed
to beginner and intermediate-level sewers and is focused on helping them
to develop construction and personal fitting skills. The text is supplemented
by a number of illustrations and its value is enhanced by the excellent
step-by step color photos. A variety of construction tips, techniques,
and some ready-to-wear industry time-saving techniques have been included
to the intermediate sewer. Both volumes focus on the pin-fitting methods
for paper patterns to achieve fit. Each volume takes the first one-third
of the text to review the process of choosing a pattern, appropriate fabric
and notions, and fitting prior to cutting.
In Easy Guide to Sewing Jackets additional construction areas covered
include seams and finishes, pressing, corner and points, interfacing,
pockets, sleeves, linings, buttons and buttonholes, and offers a time
schedule for sewing a jacket in a weekend. Easy Guide to Sewing Skirts
looks at pressing, seams and finishes, darts and gathers, kick pleats
and French pleats, zippers, linings, waistbands, hemming, and offers sewing
tips for three types of gores skirt. These are very much "hands-on"
books, easy to read and well illustrated, designed to assist the beginner
sewer in improving their skill and getting better results faster.