A new favorite book of mine

I have read through this book from cover to cover as though it were a best selling novel. I love it! Now, before I tell you why I love this book so much, I must say that I bought it with my own money. (Actually I bought it twice. I'll explain later.) No one payed me to do this review (unfortunately). =)

My favorite type of sewing/craft books are the kind of books that don't come with patterns, but instead teaches you how to draft your own pattern. That is how Design-It-Yourself Clothes is written. Cal Patch is the writer/designer and she gives the reader plenty of information on how to draft skirts, shirts, jackets, pants, and dresses with out overwhelming the reader with too much information. Cal's practical and direct writing is unbelievably beneficial for learning the basic concepts of pattern making. I feel the reader becomes equipped with the knowledge to make clothes that are tailored to their own body. Furthermore, once you understand the basic pattern making concept, you can add different design elements to basic patterns. The book also covers the slash and spread technique (adding fullness or flare to a garment), and the rub off technique (making a pattern from a finished garment).

Here are some of my favorites that I intend to make soon...

Hello cute little jacket! Wouldn't you look delightful with a Peter Pan Collar? Yes you would.

And then there's you sweet, unassuming, knit tee, that fits so perfectly. Come to Mama!

Oh my! You can not be ignored simple and sexy dress. What's that? Plaid with tights? Well why not!

So that's what I think about this book. As for buying it twice, (sigh) I did a stupid thing the other day. In a effort to de-clutter, I decided to recycle the magazines I hadn't read in the last 2 months. Well, guess what else accidentally got thrown into that pile? Yes! And it was trash day, which means the recycles went out too. I would have gone dumpster diving for it had it not been trash day. I did contemplate driving to the site where they dump the recycles, but instead decided to fill out a Borders Books online survey in order to receive a 15% off coupon. The discount provided a band aid effect that made me feel a little better about buying the book again. I do love this book! So much so, that I'd buy it a third time if I had too.
Let's hope not.

Cheers,
Jamie