Love at First Stitch book review ... basically it's fab!

If you love Tilly’s blog Tilly and the Buttons then you’re sure to love her new book, out today published by Quadrille.

 

 

 

Love at First Stitch –Demystifying Dressmaking is the kind of book that everyone new to garment sewing should have in their collection.

The ethos of this book is one of ‘learn as you sew’. It’s packed full of handy hints and tips and instead of having all the techniques listed at the front or back (or worse, expecting that you look it up elsewhere!) it gives you information when and where you need it and there’s always just enough to get you through each project.  This means that you don’t get overwhelmed with lingo and jargon and enables you to get on and sew instead of having to learn the theory of what you’re doing out of the context of actually doing it!

 

 

 The projects in the book (of which there are 7 with two bonus variations for each!) start at a total beginner's simple head scarf and culminate with a simply gorgeous, fully-lined frock.  All the pattern pieces you need are stored beautifully in the back pocket of the book and are printed on sturdy paper (not horribly tricky tissue paper!) ready for you to trace and cut.  Tilly uses her own sizes 1-8, getting us away from the highly subjective and controversial sizing you find on the high street and shows you how to properly measure yourself and even how to grade between pattern sizes in order to get the perfect fit for your own unique shape.

 I love the fact that she uses practical and unpretentious methods in her making – like making simple pattern weights with food tins!

The photography is absolutely stunning  and the text is clearly laid out with basic how-to-make instructions being on sunny yellow and differentiated from the specific technique pages printed onto gridded pages.

This is essential reading for those about to venture forth on the road to DIY fashion but is equally a joy for those with more dressmaking experience.

 

We’ll have a few copies of Tilly’s book to purchase at our little shop in Wendover or you can order it online here.

That’s it – now go get yourselves a copy and thank your stars that you heard about this little beauty!