Couture Sewing Techniques - review

Couture Sewing Techniques is not a Dummies handbook for absolute beginners. It is an advanced guide for seamstress with a lot of experience who want to learn the real couture sewing techniques. The book is ideal as a finishing touch for your projects or as a deepening of your knowledge and techniques.

With clarity and a profound respect for technique and application, Claire Shaeffer brings one into an Haute couture atelier, where the realm of possibility has no boundaries. She imparts the secrets of hand-work that allow a garment to become weightless, a wisp of dimension for the wearer. She pays homage to the gods of the craft and bows to the church of Haute couture. --Ralph Rucci, designer

As every "Vogue Patterns " reader knows, Claire Shaeffer can unravel couture garment construction better than anyone, and her revised and updated version of "Couture Sewing Techniques" is the authoritative guide to Haute couture techniques in it, Shaeffer demystifies designer garments and gives you the confidence to try the techniques and practiced in the ateliers of the Haute couture. A must-have for all serious sewers. -Vogue Patterns

We love:

• The book is informative and very useful
• Lots of information and instructions
• Good images to illustrate instructions
• Advanced sewing techniques explained, some basics as well
• Lot's of extra detail to finishing and fit technique
• Interesting History facts and photographs which are very rare

but we do not like:

A lot of photographs of author's own designer couture collection are beautiful but not useful. The pictures are also a bit out-dated and old-fashioned.

Summarized:
Couture Sewing Techniques is not a book for absolute beginners. It is an advanced guide for seamstress with a lot of experience. The book is ideal as a finishing touch for your projects or as a deepening of your knowledge and techniques.

If you are interested interest in fashion sewing, you will learn the basics for skirts and sleeves, pockets and jackets, evening gowns and more, as well as, most importantly, how to apply the techniques. But even more, you will learn to turn your project in real 'couture' garments.

It is also a nice addition to your library in your sewing-studio.

About the Author:
Claire Shaeffer is an internationally respected author, lecturer, college instructor and columnist.
Her innovative sewing techniques and easy-to-read instructions have guided readers and
students through many sewing facets of the garment industry.
Claire Shaeffer based her knowledge of haute couture construction and meticulous
research studying original Chanels in museum archives and her own collection.
She wrote the celebrated Couture Sewing Techniques for Taunton Press
and has authored and starred in a multitude of successful videos on couture sewing.