Tailoring Basics: Teach Yourself Dress Design, Cutting, and Sewing, Paperback

This book is written for the purpose of self-teaching the basics of planning, designing, cutting, and sewing of cloth fabrics at home. The author presents her experience in mastering the art of tailoring for 45 years and hopes to transfer her skills to the new generation of students of professional tailoring, TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION TO TAILORING Types of Tailoring Prerequisites of Learning Tailoring Sewing Tools The Basics of Stitching 1. Normal Harness 2. Alternate Stitch 3. Overcast Stitch Catch stitch Cross-stitch tack Whipstitch (Overhand) Needle Threading CHAPTER 2. SEWING WARES Types of Fabrics Used in Garments Sewing Machine o Finishing or Over Machine o Description of the Sewing Machine o Making Stitches in Sewing Machine o The Two Sources of Yarn in Sewing Machine o Fitting the Sewing Machine to the Type of Stitching o Filling and Changing Bobbin o Changing Presser Foot and Needle o Changing Machine Needle o Use of Sewing Machine o Placing Fabric on the Sewing Machine o Sewing Fabric with Sewing Machine o Sewing straight lines and curved lines o The Preparation of Cloth o How to Buy an Embroidery Machine That Will Fit Your Sewing Needs Description of Sewing Tools o Scissors o Machine Needle o Stitch Remover o Pins and Pin Holders o Thimble CHAPTER 3. CUSTOM-FITTING TAILORING Method of Taking Measurements Stages of Making Patterns Transferring Patterns To Fabric Marking Tools Trimming the Pattern Transferring Marking onto Satin Fabric I. Marking by Chalk on Fabric II. Marking by Pinning Fabric Layers III. Marking by Temporary Stitching of Fabrics IV. Transfer of Marks by Carbon Paper and Roulette Pinning Dantelle fabric to Satin Fabric Cutting Two-Layered Fabrics Initial Hand Stitching of Marked Fabric CHAPTER 4. PATTERN TAILORING KEY TO SYMBOLS USED ON PATTERNS STEPS OF PATTERN TAILORING (1) Taking measurements for female garments (2) Choose your pattern (3) The sketch of the style (4) Fabric (5) Pattern pieces (6) Finding the right pieces on the pattern sheet (7) Preparing to trace the pattern pieces (8) Tracing (9) Pattern layout 1. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS I 2. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS II 3. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS III 4. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS IV 5. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS V 6. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS VI 7. TAILORING OF WEDDING DRESS VII 8. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS 9. TAILORING OF WORK DRESS 10. TAILORING OF PARTY DRESS II Cost of Tailoring Single Dress and Ten Dresses Cost of Tailoring Single Dress and Ten Dresses (A) The cost of a single dress for one person with an experienced tailor is calculated based on time taken to cut and mark as 90 minutes and the time to sew and finish as 2 to 2.5 hours. Fabric cost (width 140 cm x length 2 meter, $3 to $ 4 per meter length) = 4 x 2 = $8 Zipper (50 cm) = $1 Thread = $1 Cost of electricity = $2 Net cost = $8 + $1 + $1 + $2 = $12 Sale Price = $100 (B) The cost of cutting 10 dresses is based on 4 to 5 hours using 17 meters of fabric Fabric (17 meters x $2) = $34 Zippers 10 x $2 = $20 Thread = $5 Electricity = $15 Net cost = (34 + 20+ 5+ 15) /10 = $7.4 Sale Price = $50 per dress.