More Creative Sewing Ideas

by Editors of Cy DeCosse and Singer Sewing

A beautifully photographed book filled with creative sewing projects for the home

Genres: Sewing, Crafts

128 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1992

Reviews

[madwhimsy (Madelyn) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading and being so enthralled with the book Creative Gifts and Projects Set by Step that I picked up at an estate sale, I looked online for other books in the Singer Sewing Reference Library and chose a few of them. Hey, most of them are a mere $4 used in good condition, including shipping, so it’s not like I spent a mint. The books have been trickling in one at a time, so I’ve been able to flip through then when they arrive, then sitting down to read and absorb them a bit later.

Now, this book is hard for me to review and rate, only because the title is so very misleading, considering the order in which the books arrived. “More” Creative Sewing Ideas? The quotes are mine but put there to stress my point of this being wrong, wrong, wrong. Well, technically only wrong if you already have two of the Singer Sewing Reference Library books, one printed a year earlier and the other printed a year after this one, both mentioned below.

Following are the chapters from this book. Note the asterisks, there’s explanation at the end of the list.

Part 1: Creative Details
• Discovering Design Details*
• Copying Design Details*
• Couture Sleeve Detail*
• Creative Lace by Machine*
• Ruching*

Part 2: Creating Your Own Fabric
• Creating Hand-dyed Fabric*
• Tie-dying*
• Marbling Fabrics*
• Creative Lace*
• Creating Heirloom Fabric**
• Creating Special Effects (presser feet & twin needles)
• Surface Design & Embellishment*
• Piecing*
• Seminole Patchwork*
• Slashing*
• Appliqué, Embroidery & Beading*
• Adding Shine & Sparkle*

Part 3: Fiber Art
• Color & Design for Quilting*
• English Smocking*
• Smocked Christmas Ornaments*
• Rag Baskets*
• Rug Braiding*
• Hand Appliqué for Quilting*

Part 4: Creative Sewing Projects
• Handbag with Inset*
• Designer Belts*
• Scarves*
• Sew a Comforter Cover from Sheets
• Bed Skirt with Clustered Gathers
• Double-flange Pillow Sham
• Slipcovers for Folding Chairs
• Reverse Roll-up Shade***

*article & photos repeated in Singer Creative Gifts and Projects Set by Step, 1993
** article & photos repeated in Singer Creative Gifts and Projects Set by Step, 1993, with a different headline
***very similar to an article in Singer Sewing Reference Library: Sewing Projects for the Home, 1991

Out of the 31 sections included in the book, only 5 aren’t direct reprints in other Singer books I already had. Disappointed? Sure, but sometimes that happens when buying a book without being able to look through it first. However, as always, the photos and descriptions are so very easy to follow. And technically most of the projects were printed in this book first. But the fact remains, I already had them. So do I give it a 5-star rating because the information is indeed excellent? Or a 3-star rating because most of it I’ll just skip past when looking at it? It’s a conundrum.

This one I’m considering setting free again, though I may scan in one or two of the "new to me" projects just for the very helpful tips and photo examples.