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A Stylish Guide to Classic Sewing: Explore 30 Timeless Garments with History, Styling & Tips for Ready-to-Wear Results
Discover the secrets to sewing a stylish wardrobe with staying power! This spirited guide walks you through thirty timeless garments to make for yourself, including a must-have button-up shirt, tailored trousers, a flattering A-line dress, and the indispensable modern classic pencil skirt (pattern and instructions included). With a conversational narrative, the authors have created an engaging, informative guide to sewing by tracing the origins of each garment, along with styling and sewing tips, charming fashion illustrations, and a modeled photo gallery.
Sew your own clothes, save thousands of dollars, and look like a million bucks!
Spark your sewing magic and awaken your personal style with thirty timeless garments
Enjoy whimsical fashion illustrations, a modeled photo gallery, and sewing and styling tips
Sew your own clothes, save thousands of dollars, and look like a million bucks!
Spark your sewing magic and awaken your personal style with thirty timeless garments
Enjoy whimsical fashion illustrations, a modeled photo gallery, and sewing and styling tips
- GenresSewingFashionNonfiction
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2019
35 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 15, 2019
I really enjoyed that this book went into the history of the garments it recommends as part of a classic wardrobe. It also gives great ideas for how to personalize a sewn wardrobe! I do wish it possibly had more photographs in addition to the drawn images, but overall it was a quick, fun read that has provided a lot of inspiration!
December 10, 2019
The first thing I must point out is that if you are expecting a book filled with sewing patterns then this book will disappoint.
I loved The Tunic Bible by the same author and have used it constantly, making several of the garments for myself and my friends, it has been high on my recommend list to people, so I thought this book would be just as brilliant.
A Stylish Guide to Classic Sewing has one full sized pattern, a pencil skirt, and is filled inspiration for using and sourcing your own patterns.
The illustrations are lovely, and the photography of the garments worn by the authors is amazing.
The clothing range is gorgeous, and along with each design comes a 'How to Style' guide, it includes a Fabric Suggestion, and Sewing Tips for completing your garment and achieving a professional finish.
The history of each garment was interesting and has a Who Wore It, the list of famous names include Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and even Marlon Brando gets a mention.
I would have loved the patterns for the garments to have been included, especially as the Halterneck dress is just beautiful, and I feel that this would have made this book more appealing..... that said, this would make a lovely coffee table book and I enjoyed flicking through the pages.
I loved The Tunic Bible by the same author and have used it constantly, making several of the garments for myself and my friends, it has been high on my recommend list to people, so I thought this book would be just as brilliant.
A Stylish Guide to Classic Sewing has one full sized pattern, a pencil skirt, and is filled inspiration for using and sourcing your own patterns.
The illustrations are lovely, and the photography of the garments worn by the authors is amazing.
The clothing range is gorgeous, and along with each design comes a 'How to Style' guide, it includes a Fabric Suggestion, and Sewing Tips for completing your garment and achieving a professional finish.
The history of each garment was interesting and has a Who Wore It, the list of famous names include Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and even Marlon Brando gets a mention.
I would have loved the patterns for the garments to have been included, especially as the Halterneck dress is just beautiful, and I feel that this would have made this book more appealing..... that said, this would make a lovely coffee table book and I enjoyed flicking through the pages.
April 6, 2021
If you are a sewer, new or returning after an absence.....
This was a great read and reminder of purchasing/making classics keeps your wardrobe timeless. There are many suggestions for variations on different styles such as shirtdresses, button shirts, skirts, pants, even PJ's!
The copy I read was a library book but I may be purchasing my own copy so I have it for future creations.
This was a great read and reminder of purchasing/making classics keeps your wardrobe timeless. There are many suggestions for variations on different styles such as shirtdresses, button shirts, skirts, pants, even PJ's!
The copy I read was a library book but I may be purchasing my own copy so I have it for future creations.
October 14, 2022
This is a fun book with many photographs and entertaining pictures of the different types of clothes we wear today. This would be very helpful for anyone with a major life change necessitating a new wardrobe, or anyone wanting to make her clothing work better together. There are tidbits on how specific clothing styles developed (the a-line, trapeze and sheath dresses, palazzo pants) and at least one interesting story of how the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret wanted to wear a certain style after WWI.
The photos, while all fun to look at, are not very inclusive. It would have been nice to see more body types and ethnicities. It may have been a question of who wanted to be photographed.
I expected a little more sewing content from the brilliant sewing authority, Sarah Gunn. The enclosed pattern didn't include any tips for fitting (although she lists many resources and stated that a pencil skirt must be well-fitted). I did learn that the skirt I was already working on would fit and hang better if I lined it. So I bought lining fabric!
This is an entertaining and enjoyable book, good for anyone working on her wardrobe, possibly great for a beginning sewist, but a bit fluffy for an experienced sewist like me. But, it did get me to buy lining for my skirt, and while I'm at it, I will line the jacket as well.
The photos, while all fun to look at, are not very inclusive. It would have been nice to see more body types and ethnicities. It may have been a question of who wanted to be photographed.
I expected a little more sewing content from the brilliant sewing authority, Sarah Gunn. The enclosed pattern didn't include any tips for fitting (although she lists many resources and stated that a pencil skirt must be well-fitted). I did learn that the skirt I was already working on would fit and hang better if I lined it. So I bought lining fabric!
This is an entertaining and enjoyable book, good for anyone working on her wardrobe, possibly great for a beginning sewist, but a bit fluffy for an experienced sewist like me. But, it did get me to buy lining for my skirt, and while I'm at it, I will line the jacket as well.
January 14, 2020
There's nothing groundbreaking or new here, but I found this book to be inspirational. For almost every item, I found myself thinking, "yes, *this* is what I want to sew!" The descriptions are clear, encouraging, happy, and the illustrations are cheerful, descriptive and so fun. The inclusion of the photographs, however, elevates the book from purely aspirational (the clothes don't look like the fashion illustrations an anyone) to practical.
July 8, 2024
factually correct but not terribly useful
In a book about fashion one would expect more than just a few (charming, but) casual illustrations. It’s hard to “imagine “ some of the concepts described and the lack of supporting illustrations or images is frustrating to those readers who do know their meaning- I can’t imagine the consternation for others.
You can, and should expect better.
In a book about fashion one would expect more than just a few (charming, but) casual illustrations. It’s hard to “imagine “ some of the concepts described and the lack of supporting illustrations or images is frustrating to those readers who do know their meaning- I can’t imagine the consternation for others.
You can, and should expect better.
September 5, 2021
I found the book title to be misleading. It was more of a book about types of garments, the history of the garment, and how to wear the garment with a few quick tips on sewing the item and what fabric works well with it. The information was interesting. Just not what I was expecting.
January 28, 2020
A great resource for making one's own wardrobe
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July 13, 2021Another beautiful sewing book from Sarah and Julie. Inspiration for adding classic pieces to your wardrobe.
October 10, 2023
Planning to sew my perfect classic and stylish wardrobe
May 9, 2024
Great sewing wardrobe inspo
October 10, 2020
This book fills a niche - why you should spend the time sewing classic wardrobe items. Style meets sewing with a plan. There is a history of each garment, it's essential characteristics, sewing tips and fabric suggestions, recommended skill level required, styling tips and examples of well known wearers. Pick your style icons and sew their wardrobe.
There is only one pattern for a pencil skirt (should you need one). Sizes range from 2 to 22 or waist 26" / 66cm to 43" / 109.2 (lo! a US publication with metric measurement, rejoice!). Not that this is really a book about classic patterns, there are already quite a few of those. And Sarah Gunn and Julie Starr are right - pretty much every pattern house has an example you could use for each of these garments.
My only quibble would be that I would like the photos with the garments where they are described, but that's a very minor irritant.
There is only one pattern for a pencil skirt (should you need one). Sizes range from 2 to 22 or waist 26" / 66cm to 43" / 109.2 (lo! a US publication with metric measurement, rejoice!). Not that this is really a book about classic patterns, there are already quite a few of those. And Sarah Gunn and Julie Starr are right - pretty much every pattern house has an example you could use for each of these garments.
My only quibble would be that I would like the photos with the garments where they are described, but that's a very minor irritant.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews