Evening in the Country...

Evening in the Country...
...a gorgeous view of the WV mountains I get to enjoy everyday. Also the place Bri proposed earlier this year! [Not taken on that day.]

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Book: How to Alter Your Store Bought Clothes and Save Money

I recently reviewed "How to Alter Your Store Bought Clothes and Save Money!" by Joy Rogers Haugen. I borroed this book from my local library and could not find it on Amazon. It is a small sized book in black & white and only eighty-three pages. After the introduction there are eight chapters. Each telling you how to alter a part on your clothing to fit correctly.

Chapter one begins with ripping out all machine stitched seams and goes into explaining the different types of seams.

Chapter two begins with altering simple structuring of a garment: hems with different types of lengths and details (i.e. ruffles, slips, pants, tiered skirts, knits, etc.), lengthening straight skirts and long skirts, finishing the hems by hand and by a sewing machine.

Chapter four proceeds to tell you about altering waistlines. This includes making the waistline larger or smaller and if the waistline is in a dress and continues into changing a long waisted garment.

Chapter five goes into changing the hip line while six goes into sleeve adjustments. This includes different types of sleeves: unlined, lined and cuffs.

Chapter seven begins to tell you about shoulder adjustments with common problems. This includes making the shoulder narrower or if you have slanted or square shoulders. This chapter continues with explaining, "sometimes a knit dress or a stretchy material with tiny pleats or gathers on the shoulder will keep stretching and the shoulder will keep dropping off the shoulder sleeve line. A good trick to do for this is to sew a piece of tape or ribbon along the shoulder seam to hold it in place." I think this is a wonderful, especially since I am awful at working with knits. (Which means I do need to take the knit class in November on patternreview.com!)

The last chapter is the most valuable. Haugen explains about that belts made of slippery material and has no prong on the buckle can be easily fixed by adding a snap! Haugen goes to explain how to treat difficult necklines and getting a blouse to be smooth while tucked into a skirt or pants. Haugen has many more tips that the book is well worth the read and to take notes! I have not been able to find this book anywhere, so maybe my library will sell their copy and I could grab it! Check your local library or used book shop to grab a copy. It is worth the keep!

If anyone does have it and would like to sell their copy, contact me!

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