Seams to Me

Anna Maria Horner

Description

Admired fabric designer Anna Maria Horner draws on her passion for art, sewing, and textiles to inspire one-of-a-kind projects

Anna Maria Horner's signature style combines the techniques of a seasoned sewer with the vision of an artist. In Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing, she walks you through the fundamentals, offering practical advice on everything from fabric selection to color choices to choosing and buying a sewing machine. Simple step-by-step instructions show you how to turn her designs into fanciful creations:

• Sideways Squares Skirt
• Prairie Blouse
• Full Contact Cooking Apron
• PlayingAlong Quilt
• Doggie Dreams Bed
• And so much more!

Vivid full-color photographs and designs will invite you into the creative process. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran, the twenty-four projects in this beautiful book will transform your home and wardrobe into a collection of unique treasures.

Sujets

• Loisirs
• Loisirs créatifs et artistiques
• Couture et Tricot
• Sewing
• Crafts
• Hobbies

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 01 octobre 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 3
• EAN13: 9781620458907
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Seams to Me
24 New Reasons to Love Sewing
by Anna Maria Horner

Wiley Publishing, Inc.
Acquisitions Editor
Roxane Cerda
Project Editor
Donna Wright
Editorial Manager
Christina Stambaugh
Publisher
Cindy Kitchel
Vice President and Executive Publisher
Kathy Nebenhaus
Interior Art Director
Tai Blanche
Cover Design
Susan Olinsky
Photography
Anna Maria Horner
Page Layout
Erin Zeltner
Graphics Technicians
Joni Burns Nikki Gately Ronda David-Burroughs Brent Savage
Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing
Copyright 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01 923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com . Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Legal Department, Wiley Publishing, Inc., 10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions .
Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, and related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.
For general information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at [phone], outside the U.S. at [phone] or fax [phone].
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is available from the publisher upon request.
ISBN: 978-0-470-25926-9
Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3
Book production by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Composition Services
Becky Luigart-Stayner photography (last photo on page 4 and page 18)
Anna Maria s original patterns are intended for non-commercial, personal use only and may not be used in the production of goods for sale in any quantity.
This book is lovingly dedicated to my mother, may
Lynn. Her gentle spirit, cheerful presence and clever hands
inspire more than she ll ever know. Every day in my life is
another chance to live up to her example.
Acknowledgments
I am so honored to count Jennifer and Joelle Hoverson of purlsoho.com as my good friends and thankful for their generosity in supplying all the fabrics for this book.
My dear sweet pal, Tracy Smith offered her welcoming Tennessee farmhouse, complete with several charming animals (adorable children too!) all to prove that she is the best cheering section a girl could have. So many photographs in this book are beautiful because of the world she lives in, and I am thankful that she shares it with me.
Everyone should know a man as kind and pleasant as Mr. Jack Freeman. His talent on the mandolin is only exceeded by the coolness of his 1940's Ford pickup. I am so glad he takes requests on both.
The folks at Bread Company of Nashville were so generous in letting us stand and admire their pastry case long enough to get some beautiful photographs. We got a few delicious pistachio macaroons and a cheesecake, too.
I d like to thank the following beauties for their patience in letting me sprinkle their faces on the pages of this book: Tracy, AN, and Hannah Smith; Hannah Daniel; Louise Bacon; Eleni Nine; Cece McKennon; Juliana, Nicolas, Joseph, Isabela, and Eleni Horner; and King Leo the world's cutest yellow lab.
And thank you to my incredibly supportive and patient husband, Jeff, who knew when to push me towards my manuscript and when to drag me away from it (even if I fought him every time). Our whole family hums happier because of his love and care.
24 New Reasons to Love Sewing
Part 1 Getting Started

Introduction
Room to Sew
Finding the Perfect Perch
The Sewing Machine
No One Likes Bad Press
A Cut Above
Sharp Shooters: The Cutting Tools
Tools for Good Measure
1

Details
Making Your Mark: Marking Tools
On Pins and Needles
Use Your Thread
Mystery Tools
Notion Nation
Nice and Trim
2

Let s Bolt
Naming Names
Wovens versus Knits
Frolic in the Fabric
Repeating Yourself: How to Choose Prints and Colors
Wash and Wear: Care Considerations
Tedious Terms
Stash Savvy
3

Sewing School
Stitches, Notches, Nips, and Clips
Seams to You
Zippity Hoorah: The Centered Zipper
Pipe Dream
A Small Gathering
Maybe I m Bias
Be Edge-y
4

By Hand
Hole-y Buttons
Loop-de-Loop
Run Along Now
Sewing Blind
An Invisible Variation
Super Circles
Simply Stitch-y
5

Part 2 Projects

Organize
Cozy Cubes
Pin Cushion Caddy
Magnetic Personality
Opposites Attract
Wall Pockets
The Great Dress Escape
6

Stylize
I ll Have One of Everything Bag
Right Off the Cuff
Taxi Tote
Smashing Smock
Sideways Squares Skirt
Bo Peep Skirt
Prairie Blouse
7

Decorate
Basket Case
Doodad Pillow
Vintage Button Frames
Fabric Is Fine Art
Cut-Up Curtains
Playing Along Quilt
8

Domesticate
Full Contact Cooking Apron
Cup Half Full Apron
Here s the Dish Towel
For Kicks Patchwork Ball
Doggie Dreams Bed
9
Introduction

I smell a newly purchased cotton fabric getting toasty under the steam of a good pressing, and I am immediately back in the basement of my childhood home with my bare feet nestled between the fibers of the green shag carpet, where the same smell told me my new dress was almost done. I watch my littlest ones dashing through bolts at the local fabric shop and reminisce of hiding in that dream-world with my sister as Mom gazed up to the right, head tilted to the left, calculating yardage in her mind. She was so careful to not overbuy. The taste of embroidery floss against my tongue as I ready it to pass through the needle s eye invites me up on my lofty little-girl bed where I taught myself to make my first French knot when I was 8 years old. Each near miss of the sewing machine s needle when I dare my fingers a bit too close, convincing the fabric to go my way, brings to mind the equally painful and humorous occasion of Mom manually turning the machine s wheel in reverse to remove the needle from my middle finger. I cried until I laughed, she laughed until she cried and then we kept sewing. And the sound of my oldest daughter stitching away at her end of the sewing table assures me that I won t soon lose any of these most perfect memories that speak to every sense. These recollections seam together my past, my present, and my future.
Setting out to write this book was an exhilarating yet daunting task for someone who would rather just invite you here for the day to show you how to make something. My greatest hope for this collection of projects, ideas, tips, and tutorials is that you ll feel as though you have indeed been here and also that you want to come back. And who are you, anyway? I think perhaps you are green as a cucumber and need some friendly advice and a few simple projects to get you inspired. I think maybe you know how to sew a little but want something to gel together all your existing skills and experiences. I suspect also that you could probably teach me a thing or two, but appreciate interesting ideas in the form of charming clothing and accessories, clever house goods, and well-worn techniques. Welcome to you all! I hope you learn something that you ll teach to someone else. And my most personal wish is that you will love sewing more than you did before.
This book is divided generally into two parts. Part I includes everything from identifying essential tools to walking around the color wheel. We begin by understanding all the ideal components of a sewing space and get a glimpse at the most practical and useful tools for measuring, cutting, pressing, and sewing. I ve offered what I hope to be an insightful look at how to buy a sewing machine, what types of needles, pins, and thread to use and when, and an overview of the ominous notions category. Near and dear to my textile-designing heart is Chapter 3 , where I ve helped you explore textiles with your mind before you do it on foot. I ve even cooked up color recipes to help you choose and combine print, color, and pattern all based on color theory. Also very useful are the definitions of all those tedious fabric terms to decip