“What are the best sewing books?” We looked at 21 different lists and came away with over 160 unique titles, 29 of which appeared more than once. We ranked the top sewing books with pictures, descriptions, and links below by the number of lists they appeared on. The rest of the list can be found at the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
The Book A lively how to and why to sew tutorial that marries attitude and instruction while teaching everything you need to know:
Sewers who have ever longed to create clothing with the distinctive look of haute couture will love this book. They’ll learn the finer points of hand sewing, shaping, and finishing for a high-end, professional look. This book is for all sewing enthusiasts who appreciate fine workmanship.
Fresh on the heels of her first book, Sew U, which focused on sewing with woven fabrics, Wendy will now teach the creatively inclined how to make perfect t-shirts, dresses, and hoodies, all with soft knit fabric. She’ll take your sewing to the next level, providing step-by-step instructions (both for sewing with a serger and without) and patterns directly from her own studio. And with tips on how to alter T-shirts and clothes you already have, you’ll soon be revamping all your clothes to make fabulous custom creations.
Written with the absolute beginner in mind, this book teaches all the basics for machine sewing with step-by-step instructions and photographs. Sewing skills are learned by working on projects, beginning with something very easy and getting progressively more difficult as the reader works through the book. New skills are explored in depth as they are introduced. The projects are divided into two sections: garment sewing and home decor/accessory sewing, making this the most comprehensive beginner’s book available. The accompanying online videos include complete step-by-step sewing basics, demonstrate all projects, and offer the complete book pages in PDF format.
The Tools section begins with the basic toolkit, opening up into everything you could possibly need – every type of cutting tool and machine foot is shown. This section also includes information on patterns – how to measure, how to use, and how to adjust them. Gallery spreads appear throughout the substantial Techniques section and showcase darts, zips, pleats etc, as well as showing key stitches. Plus, you can bring your acquired and refined skills to fruition as you make some of the 25 home decor and clothing projects at the back of the book. With The Sewing Book on your shelf, you’ve got every sewing question covered.
This technique-rich Vogue’® manual contains comprehensive instructions for understanding pattern markings, selecting fabrics and notions, hand-stitching and mending, pressing, and measuring to fit. Everything’s beautifully laid out, with charts and detailed explanations. And as it teaches, it also steers you to the right project for your sewing level, with a plethora of photos that showcase different options for both beginners and those more expert with a needle.
Gretchen “Gertie” Hirsch is a passionate home seamstress, a sought-after sewing teacher, and the creator of one of the web’s most popular sewing blogs: Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing. The blog began as a way for readers to follow Hirsch’s progress as she stitched all 14 fashions from the iconic 1950s sewing book Vogue’s New Book for Better Sewing (a Julie & Julia–esque experiment for the modern sewist). It quickly became a place for Hirsch to share tutorials and lively posts about sewing as it relates to fashion history, pop culture, body image, and gender. An extension of the blog, Gertie’s New Book for Better Sewing is a hardworking reference title packed with lessons on couture techniques and customization, as well as an inimitable pattern collection featuring 25 wardrobe essentials and variations inspired by vintage fashion and Gertie’s spirited, modern style.
“Anyone who can work through the labyrinthian directions for sewing that accompany the commercial pattern can surely learn the comparatively simple and clear rules for pattern making,” says nationally acclaimed sewing expert Adele Margolis. Her profusely illustrated primer allows you to create your own fashionable patterns and personalized commercial patterns. You’ll learn how to design and execute everything from skirts, dresses, and blouses to sportswear, jackets, and children’s clothing. You’ll also find tips for: shaping fabric to your figure; mastering the art of flares, flounces, pleats, and tucks; creating fashionable necklines, pretty pockets, stylish sleeves, and much more.
America’s best-selling quick guide to selecting and sewing fabrics is now completely revised and updated. More Fabric Savvy brings over 100 new tips, over 400 new color photos and drawings, the latest new fabrics, and entirely new and useful features, including a handy guide to stain removal. From Sandra Betzina, the dynamic host of HGTV’s Sew Perfect, this easy-to-use reference belongs on every sewer’s bookshelf.
Why make a shirt? Because, with the skills you’ll learn in Shirtmaking, you can create elegant, custom-fit garments for a woman or man that look like the best money can buy. Includes full-scale patterns for collars, cuffs, plackets, and pockets, and complete instructions for developing custom-fit shirt patterns.
Colette Patterns is known for timeless design and exceptionally clear instruction. This book from designer Sarai Mitnick guides you gradually and painlessly to becoming a better seamstress. Get inspired, feel confident, and make beautiful clothing you’ll be proud to wear!
Sewing is as easy as 1-2-3! In this creative teaching book, craft blogger Ellen Luckett Baker offers a wholly unique approach to sewing: she presents projects in groups of three, each building on the techniques used in the project before. Baker shows, for example, how to sew a glasses case, then build on those skills to create a zippered pouch, and from there, make a more advanced cosmetics bag. There are 33 delightful projects in all, ranging from clothing to dcor and accessories. With easy-to-follow instructions, how-to illustrations, and 12 patterns tucked into an enclosed envelope, 1, 2, 3 Sew is an essential resource for beginning and intermediate sewers alike.
In this book by well-known modern quilters Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr along with their 11-year-old daughter Sophie Kerr, kids will learn how to navigate a sewing machine, make smart fabric choices, and use basic sewing tools. Sixteen kid-friendly projects run the gamut from clothes to bags to accessories while clear, step-by-step instructions from Weeks and husband/design partner Bill Kerr walk kids through the creation of each. Throughout the book, tips from Sophie offer design and construction advice from a kid’s perspective. The book “grows” with the sewist, offering more complex projects as the reader’s skills develop.
Claire Shaeffer’s Fabric Sewing Guide is your one-stop sewing resource, with answers to the most common sewing questions and details about the latest advancements in sewing. This new, thoroughly updated edition contains everything you need to know, and will surely be a reference you will review again and again. In addition to an extensive glossary with answers to the most common sewing questions, this must-have guide includes easy-to-read charts for needle sizes and thread and stabilizer types. It also includes 225 full-color photos and a fabric and fiber dictionary. Truly a one-stop reference when looking for answers.
Until now, the aspiring DIY fashionista has been hard-pressed to find self-teaching tools other than dry textbooks or books with outdated looks. Finally, in Design-It-Yourself Clothes, former Urban Outfitters designer Cal Patch brings her youthful aesthetic to a how-to book. If you want to wear something you can’t find on store racks and make clothes that express your individual style, or if you’ve reached a sewing plateau and want to add pattern drafting to your repertoire, Design-It-Yourself Clothes is the book you have been waiting for.
A lining makes a garment drape better, last longer, and slip on and off with ease. Easy Guide to Sewing Linings enlightens readers of all skill levels to the lining options available.
This book is perfect for kids getting started with their first sewing machine – with bright, modern and clear illustrations, children can quickly learn to use and thread their machine, measure and use fabrics, and make a selection of super cool projects – super easy tote bags, cool cushions, i-pod holders, zip cases and more!
Fabrics A to Z is the essential guide for sewists and fabric enthusiasts of all levels. This thorough resource explains the unique characteristics, strengths, and limitations of more than 100 fabrics in easy-to-understand terms, so any sewist can enter a fabric shop with confidence. From dotted swiss to silk charmeuse to faux fur, each entry includes a close-up photo of the fabric as well as an overview of its characteristics, ideal uses, and special considerations when sewing. As a bonus, the book concludes with a section on the best tools and notions to use when working with particular fibers, as well as tips on how to read patterns. The small size and flexibind format of Fabrics A to Z make it perfect for tossing into a bag when headed to the fabric store.
Sandra Betzina’s tried and true–and easy to do–techniques for creating clothes that fit and flatter your unique shape.
Lists It Appears On:
Presented in a new edition that adds updated pattern industry news and revised rules for selecting pattern size, this easy and practical fitting system requires no measuring, no drafting skills, no muslin mock-ups—and it works with all brands of tissue paper patterns. Real people of all ages are featured in photographs that explain the steps of cutting out pattern pieces, pinning them together, and adjusting the fit. Special attention is paid to tricky challenges such as accommodating a full bustline, adjusting sleeves, or reworking a garment to make it more flattering, as well as alternative fitting methods such as draping and computer design. Metric conversion charts, charts for comparing pattern company bodice measurements, and a history of American dress design (Just where did size 10 come from?) make this book a versatile reference.
Metric Pattern Cutting for Women’s Wear provides a straightforward introduction to the principles of form pattern cutting for garments to fit the body shape, and flat pattern cutting for casual garments and jersey wear.
Here are 35 brilliant projects that will help you learn how to sew. If you’ve never used a needle and thread before, don’t worry—start with the ‘Sewing Techniques’ section, which simply explains how to do every stitch. Then pick something to make from one of the four chapters. In the ‘Toys’ chapter, you’ll find juggling animals, sock monsters and rag dolls, while in ‘Fashion Fun’, there are gorgeous bags, hair accessories and more. Next, discover some brilliant ‘Decorations’—from hanging felt stars to pretty lavender bags. Finally, ‘Great Gifts’ is packed with ideas, such as the finger puppet cards, felt egg cosies or the sausage dog draft excluder. All the instructions and cute step-by-step artworks are easy to follow; plus, each project has a grade so that you can start with easy sewing and move onto using more advanced stitches as you get better at it.
Do you love to sew—or want to learn how? Then this book will have you in stitches in no time. There’s nothing like the feeling of completing a project using beautiful fabrics and great timesaving tools and then sharing it with your family and friends. Plus, learning to sew will save you money too! Before long, you’ll be stitching your own hems, repairing split seams, sewing on buttons, and much, much more.
So, you love all that gorgeous designer fabric and you really want to make something with it. Or maybe you’ve taught yourself a little sewing know-how but have become frustrated. Whatever your background, “Stitch by Stitch” guides you through everything you need to know to start sewing and make it to the varsity level.
Tailoring is the complete photo guide to sewing jackets and coats. Written by sewing professionals, this book teaches the trusted, proven methods for sewing tailored jackets with impeccable details and perfect fit. Written for the intermediate sewer who wants to move on to more challenging projects, this book ensures success with detailed, step-by-step instructions, more than 400 photos, in-depth discussions about products and how to use them. Tailoring offers guidance for every aspect of tailoring a jacket: fitting and pattern alteration, fabrics and tools, interfacings, interlinings, seams and finishes, hand stitches, collars, pressing, topstitching, shaping shoulders, setting in sleeves, sewing pockets, vents, and making perfect buttonholes.
In “The Art of manipulating Fabric,” Colette Wolff has set herself just this task, and she succeeds brilliantly. Working from the simplest possible form – a flat piece of cloth and a threaded needle – she categorizes all major dimensional techniques, show how they are related, and give examples of variations both traditional and modern. The result is an encyclopedia of techniques that resurface, reshape, restructure and reconstruct fabric.
This useful book provides a complete guide to sewing. With forty-five chapters including ‘The A B C’s of Stitches – Basic Instructions in Sewing’, ‘Embroidery and Applique’, ‘How to Make Coats and Jackets’ and ‘How to Make Curtains’, this book will prove itself invaluable in any home. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
| A Field Guide to Fabric Design | Kim Kight | Colette |
| A Million Little Ways | Emily Freeman | Radiant Home Studio |
| Akachan no tame ni tsukurumono (Handmade for babies) | Chiharu Okuyama | Sew in Love |
| All About Cotton | Julie Parker | Threads Magazine |
| All About Silk | Julie Parker | Threads Magazine |
| All About Wool | Julie Parker | Threads Magazine |
| All-in-One Quilter’s Reference Tool: Updated | So Sew Easy | |
| Authentic Victorian Dressmaking Techniques | Kristina Harris | Historical Sewing |
| Beginner’s Guide to Dressmaking | Wendy Ward | The Sewing Directory |
| Bend the Rules Sewing | Amy Karol | Colette |
| Bend the Rules with Fabric | Amy Karol | Colette |
| Beyond Cotton | Krista Fleckenstein | Radiant Home Studio |
| Bodymapping: The Step-By-Step Guide to Fitting Real Bodies | Kathy Illian | Burda Style |
| Born-Again Vintage: 25 Ways to Deconstruct, Reinvent, and Recycle Your Wardrobe | Bridgett Artise | Ecosalon |
| Bridal Couture | Susan Khalje | Threads Magazine |
| Built by Wendy Coats and Jackets: The Sew U Guide to Making Outerwear Easy | Wendy Mullin | Craftsy |
| Built by Wendy Dresses: The Sew U Guide to Making a Girl’s Best Frock | Wendy Mullin | Craftsy |
| BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern: Mastering Iconic Looks from the 1920s to 1980s | Nora Aboutsteit and Jamie Lau | Craftsy |
| Complete Dressmaking Skills | Lorna Knight | The Sewing Directory |
| Coordinate jisai no one-piece + (Stylish Dress Book) | Akiko Tsukiori | Sew in Love |
| Costume in Detail: 1730-1930 | Nancy Bradfield | Historical Sewing |
| Decorating Easy: Create a Simple, Comfortable Home with Pure Style | Apartment Therapy | |
| Decorative Dressmaking | Sue Thompson | Colette |
| Dress Up Dress Down – Simple Chic | Machiko Kayaki | Sew in Love |
| Dressmaking | Alison Smith | The Sewing Directory |
| Dressmaking Made Easy | Laura Baldt | Colette |
| Encyclopedia of Sewing Machine Techniques | Nancy Bednar | Colette |
| English Women’s Clothing in the Nineteenth Century | C. Willett Cunnington | Historical Sewing |
| Fabric For Fashion | Clive Hallett and Amanda Johnston | The Sewing Directory |
| Fabric Savvy | Sandra Betzina | Whipstitch |
| Fairchild’s Dictionary of Textiles | Phyllis G. Tortora | Historical Sewing |
| Fashion Design Drawing Course | Caroline Tatham and Julian Seaman | Colette |
| Fashion Sewing For Everyone | Adele Margolis: | Colette |
| Fashion Sketchbook | Bina Abling | Colette |
| Fashion With Fabric | Claire-Louise Hardie | The Sewing Directory |
| First Time Sewing: Step-by-Step Basics and Easy Projects by Editors of Creative Publishing international | Sewing Machine Judge | |
| First Time Sewing: The Absolute Beginner’s Guide | Quilter’s Review | |
| Fit for Real People: Sew Great Clothes Using Any Pattern | So Sew Easy | |
| Fitting Finesse | Nancy Zieman | The Seasoned Homemaker |
| French General: Home Sewn: 30 Projects for Every Room in the House | Apartment Therapy | |
| Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures | Apartment Therapy | |
| Handmade Style | Anna Graham | Radiant Home Studio |
| Haute Couture | Harold Koda and Richard Martin | Threads Magazine |
| Haynes Sewing Manual | Laura Strutt | The Sewing Directory |
| High-Fashion Sewing Secrets | Claire Schaeffer | Colette |
| Home Sweet Home: 60 Simple Sewing Ideas for Today’s Domestic Diva | Apartment Therapy | |
| How Patterns Work | Colette | |
| How to Design Your Own Clothes and Make Your Own Patterns | Claudia Ein: | Colette |
| How to Make Clothes That Fit and Flatter | Adele Margolis | Colette |
| How to Make Sewing Patterns | Donald McCunn | Whipstitch |
| How to Style Your Brand | Fiona Humberstone | Radiant Home Studio |
| How to Use Your Sewing Machine: A Complete Guide for Absolute Beginners | Alison McNicol: | Sewing Machine Judge |
| Idiot’s Guide: Sewing | Quilter’s Review | |
| Improv Sewing | Nicole Blum and Debra Immergut | The Sewing Directory |
| Kikonashi jiyuuna one-piece x tunic blouse (Otona no couture) | Akiko Tsukiori | Sew in Love |
| Kirei ni nuu tame no kiso no kiso (Basic of basics of beautiful sewing) | Keiko Mizuno | Sew in Love |
| Knits for Real People: Fitting and Sewing Fashion Knit Fabrics (Sewing for Real People series) | So Sew Easy | |
| Lotta Jansdotter Everyday Style | Lotta | Radiant Home Studio |
| Love at First Stitch: Demystifying Dressmaking | So Sew Easy | |
| Make Your Own Patterns: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide to Making Over 60 Dressmaking Patterns | Rene Bergh | Burda Style |
| Making an Impression | Gennine Zlatkis | Radiant Home Studio |
| Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts | Whipstitch | |
| Mary Johnson’s Guide to Altering and Restyling Ready-Made Clothes | Mary Johnson | Colette |
| Material World: Home Decor Projects for the Fabric Obsessed | Apartment Therapy | |
| Me and My Sewing Machine | Kate Haxel | The Seasoned Homemaker |
| Metric Pattern Cutting for Children’s Wear and Babywear | Winifred Aldrich | Melly Sews |
| Metric Pattern Cutting for Menswear | Winifred Aldrich | Melly Sews |
| Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail | Lucy Johnston | Historical Sewing |
| One-piece kara tunic, blouse mo (happy homemade) | Noriko Sasahara | Sew in Love |
| Onnanoko no oshare fuku | Yuki Araki | Sew in Love |
| Pattern Cutting for Lingerie, Beachwear, and Leisurewear | Ann Hagar | Colette |
| Pattern Drafting for Fashion Designers | Helen Joseph-Armstrong | Gertie’s Blog For Better Sewing |
| Pattern Fitting With Confidence | Nancy Zieman | Colette |
| Pattern kara saidan made no kiso no kiso (Basic of the basics from pattern to cutting) | Keiko Mizuno | Sew in Love |
| Pattern Magic Vol. 1 | Tomoko Nakamichi | Colette |
| Pattern Magic Vol. 2 | Tomoko Nakamichi | Colette |
| Patternmaking for Fashion Design (4th Edition) | Helen Joseph Armstrong | Threads Magazine |
| Patternmaking in Fashion | Lucia Mors de Castro | Colette |
| Patterns for Theatrical Costumes | Melly Sews | |
| Patterns of Fashion 2, Englishwomen’s Dresses and Their Construction c.1860-1940 | Janet Arnold | Historical Sewing |
| Period Costume for Stage & Screen: Patterns for Women’s Dress 1800-1909 | Jean Hunnisett | Historical Sewing |
| Present Perfect: 25 Gifts to Sew & Bestow | Betz White | Radiant Home Studio |
| Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers | Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor | Colette |
| Refractions | Makoto Fujimura | Radiant Home Studio |
| Rowan Living, Book 1: Thirty Projects | Apartment Therapy | |
| Sarigenaku amai fuku | Sew in Love | |
| See And Sew: A Sewing Book For Children | Quilter’s Review | |
| Sew It Up | Ruth Singer | The Sewing Directory |
| Sew Liberated: 20 Stylish Projects for the Modern Sewist | Meg McElwee | Burda Style |
| Sew News Timesaving Tips | Colette | |
| Sew Useful | Debbie Shore | The Sewing Directory |
| Sew-It Kit: 15 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects for the Home | Apartment Therapy | |
| Sewing Lingerie that Fits | Karen Morris | Colette |
| Sewing Machine Classroom | Grandma Likes to Sew | |
| Sewing Made Easy | Dorothy Sara | Colette |
| Sewing School 2: Lessons In Machine Sewing | Quilter’s Review | |
| Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids will love to make | Andria Lisle | Sewing Machine Judge |
| Sewing Shortcuts from A to Z | Elizabeth Musheno | Colette |
| Sewing with Knits | Connie Long | 110 Creations |
| Sewn Sapces: Fresh and Modern Projects for Your Life and Home | Joel Dewberry’ | Apartment Therapy |
| Show Your Work | Austin Kleon | Radiant Home Studio |
| Simple Sewing with a French Twist: An Illustrated Guide | Apartment Therapy | |
| Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects | Lotta Jansdotter | Apartment Therapy |
| Singer Complete Photo Guide To Sewing | Quilter’s Review | |
| Singer Sewing Reference Library | So Sew Easy | |
| Steal Like an Artist | Austin Kleon | Radiant Home Studio |
| Stitching for Style | Nelle Weymouth Link | Colette |
| Sukina nunoji de suki na fuku. Sewing hajime masho. | Aoi Kada | Sew in Love |
| The Anchor Manual of Needlework | Colette | |
| The Art of Dressmaking | Butterick | Colette |
| The Art of Sewing: The Classic Techniques | Colette | |
| The Best of Sewing Machine Fun for Kids | Grandma Likes to Sew | |
| The Bishop Method of Clothing Construction | Edna Bryte Bishop | Whipstitch |
| The Bra-Makers Manual | Beverly Johnson | Colette |
| The BurdaStyle Sewing Handbook | Nora Abousteit and Alison Kelly | Craftsy |
| The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting | SarahVeblen | The Seasoned Homemaker |
| The Dressmaker’s Technique Bible | Lorna Knight | 110 Creations |
| The Dressmaker’s Handbook of Couture Sewing Techniques: Essential Step-by-Step Techniques for Professional Results | Lynda Maynard | Ecosalon |
| The Dressmaking Book: A Simplified Guide for Beginners | Adele Margolis | Colette |
| The Little Black Dress: How to Make the Perfect One for You | Simon Henry | Burda Style |
| The Mode In Dress and Home | Colette | |
| The New Encyclopedia of Modern Sewing | Colette | |
| The Perfect Fit | Colette | |
| The Serger’s Technique Bible: The Complete Guide to Serging and Decorative Stitching | So Sew Easy | |
| The Sewing Bible | Ruth Singer | Whipstitch |
| The Sewing Machine Attachment Handbook | Colette | |
| The Sewing Machine Classroom | Quilter’s Review | |
| The Singer Sewing Book | Colette | |
| The Sweater Chop Shop: Sewing One-of-a-kind Creations from Recycled Sweaters | Crispina Ffrench’ | Ecosalon |
| Theory of Fashion Design | H.L. Brockman: | Colette |
| Vintage Lingerie: 30 Patterns Based on Period Garments Plus Finishing Techniques | Jill Salen | Colette |
| Vogue/Butterick Step-by-Step Guide to Sewing Techniques | Whipstitch | |
| Woman’s Institute Library Of Dressmaking: Sewing Materials | Colette |
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