Singer Simple Sewing Guide: Essential Machine-Side Tips and Techniques

I am pretty much a complete beginner when it comes to sewing - i.e. I know how to thread my sewing machine and sew a simple stitch (pretty much just what the salesperson showed me at the store when I purchased the machine). I found this book very useful and I highly recommend it for the beginner, although I'm sure advanced seamstresses will also find this useful as a reference book. This book is extremely easy to read and follow. For the most part, there is one topic per page (sometimes one topic spans a few pages) and an excellent table of contents page to guide you to the topic you need. The instructions are concise - you don't have to read through the ramblings of the author and fanciful language to get the info you need. You can really just look up the topic and glance through it quickly as you're sewing - there's no need to sit down and read through a whole chapter before starting. There are also illustrations that accompany the instructions that are very helpful. General topics covered include (taken from contents page) - All about sewing machines - Tools of the trade - Working with patterns - Getting set to sew - Essential techniques - Sewing special fabrics - Fabrics glossary The only reason why I gave this book 4 instead of 5 stars is because there is another version/edition of this book called Singer Simple Sewing: The Complete Illustrated Machine-side Reference of Tips and Techniques (Hardcover-spiral). It is an expanded version of this book. The exact same pages from this book can be found in this expanded version - however the expanded version may have several more subtopics covered within each topic. For example, there are many more techniques listed in the essential techniques topic. There is also the addition of Home Decor and Mending & Repairing sections. For only $3.00 more, I personally would rather purchase the expanded version. I do think that this version is better for a younger beginner who may be overwhelmed by the amount of information in the expanded version. This version is entirely helpful in teaching the basics of sewing and getting a beginner on their feet.

I am an experienced seamstress and I found this book to be very helpful when it came to techniques I had not used in a while. The book goes through various techniques and offers helpful tips on some (not all) of the techniques. The book is very well written and easy to understand. The photos included are very easy to decipher even for the novice. I personally think it is a good book even for someone who wants to learn as it goes through the various types of sewing feet, stitches, tools, threads...etc.

I purchased this book for my adult daughter when she expressed an interest in sewing. I chose this one because it has basic instruction without a lot of confusing clutter on the pages. The info is similar to the handouts I got in Home-Ec class. This was the most basic book I could find. It covers parts of the sewing machine, tools to use, choosing fabric, pattern lay-out, sewing seams, inserting zippers, piping/trims and making buttonholes. Now at some point she will want to look at more advanced books as well as online hints.The cover is cardboard with spiral binding so it will stay open, but it is not as sturdy as other bindings. I recommend this as a reference for a beginning sewer.

Easy to use if you have just about any kind of question. The drawings are simple and clear. Makes a nice addition to my (too big) library of sewing books. I bought the Home Decor book, too.