After garments we go home dec and do the pillows, curtains and shades. There are enough projects in here to keep you busy for about 6 months at which point you should know the basics & know where to go from there on your own. Daunting, eh? Well I was impressed and got going immediately. I got really psyched and I think a project a fortnight is doable. They recommend making more than 1 garment of each type to solidify what you know so unless you're very industrious a project a week is a rough haul. This book is easy, approachable and most importantly, inspiring, so much so instead of using my old high school one I actually bought a brand new beginning machine (A Viking Huskystar 207).

If you've been thinking about sewing buy this book and take the plunge. Until I got this book I never realised how much was based on the simple t-shirt (pj's, sweats, turtlenecks). Enjoy.

240 of 241 found the following review helpful:

Before this book, I thought I'd never learn to sew  Feb 03, 2003

Sure, your sewing machine retailer may offer lifetime lessons, but what about actual sewing projects? Was the last time you attempted sewing in middle school Home Ec? This book is the answer. It is very well-written with useful photos and highlights important information in a way that it becomes your working knowledge. It offers detailed instruction for window treatments including Roman shades, rodpocket, and grommet curtains, as well as a few clothing pieces. It also offers a section on reading sewing patterns, which can be intimidating to the novice. Other books I've seen have too much information, that it becomes confusing. This is perfect. If you have recently purchased your first machine OR want to do more with your sewing machine than let it collect dust but don't know where to begin, this is the book for you.

194 of 196 found the following review helpful:

Light on the Basics, Heavy on Sewing Projects  Aug 06, 2005
By T. Hudock "tomnyc"
If you want to learn how to sew women's garments or home decor items, then this may be a good book for you. But if you want to learn sewing basics using a sewing machine, or want to also sew men's garments, then buy a different book. The "Sewing Basics" section is about 50 pages long, half of which consist of descriptions and photos of tools and supplies. Instructions for basic sewing techniques are limited and brief. There are no comprehensive instructions on the various types of stitches.

More than half of the book consists of "Home Decor" sewing, so, if that's what you're interested in, I recommend that you instead just buy the book "Home Decor Sewing 101" by the same author. I also bought this book, and while there doesn't appear to be overlap between the two books in regards to the projects featured, the Home Decor book is more comprehensive.

I would have given this book an even lower rating, but, it deserves a few stars simply for the nice layout and copious color photos that accompany every page. Additionally, the spiral binding allows the pages to lay flat when open, which is great for using right at the sewing machine.

In summary, if you want a book full of beginning sewing projects, then this book fits the bill. But if you're looking for a good beginner's sewing book with basic techniques, another book might be better.

50 of 51 found the following review helpful:

Learn to sew in a day...  Feb 28, 2005
By srenaud "Sewing novice"
I ordered the Sewing 101 and Home Decor Sewing 101, and highly recommend both. I received a sewing machine for my birthday, had no idea how to use it, but really wanted to learn to sew. So, I ordered these two books, and let me tell you, they are wonderful! I read both books the day I received them, went and purchased fabric and notions the next day, and thanks to these books, was sewing in no time. These are great for the person who has never sewn or even seen a sewing machine up close before receiving one. I am so glad I purchased these. There are great practical home decor items in both books, which is exactly what I was wanting to learn how to make since the selection in stores is so poor. Now I can make my own custom items, and they will be much better quality than the overpriced, unattractive items I always find in the stores. If you know someone who wants to learn how to sew, but doesn't have the time to go to a store for lessons, or they don't have anyone to teach them, these would be the perfect gift!

48 of 50 found the following review helpful:

A Big Help!  Feb 01, 2003

I particularly loved this book for the color photographs which accompanied the step-by-step instructions. I also appreciated the projects in the book. They were a nice change from the '60s,'70s, and '80s rejects one usually sees in these things. As a novice at the sewing machine (as in, "How do you thread this thing?!!"), I feel better prepared to face my sewing monster-er, machine.

See all 66 customer reviews on Amazon.com