Fabric Savvy

A new edition of the best-selling fabric guide includes all-new updated information on the selection of the best fabrics for a variety of projects and how to make the most of them, including new tips and more than three hundred color photographs.

The fabric-lover's guide to cloth offers preshrinking instructions and advice on layout, marking, interfacing, and hemming.

"All new fabric savvy takes the guesswork out of choosing the best fabric for any sewing project. Each of the 107 fabrics features detailed information on laying out, marking, and cutting the fabric; choosing the best thread, needle, stitch length, and presser foot; pressing; finish details; and more"--Back cover.

A fashion expert’s techniques, tips, and tricks for transforming your favorite garment patterns—one small detail at a time! Add or remove pockets. Adjust the neckline. Create new cuffs. Swap a zippered back to a button front. With step-by-step instructions, clear illustrations, and how-to photos in this guide, you’ll learn professional design alterations for your favorite men’s, women’s, and children’s commercial sewing patterns. Whether you have basic sewing skills or are a confident dressmaker, you can learn to be your own fashion designer! “Each chapter focuses on a specific topic, and Mallalieu provides a concise explanation and expert tips, as well as numerous diagrams and photographs . . . Skilled sewists interested in altering their favorite patterns will find an abundance of advice.” —Library Journal

“Designers, we’re going to Mood!” More than 10 years ago, Tim Gunn and Project Runway introduced millions of viewers to New York’s ultimate fabric mecca, Mood Fabrics. Now, the experts behind this fabric power- house bring their fabric and fashion know-how—plus their behind-the-scenes stories—to the sewing public. The Mood Guide to Fabric and Fashion is the ultimate guide for home-sewers, fashion students, aspiring designers, and Project Runway fans who want to learn everything they need to know to choose and use quality fabric. Drawing upon the expertise of the Mood staff, the book teaches readers the fundamentals—from where fabric is produced to the ins and outs of its construction—and features a fabric-by-fabric guide to cottons and other plant fibers, wools, silks, knits, and other specialty fabrics.

5 tracks x 5 projects x Loads of Versatile Techniques = 25 Awesome Projects to Master Sewing! In Stitch Savvy, there are 5 tracks (home decor, handbags, kids' items, quilting and clothing), and each track has 5 projects that start simple and build up your skills. But wait, there's more! Cross-referenced techniques allow you to skip around and explore certain skills. (You loved the box pleats in the Sashiko curtains? Check out the A-line skirt with the peek-a-boo pleat!) So customize your sewing education! Work your way through all the Home Decor projects--from simple to more advanced. Want to ease into sewing? Start with the Level 1 projects in each track. Love piping? Jump from track to track to explore all the ways you can use piping. This book is designed specifically to allow you to grow your skills, pursue projects you crave and test the waters outside your comfort zone--and make some seriously cute projects as you do. BONUS CD includes 13 PDF patterns for apparel, accessories and home decor, quilting guides and more!

Creating images on fabric is simple, fun, and limited only by your imagination. This latest edition is the perfect how-to guide to get you started. International known for her award-winning quilts, Caryl shares her considerable experience in printing images. Whether it is a collection of family photographs or fabric design ideas, the ability to create your own images and designs is now at your fingertips. Her recognized techniques for creating and using fabric successfully printed from you home computer and ink-jet printer are presented in this easy-to-use handbook. Caryl guides you through each step of the process.

This exciting collection features fresh, bright designs inspired by traditional blocks, as well as a few all-new block designs. Discover a wide variety of patterns for everyone from novices to experts--at a terrific value. Use convenient precut 2 1/2" strips or dive into your stash--and create a quilt that's uniquely your own Select from 18 fun projects and try new techniques such as flying geese, half-square triangles, triangle corners, chain piecing, and strip piecing Enhance your quilt design by making clever use of leftover strips in pieced borders and scrappy bindings

Sustainable materials projects have come a long way from scratchy hemp skirts and brown patchwork aprons and Sew Eco is a unique how-to book which guides a whole new generation of savvy crafters in making beautiful wardrobe and home furnishing creations from unusual eco-friendly recycled or vintage fabrics. The book features a series of stylish projects with a focus on both how to source and use sustainable fabrics and teaches readers many different aspects of sewing. Projects include amazing transformations such as making cushions, skirts, scarves, shawls and handbags from recycled shirts, old sweaters, vintage buttons, vintage lace, peace silk, organic fabrics and other materials, using leather appliqué and even "upcycling" an old suede skirt or hat into something truly creative and utterly fantastic.

Fabrics provides designers with the information needed to make their fabric specifications easy, informed, and appropriate to the job at hand, considering aesthetics, performance, application, and green design. This thorough handbook by a textile professional describes and illustrates fibers and yarns, fabric structures, fabric design, dye and printing processes, finishes and treatments, styles and applications of cloth for furniture, window-, wall-, and floor coverings. Also covered are testing and flaws; the fabric industry, and professional practice.