Read Online Sewing Shirts with a Perfect Fit The Ultimate Guide to Fit Style and Construction from Collared and Cuffed to Blouses and Tunics David Page Coffin 9781589239524 Books

Product details Paperback 144 pages Publisher Quarry Books (December 18, 2018) Language English ISBN-10 1589239520

Sewing Shirts with a Perfect Fit The Ultimate Guide to Fit Style and Construction from Collared and Cuffed to Blouses and Tunics David Page Coffin 9781589239524 Books Reviews

• I like the clear instructions and pictures in detail of the procedures needed to construct a garment that fits and has a finished look that I am proud of. This is my second book from David Coffin. He is certainly a professional.
• I am building up my library with quality sewing books/tools😊 for when I need help quickly. My time is precious and I want to use it wisely. I look forward to using this book to assist me with my next fitted shirt.
• It was a very nice book. Every bit of instruction is very clear. I have not had an opportunity to try to make a shirt at this time.
• I was very excited about reading this book. Fitted shirts are hard to make from a purchased paper pattern without significant pattern alterations to get that perfect fit. What I didn’t know about this book is that making a dress form of your body is essential to learning this process as outlined in the book. A purchased dress form may give you basic dimensions but in order to do this “perfect fit” book justice, making a custom form is essential. For example, knowing the slope of your shoulders, your posture, the way your belly protrudes. You get the picture. It’s only when you know all these intricacies of your shape can you then cover it properly. The author does suggest that maybe at first you can use a sewing buddy to place the pieces directly on you and vise versa until you can make a dress form. However with all the details involved in this process I imagine you need a very patient and capable sewing friend to do this with.
  
  The book gives very very detailed pictures of every step in the process to show you how to use fabric to drape on your dress form. This way you can see how each piece yoke, front, back, armholes, sleeves, would hang on you. Then you can remove bunching or wrinkles from the fit by adjusting the fabric pattern you are creating. It’s complicated. The detailed pictures help but until you get your hands busy actually trying this process it might seem overwhelming. The finished products from the projects shown are beautifully done. Each project has photos of every single step in the process. If you follow these steps, with practice I’m sure you can achieve a professional looking garment.
  
  One idea that I will be trying is the idea of making an aluminum foil form. You wrap foil around your body, minding all your curves and then cut it up so it will lay flat. After that you can trace the foil pieces out on paper to make paper/fabric pattern pieces with it.
  
  I will say that this author is very passionate and excited about this topic. It does bring an energy to the book that makes it easier to read. I am an advanced sewer and I had no problem understanding the theory of the book and the techniques involved. However I think a beginner sewer would probably feel a little intimidated by the process. One thing that I felt should have been discussed in more detail is the importance of ease, how much space should be left at different parts of the body and why. The discussion of the modern cuts of T shirts were helpful.
• I was very excited to receive a review copy of David Coffin’s “Sewing Shirts with Perfect Fit” for several reasons. Coffin is a go-to resource for sewing aficionados who have long benefited from his vast expertise in his contributions to Threads magazine. Second, I was lucky enough to buy a “perfect shirt” at a small boutique in Italy last summer, and I’ve been unable to find another shirt with a similar fit since, so I am looking forward to using Coffin’s drape to fit method to replicate that fit.
  
  Coffin’s clear instructions, both "how-to" and “why” along with lots of photos and plenty of real world bodies to demonstrate make this a great resource for sewing for any body type.
  
  The section on making a tin foil wrap based body form was a real bonus. Although I have a personal dress form, this was an excellent way to improve its fitting utility.
  
  I’ve ordered the recommended Richcheck Gingham and Premium Broadcloth and look forward to a couple of long weekends of fitting fun.
  
  I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
• Sewing garments can be intimidating for even those who have a great relationship with their sewing machines. What sewist hasn't spent the time and money making a garment and been disappointed with the fit? Or has been too intimidated to even try? The book covers fitting for both loose-fitting shirts and fitted shirts using draping methods and then turning your partial drapes into paper patterns. The handling of soft and more structured fabrics are also discussed. To aid in sewing and fitting yourself, instructions are given for creating a mannequin that's an exact replica of your body rather than trying to use a commercial mannequin that doesn't reflect your (or anyone else's) real life proportions. Step-by-step construction instructions are included for a loose, lined shirt jacket, a fitted v-neck dress shirt, a fitted wrapped shirtdress and a tight denim western shirt.
  
  As a novice garment sewist, would I lose the intimidation factor when approaching shirt sewing with the help of this book? Not entirely, but I definitely will be much less intimidated with this information!
  
  Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Creative Publishing International and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.