Book Review! The Better Bag Maker

If you are into making bags and really want to make better, retail worthy bags, this book by Nicole Mallalieu is for you. She is the Better Bag Maker and this book is about using better skills to get better results. From the book, Mallalieu is "obsessed with improving my own skills and learning new and better ways of making things". When's the last time you heard a contemporary sewist with a book deal say that?  Her passion for sewing and for sharing her knowledge is very evident throughout.

I got this book through my library's interlibrary loan system. You can get nearly any book that way and our system extends nationwide. Almost always, however, I am able to get books from the surrounding counties so no long wait. It is really worth getting familiar with your local library. You can save dollars and they can get you nearly anything.

This book is the bag maker's version of the Vogue Sewing Book. I've read a lot of bag making books and followed sites and blogs of some of the better known bag makers. None come close to the skills and understanding of the craft like Mallalieu. This is no "make a bag in an hour" type of book. The knowledge shared is high quality and shows the experience of the author. You really get the sense of her personal vision, throughout, and not what an editor somewhere thought might sell. She takes her teaching very seriously yet there is always a sense of fun and lightness about her lessons.

The Book starts with an in depth discussion of what you need to make bags, the first being sewing machines. She explains, details, and names types of interfacings, presser feet, adhesives and so much more. You will not have questions. It's all covered in depth. But her writing is light  and so easy to understand.

After discussing the tools necessary, she gets into the sewing skills needed. These include how to actually alter bag patterns to get the design you want, pocket making of various types, zippers, facings, linings, straps and so much more. Then and only then she starts you on making really nice projects, nothing with that just made at home for the first time look. There are ten bags to be made, each adding to and building on previous skills. She grades them with skill levels from Beginner through to Confident. I like that Confident designation, instead of using something like advanced or expert. She explains that the most challenging bags are for those who are most confident in their skills. I really like that philosophy.

The photography is gorgeous with the paper being heavy and satin finished.  The technical drawings are very clear and easy to understand. Her prose is professional, clear, and genuine. Each of the bag projects is very stylish and she has no hesitation teaching you challenging skills. Like any great teacher, she knows you can do it! She knows that if you follow the program you will get to that "Confident" designation.

If you enjoy making bags or want to know more about their construction, if you are looking for inspiration as well as excellent, high quality content, and if you really want to learn to do things right from someone who truly is an expert, buy this book. Now that I have read it I want it as a reference. Every home bag maker needs this book and no other in her sewing library...........Bunny

"Sewing Solutions" by Nicole Vasbinder

I work in a library and have a great boss. She purchases lots of books on sewing and knitting. I wonder why! She knits. This little number arrived last week and it is a solid addition for your sewing library. It is written by Nicole Vasbinder, who is a founder of "Stitch Lounge" in San Francisco and who also teaches at Stone Mountain and Daughter Fabrics. This book puts her wealth of knowledge into bytes of info that are up to date, thorough and very informative. I left reading this book very impressed.

The first thing I noticed was how current  much of the information is. Just a tiny view of some of the topics you won't find in the classic sewing tomes:

* in depth Pattern Envelope translation

* dress forms

* types of elastics

* hook and loop fasteners

* tracing wheels

That is just a sprinkling.  Each topic has a page but it gives all you need to know.  The tools and equipment pages tell you where to get it, what every sewist should know about it, and there is also some Q&A on the topic. There are references to pertinent info on that page's topic elsewhere in the book and what page it can be found on. An example from "Every sewist should know" on hook and loop tape:  "Never sew through stick-on fasteners because the adhesive will gum up your needle very quickly. Also, be careful to keep unused fasteners wrapped because otherwise the hook side will catch on fabrics and threads and make a big mess." No one tells you this stuff. It's like having your great Aunt Sophie by your side giving you all the tidbits of information she learned the hard way.I've thrown out more than one ball of velcro mess in my day. Now it's all segregated and wrapped.

Chapters are:

Sewing Tools
Notions and Trims
Marking, Measuring, and Cutting Tools
Miscellaneous Tools
Fabric Solutions
Pattern Solutions
Sewing Solutions
Embellishment and Trimming Solutions
Fitting Solutions
Finishing Solutions

The chapter titles don't show how in depth this little gem of a book goes. There are burn tests, in depth fabric info, fitting info, and so much more.

There is one drawback to this book and the only one  I have found. It is a small book loaded with information because it is written in very small print. My eyes really struggled to read it and I do hope it is re-issued with larger print. That small print however, makes this book easy to keep handy compared to the bigger sewing classics.  My only other suggestion would be to make it spiral bound to lie flat on the counter while we sew.

I'm returning my book to the library today and advise you to check this one out, literally and  from the library or just purchase it. I am sure  its on Amazon. It would make an excellent investment and I promise you will not regret the purchase and it will become a classic reference for you. Nicole Vasbinder has done an excellent job.

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Work on the Planet Earth bag continues. At this point the band is complete and it is all waiting to be put together and lined. Above you can see some triangles of  hand dyed rayon getting lined up like soldiers. Ther are fused with tricot to prevent raveling.  This project is still fun but probably won't be done in time for the PR bag contest.  Oh, well. DH and I are going South to visit children for the long weekend and packing and work demands are cramping my sewing for the next few days. Back soon,,,,Bunny

"Overdressed............................."

OK, what do we have here? I see gray cashmere. There's a flannel interlining. Seams are catch stitched down to the interlining. Peeking out in the upper left corner is a bit of the silk charmeuse lining. Hair canvas with some tricot fused to it to build out the back. My narrow shoulders need that double interfacing with the weight of this coat. All in all, a pretty well made jacket that will last me years.

I had this out today to open out the lining and take in the sides. I always felt the original pattern was a bit boxy, something fellow PR-ers seemed to also find. So today I opened the coat up and built in some shape by taking the side seams in at the waist. About 1 3/4 inches total was removed. It looks much better. I should get lots of years wear out of this classic princess seamed jacket. It's well made and of quality fabric.

This is not a brag. This  is all to make a point about the "high cost of cheap fashion" as the rest of the title of Elizabeth Cline's book "Overdressed" says. If this were cheap fashion the following would apply:

• It would be made of some poly blend or all poly or even "faux wool" which I mentioned in yesterday's post, something using up our petroleum resources and causing pollution in the process. 
• No interlining
• No catchstitching
• No custom fit
• No silk lining
• and certainly no retro fitting the garment because number one, it was cheap to begin with and the seams are near non-existent.  Number two, most people don't know what good fit standards are anyway today. But you do dear sewists. 
• It would more than likely be  donated to a good charity who really doesn't want it either because of it's crap nature and it would eventually end up in landfill. Or, it could go to the back of the closet with mound of other cheap, easily replaceable forgotten fashion.
• The coat would have been constructed using  labor practices that would make you cringe.Our economic competitors evidently don't know or care about the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire.

You know what quality garments are and what it takes to make them. Your clothes, should you choose to go the well sewn, good fabric route will last far longer than the trash put out by the subscribers to Fast Fashion, the Targets, H&Ms, Walmarts, and truthfully, nearly every clothing retailer  dotting our landscape.  You won't be contributing to the massive carbon footprint taken up by tens of thousands of cheap fashion factories. You won't be contributing to horrific labor practices either. You sew.

I know you can tell I just finished reading Cline's book. EVERYONE should read this, not just sewists. You will be so proud you sew. I am proud you sew. This is not new stuff. I've been hitting resale shops since I was a teenager. I've also been making nearly all my clothes and doing serious recycling since then as well, way before the word even existed. It's fun. I enjoy it and its very satisfying. Cline just seems to put this all so well into words. She uses loads of interviews, facts, figures, and trips around the world she personally took to make her point.

So I will get off my high horse now but you are totally welcome to join me. Make your clothing. Use the best fabrics you can afford. Take every class you can. You are impacting your world when you do.....Bunny

What the................

frick is Faux Wool?  I have just come off of reading " Overdressed: the high cost of cheap fashion" and this just fries me. That book has given me religion and sharpened an already existing attitude toward fashion and clothing. I highly encourage you to read it. It's a quick read and extremely informative. You will so value your sewing skills when finished. Faux leather saves animals. Faux wool ruins the environment and never mind the Bandladeshis who are cranking it out for 43.00 a month pay. This is not good stuff.

 This was the view from the dining room this morning as winter finally settles in here. Last night brought us six inches of snow and a wakening temp of one below zero. Hope your day is warmer than mine....Bunny

What is a Master???........

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Ah, the Masters of the Sewing Universe......

First, what is a Master? Well, tomes could be written on that topic and I am sure controversy would ensue. For me these are people passionate about stitching, craftmanship and design. They have honed their craft in the couture world over years, love teaching  others their passion, and are the go to source for anything  that needs the perfect solution to a sewing challenge. Their careers are marked by couture history,  superb teaching credentials, inpressive clients, and great talent in design. They are often published as well, either in print or cyberspace. In no great order here are the three I have chosen.

Susan Khalje

Susan Khalje got her couture chops working at Chez Cez et Bez, a couture salon in NY city. Her 25 years as a couture dressmaker have given her incredible skills which later translated  to a position as fashion designer and manufacturing supervisor on Seventh Avenue in NY city. In 1993 she started The Couture Sewing School, making the learning of these fine skills possible in many  other areas of the country. She can be found teaching from Baltimore to LA and internationally as well. She offers an annual trip to Paris which would certainly be the ultimate sewing experience for any serious sewist. Ms.Khalje is also currently teaching a course on Craftsy on sewing "The Couture Dress" at a VERY reasonable price. This Craftsy course is a terrific opportunity for newer sewists, heck everyone, to dip their toes into the Couture water. There are rave reviews all over the internet for this class so no matter your level of expertise, sign up and count yourself taught by the best! You will be able to proceed at  your own pace and have an incredible learning opportunity.

Susan  is also  a contributing editor to Threads magazine bestowing upon us the finer points of Chanel jackets and much more. Don't we all have or covet Issue #121, the one with the black boucle Chanel jacket on the cover?  Her knowledgeable writing and sewing skills make it  probably the most coveted Threads issue published. Seek this one out if you don't have it.You will be glad you did.

Ms. Khalje has written extensively on sewing and many a bride has walked down the aisle stunningly dressed thanks to her book "Bridal Couture".  She has also written "Linen and Cotton", an essential guide to sewing these two universal fabrics. As a newbie, you may not feel the need for her couture skills yet or if ever (that will change, trust me ) but her "Linen and Cotton" book will definitely serve you well. It is currently available in PDF form from Taunton Press.  Newbies, if you seek higher sewing ground, read her books and seek out her classes.  A Sewing Master's skills will never let you down and will only enhance your own capabilities so count on Ms. Khalje to only supply you the best of knowledge available in the sewing universe.

Photo Courtesy of Threads Magazine

Photo courtesy of Ms. Khalje's website

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Kenneth King

Kenneth King's experience as a  couturier  is evidenced in his wonderful website. I love how it explains his aesthetic and of course there is that amazing gallery to peruse. You can also read numerous publications lauding his abilities. He has sewn for the Stars and is a Professor of Haute Couture at Fashion Institute of Technology in NY city. As impressive as his resume is he appears to really enjoy reaching out to us mortal sewists with his classes and fabulous books. They are essentials in my sewing library. His latest,  "Cool Couture" covers everything from accordion pleats to zippers all  clearly, concisely and with great photos.

Mr. King  offers Sit and Sew classes along with Susan Khalje this August and October. Can you just imagine?  I know from those that have attended that he is one incredible, highly entertaining educator! He also occasionally offers on line classes at very reasonable fees through Pattern Review. These are perfect classes for newbies so make sure you are following Pattern Review to see when his next class starts. Mr. King's ability to totally think outside of the box when faced with a sewing challenge is what makes him a great teacher. He supplies information you just never would have thought of and that's priceless. You can count on King to supply many more tools for  your sewing tool box!

 King also publishes frequent articles in Threads magazine and in Threads on line in his capacity as a Contributing Editor, the likes of which are often teaching mastery of amazing embellishment ideas. He makes it all so clear and easy. And his techniques are! You can also catch a wonderful class with King on Craftsy right now as well. It teaches how to capture the great fit of your favorite pair of jeans.  I think we all need that one!


So once again, with Kenneth King, Like Khalje,  we have highbrow clients, Haute Couture history, impressive teaching credentials, publication and a passion that he enjoys passing along to sewists. Newbies, seek him out! He is a Master!

 

Photo courtesy of Kenneth King

Photo courtesy of Kenneth King

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Claire Shaeffer

Ms. Shaeffer ran away from home at 17 to join the circus, really!  Her initial matriculation at Florida State University had her studying the circus curriculum. She soon had a change of heart and graduated with a degree in Art History. Her thin physical stature, while perfect for a circus acrobat, was not conducive to well fitting clothing so she decided to start sewing her own. A natural progression to pattern making courses ensued followed by a lifelong devotion to the study of couture techniques right at the source: couture workrooms in Paris. She has been in the ateliers and has cultivated relationships with some of the most renown Parisian Couturiers.  


Claire Shaeffer was a sample maker at the very  beginning of her career. Her teaching ability later enabled faculty positions at Kent State University, Colorado State University, College of the Desert, Palm Desert, Ca., Eastern Michigan University and more. She has developed curriculum and  juried many a sewing/design competition.  She has consulted with numerous museums regarding their collections of couture.  Shaeffer teaches only two workshops a year in her lovely desert home in Palm Springs. She is booked far in advance and can be contacted at sewfari@earthlink.net. if  you are interested in further information regarding her "Sewfari". Classes are usually concentrated on either Haute Couture Techniques or more specifically Chanel.
Ms. Shaeffer is well published having contributed many articles to Threads Magazine over the years. If you are a Threads Insider you have access to many of her couture techniques at your fingertips. DVDs and books fill out her repertoire. Her books ARE CLASSICS! Her Fabric Sewing Guide sits  close to my machine and is consulted with most new garments I make. In it's latest edition there is updated fabric  information as well as an encyclopedic amount of knowledge regarding needles, threads, interfacings and more. You can "study" this book. I have gone through it cover to cover three times at this point. Or, you can use it as a wonderful reference. Making a silk gazar garment? Look up Silk Gazar and you will find out what needle to use, thread to use, interfacing to use, etc. Nothing is left to chance. It is definitive knowledge. Newbies, this book is a must have for your sewing library. No where else will you get all the information on all the fabrics and how to sew them all beautifully. You've got a fabric, you look it up, simple as that. Ms. Shaeffer has a new DVD, The Tailoring DVD,   that will be released early next spring so keep your eyes open for that.  Her "Basic Couture DVD" was released this spring and is available through Taunton Press. 
Vogue Pattern Magazine has also been graced with her knowledge and she currently has a 6 part series on the Chanel jacket you won't want to miss. If you are lucky enough to have all the Threads issues on DVD or just a huge collection in your closet like I do, in issue #23, 1989, Ms. Shaeffer writes a great article on making a Chanel skirt to go with your jacket.


Ms. Shaeffer also has a very popular line of patterns she designs for Vogue. Some of her patterns are distinguished  by having both the  Haute Couture way of making the garment and the high end ready to wear method of making the garment, all in the same envelope. You choose how involved you want to get with  your garment. Her designs are very classic fashions that will give you years of payback for your efforts. The couture construction is amazing. You can take one of these patterns and teach yourself so much.  I highly recommend them to all sewists. Her latest design, the classic Chanel jacket with the three piece sleeves, vented cuffs, and all the other signature Chanel techniques is Vogue 8804.  Even if you are not at this skill level yet, get this pattern and save it until you want to be. Her first Chanel jacket pattern was disco'd and became a hot commodity out there on Ebay due to it's scarcity. I had to borrow and trace one from an internet friend.  Thankfully we are blessed with this latest iteration and don't have to go to crazy lengths to get the quintessential jacket pattern. 


In conclusion, Ms. Shaeffer is a Master. She has a  passion for sharing couture skills, knows many a couturier as a friend or a not so friend (Chanel refuses her entry to their workrooms.) She is well published and in essence has a lifetime of  credentials qualifying her as a Master in the sewing world. Your sewing library is not complete without at least one of her books but I would recommend all, for sure.  Every sewist, even our Newbies, needs "The Fabric Sewing Guide".

                                                           Photo courtesy of Claire Shaeffer

                                             Photo courtesy of Threads Magazine
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I would like to thank Susan Khalje, Kenneth King, and Claire Shaeffer, all of whom have been more than gracious in helping me publish an accurate post. While they stand on the top of the sewing mountain, they are more than generous, kind and lovely in real life. I am grateful all sewists have such honorable, gifted, and generous stars shining down on our sewing universe.

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 Based on some private emails and lots of recent personal conversations I've  decided to do some posts specifically designed to help out our more newbie stitchers. These are my totally subjective opinions and you may differ in yours but that's OK. You know I welcome all healthy comment. I will tag these posts with the Newbie Label so that they can be easily searched. There is a logical progression to what I want to say here and there will be  more posts so while you may think I have left a lot out it will probably be coming in the next post on the subject so bear with me.

My goal is to help newer stitchers know who can be relied on to have quality information, books, PDFs, patterns, tutorials, etc. I will do  a series of  posts specifically meant to help enlighten the many that have asked me, "how will I know if it's good information if I don't know what that is yet?" These posts will give you a head start on all that information. I hope it brings you a passionate desire to learn this craft as well. If there is anything I can do to help that along please let me know................... Bunny