[.ca] Easy Guide to Sewing Blouses (ISBN 1561581089)

very informative book:
In 15 years of amateur home sewing, I've always avoided blouses because I could never make them look good. I'm looking forward to trying the techniques in this book. They seem to address exactly the problems I've always had.

Very helpful book!:
I can't say enough about Chapter 4 in this book, entitled, "The Best Sewing Techniques." I have already used this chapter to make a blouse. The author's instructions are SUPERIOR to those of pattern manufacturers. I've never taken a class on shirts/blouses and have always relied on the instructions included in a pattern. Not this time around! I used the author's detailed and very easy to understand instructions along with the beautifully detailed colored photos to construct a blouse just this week. The biggest difference in this shirt and others I've made is definitely the collar and facing. Makes you wonder why pattern companys don't let you in on these VERY EASY changes we can all make to make our blouses look tailored instead of homemade.

Perfect companion to David Page Coffin's Shirtmaking:
Currently my favorite sewing book. Make that my favorite book. It's very useful for sewing shirts as well as blouses. The most useful chapter is no.4, The Best Sewing Techniques. As opposed to Mr. Coffin's illustrations, (another excellent book) this one has very clear color photographs of each technique and it's various steps. Her techniques appear to come from the within the industry and should be part of any serious sewer's arsenal. The instructions are some of the clearest I've come across. Don't sew another yoked shirt/blouse until you've looked at the technique shown here. Ms. Long's work, shown as examples, is absolutely flawless. The beauty is in the crisp execution of details such as welt pockets and plackets. This book inspires me to improve and perfect my sewing skills towards that of Connie Long's.

A very helpful book for women's blouses:
This book is very good but in my opinion it is not a reference book on blouses. I would recommend that someone read first a good book on shirts such as "Shirtmaking" by D.P. Coffin and then use this book to add details found usually in women's shirts and blouses. The first three chapters are about choosing the right pattern and style, selecting fabrics and notions and fitting the pattern. Chapter 4 is focusing, among others, on: * Neckline Finishes (shaped facings, faced facings, bias facings and knit ribbing) * Sewing Collars (collars without a back facing, knitted collar, collars with a stand) * Sewing a Yoked Blouse (standard shirt yoke, blouse-type yoke which is worn mostly by women) * Sewing the Sleeves (flat-sleeve construction, round-sleeve construction) * Plackets (Continuous-lap sleeve placket, simplified sleeve opening) * Cuffs (standard cuff, no-cuff cuff) * Machine-Stitched Hems (turned and stitched hems, rolled hems) * Closures (hidden closure, buttonhole placement and size, sewing the buttons, gooks and eyes) The instructions are clear and detailed, accompanied by many photographs and really helpful tips that I believe make this a very good book on blouses even for a beginner sewer. I sewed myself a blouse with a blouse-type yoke and used the technique for faced facings (the latter technique eliminates the need to finish the facings edge with a serger) and the bias-tricot bound seam to bind and finish the armhole. The results were very professional and my blouse looks as beautiful on the outside as on the inside! I highly recommend this book to any sewer!