Fine Embellishment Techniques

Inspired by embellished clothing from the '20s, '30s, and '40s, Jane Conlon has adapted classic decorative techniques to today's fashions. Her ideas will spark the creative spirit of all sewers, from beginners to the most experienced. Her detailed instructions for the many ways to use beading, appliqué, trims, and threadwork ensure success - whether you're enhancing ready-to-wear or sewing whole garments.

Beautifully illustrated with 4-color photographs and drawings, Fine Embellishment Techniques is an invaluable addition to your sewing library, showing how to:

? bead delicate fringe or an entire gown
? make custom braid
? use passementerie
? appliqué sophisticated designs

Testimonials:

"If you love to sew your own clothes, Jane Conlon will show you how to make a closet full of clothes that look like they came from a designer's showroom."
HGTV WebPage

"This book is as enjoyable for its artistic photography as for the fine embellishment techniques it presents. A good mix of hand and machine techniques is included."
Sew News

About the author:

Jane Conlon teaches sewing and embellishment techniques at 27th Street Fabrics in Eugene, Oregon. A frequent contributor to Threads magazine, she is an avid and inspired sewer with a closet full of beautifully embellished garments.

1 Beading
- Materials and Equipment
- Beading Methods

2 Threadwork
- Materials and Equipment
- Threadwork Embellishments by Hand
- Threadwork Embellishments by Machine

3 Trims
- Materials and Equipment
- Making Custom Trims
- Designing with Trims
- Sewing Trims
- Making Passementerie

4 Appliqué
- Materials and Equipment
- Appliqués
- Insets
- Faggotted Rouleau

5 Bindings and Pipings
- Materials and Equipment
- Bindings
- Pipings

Decorative Threads

Appendices

Mail-Order Sources

Index

Fine Embellishment Techniques will teach you classic techniques for beautifully embellished garments. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced sewer, this book is designed to provide you with a wealth of embellishment inspirations as well as step-by-step instructions so you can achieve outstanding results on projects large and small.

My main inspiration for the techniques featured in this book is the tradition of embellishment used to adorn clothing from the '20s, '30s and '40s. Worked in high-quality, natural fiber fabrics, with consummate attention to craftsmanship and detail, garments of this vintage feature rich embellishments that enhance both the garment and its wearer. Many of the techniques favored in this bygone era are delightfully easy to master. What's more, up-to-date interpretations translate well to today's fashions and can be used to introduce signature elements into everyday wear or worked for dramatic effect on garments for special occasions. Using the embellishment techniques to best advantage, however, demands fine-tuning your sewing skills, utilizing the best products and notions available, exploiting the full capacity of your sewing machine, and settling for nothing less than quality as the foundation for superior workmanship.

If this sounds intimidating, cast your doubts aside. This book will help you master the techniques of embellishment with predictable, professional results. It will also encourage the artful use of these techniques and promote a better understanding of how to select and effectively use the tools and materials worthy of your best endeavors. Included, of course, are source information and a list of suppliers to indicate where you can find unique notions and tools.

The book is organized by topic in a manner designed to be as instructive, inspirational and user-friendly as possible. You'll find step-by-step instructions for individual techniques. Along with specific references to tools and materials that will make the most of your sewing time and produce the best results possible. Ideas for ways to use the techniques presented in this book are plentiful, featuring numerous sample garments, close-up photographs of embellishment details, and text and illustrations designed to inspire a wealth of ideas for simple to elaborate applications.

As you explore the methods and ideas presented in Fine Embellishment Techniques, I hope you will discover ways to make your sewing more creative, fun and, ultimately, more rewarding. Over the years I have pursued and perfected numerous ways to embellish garments that meet my creative expectations and suit my personal style. Perhaps you will find, as I have, that embellishments are not only the key to creating exquisite garments but also to developing a style uniquely your own.