Sign In
Giveaway! The Sewtionary
I have a sizable collection of sewing books, most of them 50+ years old.
Most of them just sit on the shelf and are only pulled out when I want to grab a little inspiration. The books I turn to again and again are the reference books, the ones you can pull out whenever you’re stuck and find exactly what you’re looking for. They are like trusted friends, always there to help you out of a jam.
Tasia (of Sewaholic) has written just such a book. The Sewtionary is packed with 101 different sewing techniques, all illustrated with clear photos and understandable instruction.
This is an ideal reference book for a beginner, but I think it would be handy for intermediate sewists as well! Want to add a welt pocket to a dress you’re making? Want to change up the type of zipper you’re using? Need a reminder about padstitching? It’s all covered.
Giveaway
Tasia has generously agreed to give away one copy of The Sewtionary today.
To win, leave a comment below letting me know one technique that you find yourself looking up often. I’ll choose a winner at random (using the random number generator) on Wednesday, Sept 17. Good luck!
ETA: Comments are now closed, thanks for entering! The winner is Danica!
The Blog Tour Stops
If you’d like to follow the rest of the blog tour (as I’m sure there will be more giveaways), here’s the full schedule:
- Wednesday, September 10th: Thread Theory Blog
- Thursday, September 11th: Miss Crayola Creepy
- Friday, September 12th: Coletterie
- Monday, September 15th: City Stitching with Christine Haynes
- Tuesday, September 16th: Tilly and the Buttons
- Wednesday, September 17th: Madalynne
- Thursday, September 18th: Closet Case Files
- Friday, September 19th: By Gum, By Golly
- Monday, September 22nd: Lladybird
- Tuesday, September 23rd: True Bias
- Wednesday, September 24th: Four Square Walls
- Thursday, September 25th: Ada Spragg
- Friday, September 26th: Did You Make That?
Comments
Crystal
September 14, 2014 #
always need to be reminded how to put in invisible zippers!
jomimms
September 14, 2014 #
I’ve sewn since I was a teen, and even as an advance sewist – perhaps because of the passage of years – visual ‘memories’ become more important. This resource looks to be the ticket to recall!
Rebecca Slatter
September 14, 2014 #
I’m always looking up welt pockets and how to do a proper catch stich – no matter how many times I look this up I always need to reference again!
Lina
September 14, 2014 #
Well, about 15 years ago, I have finished sewing school. Now I have couple project lined up that I would like to accomplish and I am sure there are some techniques that I would need to look up to refresh my mind.
Lanisha
September 14, 2014 #
Always referencing FBA and pattern grading.
Marissa
September 14, 2014 #
Everything since I’m still learning!
Denise Wood
September 14, 2014 #
I would like if learn how to install an exposed zipper!
Kristal Friesen
September 14, 2014 #
Such an awesome resource. This would’ve reference book number2 for me
April
September 14, 2014 #
I am not sure where to begin, as a near beginner, I imagine I would use this book a lot!
JamieDSC
September 14, 2014 #
I would love to win this book! I find myself looking up zipper insertions a lot. I don’t like the standard invisible zip and I always want to change it to lapped or exposed or something else!
Dee
September 14, 2014 #
I hate darts and never get consistently good ones and hand sewing techniques are lost on me – I’d love to be able to finish off my garments with professional looking hand stitches
Katie
September 14, 2014 #
I’m forever looking up French seams. The measurements just never seem to stick!
sam
September 14, 2014 #
I look up all techniques all the time to see if there is a faster/better/smarter way to do things!
rebeccawip
September 14, 2014 #
i always have to look up grading seams. which one do i cut shorter? geez!!!
Eva
September 14, 2014 #
The invisible zipper is still getting me.. It’s hard to picture some techniques inside out. Learning by doing!!
Amelie
September 14, 2014 #
I have to look up invisible zippers every single time.
mette
September 14, 2014 #
I’m struggling with the front flys …..
JENNY
September 15, 2014 #
Hemming, both hand and machine hemming. Fortunately the series Colette did on hemming was incredibly helpful. I reckon I will always need reminders on Hemming so a book like this would be very helpful.
Thanks!
Erin
September 15, 2014 #
Welt pockets. There’s something about cutting a hole in the middle of a perfectly good piece of fabric that makes me want to double check to make sure I didn’t screw anything up!
Zete
September 15, 2014 #
I look up almost every thing. :( I hate messing up and using seam ripper, so while i sew i spend as much time on the internet as actually sewing. invisible zippers, linings, fly fronts, etc – always double check if i remember that right. Like “it cannot be this straight forward – sew this, that and turn it inside out and magic happens”.
Alice
September 15, 2014 #
I’m always looking up new techniques, but the one I keep going back to the books for is darts!
Amanda Black
September 15, 2014 #
Always an invisible zip… I have inserted 6 now so should know but I think I lack confidence to just go it alone!
jen @ the stitcher and gatherer
September 15, 2014 #
I am always looking up (books, you-tube, blogs) things like grading, aleration techniques and general fitting issues. I would love Tasia’a book! Thanks
Space_wolf
September 15, 2014 #
Doing gathering, as I’m never entirely sure if I’m doing it right.
Mary
September 15, 2014 #
No matter how comfortable and familiar I am with my old workhorse Bernina I always have to just check and double check the sequence of sewing buttonholes. If I can use an alternative fastening, I do!
elinoora
September 15, 2014 #
Invisible zippers. And how to put in a sleeve.
Elise Lea
September 15, 2014 #
I would love to use it for zippers, but there are so many techniques I would use it for!
Byanka
September 15, 2014 #
I always need to look up how to install a zipper in a dress with lining. I don’t install zippers often enough to remember how to sew them. Also how to add pockets. I just recently started adding them to more of my sewing projects.
Linda
September 15, 2014 #
Adding pockets to patterns that don’t originally call for pockets.
Deborah
September 15, 2014 #
Zippers — every time.
Ledys
September 15, 2014 #
For me, it’s french seams. No matter how many times I have done them, I always have to look it up!
Rose
September 15, 2014 #
I am a new sewer and need definitions for just about everything!
Kim Adamski
September 15, 2014 #
I always have to look up how to do zipper flies! So complicated.
Hannah
September 15, 2014 #
Invisible zippers. I always get turned around in my head until I look at decent pictures of the process. Same with blind hems.
Stephanie Muhammad
September 15, 2014 #
The technique I look up most often is sleeves. The drive me looney!
Lauren T.
September 15, 2014 #
I find that I often look to reference books for different zipper techniques. You’d think I’d have zipper installation down after several years of sewing, but it’s still tricky to me!
Michelle Jude
September 15, 2014 #
I have trouble and keep looking up how to correctly add on to a pattern
Janice Kleinschmidt
September 15, 2014 #
Pattern alteration is what always makes me go to the books for help.
Kim
September 15, 2014 #
Zippers and setting in sleeves!
Diane
September 15, 2014 #
Zippers!!
Johannah
September 15, 2014 #
I feel like I am always looking up invisible zippers. Or at least I do if I want my project to look halfway decent. I also end up looking up terms I’ve heard but don’t remember very well or skills I’ve only used once or twice. It just makes me feel better to look at a good reference and complete the step once (fingers crossed) than to speeding through a skill I am not as familiar with hoping I did it well enough that I can actually wear my new garment. Usually if I just speed through and use hope instead of a reference I end up having to do it all over again at least once. So excited for this book. Would love to win it but at least it’s on my wishlist for Christmas.
Brenda
September 15, 2014 #
I always have to look up an FBA even though I’ve done many. Don’t know why but it never seems right unless I look it up.
Carla Michelle Desirée
September 15, 2014 #
I always find myself re-looking up zipper tutorials and tailoring advice.
auschick
September 15, 2014 #
I always have to look up invisible zippers!
Marissa
September 15, 2014 #
…bound buttonholes! Every time.
melissa evans
September 15, 2014 #
I have to look up a machine blind hem every time. Something about how the layers are arranged that is so confusing.
melissa evans
September 15, 2014 #
Oh and Hong Kong finish every time.
nakamarra
September 15, 2014 #
Lapped zippers – I always need a diagram to help me! :)
dawn
September 15, 2014 #
I am always looking up zipper insertion, mostly because I hate them. Also the proper layout for cutting continuous bias tape.
Avril
September 15, 2014 #
I would love a copy of this book, I always have to look up linings whether it is using the bag lining method on a jacket or the perfect way to line a dress :-)
Wendy Cummings
September 16, 2014 #
I’ve just bought a new sewing machine and I’m getting started again after not sewing for more years than I care to remember. So any help and advice (or even this giveaway!) would be most welcome!
Adeline
September 16, 2014 #
Definitely hand stitching a hem!
Nikki H
September 16, 2014 #
I find myself looking up the craftsy class on zipper techniques just to make sure it turns out perfectly. This book looks beautiful, thanks for the giveaway.
MommyFafa
September 16, 2014 #
Adding pockets especially the side-seam pockets! I’ve always tried to look up again just to make sure I drew the correct curve of the pockets, or sew the correct direction of the seams. Pheww.. Thanks for the chance to this awesome book giveaway! :)
Ashley
September 16, 2014 #
I’m constantly looking up how to make bias tape. I never can remember!
Sarah
September 16, 2014 #
I always need to check how to line a sleeveless dress! That neckline, two armholes thing…
Rachel M
September 16, 2014 #
Zippers… every time :-)
Alison
September 16, 2014 #
I’m always looking up different ways to put in a pocket, and for some reason, I can’t seem to keep any information about waistbands in my head.
Victoria
September 16, 2014 #
I often look up how to do fancy seams.
Mary
September 16, 2014 #
I have always avoided putting in zippers at all costs so when I do need to put one in I naturally need a reference. I think The Sewtionary would be a wonderful reference book and probably teach me some techniques I never even heard of :-)
Beth Holmes
September 16, 2014 #
i always find myself looking up how to make tucks, which never fail to confuse me! the sewtionary looks such a good book, i would love to own a copy :) thank you for the giveaway!
kathy
September 16, 2014 #
I need assistance with invisible zippers……always.
Sandra
September 16, 2014 #
I am delighted to find this month dedicated to hems, as that is the subject I find myself looking up the most.
As I don’t have a machine, but sew by hand, mostly adding hems and darts to linen clothing that doesn’t fit well, I need all the help I can get.
Just learning a simple trick of pulling a single linen thread all the way through the width of the fabric, and repeating this many times over, has helped me to get a straight edge on the bottom hem line.
Now to put together, the tips I’ve found here!
Thank you so much, I love learning from you!
Sandra
Judy Allen
September 16, 2014 #
I could learn a lot from the book!
Angie
September 16, 2014 #
I have to look up how to’s on invisible zippers-ALL THE TIME.
Marysia Paling
September 16, 2014 #
I am branching out more into tailoring, so quite a novice and would love to find the ultimate instructions for pad stitching…………..sure this book will have the photo’s and guidance to help me on this one.
Shelley Gibb
September 16, 2014 #
Zips. I always have to have a quick check before I start.
Michelle Jude
September 16, 2014 #
I am constantly looking up how to alter patterns….This book looks GREAT!
Liz
September 16, 2014 #
Ahem. Zipper installation, every time.
Nancy
September 16, 2014 #
Oh I’d be looking up fly and lap zipper as well as hand sewing (that one is a must!)
Emerald
September 16, 2014 #
Bias tape is definitely something I have to look up how to make. I still haven’t gotten the technique down.
Debrah
September 16, 2014 #
French seams!
Lauren Barnes
September 17, 2014 #
I find myself looking up how to do a blind hem all the time. I’d love to have a handy sewtionary by my side at all times as an amateur sewist, it looks amazing! :) well done x
Lina
September 17, 2014 #
Invisible zippers is still a challenge for me, maybe if I would do them more often…..
Naheema
September 17, 2014 #
I still consider myself a beginner and have only made a few garments with invisible zippers being the only complex technique I’ve used. I plan to make the alder skirt dress and beignet skirt soon so a guide to make perfect buttonholes would be great.
Jolien
September 17, 2014 #
Not sure if it’s open internationally, but I’d love to win this one.
For me the blind hem is one I’d like to look up, especially with the machine I always need to double or triple check I put the fabric the right way…
Sox
September 17, 2014 #
I usually have to check how to put in a fly front in trousers. Even tho’ every time I check I think, ‘oh yeah, I knew that’, I still like to make sure.
Sohini
September 17, 2014 #
I would like to enter the giveaway too please! I look up lining for vented skirts every time I do that.
Sara
September 17, 2014 #
I find myself often looking up zipper techniques! No matter how many times I sew in a zipper, I still need that extra bit of handholding
LM
September 17, 2014 #
I always need a refresher with buttonholes…Thank you!
Laura
September 17, 2014 #
I find myself looking up many techniques every time I sew. I always have to remind myself how to sew in a zipper. Always. Bias binding also perplexes me sometimes. And welt pockets?! Don’t even get me started…
Katie
September 17, 2014 #
OOOHHH almost missed this one! Thanks~
Ni
September 17, 2014 #
Well for me it’s fly zippers! It’s so hard to remember how to do them and I find having to google it up every single time!
Roza Matyja
September 17, 2014 #
One of my favorite technic is finishing my garments with Hong Kong hem. It looks so nice and I learned that from a book!;)