This is a beast of a book. In fact, so big and heavy that I couldn’t resist weighing it. I recommend reading this propped up in bed, book resting against your knees, with refreshments to hand as you dream about the couture embellishment you’re going to add to your next make.
Creating Couture Embellishment
Advice extends from the exotic and luxurious…
To the surprisingly modest…
There are chapters on pleating, quilting, tucking, shirring, smocking, beading… If you want to embellish, there’s a technique here for you. And if you want an extra sewing bible in your life, this is the book to start dropping hints about to loved ones.
This 400-page tome must have been years in the making, and it shall undoubtedly sit on the shelf of every fashion college in the world. There’s a whole page of diagrams devoted to the structure of a tuck and a tutorial – including a PVC plumbing pipe! – on creating Arashi shibori pleating. (Points out of ten if you know what that is without googling.) Even a glance at the Resources page is to delve into deep sewing knowledge.
With huge thanks to Laurence King for sending me a copy of this book. I know what I’ll be reading in bed for the next few weeks, and maybe I’ll finally find a use for my feathers.
 
Thank you for the wonderful review!
You lucky dog. I’m off to my library’s website to order it up!
Thank you for the warning and the encouragement! This book sounds wonderful.
Reblogged this on Yarnsage and commented:
This is on my wish list! âĪïļ
lol I do know what arashi shibori is because I’ve done it… Looks like an amazing book!
oh boy I’m SORELY tempted with this one!! I’m just wandering into the delicious field of embellishment! I’m just finishing a silk Dove by Megan Nielsen and couldn’t resist a string of interesting wool/silk around the neckline and above the arm/bell seam ð It is a whole new learning curve though because I made a mistake (not so big I won’t wear it but one of those that every time you look at you want to scream sort of mistake because you should have known it would happen) But that’s the joy of sewing! Living, learning, creating and screaming…sometime with joy, sometimes with…
So yes I’ve ordered a copy from amazon.ca ð
Wow! What a fantastic volume. Thank you for the review!
Hint: It appears less expensive on U.S. amazon, depending on international exchange rates; however, we don’t have international book rates and this is about 4 lbs.