Sew Your Own Activewear - Book Review

Lookie, lookie what I got in the mail yesterday!! I’ve helped Melissa over the years and she sent me a copy of her new book. Thank goodness I was home because I had to sign for it. I thought it was either this book or some crazy-scary court paperwork. I bit the bullet and signed for it. I thought I would do a little review for you guys so you can see what it’s all about.

It includes four block patterns; two tops and two bottoms. From these four blocks, Melissa takes you step-by-step through making your own pattern. It’s pretty cool. For me, I already have a block that I would use for the close-fitting top: Jalie 2805. For the close-fitting bottoms, I would use the Ottobre 05/2016 leggings. These are the most comfortable and basic leggings and the fit is great. I may pull out Melissa’s patterns because I’m always curious how things compare. She goes through a lot of common alterations like FBA, SBA, square/sloping shoulders, thick/thin thighs, broad/narrow back, long/shirt torso, swayback, etc. Once you have a block that fits you, then you modify it to make other versions of the same top or bottom.

Here are a couple of the pages that show the modifications of the block pattern. She starts off by showing you the finished pattern and then literally goes step by step through the modifications. It’s pretty cool. She also talks a lot about sewing knit fabrics, hem finishings, fabrics, useful knit sewing tools, etc.

For the blocks, there are two large, double-sided pages of overlapping designs (like Burda or Ottobre - but easier to trace!) but they are very easy to see because there are very few designs on the pages. She also puts lots of “landmarks” on the pattern like bust, waist, hips, etc.

So far, I’m enjoying going through it!!

Cool New (Old) Books

I love it when people are cleaning out their houses and I get their old sewing stuff. Sometimes it’s a treasure trove and sometimes it’s just random stuff I donate. This time, it’s the former.

 

First up is this Simplicity Sewing Book. It’s circa 1968 so it’s got great ads in it. It also has a lot of great illustrations. I have several older books like this and they are all fun to look at. It’s got your standard sewing techniques but what I really love are the ads.
 

Come on, who doesn’t need these pants and this fur leopard jumper thingy??
 

 

And don’t we all need Electric Satin clothes????????? Take a closer look. Really. It’s awesome. Even if you guys don’t think you need it, you do.
 

 

 

 

Then I received this book. It’s what you would expect. If you have a wrinkle here, tuck this; if you have a fold here, slice here. It’s kinda cool but not as exciting as electric satin. Seriously, what is??
  

 

 

 

This is a book by Kerstin Martensson, the founder of Kwik Sew. It’s got a lot of information about knits from when people didn’t know much about knits. So it talks a lot about the different types. It’s an interesting read. And who doesn’t love the hairdos of the 60s and 70s?

 

 

I hope to actually do some sewing this coming week but things have been busy, busy. There is only 9 more days of school!!! Thank Gawd! It has been a long, grueling year for me.

Book Score

We have this great book store in Anchorage called Title Wave books. It sells new and used books. It's one of those places where you can bring in used books and get "credit" for them and use the credit to buy other used books. Look what I scored for under $30. I've wanted the David Coffin book ever since Melissa of FehrTrade.com raved about it. I've read about of a fifth of it already and I just bought it yesterday. I'm going to have to make my husband some shirts. Well, we'll see if he can hold still long enough. I love how Coffin breaks it down and he draws out everything he describes.

I also found two of these Threads books. They are compilations of previously published Threads articles. They are dated (both published in 1991) but both of them offer in-depth looks at designers, fitting, drafting, and techniques. I think I'm really going to enjoy them both. I have previously checked out the Fit and Fabric one from my library. I liked it then but I find that I understand so much more of what they are talking about now that I have a little experience under my belt.

I figured I deserved a treat after yesterday. My lovely helper-devil-children put, what I think was, a diaper down the toilet. Of course it plugged the sewer line and sewer water flowed into my laundry room and downstairs bathroom. My father-in-law and I spent about four hours snaking the sewer line until we pushed out the mass of nastiness. Then it took me another four hours to completely bleach and clean the bathroom and laundry room. I love them, I really do. Thankfully, my mother is in town so she was able to watch them while I was up to my elbows in shit. Literally.

Lookie What I Scored

Look what I scored today at the second hand store. I only have one other book. It's good, The Complete Book of Sewing Shortcuts by Claire Shaeffer, but I don't have any basic reference books. This was perfect for me.


It goes over everything from what different design elements do for your form to . . .


. . . what colors and textures do for your shape . . .

. . . to how different fabrics are woven or knitted together to . . .

. . . tailoring techniques in jackets (could have used this in the Great Coat Sew Along) . . .

. . . how the heck do you padstitch anyway?? . . .

. . .plus some groovy home decor tips and patterns.

The best part for me? It's the original book from 1976 and it's mint.