The best Fashion Craft books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Today:

• I ordered some makeup stuff from Ulta rather than going into the drugstore and going "oh, this is on sale? I should get it. this looks interesting, maybe I'll get this too" and then 2 weeks later wonder why I have literally 14 different lip balms
• I opted out of a free gift with purchase (a branded water bottle) with that Ulta order because lol I do NOT need another water bottle
• I talked myself out of the F21's STORE CLOSING sale I passed by because I knew it was going to be clothes that would last a year at most and even for 50% off it still wasn't worth it
• on a similar note, I requested two books from the library about having a smaller/sustainable wardrobe

I do! Get a copy of The Curated Closet (I guess there's also a related workbook but I haven't read that). It was super helpful to me who had a few items I really liked but couldn't really see how to fit them into a more cohesive/compact wardrobe. It's def not one of those "invest in classic pieces" advice books (like no I do not want or need a trenchcoat thanks) but it's great at asking you to look at what you like, what don't like, what you want to wear, what your lifestyle is like, etc. and then helps you figure out what you want to own. It's NOT a quick process though, at least I didn't find it to be quick, but if you really want to commit to the work, I think it's great.

One fun thing to do is take this dress, make a pattern from it, and then make some tailoring adjustments for your next dress. With each one, you will learn new techniques. It's sort of fun to learn how your body fits clothes. This book is very pattern-oriented, but it is amazing for figuring out "fit issues". Excuse all the dorky looking clothes and models. https://www.amazon.com/Fit-Real-People-Clothes-Pattern/dp/0935278656

Picture 1 is the costume I made and picture 2 is the actual costume from the film.

I made this costume from a self drafted patterns. I used a book called Metric Pattern Cutting for Menswear by Winifred Aldrich (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pattern-Cutting-Menswear-Winifred-Aldrich/dp/1405182938/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=winifred+aldrich&qid=1617566759&sprefix=winifre&sr=8-1) For this costume I drafted a historical frock coat, trousers waistcoat and shirt. I drafted basic blocks from this book and adapted them to what I needed.

The jacket is made from a checked wool and the trousers are made from a striped wool. The waistcoat is made from a black and silver floral brocade and the shirt is made from turquoise cotton. All these fabrics came from Minerva crafts. The neck tie is a black Liquorice allsorts pattern cotton that came from Etsy.

The trousers feature embroidery on one of the legs and the coat and waistcoat feature pockets.

This costume was made for my final major project at university and it turned out really well and I am sooo proud of what I accomplished with this costume!

I’ve been reading about capsule wardrobes lately and am trying to move that way with my wardrobe. I realized that despite my over abundance of clothing, there are only certain specific pieces that i wear over and over again and really love. Personally, I don’t think an extremely strict capsule wardrobe would be very realistic for me, but I think there are a lot of good principles that can be pulled out of the concept. I love the idea of focusing on quality, versatile pieces that fit you well and that you feel great in vs. as many fast fashion/trendy/cheap pieces as you can afford (which I realized is how I currently shop and is definitely why i always feel like i have nothing to wear even though my closet is overflowing).

I ordered a book on Amazon called (the Curated Closet. I haven’t finished it yet so I can’t 100% vouch for it, but I’ve flipped through it and read the first couple chapters and I think it will be really useful for me. It’s very functional, it gives you exercises to do to help you develop your personal style and then build your wardrobe around that as a guide.

The various weights of yarn like fingering, Aran, double knitting, and so forth are always ranges of sizes, and not, I think especially useful for most knitters. What you really need to know is the recommended needle size, which most manufacturers helpfully provide: in this case, it's a 3.5mm needle. If you're a loose knitter, use a 3 or 3.25. If you're a tight knitter, use a 4.

An extremely useful guide for most all knitters is Ann Budd's Handy Book of Patterns. You make up a gauge swatch and calculate the number of stitches per inch; figure out what size you want the garment to be; and then follow the chosen pattern, getting appropriate numbers of stitches from a series of inline tables as you go. (Take a look inside the book at that link and you'll see what I'm talking about.) Once you know what you're doing, it's perfectly sensible and intuitive, and will not steer you wrong. It's basically all the patterns for all the garments, ever, and worth every cent.

I made these from a self drafted patterns. I used a book called Metric Pattern Cutting for Menswear by Winifred Aldrich (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pattern-Cutting-Menswear-Winifred-Aldrich/dp/1405182938/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=winifred+aldrich&qid=1617566759&sprefix=winifre&sr=8-1)

The shirt is made from white satin from fabric land and features a collar and button stand.

The grey top is made from a ribbed jersey from fabric land and features a collar and centre front zip.

The waistcoat is made from black and silver floral brocade and polyester lining from Minerva Crafts and features 4 pockets in the front.

I am a fairly experienced sewer so these was pretty easy to make and was all loads of fun to make. My boyfriend absolutely loves them!!

Very cute! Added to my liked patterns. There are seamed patterns out there, I'm exaggerating a little, but they're definitely far, far outnumbered by circular sweaters.
This is why I design my own patterns a lot of the time. The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns is really, well, handy for this, since it breaks a lot of the math down for you based on gauge. If you want a design feature like a puffed sleeve or something you have to futz with it, but it's a good starting point.

The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees. It can help you figure out what you love to wear so you can donate what doesn't work for you

https://www.amazon.com/Curated-Closet-Discovering-Personal-Building/dp/1607749483

u/myeerah and u/lyra310 my mom gave me an embroidery book that has great details for the stitches, and a few pages into the intro, I’ve already learned some mistakes I’ve unknowingly made. =O

Youtube, but hand stitching should give neater results (apart from for top stitching maybe). You also have a lot more options available when hand stitching than on a machine.

This is a good book to learn better hand sewing

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Couture-Sewing-Techniques-Revised-Updated/dp/1600853358

There is a book I bought on Amazon to help me with stitches. It taught me alot and I created a piece just on types of stitches.

Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide to More than 200 Stitches https://www.amazon.com/dp/1465436030/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fcQ4Cb41S201C

Bing bing bing! That would be great if your boobs were located under your armpits. :D

Yes, you need to add the fullness where the mountains are located. There are different methods for an FBA and I've even created a few more. Too bad I never made a video, but lots of ppl follow my blog for this very reason.

Anyway, as a starting point, I recommend:

• Fit for Real People (book)
• Full Busted? (video) - I left a review on this video back in 2011, when it had zero reviews. Now it has a lot!

By the way, I use different techniques for knits, wovens, princess seams, etc.

Good luck!

I bought The Knitters Handy Book of Patterns on a whim, and now I've got the sweater one and the top down sweater one too. I love them so much. I'm tall so I was constantly having to adjust patterns and it was driving me mad, paying £5+ for a pretty cardigan pattern then having to re-write most of it to make it fit! Now I don't bother, I make my own patterns to fit me properly.

I’m going to try the raglan from The Knitters Handy Book of Sweaters for the first time. The book might be worth a look from your local library. I also have a copy of Knitter's Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges but it’s a more complicated method, but worth a look if you can check it out of the library.

Your sweater looks very nice and fits well, but if you want to have it go easier next time, try The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges. I’ve knitted hats, mittens, and gloves using a different book in the series, but I’m referencing that one for my next cardigan, the first of my own design, mostly because I can’t find the right free pattern for my latest Ice Yarns bargain.

David Page Coffin — Shirtmaking: Developing Skills for Fine Sewing (Taunton Press) — published in 1998, still in print. The “definitive resource” — tons of good information, excellent presentation. One of my all-time favorites.

None specified, just the size of the finished sock. I am using the sock pattern in The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, and making it 12 inches/30 cm to be a long boot sock.

I know one to avoid though: Don't use a tube sock pattern for soldiers. The Red Cross tried that in WWII and the fellas much preferred socks with real heels.

The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges is one I use regularly.

I just looked at the pattern again and realized that row gauge is important. If you follow it as written without adding rows, it with be too short. I suggest you might want to buy a nice used copy of The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges. You can make sweaters in different sizes and gauges.

There’s a short row beanie hat knit from crown to brim just in garter stitch I make over and over that I used to have a pattern for but now I just kind of go by eye/memory. Might have been this one and over time I stopped bothering with the cable in favor of speed or customization https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/braid-edged-cap

I also use this book https://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Patterns/dp/1931499047 for mittens and gloves especially. It’s the math already done for any size and any yarn weight for just a basic pattern. And then I’ll add any stitch patterns or colorwork or whatever that I want.

Also been meaning to make another Capucine. It’s terribly comfortable.

This book, Shirtmaking, is how I learned to make my own shirts.

I was on mobile before- here's the link for convenience.

Personally, I think it's fine to jump in and learn pattern drafting. I found that once I learned the fundamentals of drafting patterns I had a much better idea of how to alter existing patterns. It's quite easy and straightforward to draft things like skirts, dresses and blouses from a set of measurements. Once you're comfortable with those move on to harder things like pants and jackets. Once you perfect your basic slopers you can basically make any pattern you want without having to spend a bunch of time fussing with the fit. Drafting is a very worthwhile skill and I encourage you to dive in and learn!

I highly recommend the book Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Armstrong (link). This is a pretty standard textbook used in college pattern drafting courses. It starts from the very beginning but it does move quickly. I followed this textbook on my own and had no problems really teaching myself drafting. Sure, there was (a lot of) trial and error and I probably would have made fewer mistakes with the help of a teacher, but it's definitely doable if you want to learn on your own, and learning from a textbook is going to be WAY easier and more comprehensive than learning from various youtube videos and blog posts.

metric pattern cutting for menswear

The womenswear version is great. If the mens version is anything like it, I’d recommend it as a staple.

This book is reprinted frequently. The current title is "Embroidery: a Step by Step Guide to more than 200 stitches. It's on Amazon in America here (not an affiliate link).

It's basically the height and width of a knit stitch and the height and width of the intended garment. The former depends on yarn, needles, knitter and even knitter's mood. Looking at a pattern that has a good schematic will help with the latter.

Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book Of Sweater Pattern: Basic Designs in Multiple Sizes and Gauges may give you some answers if you can borrow it from a library (or buy it). She has tables of measurements.

One thing you will find is that you could post a picture of literal feces and everyone in this sub would be sooooo nice! I remember I was nervous posting my first work, and I still have yet to receive ANYTHING comment-wise that has been even slightly negative. The people in this community are SO. FREAKING. SWEET. It is probably the only wholesome place left on the internet. 😂

You did so many awesome things on your first craft!! Congrats!! You clearly made sure the fabric was pulled taught so there would be no puckering. Did you do this all freehand?! Also super exciting! I always follow a pattern (even if I draw it first) because freehand is SO tricky for me! I bet you learned a LOT in your first go. That's the whole point! I've been embroidering for four or five months-ish now. You will surprise yourself by how much you learn if you stick with it! I like embroidering at night while my husband and I watch TV. I love that you can sit down and do two minutes or two hours!! Every time I sit down, I learn more. But no matter what I do, I am having fun.

I think your next step could be to order a beginner's kit and/or watch a few YouTube videos or Tiktok/Instagram reels. There are sooo many types of stitches out there. Every day I am seeing new ones! It's kind of shocking. I personally find videos easier than the beginner's kits instructions on paper. I also bought the book Embroidery: A Step-by-Step Guide on Amazon and have found it helpful for learning stitches! I think doing some of that will get your creative juices flowing. It's legitimately INSANE what some people do with a little needle and thread. Some people do 3D stuff (😳😳😳😳), landscapes, pet portraits, and all sorts of craziness! Maybe one day I'll be able to do some of that. Not there yet!

I just hope you stick with this. It's so, so, so, so fun! Great job, buddy! 💕💜👏🎉 Proud of you! Whooooo hooooo!

Sarah's dress fits that way, because it is an extremely structured dress. It is heavily boned, and likely she's wearing an additional structured garment underneath it that sleeve stays are tucked into. If you can't let the dress out enough to add boning and a waist stay, your other option would be an underbust stay--or attaching a strapless bra-- you would anchor a piece of elastic in the middle of your underbust, through basically belt loops all the way around your underbust, and add a hook and eye closure to the back. From there you can add small rods of boning to the under arm to tuck into your undergarment to keep them in place or adding basically a harness of ribbon or elastic across the back from the end point of the sleeve ending at the opposite side waist/hip seam, on both sides.

You might find Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire B. Shaeffer to be very helpful. She has detailed instructions on how to add all kinds of shape-perfecting stays.

I would recommend this book. I have a small stack of men's shirt patterns, but I haven't made any of them yet so I can't really recommend any particular one. The one's I've made were from patterns pulled from existing shirts.

As for whether or not it's foolish, I certainly don't think so. I'd start with an inexpensive fabric and make a toile or two, figure out the fit and any alterations that may be needed, but I'd also suggest finishing them as practice. There are quite a few ways to turn collars and to attach them, so I'd make a few of those for the practice and to see what works for you. You'll probably also want to test the buttonholes and such on scrap fabric.

The way you finish the seams and small details and how much you press as you go will really determine the difference between looking professionally made and looking home made. If you can encase a seam or fell it, it'll almost always look and feel better than overlocking no matter what the pattern says. If you don't have one, buy a good iron.