eBook The Dressmaker's Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques: Essential Step-by-Step Techniques for Professional Results download

I bought this book three month before its release without knowing who the author was or what the contents were. I am an Haute Couture aficionado and when I saw the magic word 'Couture' I immediately added it to my shopping cart.

The author, Lynda Maynard, has a BA in textiles and clothing from San Jose State University and is an adjunct professor in the fashion design departments of two community colleges and a private design school in the San Francisco Bay area. Apparently she is also an author of the CD-book De-Mystifying Fit. Nevertheless, my experience with instruction books like this is that it's not about all the titles and affiliations with prestigious organizations but about the commitment of the author to her subject.

So, here you have a very well illustrated and designed handbook for ESSENTIAL couture techniques, not more not less.

It starts with a Couture Technique Selector, which is a thumb preview of exactly thirty-nine couture techniques. These are divided into Binding and Finishes, Design Details: On Show, and Design Details: Concealed.

Each technique is accompanied by a number of illustrations and steps. The author also includes so-called Couture Secrets and tips on materials, pressing, construction and style. With my rather patchy knowledge of couture techniques I do see that a lot of information that I have seen scattered across different books dedicated to Couture has been very nicely compiled and presented under individual techniques.

For example, in a section on Banding V-Neck on Woven Fabric, Ms Maynard says: "Silk organza is an indispensable item in the couturier's supply arsenal. Use it to underline and interface garment sections, stabilize curves and angles, tape straight edges, and steady wiggly fabrics for specific procedures."

In Style Suggestion she adds: "This technique works well on bateau necklines also, since each shoulder seam join functions as a V. try using a contrasting fabric or color, or experiment with bias stripes for added dash."

The book also includes a section on "all the essential equipment for the couture sewer", including a sewing machine and a serger ( I thought a serger is a no-no in couture sewing?). It goes on to tools like scissors, pins, patternmaking tools and, finally, pressing equipment. However, nowhere in the book does the author explain how or where to use many of these tools. Read a chapter on Pressing in Roberta Carr's "Couture: The Art of Fine Sewing' - it is much better.

A section on underlinings/ backings is interesting. I thought, finally, more than a page on underlinings, but, unfortunately the technique of applying underlining is just half a page. To compensate this, the author gives eight pages with images comparing several combinations of backed and unbacked fabrics, explaining the effect the backing/ underlining has on the fashion fabric. I could not see much difference on images, but the text part was quite informative

Directory of Luxury Fabrics and Trims includes an incomplete selection of fabrics. For example, under lining Maynard lists only Silk Crepe de Chine and Acetate Satin. I didn't know Acetate Satin was a luxury fabric, and waht about silk charmeuse or china silk? I read all the time how Chanel skirts are lined with silk charmeuse. To give you my opinion on Fabrics & Trims section, I think you are much better served with Claire Shaeffer's Fabric Sewing Guide

Maynard's book dedicates its final pages to another dozen of Essential Couture Techniques (yet again? what about Couture Techniques part that takes up most of the book). Why all these techniques ended up on final few pages is a mystery to me. Nevertheless they are worth learning.

Finally, the instructions for the techniques are not always clear and require background knowledge of garment construction to be able to guess the correct process. I think the author needs to revise the instructions making them more precise.

I know, I have criticized several sections in the book, but I have to say that most of the main part - those 39, and 12 more techniques hidden toward the end of the book - is really interesting. While this book is not a substitute for Couture Sewing Techniques by Claire Schaeffer (which covers couture construction process from start to finish), it is a great collection of selected techniques. It's a great addition to my library and I will start applying these techniques starting with the next projects.

While I agree with many of the reviewers that this book does not deal, strictly speaking, with couture techniques, I still give this book a 5 star rating. While it doesn't deal with all the hand stitching techniques that really define couture, I do believe that most sewists would improve their craft with the techniques detailed in this fine book.

I love that this book lies flat! That makes it SO easy to use while sitting at the sewing machine. I also love the technique selector at the beginning of the book. The thumbnail photos give the reader a visual cue to what the technique is about, the short description gives an idea of when and why to use the technique and the page number is included for easy reference. I wish all sewing books had this feature!

This book covers Bindings/Finishes, Design Details On Show (details that are visible on the outside of the garment as opposed to those techniques that are hidden underneath the garment), Design Detail Concealed (underneath the garment where they can't be seen),

The Bindings and Finishes section of the book contains techniques that can replace the use of the typical "facings" pattern pieces that are part of so many patterns. If you are sewing a garment from a pattern that contains a facing - thumb through this section to see if you can use one of these techniques instead of using the facing. You will end up with a garment that has less bulk and has a "cleaner" and more elegant edging than you would have achieved from the use of the "facing" pattern piece. Try it on your next garment - we are particularly talking about tops/blouses in this case.

The second section - Design Details: On Show - contains some techniques and ideas for modifying the way a garment looks. Many of these would be easy for an "advanced" beginner, those with a couple of garments under their belt, to apply to a store bought pattern. I particularly like the Charmeuse Welt Edging, this could be done on any number of style of blouses, and the addition of the picot edging makes a lovely edging. Such a technique would certainly increase the "couture" appeal of a garment.

Design Details: Concealed is all about techniques that aren't seen, but can make the wearer more comfortable and also increase the quality of the garment. There are techniques for making higher quality waistbands, satin pocket bags, a hidden "travel" pocket for when you don't want to carry a purse, you can stash your credit card, cash, driver's license, whatever in a nicely designed hidden pocket.

There is a final chapter called Designer Underpinnings. When using luxury fabrics, you can achieve a much nicer, cleaner, less wrinkled result by underlining the fabric. This chapter contains several photographs that prove the point. The author makes suggestions on which fabrics make good underlinings for others, and, there are photos that show sample skirts where one side is underlined and the other isn't. The difference may seem subtle to some, but, in my opinion, the difference is easily seen, though admittedly subtle, but certainly, again, incorporating these techniques will bring many sewists creations to a whole new level.

There is also a nice directory of luxury fabrics divided by their possible usage as Linings and Underlinings, along with an explanation of the difference between the two. There are descriptions of the fabric, discussion of it's applications, tips, and some practical advice and discussion of possible "gotchas" pertaining to these fabrics.

There is a discussion of various trims and ribbons, also with suggested applications, practical advice, and tips.

Finally, the book finishes with a discussion of "Essential" couture techniques. Ok, again, I agree that these are not what sewists strictly call "couture". In this chapter you will find French Seams, Spaced Tucks, Hand Finished Zipper, installing underlinings, hangng loops for skirts which are nicely designed so they don't inadvertently reveal themselves when the skirt is worn, adding grosgrain ribbon, adding piping to the cuff of a sleeve, constructing sturdy shoestring straps on a camisole or nightgown, adding buttonholes to sheer fabrics and a discussion about making a muslin.

My final verdict is that this is a very good book. I liked it a great deal. While it isn't strictly couture in terms of the techniques covered, it's couture in it's spirit. Why do I say that? I say that because, honestly, MOST sewists do not know what couture really is. I believe that adding the techniques found in this book will definitely bring the average sewists garments to a new level of professionalism, and really, I think that is the true spirit of this book, and it's the spirit, if not the "letter of the law" of couture. Most sewists simply don't have time to do "real couture" anyway. What this book does, it does well. The photos are truly exceptional, the techniques are covered well enough for most sewists to be able to successfully accomplish them.

If you are still sewing at a level where you are following the kind of patterns that are sold in the big chain fabric stores this book will give you new techniques that will bring your sewing to new levels and your friends will start saying "You MADE that?" instead of "I see you are wearing something you made".