For those who love to read, a good book can be as essential as breathing in fresh air. Books can serve as an excellent resource for delving into the intricacies of sewing, providing readers with a wealth of helpful information and tips to reference throughout their crafting journey.
If you are a beginner, you need books to understand the basics and to stay motivated. You will learn techniques and can follow the process then and there.
If you are a seasoned expert, books are a fantastic source to get new ideas and to create beautiful garments. The investment in the knowledge you are doing today will definitely pay you the best interest.
I have managed to collect the top 10 books that you should have on your shelf to hone your knowledge and skills. Stay inspired and read as much as you can!
10 Top-Rated Sewing Books in 2022 With Reviews
1. The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible – Get The Most Out Of Your Machine
If you own a sewing machine which has several feet and you don’t have the slightest idea to how to use them, then this book could be your ultimate guide.
Wendy Gardiner has given a detailed description with convenient tips and tricks. All the instructions are step by step with supporting colored images. These 128 pages of the book have 6 chapters covering the critical topics thoroughly for all of you from beginner to experts.
The information packed edition describes the various feet attachments which are available in most of the machines. She effectively explains how you can master the skill from basic feet to specialty feet.
In the six chapters, she talks about the broad variety of fabric and technique feet to help you to be more innovative with your work. She has added an engaging section named “Ideas Files” in which she suggests several adorning ideas you can practice with.
Chapter1 Essential Kit covers the basics of sewing machine and accessories which don’t come with the machine. It has all the helpful data, especially for beginners.
Chapter 2 Basic Feet is for you if you have never used any foot other than a straight stitch. You can get a lot of knowledge about using other feet styles.
Chapter 3 Speciality Fabric & Technique Feet educates you about roller foot, walking foot, flat fell foot, etc and specialty fabric.
Chapter 4 Pretty Edges lets you create beautiful edges. She talks about different feet including gathering, piping, ruffle, bias binding, and elastic guide.
Chapter 5 Fancy Stitching gives you elaborated stitching and feet style. It contains open toe, pintuck, darning or embroidery, appliqué, candlewicking, circular sewing and much more.
Chapter 6 Buyer’s Guide helps you to choose the sewing machine that suits you. She covers the basic, high end, mid range machines plus sergers and specialty machines.
This book is for sewer of any level. Both beginners and experts will walk with fresh knowledge, ideas, and skills. Knowledge never wastes. If you want to upgrade your database then you may consider owning this book.
2. Patternmaking for Fashion Design & DVD Package
Helen Joseph is known for his noteworthy illustrations, detailed coverage, and understandable instructions. The book is hallmark comprising in-depth and easy to follow explanations of the significance of pattern making.
The book gives the necessary information to innovate patterns with precision irrespective of how much complex the design is. There are three major pattern making principles for design which are added fullness, contouring and dart manipulation.
The sewing guides comprised for the pleated trouser with pattern layout, pockets, loops for belts and zipper; the denim or jean pant with contour belt, pockets, gusset, and the fly front.
The updated design for the jacket foundation draft contains interfacing, tape control, chest piece, and fabric preparation and shoulder pads.
Pant drafts or trouser drafts include a waistband, loop, and pocket; grunge pant draft; dungaree foundation draft and 3 jean waistline variants that include sewing and pocket instructions.
It also contains the fitting corrections for basic design patterns and a unique section on patternmaking for bias cut garments.
3. Couture Sewing Techniques
The haute couture is among the most exclusive and a place where only an entitled few can ever hope to exist. This is a general and prevailing notion but Claire B. Shaeffer has proved it wrong.
The fashion historian has opened the doors of this exclusive world in her recognized guide to the methods that define couture sewing techniques.
The good news is that this authoritative which is considered as an industry guide has been improved and updated wholly. It now includes new pictures and a chapter exclusively on specialty fabrics.
It is quite difficult to unravel the couture garment only Shaeffer can design it for you. she covers everything from hand sewing art to mastering the edge finishes, from traditional and classic closures to designing a fabric for a perfect fit.
You can read and learn all the basics plus how a technique should be applied to sleeves and skirts, evening gown, pockets, and jackets, etc.
The easy and thorough language with precise instructions supported with photos together makes it a complete edition for a couture sewing course.
4. One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Projects
one yard may look like something not that significant but 101 sewing fabric projects gives a feeling like something to learn. Now you may feel how much you can design with just a yard. In this book, you will find innovative and creative techniques to use this one yard.
If you are an avid sewer than while reading this book you will start imagining your creations. Full of amazing projects which covers all the level of skills, this book is not less than a holy edition. This book is definitely going to appeal to you in every possible way.
This starts with the fundamental of sewing containing the must-have tools, fabric facts, a glossary of useful sewing terminology, making and using a pattern the book advances towards the sewing projects.
Every project has been provided by an experienced seer. Each lesson comprises projects on a particular type of design for home, for you and your kids including your pets plus laptop sleeves and jewelry rolls and much more.
5. The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques
Alison Smith has brought this book with over 300 techniques to show how to sew everything with absolutely no fuss.
The book comprises all the modern and updated information on more than a hundred tools and 50 garments with a glossary of sewing art. From clothes to home decor, design everything you have ever dreamt of.
The author has given ideas for everything. Sewing clothes for children and adults or doing alterations, designing home décor. Get your hands on several hand sewing and machine sewing techniques from darts, pleats, and tucks to fasteners, mending, and hems.
The above-cited designs, patterns or techniques are available with close up pictures and easy steps to discover and learn the trickiest techniques. There is hardly anything left in this.
Learn and give volume to your designing from 15 fresh, chic and classic projects to hone your skill set. Explore your potential and dive into the coverage of over 100 tools and 250 techniques.
Also, look through a visual directory of over 50 garments in “The Sewing Book,” the ultimate bible for beginners and experts.
6. New Complete Guide to Sewing: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making Clothes and Home Accessories
Reader’s Digest is already a household name. their publication is an authentic encyclopedia for everything you ever wanted to know about sewing. Regardless of your level of expertise, you can easily attain what you want to.
Remember every expert is not a born expert, he was once a beginner too. Every chapter of this book illustrated a specific method like pockets, waistbands, seams, sleeves, necklines, and zips.
It contains a thorough process with interactive and colorful photos plus examples which have home tools and garment projects for your practice. You can follow this guide and get to learn new skills.
The book has incomparable and irreplaceable information related to tailoring and mending techniques. It is a handy guide to several types of fabric, a glossary of sewing parameters with an in-depth explanation on how to use your machine effectively and much more than this.
Undoubtedly, this new complete guide to sewing is one of the best books for beginners, intermediates, students, and masters. There is no end to learning.
7. Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make
the kids of the new generation are very active and intelligent. I have seen a lot of kids who are opting hobbies which are constructive and innovative. This book is exclusive for kids who love to create things.
We all believe that kids can sew too!!!
The Sewing School is a motivating and an ultimate guide for your child. It comprises 21 lively sewing projects from children over 5 years of age.
It is absolutely easy to follow pictorial instructions and cut out designs. The young sewers and crafters will be sewing up cute potholders, pillows, blankets, dolls and more within no time.
The projects are made according to children and are well tested and experimented as per their level. You need to supervise and take care of every activity of your kids until they attain a basic level of understanding.
Most of the projects are simple hand stitching that needs no sewing machine as such. This book is quite an encouraging edition for young enthusiasts to help them develop their talent while fueling the passion that will company them lifelong.
8. The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting
Sarah Veblen brings this ultimate book to refer to converting precise adjustments to patterns and for fitting test garments. Don’t worry about your size at all, from lightweight to heavyweight every size is possible to design.
Regardless of what shape or size you are, you should always wear the garment which fits perfectly. You should feel comfortable and look good whatever you wear. Own it like your style.
This guide concentrates on the method that enables a sample garment fits the body. The focus of this book is FITTING. For that aim to fulfill the particular changes are made in the pattern. The output is A PERFECTLY FITTED GARMENT FOR YOU.
In this divine guide, you will learn a lot of things which we stay with you till eternity. Some of the parameters it includes are a fitting axis, solving unusual and common problems, identifying fitting issues, ensuring precise alterations, transferring the fitting changes as per your pattern.
You will learn the complete fitting process starting from the scratch on common fabric to the fitting on the real human. Then you will acquire information on different body sizes and types.
The hundreds of pictorial representation will demonstrate the techniques and theories in a simple process. After completing this book, you will be able to fit any garment on ANYBODY.
9. Singer: The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing, 3rd Edition
The singer is one of the world’s leading and trusted the brand of the consumer sewing machine. Getting your hands on this heavenly machine is a big deal. Nancy Langdon presents a complete photo guide to learn sewing.
The definite guidebook in its third edition is all set with updated features of techniques and photography. You will learn all the basics of sewing a garment to a proper décor.
If the foundation laid for any learning is strong, the building will be taller, stronger and long-lasting. The 312 pages containing 1200 photographs don’t leave even a minute aspect of décor and fashion sewing.
You will learn how to select the right tools or accessories and the concept of using traditional sewing and sergers. It will deeply teach you the prevailing tastes of tailoring and sewing and lets you yield the charming home décor results.
The detailed and easy step by step guide will give instructions for the basic tasks like window treatments, pillows, and tablecloths. The book doesn’t target any particular audience. It is a delight to everyone from beginner to a skillful seer.
It will guide in such a way that you will get the most out of your machine, how to take perfect measurements of human or a window or a table of whichever thing you want. You are going to understand the commercial patterns, alterations for perfect fit and in the last, you will be a thorough professional.
10. How to Use, Adapt and Design Sewing Patterns: From Store – bought patterns to Drafting Your Own: A Complete Guide
In simple words, this book is a complete guide to designing your style with confidence and pride. If you want to be a winner, you don’t need to do different things but do things differently.
When you learn the skill and perform it like an expert, it starts running in your blood. This is the time when you are ready to create your own style statement. If you are striving to achieve this level, and don’t know how to do that. Lee Hollahan’s guide book is just a few steps away from you.
If you are a newbie in sewing, the basic understanding is a must. How to adopt sewing patterns and designs can turn out to be a discouraging business but not if you have this book around you.
How to use, adapt and design teaches the novice learners from the basics of sewing pattern until you start designing your own collection with fervor and enthusiasm.
The main aim is to show how to bring the best out of the store-bought sewing patterns. This book teaches you from fundamentals on selecting the correct size, understanding the several patterns marking and transforming flat shapes into a beautiful wearable garment which can complement your personal shape, taste, and style.
This chapters give a detailed knowledge of the device, how to choose the right fabric shares in-depth information on commercial designs. Also, explains how to understand the patterns, how to take precise measurements and finally how to pin, mark and snip out the fabric making it ready to sew.
Read this book with all your soul and soon you will master the art of how to alter or mend the store patterns and develop a unique masterpiece out of it.
If you are a beginner, grab the book right now. If you are a pro, you may skip it but if you want to polish your skill you may borrow it from your friend.
Hi, there! I am Hannah Nelson, your host on this website. I started this blog to teach my lovely readers how to master the art of sewing effortlessly and how to turn this hobby into an income generating business.