Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers, by Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor (published by Fairchild Books, Inc.) is an excellent textbook. There is also a workbook available. The book is expensive, but it costs less than a weekend workshop and it’s the equivalent of a full semester’s course.
The book has 18 chapters: The Design Process, Getting Prepared (extensive discussion of grain, pattern matching, seam allowances, sewing notions) Stabilizers, Darts, Pockets, Seams, Tucks and pleats, Zippers, Waistbands, Ruffles and flounces, Collars, Facings, Cuffs, Sleeves, Hems, Linings, Closures, and Finishing touches.
Illustrations are 2-color line drawings and are exceptionally easy to understand - when to use stay stitching and which direction to sew in, where to use a small piece of stabilizer at a point, 4 waistband finishes. The basics are covered in charts - what size needle to use for which fabric, what type of stabilizer to use where, when to use a full lining and when to use a half lining.
The book is written in a user-friendly voice. Don’t be put off by the dos and don’ts format. Among the suggestions for satin seams: a reminder to maintain a clean and oil-free environment and to clean your hands often, to use a silk organza press cloth, to use fine needles, and to stitch directionally. For faux fur: Trim fur from seam allowances before stitching, turn scissors at an angle to trim the fur, and don’t trim fur off the hem allowance.
To give an idea of the breadth of the material, the tuck chapter teaches dart tucks, blind tucks, pin tucks, corded tucks, cross tucks, shell tucks, and overhand tucks. Only then does it move on to pleats. If you need help figuring out the most accurate way to do simple tucks, this book will help you. If you are looking for something more convoluted this book is still able to help. The pocket chapter includes inseam pockets and how to draft them, patch pockets (topstitched, sewn invisibly, lined, with or without flaps,) shaped pockets, welt pockets, pleated or gathered pockets, piped pockets and zipped pockets.
There are four pages of illustrations showing how to clip where seams join. I like a book that reminds you that in a sheer dress you can sew the zipper to the lining.
This is not a book of industrial sewing techniques and it is not a book on embellishment, but if you want to choose a single book that illustrates construction techniques for high end clothing, your go-to when you can’t remember the steps in a welt pocket or how to stitch jersey without stretching it, I recommend Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers by Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor.
Written by Rachel Kurland
