This book was a great read and although it's true that it's best you have a working knowledge of pattern making already to really get the most use out of this book, it's a terrific reference to have on hand as a designer/patternmaker when ever you're working on a tight fitting, or delicately designed cut of a garment that requires different seaming and finishing (evening wear, special occasion and bridal wear) and not just the types of garments indicated in the book's title.
Some important points I have to make about this book and I'm talking from experience because I've worked on some of the basic lingerie blocks in this book (and these aren't the same as the ones I did from Connie Amaden Crawford's book "Patternmaking Made Easy") as well as having constructed the blocks for both a bra and a corset, and here's what I found during my read of this book:
- it has some great tips on which exact lingerie pattern blocks can be used for other types of garments. In addition to this Ann Hagar also gives detailed instructions on how to develop a complete set of stretch knit blocks from the non-stretch blocks.
- it contains a very detailed set of measurements from sizes 8 to 18, and although it doesn't have size 6 it's easy enough to calculate from the differences between the other sizes ( I had to do this myself for the patterns I was working on), some of these details include measurements for ankle, thigh, bust separation and other types of measurements that weren't provided in the other books I've read or websites I've visited.
- good book to keep at your side when pattern drafting as a reference manual for sizing information, fabric usage and garment/block choices regarding fit as well as important block development.
So glad I got this book, because I've got to work on quite a few knit garment patterns, I'm going to try and get that set of knit blocks made and finish drafting a complete set of lingerie blocks as well so I've got them ready when I need them... Now I've got to finish reading Kathleen Fasanella's book on Sewn Product Manufacturing. I'll write you a review of that one too once I'm done.
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