Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide Paperback – December 31, 2008

I have read that, " the more you know, the more you realize you don't know". This book makes it abundantly clear that there is so much more to learn when it comes to elevating your skills to a higher level. Ms. Shaeffer announces boldly in the first few pages that she is obsessed with fabric, likes to be technically challenged, and embraces her failures...I have found my book.This book should be read and reread! I have found so many tips, far too many to mention here, that have made my sewing better, and its all these not so LITTLE things, that make your creations look professional. I consider myself an advanced sewer..perhaps only because I have been sewing for over 30 years? In this very large over 500 page book, I have found every question I have ever had about why a seem is puckering, a buttonhole doesnt look quite right, my lining is shifting,why bias keeps me up at night, why interfacing and stabilizing gives me nightmares answered, and much more. She has me analyzing even more critically what I thought was acceptable, and has moved me to never make acceptable ok again. I truly thought having taken many classes in textiles and fibers in college, albeit many years ago, I had enough information to carry me through. WRONG.I was also one who was constantly looking up chemical and burn fiber analysis in my old textbooks,"OMG"' she has included a chart (not as complete as I would like) but definitely suffices in the appendices and glossaries. The book is broken down into 5 sections and is color coded for easy access (fiber content,fabric structure,fabric types, techniques, and appendices and glossaries). Every book by Ms. Shaeffer is simply leaps and bounds above the rest, and I own hundreds of books on sewing and design. Please give this book a shot...I would have been a much better designer/sewer years ago had I had this kind of reference book as a beginner. This book is truly a book for both the beginner and those of us who have crowned ourselves advanced. I stand corrected.

This book is a must-have for anyone serious about sewing garments. The amount of information contained in this volume is immense and the sheer knowledge passed on by Claire from her multi-decade career as a sewing expert and teacher is a true treasure. I am so glad I bought this book.Even though I consider myself an intermediate sewer, my experience was mostly limited to quilting and sewing mostly cotton fabrics. I was always unsure about choosing fabrics for garment sewing. Claire breaks all of the difficulties down into seven sections (the last section, the appendices, is broken down into 6 more sections), plus topstitching tips.Part One presents the basics of planning a garment.Part two contains fiber content, outlines the characteristics of fibers, natural and manufactured.Part three: fabric structure, describes the various weaves and knits with the details for sewing themPart four: Fabric types, describes methods for handling fabrics with specialty surfaces and structuresPart five: interfacings and linings, provides complete details about lining, interfacing, and other fabrics used for interior supportPart six: Sewing techniques, describes the basic techniques referenced in the previous sectionsPart seven: Appendices and glossaries is a comprehensive listing of important textile terms and frequently used fabricsSprinkled throughout the book are small boxes called "Claire's hint" containing wonderful little nuggets of knowledge from Claire's many years of experience. I believe this book to be one of my best sewing book purchases and it will rightly have a favored place in my growing library of garment-sewing books.

The first thing the struck me about this book is how big it is. It's bout the size of three regular books stacked together and it's heavy! Inside is a veritable encyclopedia of fabric... 525 pages of densely packed information. Despite it's size this isn't a "coffee table" picture book. It's serious stuff.Claire Shaeffer starts her book with the words: "I know I am obsessed..." and proceeds to prove her point. Bless her, this is an amazing effort! It's well-organized and consistent. Color-marked sections are easily seen from the side of the closed book and there is a comprehensive index. For example, in the Fabric Types section, each general category is introduced with a general description, a bullet box of Fabric Characteristics, and a Sewing Checklist. Then she continues on to Garment planning and Sewing Notes. Under Sewing Notes she breaks out Layout, Cutting and Marking, Stitching Tips, and Pressing. Sidebars with hints and color photos are interspersed throughout. Under the general categories and sub topics with even more detailed information and tips including garment care and so on. In a word, it's very comprehensive and incredibly useful!I didn't find the clothes in the photos to be distractingly out of fashion. Most are classic styles that you still see. There are a couple that hark back to big hair and shoulder pads but generally speaking she did a remarkable job of picking timeless styles that age well and never really go "out." However, that isn't what this book is about. It's about how to deal with that hateful fabric you just had to buy and then couldn't figure out. It's about optimizing your investment in time and money so that your handcrafted garments are the best they can be.

This book is an outstanding reference book. It is packed with a wealth of information. It covers all of the current fabrics including specialty fabrics. You can learn about the fabric properties as well as how to sew the fabric. There is even a section on underlining, interfacing and lining. The final section covers various seam finishes, bindings, buttonholes zippers and piping. All in one place, this is my new go to source. I am an experienced sewer and I learned so much new information particularly from the hints. A novice sewer will also find the book very useful as it is well written. I have the Kindle version and a few more illustrations might have been nice for example about the corded buttonhole etc, but the instructions are very clear and if read carefully it works fine. Overall a must have book if you sew at least once in awhile and want professional looking results.

Very comprehensive and clear. Nice if it had been updated to include more current fabrics.

A must have book for all who love to sew and who are starting to build up a reference library!I was so amazed with this book.Details, pictures and easy understanding of all the notions explained!You will not regret buying this book...TRUST ME! Of all the books bought, this was the best! A little expensive but worth every penny!

Indispensable.

Not a lot of pictures and maybe not what I expected. Not a suitable book for beginners.