Use this informative book to hone your skills in the art of sewing.
A Beginner's Guide to Sewing by Hand and Machine is a complete sewing course for first-timers. It starts by telling you which pieces of sewing kit you need to buy, explaining which fabrics to use, and how to use paper patterns. The second part of the book is a structured course of 12 workshops, which build from the most basic hand-sewing techniques through to more advanced dressmaking skills. At the end of each workshop, there is also a step-by-step project, which reinforces the skills mastered in the workshop, allowing you to recognize your progress as you go. The projects range from simple hand-embroidered pillows to a lined throw, and from a shirred sundress to an organdie pleated skirt. Techniques include embroidery, patchwork, quilting, dressmaking, and curtain-making, and there are useful tips and shortcuts throughout the book to help you become a sewing expert!
Skimmed this book from the library, it's got a good layout to progressively introduce you to sewing techniques, with new things building on stuff you already know. Good, clear diagrams. The actual projects are kind of dated and unattractive though, and the book is insistent that you need to do stuff in order, so that's a bit of a turnoff. I'd probably recommend to people that they do the first four projects for learning reasons and then just do what you want.
Also weirdly contains quilting and applique and smocking instructions, would have preferred something that mostly focused on garments if I'm going to recommend this to people who want to learn how to sew (most people I know are wanting to sew their own clothes, not a floral applique pillow or smocked baby dress).