Fine Machine Sewing Revised Edition: Easy Ways to Get the Look of Hand Finishing and Embellishing Paperback – February 1, 2003

Great details. Liked it so well bought some as gifts for sewing friends.

this book is now a prized possession and I bought it second hand in great condition. I would actually like to buy another copy because the entire book is well done and informative.

I LOVE this book! It is very well written and gives the sewer a lot of confidence in trying new techniques with the detail that is given. I would categorize myself as an adventurous beginner and found this book very easy to follow along with. There are some techniques I am not quite ready to try and are pretty advance, but the hemstitching is such a nice touch to handmade garments and only requires a hemstitch needle and maybe a foot wide enough so the needle doesn't strike it (depending on what your machine came with and what you already own). I really like that she offers multiple feet choices for the different techniques, instead of having to go out and buy tons of expensive ones. The troubleshooting sections in this book are very well thought out, and have helped me with getting things to work out how I want them to. I can't give this book enough praise!!

This book is quite advanced and shows many unique techniques and sewing procedures that I never knew

This book is all about how to get the best out of your sewing machine, and shows all the attachments, presser feet, and needles which can be used with the machines. For the beginner, it will also tell you what to look for when buying a sewing machine. It also comes with some very useful sewing tips. I recommend this book for people who love to sew and who loves to experiment with their sewing machines. I am very happy with this purchase. An attractive book to read!

When I finally set the book in front of me, as I sew, this will be a good reference book. One always wishes there were more demonstrations to try but this book certainly shows the reader complete instructions.

This is a must have for anyone who wants to create professional results when sewing at home. I had this volume earlier and lent it to someone who wanted to use it for some tips on a project she was working on. Unfortunately, we lost track of each other (I was an Instructor in Sewing Techniques at the time) and decided to replace the book in my library because the tips and methods give a lot of insight on how to create a professional product. The book was received as scheduled and was additionally in better condition than I expected for a used book (even had the original jacket in great condition). I will definitely buy from this seller again!!

Even if you do not plan elaborate projects, this book will improve the quality of anything you undertake to sew. Starting with your primary tool, the sewing machine, the author helps you get the most from the machine by demystifying adjustments, attachments, stabilizers, needles and thread. Her instructions are detailed and clear and the illustrations help to visualize the outcome sought. The joy of sewing is back!

I was happy to find this book in good condition as previously owned. Sometimes I just have to have the book in front of me to learn from and this is one of those times. It's a shame when an old book doesn't get the love it deserves, and I was happy to give this one a good home.

Hay muchos libros de costura publicados, pero este libro es único en el tipo de proyectos tan delicados y variados. No he encontrado ningún otro similar. Lo recomiendo para ese tipo de detalles que se compra en tiendas, pero una nunca sabría cómo reproducirlo en casa. Puede ahorrar bastante dinero.

This book is for the machinist who wants to up her finishing and detailing techniques to achieve a vintage, hand-sewn look. Hemming, fagoting, applique, hemstitching, inserting lace, shadow work, and decorative edging are all covered.Ahles devotes the first two chapters on how to set up your machine to get the best results and includes many tips that are helpful to the general sewer. For each technique she describes the best fabric to use, needle size, stitch length, thread type and weight, and any alteration to the tension that may be needed. The clear and detailed explanations are supported by plenty of photographs. Particularly useful is how she shows feet - for example she will group four or five blind hemmers in one photo so that you can see at a glance how different they can look. This is extremely useful when you have a box full of unidentified feet all jumbled up in a box or are confused by the same foot often being known by two or more names. She offers useful advice on how to make the most of the feet you already have.I also like how all you need to achieve most of the effects she describes is a basic machine which does straight and zig-zag stitches. She shows you how by employing twin-needles or wing needles, you can produce many of the 'heirloom' stitches that are now fashionable and produce a truly beautiful piece of work on a reasonably priced machine.Packed with tips and troubleshooting advice, you are getting a lot of information in 140 plus pages and it is a bargain at the price. I really enjoyed reading it and feel inspired to try most of it. It is a book I will return to again and again. I shall be checking out what other books she has written.

I don't know where to start. This book is amazing. I can see the amount of work and experience that this book has. Techniques are very well explained. Tips all over the book are really helpful. Just amazing

This book covers more than you can ever imagine. Even if you only have the most basic machine, there will be ideas and inspiration aplenty and you will soon be getting more and better results from your machine than you imagined were possible; for those of us lucky enough to have an advanced machine with a library of stitches, the sky is the limit.If you want to make the most of your sewing machine, after developing a basic competence, this is the book to buy. Why sew boring seams up and down, when with just a little more time and effort, and no, or scarcely any, extra expense, you could be cording, doing sophisticated hemline alterations, making bedlinen or babyclothes that look for all the world as if they were handsewn by angels ...Some of the photos are not the best, and are small and b&w - but I have dreadful eyesight - and I would have preferred more diagrams. I would also have liked the book to be in a format that would stay open at the desired page. However, those are really very minor complaints, and no real reflection on the content of the book.It is rare to find a book that manages to be as practical, decorative and timeless as this one manages to be. An excellent purchase.