High Fashion Sewing Secrets from the World's Best Designers: A Step-By-Step Guide to Sewing Stylish Seams, Buttonholes, Pockets, Collars, Hems, And More (Rodale Sewing Book)

Well, I've done the piped pockets, the bias cvered seams, and I'm working on the flounce collar (which happens to be fashionable again), and they look pretty good!!

But worth all the money, are the pages on manipulating patterns. With commercial patterns costing well over $10 today, this book enables you to play with what is already in your collection. Before this, I was a slave to the pattern companies, but now, I know how to make what I want. I eliminated a waist seam on a jumper for my daughter, and created an unusual skirt by combining two patterns.

My confidence in my ability to construct a garment, and have it look professional, has increased mani-fold.


Hidden bonus: pattermaking basics and garment copying   September 27, 2001
 169 out of 169 found this review helpful

The gimmick of the first two-thirds of this book is that the author shows various designer ready-to-wear garments with an interesting construction method or detail, and then she shows you, step-by-step and in detail, how to reproduce it. Where there is a trick or shortcut that reduces the time to do something without lowering the quality she uses it, but on the other hand she includes many labor-intensive methods where the quality would be improved by such methods. She covers facings, hem, pockets, trims, fasteners, and more. The book is not so comprehensive in the number of things it covers that it could replace a reference-style book, but where it covers something, it does so in detail (an you need to read closely sometimes). The illustrations are excellent--way above average for a sewing book. The really interesting thing about this book is the last third on patternmaking basics. She covers the three basic ways to copy a garment (measuring, tracing, and rub-off), and tells you how to check your copied pattern pieces against each other, how to true them, etc. She then goes into pattern modification techniques. I managed to copy a Land's End buttondown shirt with a certain amount of success following her instructions.


Modesto CA   August 4, 2001
 40 out of 49 found this review helpful

Anyone serious about sewing garments that look expensive should get this book. Lots of pictures and instruction that is very helpful in constructing top notch garments. A must have book for any sewing buff.


A Must Have like all of Claire's other books   July 24, 2001
 45 out of 45 found this review helpful

All sewing books I buy should be able to teach me at least 1 new-to-me technique before I rate them. This one is a winner. Worth its weight in gold for the information you get.'I rate myself an intermediate sewist with patternmaking skills. It is a must for intermediate and advanced sewing enthuasiasts and if you are a beginner then you will need this book to inspire and guide you to becoming an advanced sewist. My friend's daughter wanted a dress made with a cowl neckline. I had never made this style before and had no idea how to. I drafted the pattern, fitted the muslin, corrected the pattern and was raring to sew! I went through all of my sewing books looking for information on sewing cowls. I have just about all sewing books....Claire's book not only showed me how to sew this but also how to "stay" the cowl. It was the best piece of information ever. The neckline was perfect and I could see without the "stay" how the neckline kept misbehaving!

Another bit of information was on lining a wrap skirt....cutting the back lining on the cross grain....wonderful information. How would I ever have the know-how without the experience? Claire's books are winners.


Designer Details Unveiled   February 15, 2001
 53 out of 53 found this review helpful

As an experienced seamstress, I find this book to be very useful. It is a frequently used resource for those beautiful details sighted in some of the better RTW and designer lines. I now know how to make a professional looking inseam pocket with an invisible zipper located in the seam. And it looks great! The many pictures were very clearly illustrated, and the book is full of full-color photographs. I am a visual learner and without those pictures, I'd be lost.

Throughout the book, there are details and tips from such well known designers as Liz Clairborne, Coco Chanel, Geoffrey Beene, Galanos, and one of my favorites in casual wear - Calvin Klein. Each designer detail includes a description, a listing of tools & necessary supplies, many detailed pictures with step-by-step instructions, tips and hints along the way to help make the detail perfect, and finishing touches to make it look professional. I've constructed perfectly flat topstitched hems on my stretchy jersey knits, flawless bias-binding necklines, and learned the secrets of making my zippers look great. My favorite section includes fancy details like piped pockets, windowpane pockets, and bound buttonholes. I can definitely say that using this book has helped my work look ten times more professional.

My only qualm about this book was the section on patternmaking. This is not the book to buy if you want to learn how to draft patterns. There is basic information on the subject, but you will be left wanting for much more. It is a helpful section to look through before playing around to make changes to your own ready-made patterns as you'll gain some knowledge on how patterns are made, but there is so much more to know before you can draft your own.

I hope Claire Shaeffer comes out with another book as beautiful as this with MORE designer details. It is an extremely useful book in my library.