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Vintage Couture Tailoring
The trade secrets of couture tailoring are revealed—an invaluable guide for professionals and enthusiasts
Traditional tailoring has not changed for many centuries, however, the techniques are now known only by a few practicing in the best couture ateliers and bespoke tailor's workrooms. Nothing feels quite so luxurious as custom-made clothes, but the tailoring skills they require are often thought to be shrouded in mystery, and the clothes therefore only accessible to the rich and famous. This practical book brings vintage couture tailoring within everyone's reach. With step-by-step photographs and professional tips throughout, it shows how a lady's jacket is made and thereby introduces a range of fundamental tailoring techniques. These can be used for garments for either gender, as well as other sewing projects. The book discusses molding fabric to shape with the iron, employing loose interfacings, hollow shoulder construction, pad stitching canvas, interlining and weighting hems, making tailored and bound buttonholes, and more forgotten techniques.
Traditional tailoring has not changed for many centuries, however, the techniques are now known only by a few practicing in the best couture ateliers and bespoke tailor's workrooms. Nothing feels quite so luxurious as custom-made clothes, but the tailoring skills they require are often thought to be shrouded in mystery, and the clothes therefore only accessible to the rich and famous. This practical book brings vintage couture tailoring within everyone's reach. With step-by-step photographs and professional tips throughout, it shows how a lady's jacket is made and thereby introduces a range of fundamental tailoring techniques. These can be used for garments for either gender, as well as other sewing projects. The book discusses molding fabric to shape with the iron, employing loose interfacings, hollow shoulder construction, pad stitching canvas, interlining and weighting hems, making tailored and bound buttonholes, and more forgotten techniques.
516 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2012
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179 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 12, 2018
This book was a pleasant surprise. Usually, I am disappointed by the space allotted to beginner sewing information. This book assumes you have skill and experience in sewing.
Another big plus is the organization of material. I long for sewing books that provide step by step process recommendations without being interrupted with prose on the philosophy of whatever sewing technique is being discussed. (I blame this on editors who can't sew.) This book comes really close to providing that step by step process. I say "really close" because there is not just one, exact process for tailoring jackets. And there are important decisions that have to made before you get a certain step, like how much interfacing and what type, what type of closure or pocket(s). This results in some jumping back and forth between sections, if you actually use this book to construct a jacket, and in this book, the author provides the references for the jump so that it is very easy to follow the process of constructing your jacket from start to finish.
The instructions are clearly written and accompanied by photographs. In most cases, the written instruction and the illustration are on the same page.
I suspect that like me, that you have a step or two or 10 that have always been really confused in your head. Mine was tailor tacks. I have never understood how this could be an effective way of marking fabric, probably because I had never been taught the correct method. Well, this book took has eliminated that frustration for me. Between the written instructions and the accompanying images, I am now in a position to effectively use tailor tacks to mark difficult fabrics.
I highly recommend this book for experienced sewists who are interested in tailoring.
Another big plus is the organization of material. I long for sewing books that provide step by step process recommendations without being interrupted with prose on the philosophy of whatever sewing technique is being discussed. (I blame this on editors who can't sew.) This book comes really close to providing that step by step process. I say "really close" because there is not just one, exact process for tailoring jackets. And there are important decisions that have to made before you get a certain step, like how much interfacing and what type, what type of closure or pocket(s). This results in some jumping back and forth between sections, if you actually use this book to construct a jacket, and in this book, the author provides the references for the jump so that it is very easy to follow the process of constructing your jacket from start to finish.
The instructions are clearly written and accompanied by photographs. In most cases, the written instruction and the illustration are on the same page.
I suspect that like me, that you have a step or two or 10 that have always been really confused in your head. Mine was tailor tacks. I have never understood how this could be an effective way of marking fabric, probably because I had never been taught the correct method. Well, this book took has eliminated that frustration for me. Between the written instructions and the accompanying images, I am now in a position to effectively use tailor tacks to mark difficult fabrics.
I highly recommend this book for experienced sewists who are interested in tailoring.
December 18, 2017
The section on ironing alone was worth it. There are really good explanations of WHY you do certain things in tailoring, which really helps me make better decisions when figuring out how to do things.
March 1, 2023
This book is amazing. It gives a new perspective on why bespoke tailoring is so expensive. Extremely detailed with a lot of great photos make this book a must-have for anyone attempting to make their own coat.
December 10, 2021
Lots of things to read, especially how to hand sew a button hole - to be re borrowed from the library for sure
March 12, 2018
grrrrr the preface is in red type. So hard to read.
Normally I despise third person documentation, but it works here.
I'm buying a copy of this book at the next available opportunity, and that's saying a lot - this is the first sewing book that's taught me anything significant in several years.
Dinging it a star for the lightweight font and glossy paper, which make this very difficult to read under anything but very strong light.
Normally I despise third person documentation, but it works here.
I'm buying a copy of this book at the next available opportunity, and that's saying a lot - this is the first sewing book that's taught me anything significant in several years.
Dinging it a star for the lightweight font and glossy paper, which make this very difficult to read under anything but very strong light.
November 8, 2016
The perfect book if you like Tailoring Couture sewing
February 10, 2014
Excellent and clear Book about tailoring and construction
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews