Custom Touch Creative Sewing Techniques

I have had this book since 1985 and love it. There was a time when I drafted all my patterns from a sloper and pattern blocks and this is the book I used for my instruction. I was taught how by Mary J. Wadlington through the use of this book. Her style is casual and chatty, not formal and off-putting, and she often has notes on construction after the pattern alterations and drafting is done. To this day, when I want to design my own styles, I use what I learned in this book. I highly recommend The Custom Touch.

When I graduated from design school I had all the tools I needed to make my clothes, except that I never used a home sewing machine. I saw this book advertised in the back of a sewing magazine and by the title and brief description I thought it would give tips and hints for taming the bobbin, tension, etc. The book came and lo & behold it was a drafting & design how to. I should have been disappointed being that I had a suitcase full of textbooks on this, but after flipping through the pages I was intrigued. I decided to follow the steps to this design then that- and found I enjoyed this book even more than my terribly expensive texts written by industry giants. Something about the way the author wrote - it was as if a family member was passing on her knowledge. After a month or two of wearing my designs I was asked to make things for my friends, and then their friends. No matter what they drew or asked for I was able to find a way to draft it because of this book. It was the only one I needed to take from the shelf. Well that was 20 years ago, and now that my son is a teen I want to teach my self to design again. A few years ago I lost all my books when a pick-up turned my living room into a drive-through. The only good pattern drafting book I need to replace is this one. Think about that- I attended a good design school, had access to books costing $100-200 each, and the one I really want is available for about $20. That's how good I feel this book is.

Mary Wadlington takes the mystery out of patternmaking with a simple, direct method of drafting a basic sloper (bodice, skirt, sleeve and pants) that will become the basis for an unlimited variety of styles once you learn the principles of pattern transformation. The transformations from basic to particular style are well illustrated with detailed instructions.The narrative is friendly and instructive, easy to follow. There are over 200 transformations given and although the book was written in the early 1980s you will find many of the style elements are again coming into fashion as evidenced by the bell sleeves, ruffled collars, volants and cowls that are appearing in the more eclectic fashions for 2003.The book deals with styles suitable for construction of woven fabrics. A modern update should include knitwear pattern construction.I wish Mary were still teaching and writing. She has a lot to share in this book. Worth looking for even in second hand condition.