How to Use, Adapt, and Design Sewing Patterns: From store-bought patterns to drafting your own: a complete guide to fashion sewing with confidence Paperback – March 1, 2010

Let me first say that I've read many sewing foundation books, and skimmed my fair share at the local bookstores. Secondly, this is the first review I've ever written for Amazon despite buying everything from curling irons to pooper scoopers from this site. I'm telling you this in order to convey my absolute adoration of this book. I borrowed it from the library a couple months ago and had to buy it after reading it.Most of the youth-targeted books out there (ahem Built by Wendy, Design-it-yourself clothes, etc) give you patterns for clothes that I consider dowdy and granola, and there's not a super amount of versatility in the offerings. This book shows you how to take existing patterns and customize fit and aesthetics (increasing or moving bust darts, adding collars, adjusting sleeves, etc) before you start cutting fabric. It also shows you how to create your own patterns from scratch, from these doohickeys called pattern blocks. I didn't even know pattern blocks existed, but after reading about how they allow you to make customizable, perfectly-fitting clothes, I now believe they are the key to my happiness.I assume that there are no other reviews because this book is new (2010), but SERIOUSLY, BUY THIS BOOK! And overlook my excessive parentheses!!!***EDITING 6 YEARS LATER just to clarify based on some questions people had. No this is not a youth targeted book featuring trendy (as of 2010) styles. They have very basic pattern blocks for what's essentially a shift dress (fitted top + pencil skirt), sleeves, & pants, and they show you how to modify those classic shapes, like take a pencil skirt and turn it into a flared skirt, slim sleeve to tulip sleeve, darts to princess seams etc. Plus how to modify for fit.

Back in 1957 while in the 7th grade I hand-sewed my first gathered skirt with a cummerbund in Home-Eco class. I have always loved sewing and sewed many articles of clothing after that first sewing project. Back in the 70's during the polyester craze I even sewed a casual shirt for my husband.Following a 20 year hiatus I decided to buy a new machine about 1-1/2 years ago to sew some baby layette items for my 7th grandchild. Now I am back to sewing full swing sewing clothing for myself and my family. May I add that I grew up in a home where my mom sewed beautifully without ever using store bought patterns. My cousin made a living designing and sewing evening and wedding gowns.After spending hours comparing different books, I purchased this one and also purchased Simplicity's Simply the Best Sewing Book for sharing with my daughter and granddaughter(age 9) who has a flare for sewing and designing cute dresses, funky skirts and pants. I had only one reference book on sewing which is Vogue's which is about 20 plus years old.Lee Hollahan's Book on Adapting and Designing Sewing Patterns turned out to be exactly what I hoped for as back in the 1980's I took a pattern making course. The quality of the paper, the explanations, colored illustrations, etc. are excellent and very easy to understand. I highly recommend this book regardless of your sewing expertise as it is an excellent addition to your sewing library. I am giving it 5 stars although I wish it had a spiral binder. it is an excellent addition to your sewing library.

I like the colorful visual presentation of the book. It's loaded with just about everything you need to learn how to sew garments, I would consider this a good reference book for alteration techniques, and for those who already have experience sewing but are new to making clothes, even if they prefer to stick with store-bought patterns forever. Even a veteran seamstress (or seamster) may pick up something new. Like many others, I bought this book primarily for design, so that's what I will review here. The design part of the book covers elementary techniques, such as shaping with darts, converting darts to seams, and using slash and spread. Besides the positives the other reviews already described, I do have a few complaints about this book though. First, the alteration techniques basically destroy your pattern and seems sort of wasteful to me - I hate to have to buy the same pattern again if my measurements change, especially since I prefer classic styles with a twist. (Nancy Zieman has a book that demonstrates an alternate method that doesn't render your pattern obsolete after one use). Second, there is no instruction on drafting your own blocks directly from your own measurements; instead it contains several pages of various sized sets of standard pattern blocks that I would still have to alter anyway before I could design with them. Third, even though the author included pattern blocks, there are no blocks for pants, which is annoying because I find pants need to be altered more often than anything else, plus, they are a staple in my wardrobe.

I've been sewing for years and bought this book for the "how to design patterns" information. I already know how to use and adapt patterns, but I read through those sections anyway. I was impressed by how clear and thorough the instructions are. This book explains what you need to know about sewing garments from patterns and then how to adapt those patterns to give you a better fit, information I've had to work out through trial-and-error (and many many hours). It even includes instructions on printing out patterns and assembling the pages, for those patterns that you can download from online. I couldn't help but think how much easier it might have been if I'd had this book when I was first learning to sew.If you want to sew clothing, get this book. "How to use patterns" will give you a great start. And once you've made something, you're going to want to learn how to make the pattern fit you better, so "how to adapt patterns" will be of great use to you as well.

This book includes how to properly measure women and children. Although it does not specifically mention men I believe you use the women's measurement information. This explains how to alter store bought patterns and create your own. There are many tips and illustrations to follow. I highly recommend this for anyone beginning to see their own clothes to those who have sewing experience.

Just fed up - they changed the cover and I didn't recognize it so bought it again!

ヴォーグのパターンを購入しましたが、ティッシュのように薄くて、実際にどうやって使うのか戸惑いがあり、この本を購入しました。アイロンをかけるとか、印つけの具体的な方法、自分流のデザインアレンジの方法などが写真入りで書いてあり、知りたいことがすべて納得できて、英語もそれほど難しくはなく、良い買い物でした。巻末にサイズ別の縮小版原型がついていて、アメリカのパターンは立体裁断が進んでいるので、たぶん日本の原型より優秀だと思います。いつか活用したいと思います。　この他にもう１冊、ナンシー・ジーマンの本も購入しましたが、そちらより、この本の方が格段の価値がありました。

My book is already dog eared! I refer to it all the time. So far, the answer to ever question I have about fitting and sewing patterns I have found in this book.

A home sewer's, the ones who care to sew better and create a better fit, great help