This tailoring and alterations book review is a very overdue PSA. I’ve been recommending it for a long time, especially to people enquiring about sewing classes. A notable number want to learn how to mend or alter ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing, which is a completely different animal from my usual!
For one, industrial techniques and orders of construction are optimised for the utmost efficiency, highly specialised equipment, and (at some point) obsolescence. Standards vary widely, and there are many permutations of how this is agreed between manufacturer (the factories) and client (the companies we buy from, or whomever acts on their behalf in the supply chain). Confidence, knowledge, and experience in tackling RTW comes with decades of experience in the field.
Jay has this in spades.
Not only does she come from a tailoring family, she also has an enviable career working in theatre and costume for globally renowned companies. When you’re a tailor or costumier, you have to be ready for whatever the artistic director throws at you! A character’s costume has to be just right. Their apparel could be sourced from anywhere or made specially for the show. It’s often a combination of both.
There’s a reason why there aren’t many good books on alterations. Few people are qualified to write them. Jay is.
You can visit Jay’s website and find out more about her here. The book is published by GMC Publications, and you can order a copy here.
Now, onto the book review of Simple Tailoring and Alterations!
Contents overview | A sharp focus on tailoring
First, the contents page:
There are eight chapters altogether:
- Getting started;
- Skirts;
- Dresses;
- Trousers;
- Jackets;
- Shirts;
- Coats and capes;
- Ties, bow ties, and waistcoats.
It’s important to stress that this book does NOT cover stretch fabrics very much. This is due to the focus on tailoring. Plus, it’s much easier for you to mend and preserve clothes made out of woven or non-stretch fabrics. The construction techniques are easier to replicate on a domestic sewing machine. This is one reason why they tend to last longer.
LOTS of helpful information about fabrics
Speaking of fabrics, there’s a very generous section in the first chapter on this. Many general sewing books give you a rundown of the fabric families and their general qualities. This is not a criticism; it’s because these books are aimed at the domestic market, which is narrower in scope. You get an immediate sense of this when you flick through the pages. Here’s a quick video for you:
Note that this isn’t the entire section. But how reassuring to be forewarned about how fabrics will behave once cut! Or seams unpicked! You can decide, based on this, whether you want to execute the alteration yourself or have someone else do it for you. I know that many DIY jobs have ended in tears because people weren’t prepared for the fabric’s behaviour. This is an absolute gift from Jay.
Beautifully clear sewing tutorials throughout
Onto the tutorials. Here are some previews of the page layouts. They are VERY clear and I really appreciate the amount of white space on the page. It makes the information accessible whether you’re skimming or poring over the details.
You’ll note that, on the concealed zip and elastic waistband photos, Jay immediately tells you where else the techniques can be used. Bear this in mind if you don’t see what you’re looking for on the contents page.
For example, some people will be confident about a waistband being a waistband. Others need to be absolutely sure that they can execute the technique on skirts and trousers. I love this, because who doesn’t appreciate reassurance?
A helpful resources section to get all the supplies you need
Finally, we end with a resources section so that you can get everything you need for your alterations or tailoring project. This is UK-centric; like me, Jay is based in the UK. However, there are also recommendations for the US market.
A small caveat or warning note here about suppliers. Jay has listed only the companies that are willing to sell to the public. There are definitely more, but they are trade only and/or by appointment only. The businesses listed here will actually help you, ship worldwide, or help you to find a local company. Please don’t hesitate to ask them for help if your country is not listed or you can’t see exactly what you need.
Final verdict – BUY THIS BOOK if you want to learn about alterations!
So – what else do you need me to say?! I think very, very highly of Simple Tailoring and Alterations and of Jay herself. You’ll find her on this particular shelf by my desk, in the company of some other apparel heavyweights. I own only one title on tailoring and alterations, and Jay’s book is it. Give it a home on your bookshelf or by your sewing machine – it will be money VERY well spent.
Finally, thank you for reading, and a big thank you to Katie and Connie for their ongoing support via Ko-Fi! If you’d like to support my blog regularly or contribute to the tip jar, click the pink button on the bottom left.
If you enjoyed my Simple Tailoring and Alterations book review or found it helpful, I’d also love it if you could save it to Pinterest, share it far and wide, and recommend it to your friends. So many of us are looking to make the best of what we have and learn key sewing skills. Simple Tailoring and Alterations ticks all those boxes.
Most of all, thank you, Jay, for giving us this book. 🙂
You can visit Jay’s website and find out more about her here. The book is published by GMC Publications, and you can order a copy here.