SewingSewing is the act of making or mending clothes, accessories, quilts, or other things using a needle and thread, sewing machine, or serger.
The library's makerspace has equipment and supplies for you to use, and also provides instruction.
Book an appointment:
| Abbotsford Library | Chilliwack Library |
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 Note: limited availability |
Husqvarna Viking Onyx 25The library has two of these machines.
Features:
Many beginning and hobbyist costumers believe that professional costume/prop builders have unlimited and specialized resources with which to ply their craft. Actually, the pros create things in much the same way that hobbyists do, working as resourcefully and creatively as possible with a limited budget. Learn methods to showcase how to achieve expert looks with limited means and lots of creativity. Part One explores tools, materials, and construction methods.
Distills the intimidating art of sewing down into simple, quick, and effective lessons that follow an hour-by-hour structure, offering detailed instructions to creating 11 sewing samples, a scrub shirt, and a tote bag. Embedded in the projects' directions are lecture materials on safety, irons, fabric, and patterns.
Includes 14 stylish contemporary designs for tops, dresses, skirts, vests, and jackets, with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions and diagrams that skilfully guide the reader through the draping process. With two full-scale patterns at the back, this book provides exciting design ideas and highly practical techniques for readers looking to continue exploring the art of draping.
All students of costuming need to learn basic sewing techniques to build costumes for theatrical performance. Basic Sewing for Costume Construction teaches just those fundamentals through clearly laid-out projects covering hand stitching, fasteners, pinning, sewing, and seams. Additional material on measurement, fabric selection, and use of commercial patterns, as well as three complete construction projects, round out this edition.
A collection of over 80 patterns for period and contemporary costume accessories. The hats and headwear chapter includes 23 different patterns from mob cap to bishop's mitre. The neckwear chapter includes over 20 variations from ruff to cravat.
Guides you through the process of creating a Métis style ribbon skirt with detailed instructions and accompanying photographs of each step. Comes with an instructional companion DVD, and introductions from both authors on the historical and contemporary uses of these traditional Métis style ribbon skirts.
This book is an essential tool for quilters and stitched textile artists who want to break away from traditional designs and develop their own creativity and take their work to a whole new level. Focuses on inspiration, surface effects, design principles, color, and modern approaches to traditional techniques such as piecing and appliqué, free machine embroidery, mark-making and embellishment.
A guide to figurative stitching with the sewing machine - using the thread and needle almost as a pencil. A look that is growing in popularity, figurative stitch work needs some guidance and a leading exponent of the style reveals the basics but also how to expand your repertoire to really showcase your creativity.
A stunning collection of the most iconic garments of the 20th century, with 25 patterns of key garments that defined their era from 1910 through to 1990. The book features a range of historically accurate garments perfect for recreating the coveted vintage look from a 1920s flapper dress through to a 1940s Utility suit, a 1950s jive skirt and 1970s bell-bottom trousers.
Along with her own philosophy of mindfullness and Wabi-Sabi mending, author Noriko Misumi teaches you how to: repair any kind of fabric that is torn, ripped or stained—whether knitted or woven; work with damaged flat or curved surfaces to make them aesthetically pleasing again; create repairs that blend in, as well as bold or whimsical visible repairs; and darn your handmade or expensive gloves, sweaters and socks to make them look great again.
Learn the art of visible mending--a joyful, meditative, and restorative practice--to repair the clothes and belongings you love! Along with DIY and how-to illustrations and tutorials, you'll find heartfelt stories by the authors that encourage you to change your consumption habits, celebrate a sustainable, intentional lifestyle, and demonstrate mending as a powerful act that not only strengthens the object we are repairing, but ourselves as well. For beginners and seasoned sewers alike.
Ever had to say goodbye to a favorite item of clothing because of a busted zipper, fallen hem, or gaping hole? Want to save money and the world by not buying new clothes all the time? Concerned about the labor practices of fast fashion? If so, learn to repair your clothes from this cheerful, handwritten and hand-illustrated guide. Take a mending journey through stocking your supplies, quick fixes, types of knots and stitches, buttons, mending seams, patching holes, darning holes, hemming, fixing zippers, waterproofing canvas, leather, and nylon, and so much more!
Imagine a world where every rip in a pair of jeans, every snag in a sweater, and every tear in a tea towel becomes an opportunity for one-of-a-kind creativity. With this fun introduction to unconventional mending techniques in a format that's half how-to guide, half idea book, anyone can give worn and torn items a new life. Start by learning hand-mending methods, including boro (an age-old Japanese mending technique), embroidery, patching, and darning; then rev up the sewing machine for fast mends that put the pedal to the metal.
When last did you hemmed a pair of bad jeans, darned a sock, or patched a garment? Most of our forefathers were adept at repairing, mending, stitching, and reworking their clothes to extend their life span. The ability to mend clothes can provide you with personal, environmental, financial, and systemic benefits. Even more, it's accessible - anybody can learn to mend to some extent. With a few simple guidelines and basic skills, anyone can accomplish it and bring their worn-out clothes back to life.
In with the old, out with the new--reclaiming your closet and reducing fashion waste starts here. Repair your favorite socks with style, add flair with personalized patches, and turn ripped jeans into an embroidered masterpiece. For beginner and experienced makers, this guide to mending and upcycling is your colorful companion to ditching fast fashion and extending the lifecycle of all your favorite clothes, with vibrant step-by-step illustrations. And when your mending possibilities run out, learn some simple yet striking solutions to repurpose fabric, including braided rugs, crocheted pillows, and more. Say hello to sustainable inspiration.
In Visible Mending, the author explores why we should mend, and how to mend a variety of different fabrics, including that favorite pair of jeans - no matter how baggy or worn they might become. Work through the illustrated step-by-step instructions that will demystify mending techniques and discover how these can be easily applied to old items to give them a fresh, modern look. Packed with skill-based projects, this book reveals how to patch jeans, embroider over tears, dye stains and use the Japanese art of Sashiko. Visible Mending is a book for those who want to learn how to make the most of their wardrobes, be less wasteful, more sustainable and add a personal touch to their garments.
Bring new life to your old clothes and fabrics with this fun, easy-to-follow guide to modern mending. Inspired by the slow fashion movement that's taking the sewing world by storm,the author she demystifies mending and shares step-by-step instructions for a range of techniques, including stitching, darning, patching, needle felting and machine darning.
