Sew Many Dresses, Sew Little Time: The Ultimate Dressmaking Guide

I'm very impressed with this book - patterns are simple but interesting. I'll definitely be embellishing the dresses with some lace, etc. to add some interest, but simple patterns are a great starting point. There are a couple references in the beginning pages to 'if you have never sewn before'. The patterns are simple enough to sew as a beginner but I would not recommend this book to a beginner because pattern adjustments could lead to all types of questions. There is not too much hand-holding in the pattern instructions which is nice for an intermediate sewer. I wish there were a few pages on alterations to the back of the bodice - there is no mention of it, and the back can add so much interest to a dress. The paper patterns are more confusing than need to be - if there were dotted or dashed lines it would be easier to distinguish size lines and trace your pattern. Overall a really cute book at a good price considering the content & included patterns.

After falling in love with her fabric years ago, I'm a big Tanya Whelan fan. This book is a wonderful all-in-one resource that any seamstress should have. She makes it easy to design your own dress to achieve any design you can think up. It has patterns and directions that allow you to mix and match bodices (from halters to strapless!), skirts (short, long, in between) and sleeves (!!! this is what I've been looking for specifically!). You can customize a dress based on what makes you feel most comfortable. The diagrams and photos are lovely and very clear. There are so many tips scattered throughout, from in depth explanations to sewing in bodice linings with or without zippers - to adding boning! Information on hems and why some are better than others, sewing darts, diy-custom dress form instructions. Information on how and why to choose the fabrics for the dresses you are going to make. She left nothing out. If you're new at sewing, you need this book. If you're seasoned, you need this book. Anyone who sews - put this book on your shelf :) I'm so happy with this purchase, and only wish I had more seamstress friends I could gift it to.

I've been trying to teach myself how to sew after taking a single introductory class to sewing that covered the basics of the machine and hemming. So, I bought this book along with several others and found this to be the least beginner friendly -- at least, not for a novice like me. I've made dog coats, neckties and zippered pouches but that's about it. I intend to try the basic bodice and basic skirt out of this book, but have found myself needing to google terminology that the book does not describe. For example, I know what interfacing is (as I've had to use it in ties), but didn't know there was "facing" fabric as well. The book explains how to use facing fabric, lining fabric and interfacing, but does not explain what they are (obviously lining fabric is self-explanatory but this was the first time I ever heard of facing fabric). In any event, the book is still a tiny bit too advanced for me, but I love all the dress options and the fact that they allow for a very wide range of sizes (from 32-24-34 through to 50.5-42.5-52.5), which accommodates my small frame much better than a lot of other modern dressmaking books.

I'm so excited about this book!!! I'm an intermediate sewer. I've been sewing for more than 20 years but I prefer home dec projects to clothing because with sites like Sew4Home.com and sewmamasew.com where they turn out all free, all high quality patterns, my finished home dec projects have come put nicer than clothes patterns, which I still buy at the store and which sometimes work out great, and other times, are a total disaster (granted, Sew Mama Sew has lots and lots of clothes patterns, and whatever clothes I've sewed of theirs has turned out fantastic). For instance, last week I tried my first shirt dress, McCall's M6891, and had to read 4 blog posts about how to do the facing and collar, and it's still not perfect. Face punch. I already own Whelan's first book, Sew What You Love, which is a wonderful book and I've already made many of the patterns in this book (the on the go dress/top is a wardrobe--and sewing--game changer!!! Omg shirring!!!!! Where have you been all my life!!!!! Plus my friend's 3 year old loves the 2 apple pie poofs I made for her room!!!). When I saw the Sew Many Dresses book come out, I salivated like Pavlov's dog. At last, it is mine. Mine! The precious!!!! Erm ok. This review is my initial impressions of the book, before I've cut out a single pattern or piece of fabric. The premise of the book is simply fantastic--have a working vocabulary of half a dozen bodices, skirts, sleeves, and collars, and you can pretty much assemble any type of dress, from beach cover up to wedding gown, that fits YOU perfectly and is 100% a product of your own imagination--no one is going to have the same dress (any lady going to prom, a formal event, a ball, etc., understands how critical it is to be 100% original!!). I've read this book cover to cover and Whelan's directions are careful, clear, and inspiring. If you are a beginner or intermediate sewer, anxious about tackling things like a knit long sleeve dress, working with silk (what if you screw it up and it looks awful??? Sob!!!), inserting a zipper, sewing a shirt dress, or sewing a set-in sleeve, this book is for you. All the dresses are A-line shape, which is flattering for every body type (although there is a discussion on creating an empire waist). There is a LOT here to help you expand your sewing skills. The projects are beautiful but the lines of the dresses are unfussy, which makes these projects firmly in the realm of the home sewer. Once you feel proficient in the types of bodices and skirts, modifications can be made. For example, pockets could easily be inserted in the dirndl skirt, box-pleat skirt, straight skirt and its modifications, and circle skirt. I'm fairly certain you could adapt the mock-wrap bodice and the mandarin collar in order to create an Asian style dress with frog claps (and who doesn't absolutely love that look?!). To bring this review full circle, the McCall's dress pattern is $19.95. This book is less than $20 and contains the well written, beautiful patterns for over 200 dresses. You will be inspired with this book. Need I say more??? Seriously, buy it now!!! I will update my review after I make a dress or two!!!!!! Wish me luck!!!!!! [...] So making dresses in this book requires a significant time investment for the pattern preparation, deciding which tops and bottoms to combine, etc. I've decide to make one dress every month for a year, and I'm blogging about the experience: [...]

Absolutely fabulous. She has twelve sizes included. You can use the bodice of the size you need with the skirt size you need. Sizes run about two inches different bust, waist, hips with the largest size about 501/2, 42 1/2, and 52 1/2 hips. The smallest size is 32, 24, 34 so this author was very inclusive with her sizes. I love that! She gives good ideas on how to transfer patterns, add lining, and general use of dress forms. Reading through she even suggests where a beginner sewer should start to gain confidence. There is enough general information on how to alter patterns as well as mixing and matching to inspire the more experienced seamstress. Great ideas. My only caveat is I have several larger sized friends who are curvy and would have liked to see a photo or two of a dress on a body type like theirs. It is difficult to produce a pattern book of this caliber while being all inclusive, I felt the author did her best with the range of sizes included.

This is an excellent book that incorporates all aspects of dressmaking into one easy-to-read reference. In addition to the mix-and-match pieces (bodices, necklines/collars, sleeves, and skirts), the book also has sections on techniques (including installing zippers), linings/facings, fabric basics, and fit. The funnest part is being given the tools to be creative with dress design in a detailed, but clear, way. As a lover of vintage dresses, there is enough information here to keep me occupied with hobby dressmaking for years. The best part of the book is that it shows how you can modify any of the bodice designs to come up with the look that you're after. The author shows you how to shift darts, turn darts into gathers, turn darts into pleats, color block through pattern modification, etc. Suddenly, I can look at any dress and understand how a basic bodice (sloper, as I think it's called in the industry) can be modified to create that particular look. Suddenly, I have a totally different set of eyes when I look at dresses (Modcloth, anyone?), and I know that I have the tools to create the pattern for the design. As everything perfect in life, the book has a few flaws. First, the section on pattern fitting (which most of us have to do) is quite short, and, as the author herself states, is not very comprehensive. But it does have fit basics, such as bust adjustments. If you are new to adjustments and fit, a second reference on pattern fitting would be great to have on hand. Make sure that you know what adjustments you need for your own body, given the sizing of the pieces, before attempting all the splendid pattern modifications that the author describes! In particular, definitely be sure to get a great fit with the basic bodice by making as many toiles as you need before heading into pattern modification candyland. Second, there are so many awesome dress photos in the book, but none of them say anything about the type of fabric used for the sample. For those of us who are less experienced, seeing how different fabrics look off the bolt and on the body would be very educational. Not a complaint, just a wish. Third, if you are new to dressmaking, the instructions are very clear. However, there is not a section where a single dress is created step-by-step from start to finish. If you are not detail-oriented, it is easy to miss small, but crucial things as you flip between sections (which the author is very good about referencing, but still...). But if you are an adventurous beginner, definitely go for it. All in all, this book is wonderful! I am so glad that I bought it. For the intelligent sewer who would prefer to design rather than follow a pattern - this is it. PS As others have stated, you will be doing some tracing to be able to use the patterns.

What a great book! I checked this book out from the library and have enjoyed many days playing with her patterns. I have been working with the basic bodice and straight skirt as I am trying to get the fitting "just right". Her sizes are in a wide range but I have some specific fitting issues that needed to be addressed - specifically a fuller bust. I believe this book is best used by an advanced beginner or intermediate sewer who has some understanding of patterns as she is basically playing with the basic patterns throughout this great book. I have learned so much! If you watch the PBS show Fit 2 Stitch you are already aware of how to move darts and create new hemlines and this book ties these ideas all together for a great fun experience with the patterns. I have not had any trouble tracing the patterns even the fainter outlines but I am using very transparent, sturdy tracing paper (Alvin Lightweight White Tracing Paper Roll 18" x 20yd) purchased on Amazon. As for the library book? Guess I finally am going to purchase it because the library wants it back and I am not finished learning from this book and have a few more dresses to sew.

The premise is beautifully simple. The idea is so tantalizing of all of the dress combinations you could make. The author is a genius and I cannot begin to imagine how much time and effort went into the making of this book. That being said, I am a barely “advanced beginner “ in sewing. This project book is not for sissies. I’ve spent 3 days getting the pattern ready to start cutting my MUSLIN prototype. Because the patterns and sizing are different you really do have to make a muslin dress first to check for sizing and whether you need to move the darts etc etc. I feel like an engineer or an architect. I am determinedly pushing on but OMG I hope this dress turns out. This book is definitely not for beginners. It looks simple but it is not. IMHO you really need to be an experienced seamstress to use this book. Again though, the author is brilliant to have designed this.