The Shirtmaking Workbook by David Page Coffin

When I first signed up for the Amazon Vine Review Program I was hoping I would have a chance at more books like this one; one I wanted and yet didn't have the budget for yet. So I was very excited to be offered this book. While I have read it already, this book will take many hours of study and even more hours on line to fully appreciate all that the author has pulled together for us. this is my first book and internet and it is terrific. It isn't just a couple of wimpy links, but lots and lots of links with great information.

Here is the review that I wrote for Amazon:

The Shirtmaking Workbook: Pattern, Design, and Construction Resources by David Page Coffin ISBN 9781589238268, Published by Creative Publishing International 2015, Soft Cover, 176 pages, full color illustrations.

After reading Mr. Coffin’s first book on shirtmaking years ago, I have been looking for another book from him for a long time. He writes with a clear style so that you can understand what he is talking about. He understands the needs of a home sewist as he was that himself. After many years of waiting, he has come out with a new book, The Shirtmaking Workbook: Pattern,Design, and Construction Resources. This book has all that and more. More than just a book it is a huge resource to on line places to learn more, get supplies, find inspiration, and visit his blog for help and more learning. While you can learn from this book without a computer, a computer just helps expand the reaches of the book at least a hundredfold.

At first I was scared when I heard that Coffin had published another book on shirtmaking. I was worried that it would just be an expanded and edited revision of his last book. Not so at all and actually if you have both books you will have what you need to make shirts on your own and to design the special touches you want but can’t find a sewing pattern with that actual technique. He emphasizes that they are not just books for men and their shirts, but both men and women’s shirts so that they will be the best made shirts you could ever hope to sew and have.

This book has an enormous amount of color photo illustrations of different types of collars and stands as well as lapels. It also has many full color photos of different types of shirts and has them categorized to help you learn the special techniques that each type of shirt requires. It includes interviews with famous sewists; links to their websites as well as links to the many different resources mentioned in the book including more than 100 downloads for collars, cuffs and plackets. All in all a Masters’ degree program in learning how to make shirts. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

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I would suggest that anyone interested in this book to acquire the first Shirtmaking book first as it will help your understand how to sew the shirts you will want to construct. While it does go into some changes for the shirts that you are making, it doesn't go into the detail that this new book does. If you need a pattern for a shirt to start you off, we have plenty of them at Moonwishes Sewing and Crafts. Here are a few of them: For men's shirts you can go to this link. For Misses shirt patterns, you can go to this link. And for Women's Plus Sizes you can go to this link.  Here are some sample shirt patterns that we have at our store and there is plenty more where they came from! Sorry I don't know how to make them clickable.

 

 

 

Creative Kids Complete Photo Guide to Sewing

I just posted a review of this book: Creative Kids Complete Photo Guide to Sewing on my blog Moonwishes Reads and Reviews  that you might want to read concerning this book. I saw no point in copying it over to here. This is the first real sewing book for children that I have run into, but I found it to be disappointing. However, if you are willing to overlook some of its flaws and work with your child to help them learn the skills in the book, then it might be worthwhile for you to purchase or see if you library has a copy.

Janome Purple Tip Sewing Machine Needles

I belong to a Janome sewing digest and have seen the ladies on the board (could be men as well, hard to see through the monitor screen) asking where they can find Janome Purple Tip Sewing Machine Needles . While I haven't used them as yet, I do know where you can find them as well as the Red Tip and Blue Tip Needles. the folks on the digest that have used the purple tipped needles swear by them to help prevent skipped stitches.

Here is some more information about the Purple Tip Needles from Amazon:

Janome Purple Tip Sewing Machine Needles are designed to prevent skipped stitches when sewing on stretch fabrics.

The Janome Purple Tip Sewing Machine Needles are great for sewing quilt layers and also for sewing across the hem.

The Janome Purple Tip Sewing Machine Needles are in size 90/14 and are 5 needles per pack.

Here is some more information about the Blue Tip Needles from Amazon:

• The Blue Tip needle is specially designed for Janome machines. The unique design has a slightly longer than normal scarf to cure skipped stitches and puckering in any problem fabrics especially synthetics. Size 75/11 Highly recommended for all Janome embroidery machines.

Here is some more information about the Red Tip Needles from Amazon:

• Janome Size 14 Red Tip Sewing and Embroidery Needles are designed for denser embroidery. Created in the same style as the classic Blue Tip needle, the Janome Size 14 Red Tip Sewing and Embroidery Needles provide the extra strength and durability needed for denser embroidery and thicker fabrics. This Janome Size 14 Red Tip Sewing and Embroidery Needles are equipped with a larger eye, which helps to prevent the thread breakage that can occur when working with tricky threads, such as metallic.

I would love to hear from those who have used these needles. Are they worth it? Did you have any trouble with them? Do your skipped stitches disappear when using them? Any comments that can help out your fellow sewers would be appreciated.