Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear

Perfect for delving into sewing garments. Easy to follow directions and instruction. Better than commercial patterns because each person can use their creativity without hassles.

When this book arrived, I glanced through it quickly since I was packing for a trip to visit my mother, and took it along with me. My mother taught me how to use her sewing machine when I was very young and I have been sewing ever since, except for a 15 year period after my first baby was born. She a very well organized quilting stash that she gave me free access to, and together we picked fabrics and designed a skirt and two dresses. We both had so much fun working on these garments.I was a bit concerned that ruffly peasant style was not MY style, since I am old enough to have worn them the first time around I was worried that I was trying to wear stuff that was not "old" enough for me. But I receive complements whenever I wear my new stuff, and I used ruffles in moderation. Also, there are not just ruffly peasant style things in here, and peasant style might not be the correct term anyhow. The jacket is just fabulous, the skirts are easy and so variable. Every design in the book is so easy to vary and make your own, and I believe they are all flattering on any body. If you're in doubt, make a muslin first, which you should do anyhow.This book is good for both those who have not done any garment construction sewing and those who have. Kay's instructions are easy to follow and nothing is difficult to do. There is something for everyone to learn, and even if you know it all already, it's fun to sew garments using fabrics you love and - like the title says - fresh designs!There are some techniques like "intentional creases" that I had not done before, and I had never used a ruffler attachment. Was it ever fun! I was familiar with making a muslin first and did that with my first dress from the book, it is SO helpful and instructional as to how the designer's pattern fits YOU and how to tweak it to be perfect. I couldn't believe how nice fitting and comfortable my first dress was, I wore it all day long and love how it looks on me.There are pictures of the garments being worn by models who run the range of sizes given - from small to XL so you can see how they look on everyone. There are basic construction pages then instructions specific to each particular variation. Color photographs and line drawings, I think everything is easy to understand and follow. The patterns are tissue and in a sturdy envelope in back. The spiral binding lies flat. I loved using this book and the patterns and designs.I liked these designs so much that I bought some of Kay's other patterns and have been sewing for the past two months. It's like an infection I can't get rid of, but that's OK with me! Kay has plenty of other designs on her website, including hand bags. I'm thinking that I now need bags made to match my new outfits.....

This book is so fabulous! I love it.Firstly, it is spiral bound, which makes it super-easy to use while sewing.The patterns are all so pretty and flattering and have a real cute vintage appeal.The actual patterns are clearly marked and the instructions simple and easy to use.The first thing I made with this book didn't turn out but that is not the books fault, just my inexperience as a sewer, however I was able to install the invisible zip first try with no problems by following the great instructions, which I have never been able to figure out before.I also love the raglan sleeves, much easier for a beginner sewer to do instead of set-in sleeves which are tricky to get right.If you are an experienced sewer you will still love this book as there is so much scope for creativity and you can go as far as your skill lets you.So, beginner or advanced, if you like the pretty, feminine and vintage style you will love this book.The Sew Serendipity Blog (just google it, you'll find it) also has some excellent additional tutorials that combine well with the book, with more detailed instructions on the skirt pattern and an amazing flower tutorial on making some great flower pins that complement the books patterns as well.

From a sewers point of view I really appreciate the very detailed step for step instructions, written and in pictures. I am an intermediate sewer and after having just finished a dress from a pattern, which had hardly any instructions, and the little there where, were very confusing. I really do appreciate detailed help in word and picture in this book. The projects are fresh, cute and modest and have a certain chic that I know from my european girl friends.I really , really liked that some of the models had a fuller figure which I find very helpful to imagine what a pattern looks like on a real person like me who is a size 14 and not a professional model with a size 2.I mean everything looks great on a small size, but not every pattern flatters a size 14 or up, so I was very pleased to see that the fuller models just looked fab in the shown dresses, skirts and jackets.For my personal taste there were too many ruffles but I guess they will be easy to omit. I see these kinds of books and patterns anyway more as creative inspiration.

Un patrón de falda (la de la portada), uno de vestido de talle imperio con mangas ranglán abullonadas que se puede confeccionar también como blusa; y un patrón de abrigo que se puede confeccionar como chaqueta. Todos ellos con múltiples variaciones y maravillosamente explicado con dibujos y paso a paso. La estética del libro preciosa, muy cuidada. Los patrones vienen en un sobre, a tamaño real.

I love this book. As a newbie to sewing this book has all the detail you need on what all those sewing terms mean. It was a whole new world to me and the pictures and illustrations are so clear along with the style of writing. I really learnt something for this book. Other patterns I attempted were like painting by numbers and I did not have a clue what I was doing until all the pieces came together at the end. This book really teaches you what all the parts are and how to alter them so you really understand what you are doing. I didn't need to watch endless you tube videos like before. I bought this book because I loved the yellow/grey coat and wanted one like that that fitted really well. Well I achieved it and it did not take long at all and with my new confidence I even added my own lining. Was really pleased with the end result. It wasn't quite as nice as her one but really pleased and made a cardboard copy of the pattern so I can knock a few more up. Do buy- there are lots of coat/jacket and skirt variations from a few similar patterns. I loved it. Really good quality, substantial book too. Hard wearing too.

davvero molto carino. ci sono diverse giacche,cappotti,vestitini e gonne. Tutti i progetti sono molto allegri e adattabili e hanno 1 aria un pò retrò

Das Buch bietet verschiedene Projekte zum Nacharbeiten: Röcke, Kleider ( Tunika-Bluse + Tunika-Kleid) , Jacken.Die Schnitte können auf unterschiedliche Weise verändert und somit ein unterschiedliches Nähergebnis erzielt werden. Das Buch beinhaltet viele Bilder und Zeichnungen wie die einzelnen Teile zusammengesetzt werden. Man erhält wertvolle Informationen zur individuellen Anpassung, die Größen der Designs betragen: XXS-XXL.Für Anfänger mit wenigen Näherfahrungen geeignet. Das Buch ist in engl. Sprache verfasst, Spiralbindung.Für mich hat sich der Kauf auf jeden Fall gelohnt.

très beau livre aux modèles simples et bien expliqués -en anglais-, avec des variantes pleines d'inspiration - attention aux métrages généreux. Les modèles jusqu'en grande taille permettent de contenter toutes les couturières- je vous conseille aussi le site de l'auteure.