Jan Saunders' Wardrobe Quick-Fixes

I checked this book out from the library, and I'm planning to purchase it, despite its many flaws. Why? Because there doesn't seem to be anything else out there on this topic (Publishers: take note). I'm giving it 4 stars, because I can't find anything else to compare it to. Incredibly, with the plethora of new books on knitting and even the healthy number of books on altering t-shirts for skinny young hipsters, there just aren't any real books for the average sewer who wants to make her purchased clothes fit better. The drawbacks to this book have been cited by other reviewers: very outdated styles, ugly kitchey illustrations, and the whole Christmas Sweatshirt Mom aesthetic - very depressing. But to its credit, it gives instructions on making your clothes bigger or smaller and offers encouragement to at least try, and not just accept the clothing industry's cookie-cutter ideology. We're not all built the same. Our clothes don't have to be, either.

I bought this book with the idea of trying to alter ready-to-wear clothes so they fit better---I wanted to find a book that included basic techniques (hemming jeans/pants, making long sleeve shirts into short sleeve shirts, etc.) as well as more advanced ones (altering suit jackets to fit better, adding darts to shirts, skirts). I'm not sure if other such books exist (most other alterations/tailoring books explain how to alter/fit patterns when you're sewing a piece of clothing from scratch, not when altering an already-made piece of clothing) but I would be curious to if there are any others that people would recommend. I've seen that there is a book called 'Altering Women's Ready-To-Wear' by Mary Roehr (seems relevant) but don't know anything about it. I haven't used any of the techniques from this book but have tried other similar techniques that I found online (hemming jeans without having to topstitch a straight line, reconstructing t-shirts into more fitted/flattering shirts (halters, camisoles, etc.) or into other types of clothing (skirts, dresses)). This book seems to give useful ideas, some of which I plan to try (for example, removing a zipper stop and putting a zipper back on track; sewing side pockets closed on skirts/dress pants; etc.). Some of the techniques seem interesting (making things tighter or looser) but are beyond my level of sewing (advanced beginner). I would agree with the previous reviewer that for the most part, the book is much more useful to someone who sews a little at least---there aren't that many no-sew techniques included. The book is somewhat dated (for example, it tells you how to adjust/make longer elastic stirrups for your stirrup pants) but you can apply many of the principles to modern day clothing. The other complaint that I have with the book is the organization of the text/diagrams---the book is structured so that there are 4 columns across two pages---the center columns contain text, and the outer columns contain diagrams that relate to the text. I would prefer the blocks of text and corresponding diagrams to be grouped together on the page, not in a columnar format. Also, this would allow for more white space---the book feels very crammed/tightly packed and would be easier to follow with more space. This being said, this book contains numerous useful ideas that I haven't been able to otherwise find grouped together in a book like this, so I'm glad that I bought it and would recommend it to others.

I don't know what I was thinking. I guess I read reviews that made me think that as a non-sewer, somehow this book could tell me how to do quick and easy repairs. The only use it has to me is that it might give me some ideas for repairs to request from a seamstress. There were no definitions for the neophyte. For example, there were repeated references to "serging" which, I guess, is something kind of like sewing, but different. I do think it is an excellent book for someone that already knows how to sew and wants some ideas on how to do repairs that will improve the fit of garments. I am sorry I bought the book as it is useless to me, and I am selling it.

Down to earth advice, easy instructions, and really saves you money!

I purchased some beautiful designer clothes from an estate sale, but after I tried them on I found myself on the verge of shelling out more money than I paid for the clothes in expensive alterations. I saved all that money and more by buying this book. I don't sew, am not "crafty" and have little patience for details but Jan Saunders' pictures, diagrams, easy sew and no sew instructions made me confident I could do it myself--quickly. My clothes look great, they fit, and the complements keep coming. I may never need a tailor again.