Complete Guide to Dressmaking : All the Essential Techniques and Skills You Need

This definitive how-to book features scores of step-by-step sequences showing every kind of technique, from using and adapting paper patterns, to specialist couture-inspired seaming techniques that will take your garment-making skills to a new level. Dip in and out, or work through the book in order:

Step 1: KIT – discover the essential equipment you need, with in-depth advice on choosing threads, needles and haberdashery;
Step 2: PREP – choose the right fabric for every project; understand dressmaking patterns; learn how to accurately measure; and learn how to adapt every pattern to suit your shape;
Step 3: MAKE – easy-to-follow instructions for every key technique, from seams and pockets to yokes and waistbands;
Step 4: STRETCH – understand knit fabric: how to stabilize it, how to work with it, and how to finish your hems and seams;
Step 5: FINISH – it’s all in the detail, so discover how to give every garment a professional finish with accurate facings, hems and linings.

A beautifully presented technique-resource that includes tools, techniques and troubleshooting, this is a guide for dressmakers new to the craft and for those who want to take their skills further. Author Jules Fallon runs a hugely popular and over-subscribed series of dressmaking classes, which means she knows exactly the techniques that everyone gets stuck on. She brings her neat tricks and sage advice to all aspects of the book, and especially to the ‘Help!’ features: troubleshooting fixes for the real-world mistakes that are part of our dressmaking experience.