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2nd out of 19 books
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11 voters
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Sew What! Skirts: 15 Simple Styles You Can Make with Fabulous Fabrics
Sewing is back Young, crafty women are discovering the fun and creativity of working with fabric, needle, and thread to create simple, colorful skirts, suitable for showing off as wearable art. "Sew What Skirts" assumes no prior sewing experience (and no home ec. class or mother with sewing skills ), and doesn't get bogged down with overly complicated instructi...more
Spiral, 128 pages
Published
September 1st 2006
by Storey Publishing
(first published 2005)
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This book gives you a number of skirt styles on which to base your own skirt pattern.
Most of the skirts featured are not long but can be modified to be so. You'll want to make sure that if you're making the skirt longer that you adjust it just right. For instance, with the wrap skirt, I found that the longer you make it, the bulkier and wider (too wide) it becomes, but that the material is not enough to provide modest, no leg-show coverage. Thankfully, I noticed these things befor...more
Most of the skirts featured are not long but can be modified to be so. You'll want to make sure that if you're making the skirt longer that you adjust it just right. For instance, with the wrap skirt, I found that the longer you make it, the bulkier and wider (too wide) it becomes, but that the material is not enough to provide modest, no leg-show coverage. Thankfully, I noticed these things befor...more
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I wish I could give this book 3 1/2 stars. I really liked the idea and concept of this book, but I ran into some frustrations with it. I made two skirts fromt this book. The first was a drawstring A-line skirt. It turned out pretty good, but I didn't know how wide to make the bottom and they didn't suggest how wide you should make it because they encourage you to "just experiment" and "do it how you like it". Well, if I've never sewn a skirt before I'm kind of at loss for how...more
This was not what I thought it was going to be.
This is a beginner book for people who don't want to use patterns. If you are already past the early beginner stage or the thought of sewing without a pattern terrifies you, then this book is probably not for you.
I was looking for a book that would help me create a skirt that fits me well without a ton of trial and error. I don't want to get to the point in my skirt construction that i am having to add extra darts or mo...more
This is a beginner book for people who don't want to use patterns. If you are already past the early beginner stage or the thought of sewing without a pattern terrifies you, then this book is probably not for you.
I was looking for a book that would help me create a skirt that fits me well without a ton of trial and error. I don't want to get to the point in my skirt construction that i am having to add extra darts or mo...more
I totally want to make myself a skirt or 2 from this book because nothing fits plus size petite gals! The instructions are easy, well written and illustrated and fun.
They had me at the intro where the explained the projects were arranged "from easiest to easy."
There is a very good intro with solid info on getting your hip to waist measurements right so that these skirts you labor over actually fit you properly.
I liked the retro graphics used to introduce chapters and concepts.
Projects I liked and will hopefully make some day:
- Meandering Vines
- Got No Ties (wrap skirt w/o ties)
- Polka Do...more
There is a very good intro with solid info on getting your hip to waist measurements right so that these skirts you labor over actually fit you properly.
I liked the retro graphics used to introduce chapters and concepts.
Projects I liked and will hopefully make some day:
- Meandering Vines
- Got No Ties (wrap skirt w/o ties)
- Polka Do...more
This book teaches how to make your own skirt pattern and how to modify it to get a variety of different looks. I like that I now know how to make almost any kind of skirt I want and that I can customize to make it exactly how I'd like rather than trying to find a pattern close to my idea. There are two basic patterns--an a-line skirt and a pencil skirt. The book also covers a circle skirt, but it is not the basis of many variations. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to sew a skirt.
The best part of this book is that it shows you how to create a handful of basic skirts without using a pattern (though really it's just making your own unique pattern). The skirts themselves aren't anything amazing, basic A-line skirts, circle skirts, peasant skirts, etc. Surely most women would recognize the styles. But I love that you can really make them your own. They are fairly versatile and, really, it's often the fabric that makes the skirt, not so much the pattern. I may actually buy th...more
This is a well written, encouraging book on how to make darling skirts. The directions are clear and there are lots of little tips that will surely make things like sewing in zippers and making button holes much less intimidating. The skirts start out very simple and have variations on each design. I will be happy to raise the rating to a 5 if my first few skirts turn out to be as awesome as the book makes me think they will be.
KJ
added it
Hmmmm the format of this book is awesome! Each skirt project is laid out with color photos and clear how to drawings. However, there are no patterns and the book kinda assumes you can make it all happen with tailor's chalk and guts. I just bought two yards of very expensive japanese fabric to make my favorite skirt idea, that has an asian flair. I am DEFINITELY going to go with this project to my sewing teacher!
I love skirts. Don't ask me why--I just do. This book makes it easy to make skirts without having to buy a pattern. I already know how to sew reasonably well, so that helps too. This book is full of cute ideas. All you have to do is find the right fabric and you're set. This isavailable at the Davis Co. Library if you're curious.
This was OK. The gist of the book is that you don't need to buy a pattern to make a skirt. The author shows how to create a basic template for a skirt that's custom-fit, and then shows several patterns that start off from those basic shapes and go in different directions to get you started. I didn't find any of the designs particularly inspiring. I have also been finding that, right now at least, I'm not at a point with my sewing where I can forgo using patterns (heck even with patterns I am hav...more
Its soooooo good! I love it! I want to make every single skirt in the book! The good thing about it is that you create the pattern to your unique size. I highly recommend it to everyone who loves to sew.
It gives a lot of ideas for skirt variations and instructs you on how to "make" your own patterns. I'm excited to try the skirt made from a tourist table cloth.
The real beauty of the book is the information at the beginning about how to create your own skirt patterns. The rest are basically examples building from there.
Awesome, easy patterns presented in a simple format. I can't wait until my wrist heals and I can sew again! I'll be looking for a used copy to buy.
This is a great book for anyone wanting to learn to make skirts without a pattern. It also has some really cute patterns!
If you like the idea of sewing, but those easily-torn, flappy patterns make you queasy, this is the book for you!
Book doesn't really provide any patterns per say, but is full of super cute skirts and images. Great for brainstorming.
There are a couple of relatively easy skirts I would like to make. I would like to revisit this book.
Super great how to book. It even teaches how to make your own patterns. The styles are classic and fun.
This summer, I've discovered the domestic goddess within. Don't laugh, I'm serious. Have been trying to teach myself how to sew to some (arguable) success. This book promises that I, too, can sew fabulous-looking skirts without even using a store-bought pattern! How cool is that?!? The book is full of helpful tips and explanations for the beginning sewer--it's got me all psyched to fill my closet with custom-made A-lines in groovy fabrics. And for my friends here on this site--I think we all kno...more
The be all end all on HOW TO skirt making. Seriously the best one ever.
B+ Various skirts in easy-to-make skirts without formal patterns. Cute stuff.
I'm a beginner sewer, and these look really easy to do!
Nice, but a little more instruction would have been good!
Heather Childree
added it
Awesome! I no longer need a pattern to make a skirt.
If you've already done some straightforward sewing projects and know how to follow a pattern, this will be a bit easier. Also, as you experiment with creating your own patterns, it's worth doing a muslin (or a mockup with some other inexpensive, reasonably stable fabric). Getting the fit right is a bit harder than they make it out to be, particularly for a fitted skirt. Once you have this down, the book is an incredibly liberating tool; you'll never have to worry about finding the exact patte...more
This was a good basic project book. I liked a few of the skirts and all of them gave me ideas for other skirts that could be made based on these designs. Definitely a good book for anyone who's not a super star sewer and who's looking for some great easy project ideas that don't require a pattern. The beginning of the book explaining how to go about making skirts without a pattern is great as well.
I checked this out from the library, but might have to buy it. The sewing terms are defined well. The book teaches how to make a simple pattern so that you can make the skirts in this book that will fit YOU. We made simple wrap skirts to start and they turned out so cute. Looking forward to trying some more of the projects in this book! A great book to motivate you and/or your kids to learn a new skill!
Flipping through this book, I'm seeing lots of neat skirts I could probably make for myself and my daughter. I like the wrap skirts & Nature's Child skirt. I know my daughter will like the Polka Dotty & Asian Dream skirt. So far I like what I see, and the directions are very simple. Can't wait to start sewing! Now I need some fabric!
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