

Buy anything from 5,000+ international stores. One checkout price. No surprise fees. Join 2M+ shoppers on Desertcart.
Desertcart purchases this item on your behalf and handles shipping, customs, and support to USA.
From just 5 basic patterns elements, learn to mix and match these elements to create over 80 different bespoke garments that are unique to you. With full-size patterns to cater for dress sizes 2 to 42. Creative Book Awards 2024 - Winner - Best Sewing Book from Crafts Beautiful Magazine Let Dressmaker Helen Rhiannon guide you through every step of the process to help you create a classic, customized dress thatโs perfect for your body and your personal style. Thereโs a pattern for every size and shape (2-42). Simply choose the size closest to your own measurements, trace off your pattern pieces, create a sample in calico and alter it to your unique shape. Then, choose from a selection of basic, but beautiful, neckline, sleeve and skirt options โ from classic V-necklines to flouncy Fifties-style circle skirts โ to make your dress your very own. Basic techniques needed are covered at the start of the book โ including seam allowances, notches, cutting out, pinning, machine sewing and finishing. The basic sewing kit you need is covered, as well as fabric advice and advice on lining. There are 4 style options each for sleeves and necklines, including a flared sleeve, a capped sleeve, a sweetheart neckline or a boatneck; and 5 skirt options , including a fitted pencil-style skirt, a zhuzhy circle skirt, and an A-Line, with or without pleats. The 5 patterns can be put together to create 80 different dress styles ; adapted to make 4 different skirts or 4 tops; or the pattern for the straight skirt can be joined to any of the bodice patterns to make a straight dress. Let Helen take you from novice to creator of your own bespoke clothes with this exhaustive guide Review: A great guide for beginners - I love the layout and the easy to understand explanations. I haven't sewn anything yet but this book is helping me gain confidence. Review: Learned new techniques - I am an experienced sewing person and I found some very good instructions that will improve my garment construction. Certainly worth having in your sewing library.








| Best Sellers Rank | #329,434 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #21 in Wedding Gowns #611 in Fiber Arts & Textiles #760 in Sewing (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 481 Reviews |
K**R
A great guide for beginners
I love the layout and the easy to understand explanations. I haven't sewn anything yet but this book is helping me gain confidence.
B**J
Learned new techniques
I am an experienced sewing person and I found some very good instructions that will improve my garment construction. Certainly worth having in your sewing library.
C**H
It is all about fitting!
If you are interested in sewing a dress that fits well, this is your book! This book would be helpful for beginners and experienced sewers who find fitting elusive. Check out the Facebook page and you will see that people who bought this book have ended up with dresses that fit beautifully. Simple cotton dresses that have been elevated by the mere fact that they fit. There are also YouTube videos that take the explanations a step further. After you get the fit down there are many variations of the pattern that will keep you busy for a long time.
L**A
Fabulous Resource for Drafting/Fitting/Constructing Bodice and Skirt
The objective of the book is straightforward: you will come away with fitted blocks for top, skirt (and combo dress) to include different options for collars, sleeves, necklines. Additionally the book is to guide you expertly to making adjustments to the full size patterns that come with it so that you will have beautifully fitted garments, and expert guidance on how to make it from pattern fitting to finish. I'm ha hack at garment sewing, and I wanted a competent resource. This book ticks all the boxes. (And no I'm not a review bot--just a very happy customer) While there is much great content on the web, sometimes we need it at our fingertips. The book is (1) beautifully organized; (2) clearly written; (3) perfectly illustrated; and (4) suited for sewists new and experienced; (5) and at $20 you cannot even buy the included patterns for what the book costs. Regrettably, my book arrived with a crushed top back spine. It does not interfere with my enjoyment, and the book was so inexpensive, it's not worth the return hassle.
M**O
Excellent base pattern
I've been struggling to perfect a bodice TNT block. I was in that never ending loop of - Do I need a FBA? Is it a "forward shoulder" or "high round back adjustment"? Is the armhole to high or to low? Why is the back neckline to low? or to high? or gaping? Why are there wrinkles from my shoulder to armhole/waist. I would fix one thing, then something else would hang wrong. Used her measurement chart, made an ease decision, and made NO other adjustments, I wanted to see what would happen. The first muslin fit almost perfectly. I could have easily just gone with that. I did end up narrowing the shoulder at the armhole and bam....I had a TNT pattern!!!! And everything matched and sewed together perfectly, notches, seam lines, armholes . Even the basic sleeve fit my larger bicep and hung correctly from the top of the shoulder without adjustment. Picking the sleeve based on armscye measurement plus ease worked. I didn't think it would. I have spent too much time, slicing/pivoting,/lengthening/shortening patterns to try and make them fit. Starting over with a well fitting basic block is eye opening. I highly recommend. If you are on the curvy side, her inclusive sizing works. I took that base bodice, added a button placket and a collar from another pattern and I had a well fitting basic button down shirt that fit.....
M**E
Time saver for making great fitting dresses
I am able to make my own patterns but found this to be a great time saver to making a well fitted pattern, muslin and ultimately dresses. I have made two wonderful dresses so far, one being a mother of the bride ball gown to wear at my daughter's wedding.
S**R
I love it
This is easy to understand and fun plus itโs got patterns!
K**S
Beginner friendly butโฆNo patterns included for the various necklines. No information on lining
A very good beginner book with patterns included for a basic toile. Since the necklines are listed as a feature I made an assumption that their patterns would be included in at least some form. I canโt imagine why basic linings instructions werenโt included, so thereโs that. Overall good instructions, the author has video of some of it on YouTube. I wish Iโd read the reviews before purchasing since Iโve already got the alteration instructions from other books, in greater depth. A little disappointed.overall, but if you are a beginner this will give you a good start.
ุง**ู
ุฌู ูู ุฌุฏุง
ูุชุงุจ ุฌู ูู ูู ุดู ููู ูุงุถุญ ูู ุจุณุท
J**E
wow very good
i didnt expect this book to be this neat informative and very clean
C**L
Excellent book.
Absolutely superb book, including a comprehensive dress pattern covering all sizes from very small to very large. The instructions are clear and concise, and give you best practice skills from the start. I'd be happy to draft my own dresses from this book. It comes with so many options for dress styling too, it was a real bargain! Over the moon with this buy! ๐
S**A
Excelent!
Excelent book! Beautiful images and easy to follow step by step instructions. I highly recommend this book!
T**A
All you need to know
As a self taught sewist for many years, I was impressed to learn new technical information within the first few pages. I wear dresses all summer, if you love bespoke dresses too, this is the book for you.
Trustpilot
1 month ago
5 days ago