The Sewing Book

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• Author: Alison Smith
• Published: 2025 (first edition 2009)
• Format: hardcover
• Started: 12 June 2025
• Finished: 14 June 2025

This is the first book I borrowed after getting a library card at the Jersey City Free Public Library. Their main branch, the Priscilla Gardner Main Library, is a beautiful Renaissance Revival just next to Van Vorst Park in city’s Historic Downtown. I look forward to spending more time there and reading more physical books.

The book’s subtitle is “A step-by-step guide to creating garments and projects for your home.” It’s a great overview for a beginner sewist. It includes ten patterns, six of which are available for free online.

My notes for this book are sparser than usual since I skimmed over some parts, but I figured I would upload them anyway.

Part 1: Essentials

Sewing equipment

• I have all the basic equipment except zippers.
• Never seen a 14-in-1 measuring gauge before.
• Tracing wheel & carbon paper is a way to transfer patterns to fabric.
• Lots of different kinds of needles and pins.
• I don’t have a pressing mat or tailor’s ham.
• Be careful to use the right kind of bobbin (plastic or metal).
• Machine needles go from 60 (very fine) to 100.
• Serger can use 3-thread for neatening only, or 4-thread for construction.

Fabrics

• Fibers are small hairs spun for strength into yarn.
• Yarns are twisted together to make them thicker.
• Yarns can be knit or woven into fabric.
• Fibers are short staples or long filaments.
• Staple yarns are rough, fuzzy, dull, flat, and tend to pill more.
• Filament yarns are smooth, shiny, strong, and tend to snag more.
• Yarns can have an S twist (counterclockwise) or Z twist (clockwise).
• A blend mixes different staple fibers.
• A mixture combines different yarns.
• Properties: durability, heat retention, elasticity, regain, weight, drape, laundering, color fastness.
• Fabric weight is measured in grams per square meter (gsm).
• Lightweight is less than 150 gsm: organza, chiffon, lawn.
• Medium-weight is 150–350 gsm: linen, cotton, polyester, silk, needlecord.
• Heavyweight is more than 350 gsm: denim, wool, poplin.
• Yarn types: crepe, corkscrew, bouclé, nub, slub, fancy.
• A slub yarn has irregular thickness; common in linens.
• Weaves: plain, satin, herringbone, twill, warp knit, weft knit.
• Woolen is short and fluffy; worsted is long, strong, and smooth.
• Cashmere is wool from the Kashmir goat.
• Flannel is wool with lightly brushed surface, with plain or twill weave.
• Calico is a plain weave cotton, quite stiff.
• Chambray is lightweight wool with a colored warp and light weft.
• Damask is woven on a jacquard to make a floral pattern.
• Denim is a hard-wearing twill with a colored warp and white weft.
• Gingham is a plain weave of two colors making checkers.
• Cotton lawn is a plain weave of very fine yarns.
• Muslin is a plain open weave, usually unbleached or white.
• Shirting cotton is finely woven and usually has stripes or checks.
• Velvet is a pile-weave fabric, usually of silk or cotton.
• Ramie is a fabric made from nettle fibers.

Interfacing, interlinings, and tape

• Interfacing is small part; interlining is for the whole garment.
• Interfacing can be woven, knit, or non-woven.
• A fusible interfacing is ironed on rather than sewn.
• To apply fusible interfacing: position it on WS, cover with cloth, spray mist, iron on top of cloth with steam, leave in place for 10 seconds, roll fabric to conform, allow to cool.
• For a sew-in interfacing consider alpaca, cotton lawn, muslin, or organza.
• Non-woven fusible interfacing is good for cuffs and collars.¹
• Tapes give support and crisp edges, e.g. bias tape.

Patterns

• Size is usually chosen by hip or chest measurement.
• Most patterns are designed for men 5ʹ10ʺ to 11ʺ and women 5ʹ5ʺ to 6ʺ.
• Alterations to pants patterns must be done in this order: crotch depth, pants width, crotch length, pants length.
• The selvedge is the self-finished edge of a bolt of fabric.
• The warp (grain) is parallel to selvedge. It is strong and does not stretch.
• The weft (cross grain) runs back and forth. It can be slightly stretchy.
• The bias is a 45° angle on the fabric. It is the most stretchy.
• Knit fabrics also have a grain, and stretch more in one direction.
• A fabric with a one-way or uneven design is said to have a nap.
• Velvet and corduroy look different if nap is running up or down.
• If the cut ends of fabric are uneven, snip the selvedge and pull out a weft thread, then cut along the space left by it.
• You can also cut along a stripe or along a knit row.
• Pattern pieces are usually cut out lengthwise on the grain.
• You can do layout on a partial fold to get more out of the fabric.
• Fold a corner to test if plaid or stripes are even.
• When cutting out pieces use big cuts, not little snips.
• One way of marking lines on fabric: hand bast doubled thread very loosely, then snip loops and pull apart layers so the tails stay in place.

Part 2: Techniques

Sewing essentials

• For hand sewing, use thread no longer than length from fingertip to elbow, otherwise it will kink and knot itself.
• You can start with a double stitch instead of knotting the thread.
• With a machine you can use reverse stitch or locking stitch.²
• Stitch types: backstitch, prick, herringbone, slip hem, running, whip, flat fell, blind hem, buttonhole, blanket, cross, slip/ladder.
• Neatening methods: pinking, zigzag stitch & trim, overedge/overcast stitch, 3-thread serged, or clean (turn under and sew).
• Hong Kong finish encases the raw edge in a bias strip.
• Other seams: French, flat-felled, self bound, topstitch, lapped, corded.
• Before turning out an inner corner you need to snip (like sleeve placket).
• Pressing is very important. Press stitching as sewn, then press open.
• Use a longer stitch length for topstitching, for example 3.0 mm.
• When reducing bulk, trim seam allowances closest to body.

Darts, tucks, pleats, and gathers

• Darts give shape to fabric to fit around contours of body.
• Always start from point of dart and sew towards the wide end.
• You need a tailor’s ham to properly press some darts.
• Tucks are folds stitched all the way down (like a button band pintuck).
• Pleats are only stitched at one end and provide controlled fullness.
• Types of pleats: box, inverted, knife, godet.
• Types of gathers: plain, corded, shirring, smocking.
• Smocking can produce decorative effects, such as on cushions.

Collars, facings, and necklines

• A collar has at least an upper (interfaced) and under piece.
• A neckline without a collar uses a facing.
• A neckline in stretch knits uses single or double banding.

Waistlines, belts, and tie-backs

• Types of waistlines: fitted, casing, applied casing, mock casing with elastic, partial casing, facing, straight waistband, tie belt.

Sleeves and sleeve finishes

• Types of sleeves: set-in, puff, flat, raglan, kimono, dolman.
• Always place sleeve to the armhole, not the other way around. In other words, work with the sleeve closest to you.
• Types of finishes: self hem, bias-bound hem, elastic with heading, elastic edge, ruffle, faced.

Pockets

• Types of pockets: patch, paper bag, welt, jetted with flap, in-seam, front hip, chino, kangaroo.
• Reinforce top corners with reverse stitch, diagonal triangle (popular on shirts), zigzag to corner, or zigzag to patch behind.

Hems and edges

• Hems: single turn, blind, double turn, rolled, interfaced, faced, bias-bound.
• Mitered corners: press to get 45° crease lines, stitch across, and trim.
• A sugar bag corner is another term for boxed corner.
• Kick tape on pant hems can prevent wear.
• A faced hem can be used if there is not enough fabric for hem.
• Banding uses a much wider bias strip.

Fasteners

• Types of zippers: lapped, centered, faced fly-front, concealed/invisible, placket, open-ended, decorative.
• Sew button with spacer (toothpick) and make shank by winding around.
• Do buttonhole stitch over the loops of the button thread on WS afterwards.
• Buttonholes are vertical if they go in a placket/strip, otherwise horizontal.
• Vertical should be centered on the line, horizontal aligned with the edge.
• Round-end and keyhole buttonholes are used on jackets and coats.
• Other buttonholes: piped, patch bound, button loops.
• Other fasteners: hook and eye, hook and bar, snap, Velcro, snap tape, hook and eye tape, grommets.

Advanced techniques

• Lining makes garment more comfortable and last longer.
• Speed tailoring uses fusible interfacing to structure jacket or coat.
• Jetted pockets are often used on suit jackets.
• Appliqué: sew one fabric to another in decorative manner.
• Quilting: sew through fabric and batting, creating a padding effect.

Mending

• You can slide a pin under stitches first if they’re difficult to rip them out.
• Darn holes with darning stitch or 3 step zigzag.
• Mend fabric under a button with patch of fusible interfacing.
• Use fusible mending tape for a split in a seam.
• Sashiko can be used as purposefully visible mending.

Part 3: Projects

• You can see the projects online.
• The author also runs the School of Sewing in the UK.

1. In Shirtmaking, David Page Coffin says to use a woven, sew-in interfacing like bleached muslin, suggesting non-woven fusible interfacing is lower quality. But this book says fusible interfacing is actually better for certain things. ↩︎
2. I’ve so far never found any explanation of how to choose between reverse stitch and locking stitch. My only observation is that reverse stitch is easier to undo if you make a mistake. ↩︎