Couture Sewing: Tailoring Techniques

by Claire B. Shaeffer

If you want your notched collars to lie smoothly, like Ellen Tracy's, or your buttonholes finished to custom-tailored perfection, or your interfaced hems to have the impeccable look of Chanel, this is the book to have.

 

Tailoring presents sewing methods used in the European ateliers of Paris, Rome, and London. Via the DVD, Shaeffer will instruct readers in essential techniques such as making a bound buttonhole, converting darts to ease, creating a patch pocket, interfacing a hem,  hand-stitching a fly zipper, and fitting sleeves. Where there is a trick or shortcut for a sewing method (without lowering the quality) Shaeffer demonstrates it, along with a host of more complicated tailoring techniques that improve the quality, looks, and lifespan of garments.    

 

The companion book offers information on various designer’s construction methods and images of couture and ready-to-wear garments from Shaeffer’s own collection. The package is a perfect mix of instruction and insight into complex design-details that only could Shaeffer could provide.

Genres: Sewing, Fashion, Crafts

121 pages, Paperback

First published February 19, 2013

Reviews

[Halfdime · Rating 5 out of 5]

The process for the hand fly zip is impecable. Takes time, but comes out perfect. The methods used (thread tracing, basting,etc) are well worth the effort to elevate home sewing into wearable art.

[Anna Katherina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. The images were decently detailed, and I'd recommend it if you have no experience in hand sewing... But overall it didn't teach me anything that I hadn't already learned- either through basic hand sewing tutorials somewhere like Youtube, or through other sources.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I took this out of the library, I couldn't use the enclosed disc. Without that disc, I really didn't get much out of the book.