The Art of Manipulating Fabric

This really is a book about how to perform miracles with fabric! I disagree with Gingercook that this is not a book for novices or beginning seamstresses. I am just learning to use my Viking Topaz 30, taking lessons at the best sewing shop in Las Vegas, but I LOVE this book and, as others have said, cannot put it down! I have found ANSWERS to every question you could possibly have concerning getting fabric to do what you want it to do. I want to make a ruffle skirt for my 4 year old grand-daughter, but I want to make one with ruffles that stand out and "float" - not just hang there. Maybe other people know about Circular Flounce and cutting the ruffle pieces (as it shows on page 67) from a CIRCLE OF FABRIC - the strip closest to the center of the circle has tremendous flare, the next strip not so much and the third strip (which is cut farthest from the center of the circle has very little flare. The diagrams in this book are the best I have ever seen and they are on every page, helping you to understand, totally, how to do each step. It explains GRAINLINE BALANCE ON PAGE 70, with diagrams. Sorry but I had never heard of grainline balance, but I will never forget it now! I had never heard of a GODET, now I can't wait to try to make one and the SQUARE GODET shown on page 84 is one of the most beautiful things I have seen. Just take a large hankerchief (or large square of fabric) hold it by one of the 4 corners and let the fabric drape by itself. The drawing on page 84 shows this with 4 folds ending in a handkerchief edge. I can't wait to try to make one. I am taking this book to my instructors so they can teach me how to make a godet (go-day). I have never seen so many different drapery pleats. I especially like the CARTRIDGE PLEAT. Colette not only shows you all the different pleats, but she also shows you how to change them and make them look completely different. This book is an INSPIRATION, but it is not a book about which fabric to choose to make the miracles happen. It is about being able to make these miracles happen with ALL KINDS OF FABRIC. I'm taking classes in Heirloom sewing and this book shows how to do many of the Heirloom techniques and shows it with diagrams, making it easy to understand how to do all those intricate, gorgeous Shark's Teeth, Slashed Tucks, Keyhole Tucks, etc. The book also includes a chapter on Quilting and one on Stuffed Quilting & Applique, teaching you things that almost make you drool - because they are pieces of art and belong in a museum. I purchased this book on a whim while I was deciding whether or not to purchase the Colette Sewing Handbook by Sarai Mitnick and I ended up buying both of them. EVERY PERSON WHO SEWS OR WHO IS THINKING OF SEWING SHOULD OWN THIS BOOK. It is an inspirational book and a book of HOW TO PERFORM MIRACLES with fabric!

Encyclopedic. This book is nothing more nor less than a categorized set of instructions for three-dimensional fabric manipulations. It's pretty exhaustive as a relates to endless variations of gathering, pleating, etc. These are not the only ways to manipulate fabric into shapes, of course. There are plenty of pattern, cut, and sew techniques that produce dimensional effects also. And, in fact, a few of the techniques in this book can be combined in that way, too. As many, many others have pointed out, the photos are black-and-white, the fabric used for demonstration is muslin, and the instructions are high-level. I.e., you better have some background sewing experience and a solid grounding at least at the intermediate level to really take advantage of this book. If you do have that, you are really going to enjoy this book! It truly is one of the better sewing technique books I have encountered in many years. On the flipside, if you do not have the background, if you need detailed step-by-step instructions along with a matching pictures, or don't have a good grasp of sewing terminology, this is absolutely not the book for you! Both my wife and I read this book cover to cover, which is pretty amazing for a technique book of any kind. And it will be used for projects immediately. (Please note this is not a project book!) As with any technique book with such scope, there is more breadth than depth in some areas. Entire books can and have been written on many of the individual techniques or categories of techniques described here. So if you are really advanced quilter, you will find the quilting section thin. If you are a smocker, the smocking section will appear thin. And so on. Much of the value is in opening your eyes to possibilities – and with enough information to execute on them. This one is a lot of fun for its target audience. Those who are not in that category will find it something of a frustrating head scratcher.

I love that this book shows each example done on white fabric. I find it more inspiring to be able to use my imagination to project the types of colors that I love onto the techniques in the book. The other books I have about fabric manipulation have that ‘rainbow mud’ color scheme that is so common in textile art - and it just screams at me from every page in a way that I find distracting and obnoxious. Bu contrast, This book is a very peaceful place to rest my eyes. I wish that I had this book when I was in my 20’s and sewing a lot of period inspired costumes - it would have helped me identify what I was looking at on the reference costumes I was using for inspiration. The book is less for people who want to do a more abstract style of textile art and more for people who want an overview of many different types of sewing techniques that can add 3 dimensional decoration to garments, tablecloths, curtains ect. As another reviewer mentioned it does not get into fabric dying or painting - its strictly about shaping. It does not have patterns or full project instructions. What I love about it is all of the samples that the author made and photographed in order to help the viewer compare different options. For example it shows what happens to ruffles when you use a satin stitch edge vs a double fold hem vs a pinked edge. My only regret is that I didnt have it 20 years ago - but I think it would have been a bit beyond my ability to comprehend at that time. Happy to have it now!

I was just looking at it this morning. I looks very informative and I look forward to trying out these techniques.

My husband ordered me this book, and it is worth its' weight in gold. I specifically wanted it for greater understanding of how to draft dress bodices for my full bust, and to figure out how the angles of the fabric change between the pattern piece and your final gathered upper bodice, and this book has fulfilled my needs and then some. It contains techniques ranging from the basics (basic gathering, pin tucks, knife pleats) all the way through the more advanced techniques (pleat arrangements that change direction, hand smocking techniques, etc) and there are illustrations for each technique described, as well as an actual photo of each technique at the end of each segment. I am a self taught sewer turned pattern alterer turned small-time-for-my-own-use designer/drafter so when I want to try something new, or see a unique dress on tv and want to try something new, I learn by doing. So I ordered this book because I couldn't find much information online about how to slash and spread patterns for gathering (which I have now learned courtesy of this book) but because it contains so much information and things I had never even thought of, this book has now earned a place in my pattern making tub. Two small drawbacks that wouldn't have changed my mind about purchasing this book anyways but are still good to know: 1. black and white, even photos. Color would have been nice aesthetically just to break up some white space, but also to make the step by step instructional drawings more clear. 2. It's very informative and is fairly dense and dry, and reads like a college text book. (I usually watch tv and draft so I get kind of distracted =O ) The photos help offset the density and gives your eyes and mind a break from the dryness of the words though. But as I said, fantastic, informative, descriptive book that has (in the 6 hours I've had it) earned its' weight in gold!

This is a really interesting and informative book for anyone interested in fabric art. Very helpful.

Firstly, it should be said that Wolff tackles fabric with an artist's approach, with a strong sculptural bent, with the intention of transforming a usually flat medium into something expressive, three-dimensional, voluminous, and with physical presence. Also let me express shock and awe at the sheer density of information in this book. Excluding the title and content pages, and the index located at the back of the book, I can vouch that LITERALLY every page of this magnificent publication is completely full of hand-drawn illustrations and black & white photographs, accompanied by detailed descriptions of the technique/method. I mean it--every single page has at least one if not five or six fantastically detailed images. This is not one of those trendy books with cutesy inset "pro tips," chapter headings with punny names, blank pages and full-page photos in between everything, and tons of semi-relevant and not-very-useful anecdata. This book immediately gets down to business, in the most pleasurable way. It's so solidly jam-packed with ideas and techniques that it blows my mind. This book is such a rare gem especially because it can function as a sourcebook for me as well as a how-to manual--the images are of textured abstract samples, not of chintzy finished-product curtains or pants, which allows me to imagine dozens of ways I could use that particular manipulation in my artwork. The samples are all in creamy blank white muslin, further giving that impression of malleability and elegance. That's the overall beauty and draw of this book, really--it's not a project guide book. It doesn't have weekly goals like "make a funky tote bag" or "sew some ruffled curtains!". The knowledge it bestows upon you is knowledge you can use broadly, anywhere, and causes you to think creatively. I LOVE this book!! Best thing I've bought in months, possibly years.

Amazing book for sewing clothing, tapestry makers. So many ideas to try. Lots about smocking. It is inspirational, and the you can go onlilne and see videos of these techniques.

Descrição de várias técnicas de texturas que podem ser aplicadas de várias maneiras.

Such a great book if you love working with fabric in creative ways! It’s packed with techniques like pleating, gathering, smocking, and more. The explanations are clear, and there are tons of samples and diagrams. Perfect for fashion students, designers, or anyone who loves fabric play!

Excelente libro!!!

Ich war erst skeptisch und wusste nicht ob ich es mir holen soll oder nicht. Aber (!) hätte ich gewusst, wie toll es ist, dann hätte ich es schon viel früher geholt. Das ist ein dickes Buch mit lauter neuen Techniken, auf jeder Seite sind mehrere Techniken gut erklärt. Dieses Buch würde ich jedoch schon erfahreneren Schneidern empfehlen, weil manche Techniken es in sich haben. Aber an sich sind die Techniken so gut erklärt, dass jedermann sie schaffen sollte. Ein wirklich wirklich gutes Buch!

Amo la sartoria. Amo capire come sono costruite le cose e al contempo mi piace dare sfogo alla creatività. Libri come questo servono a dare gli strumenti per realizzare progetti articolati, perfetti e replicabili. Lo adoro. È altamente dettagliato, molte immagini e le spiegazioni sono chiare. Vien voglia di mettere in pratica la fantasia che scaturisce sfogliandolo. Amazon come sempre TOP. Grazie. Lo consiglierei soprattutto a chi sa cucire, ma anche per chi voglia sperimentare qualcosa di diverso…