Your Chance to Win Wendy Ward’s New Book!

We have a signed copy of Wendy Ward’s ‘The Beginners Guide To Dressmaking’ to give away to one lucky customer. Even if you don’t consider yourself a novice sewer; this would be perfect for a friend, son or daughter who has started to sew and may want a guide to take them through their new and exciting journey of making their own clothes.

If you want to win, all you have to do is like our Facebook page and send an email with your contact details to socialmedia@croftmill.co.uk with “Wendy Ward Give Away” in the subject line. The winner will be chosen on the 14th November and announced on the 20th November.

If you aren’t lucky enough to win, you can buy a copy on Amazon or Etsy.

Good Luck!

Our Review:

With a huge resurgence in dressmaking it is wonderful to see dress making courses at colleges are starting up again and shops on the high street offering them too, one of these is maker, writer and sewer Wendy Ward who has just brought out a wonderful new book for the new or novice sewer; the user-friendly ‘The Beginners Guide to Dressmaking’. It is a wonderful guide to dressmaking and we have a signed copy to give away to one lucky customer.

This beautifully presented book comes with 6 basic patterns and tells you how to make them; a T-Shirt, maxi skirt/dress, trousers, fishtail skirt, jacket and shift dress. You can make yourself a whole new wardrobe!  It also includes patterns for customising including a pocket, collar and ruffles. It begins with excellent advice about the sewing and pressing tools you will need to begin your dressmaking journey. If you have never sewn it is always best to start with the simple things and this book takes you on a journey starting with the easiest project, a simple T-shirt working through to the more difficult set-in sleeves at the end.

There is advice about working with different fabrics, how to wash, how to press, how to work with the grain of woven fabric and a valuable section on working with knitted fabrics.

The measurement chart as Wendy points out is an essential part of the book as it gives basic and clear instruction on how and where to measure yourself so you can cut out the correct size of pattern; if you don’t fall in exactly the right place then there are clear instructions on how to adjust her simple patterns.

To summarise further, there are sections on sewing machine basics, about how to sew basic seams and hems. Included is how to apply bias binding, how to create pleats, how to gather, apply a zip, attach ruffles, patch pockets, side seam pockets, contouring darts, how to use interfacing and very importantly such simple things as how to cut fabric.

As we have mentioned the projects in the book come with a provided pattern but this book doesn’t stop there because there is a section for understanding the marks on bought patterns when you are ready to move on.

Wendy has put a lot of work into this book resulting in a lovely quality book which is beautifully presented with lovely photographs, clear instruction and illustrations. It is a superb user-friendly guide covering everything you need if you are beginning your dressmaking journey. Well done Wendy. Hopefully this will lead you onto bigger and more complicated dressmaking projects and maybe Wendy will have another book for you then.

You can keep up to date with Wendy, by following her blog here: https://wendyward.wordpress.com/.

Caroline

 

DEADLINE: The winner will be chosen at random on the 14th November, and announced on the 20th November 2014