Tag: sewing

sewing made easy cover

A Sewing Reference

Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 5 comments

Sewing Made Easy
Sara
1986 (original copyright 1950)

On a good day, I am awesomely mediocre at sewing. Actually, my ability to craft anything is pretty mediocre. Sewing was a requirement for girls in my junior high school days. This book was probably made for people like me. I liked sewing, but not enough to get super proficient at the skill. Having a book like this was great to refer to some of the more rigorous projects as well as some easy home decor. This book was built as a basic reference for the average housewife.

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sew easy menswear cover

Keeping him in stitches…

Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 3 comments

The Sew-Easy Guide to Menswear
or How to Keep Him in Stitches
Sear
1975

As a mediocre sewer on my best days, I have always been under the impression that menswear is tough to manage. A pair of trousers would probably have me crying. There is a lot of detail to a pair of men’s pants. Call me skeptical for a title that says “sew easy” as part of the title. From the illustrations and just the number of pieces in the patterns, I am sticking to my original thought that menswear is out of my league.

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easy vests cover

Double your fashion statement

Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 6 comments

Easy Reversible Vests
Doak
1994

If you look back on the books we have posted about sewing and knitting, vests seem to be the fashion accessory. I honestly don’t get it. I love quilts and quilting, I just don’t want to wear one. The only person I can think of that pulled off the vest look was Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.

And yet I bring you another vest book. This time you will really get your money’s worth with the whole reversible thing. If they were actual quilts instead of a “fashion statement” I would be all over the color choices and techniques. I think I am going to say that the quilted vest needs to be retired as a concept. (Right next to the fancy sweatshirts) Make a lovely quilt for the guest room instead.

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Sewing Casual Clothes cover

Sewing Casual Clothes

Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies, Looking Good 11 comments

Better Homes and Gardens: Sewing Casual Clothes
1966

Submitter: My library holds an annual new book drive where we work with a local group who feed k-12 kids in food-insecure situations to provide a (hopefully) brand-new book to each kid over the winter break along with enough food to last them until school starts again. Unfortunately, sometimes we get donations that are weeded from other libraries, including this gem. I can’t imagine any current teenagers wearing any of this. For that matter, no one of my generation would have worn any of this either, and I’m getting old.

Holly: A book drive is not an opportunity to clean out your basement, people. Have a heart.

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