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The Art of Manipulating FabricA great book of sewing methods for any application, worth a look for designers and fabric workers of all types.Sean
In fact, I didn't know it until I returned to the book with my problem still pretty unformed in my mind and was able to say, now I see that *this* is what I need. I read it straight through, unable to put it down. So thank you, Ms. And in addition to the motivation to start, this book's details are a central reason why I could realize my design.
I knew I wanted to do something "creative," I had tried classes in various things that were fun but not quite "there." Interior design, color theory, drawing, drafting, art history, and even two in MS Access database design. Nor do I often (ever) write book reviews. I wanted to put them together into sculptural objects. It built a fire inside me about possibilities, and I began to see the book as beckoning me to try, with cloth as the medium.
a design all of my own. Afterward, I wanted to see and own all the muslins. I wanted to know all the things that Ms. Wolff knows about fabric and sewing. I'm really not exaggerating.
I grew up as a child threading my Grandmother's needle but hadn't sewn myself since high school. All this was two years ago, and in the interim I have been working hard on my new passion and have created (and modified many times over). I'm entering juried fiber arts shows, and selling pieces. I work on this every day. I wanted to do it having no idea where I'd end up. And then I saw this book in the flesh at a store and bought it on the spot (sorry Amazon). I would not have been able to do it without one of the very last things in the book--how to create a round spherical form to an exact size by darting a flat circular piece of fabric.
I wanted more books, some fabric, and my ancient Singer. So beyond all the lessons in how to do particular things that the book contains, it inspired a passion in me to work with cloth. When I bought the book, I never knew that this part of it would make all the difference. Wolff, thank you very much for investing this huge amount of your life into this book, and for inspiring and educating me, and I'm sure many others as well.
First of all, this is definetely a book for experienced sewers. Pages are laid out in four column formats only with black and white photos, mostly just of the finished products. The book assumes you know how to do basic and intermediate sewing, and also assumes that you are familiar with many technical terms that are not listed in the book. If you are an experienced sewer, then that should be OK.My main issue with this book is that there is SO much information in it that it seems to be running out of room to list it all. It lists so much information, in fact, that I think it's more accurate to call this book an encyclopedia or a compendium on all the different techniques listed. It's really not a how-to book at all, unless you already know what you're doing.
I didn't pay too much attention to the number of pages when purchasing this book and was pleasantly surprised when I received it. Packed full of descriptive text, gorgeous examples and clear images to inspire. A useful and wonderful tool for any serious sewer, and a must-have for my library.
This book is amazing. There are so many age old techniques that are pictured and explained in detail. The possibilities are definitely endless. I highly recommend.
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