Rating: 
Summary: The most helpful sewing book I have ever owned!
Review: I have been sewing garments for several years. This book has been a great quick reference guide. I have always had a difficult time with certain fabrics, they would snag, the stiches would bunch up or the fabric would stretch and slip. With the help of this book, I have been guided to use the right needle, foot, stitch and finishing touches. Now, sewing difficult fabrics have become a breeze. An example is sewing on Tissue Lame, with this guide I was able to use the correct needle, the perfect stitch length and finish the seams, with no problems! Thank you Sandra for this helpful guide!
Rating:
Summary: Great Resource
Review: I have to say I love this book. Easy to use, you can get in get the information you need and get on with your project!!! Love it...Thanks Sandra Betzina.
Rating:
Summary: This book can save you so much time (and money)!
Review: I second all the good things everyone else has said. This book is the instruction manual you wish came with each piece of fabric you buy: how do you wash it? How do you pretreat it? Are there any special tricks? Does it ravel? What seam treatments work best? It's all here and much more, in a compact (2 pages per fabric) presentation, everything from mudcloth to tercel. A great gift for any sewing friend (and one for yourself, of course!).
Rating:
Summary: Best resource for fabric information
Review: I was so impressed with the information on so many fabrics and how to sew with them that I ordered some for all my sewing friends.Easy to follow format, pertinent information, and good tips.
Rating:
Summary: Love it!
Review: I'm a new sewer and find myself referencing this book all the time when I'm using a new fabric. It's amazingly complete! I just finished my first project in velvet and it went very smoothly, thanks to the tips from this book. I would have been fighting with the fabric forever if I'd just followed the pattern instructions.
Rating:
Summary: Essential for sewers of every experience level
Review: I've been sewing clothing - from baby layettes to wool suits to wedding dresses - for 20 years, and I found great new-to-me information in Fabric Savvy. I'd have saved incalculable time and money over those 20 years if I'd had this book next to my sewing machine. The format gives you everything you need to know about sewing specific types of fabric, but gives it to you concisely. Brava, Ms. Betzina!
Rating:
Summary: Belongs next to every sewing machine
Review: Let me state my one request for a change and then proceed with my sincere, gushing praise: In the next edition, I hope Ms. Betzina will include a phonetic pronounciation next to the name of every type of fabric she talks about.Now, let's get started on what's right about this book, which is EVERYTHING. The binding shows this book is a workhorse. It's vinyl coated hardbound, with a covered spiral binding. In other words, it opens flat and won't fall apart with use.The format: a generous lower margin allows you to prop it open (flat!) in a stand to refer to as you work. Each type fabric is presented in alphabetical order and on two facing pages--it's all there when you're working, you don't have to skip around. An photograph of the garment made of the fabric is included--so you can see the subtle difference between silk dupioni and shantung...and an appropriate garment for the fabric. Under bold, clear headings are listed the recommended needle, closure, layout, marking, cutting, interfacing, thread, presser foot, closures, stitch length, preshrink, pressing, hem for the fabric. There are also fascinating tips to improve your sewing and interesting facts about the fabric. I'll never use the same old needle and thread again, and now know what would make some of my garments look couture perfect rather than homemade. This truly is an essential guide for EVERY sewer.
Rating:
Summary: Love it!
Review: Thanks you, Sandra!! This is truly a seamstress BIBLE!!! I especially use this book when I go to the fabric store. This gives me an idea of what type of notions that I need to purchase or perhaps I already have!!! I truly love this book!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fabric Savvy
Review: Thanks you, Sandra!! This is truly a seamstress BIBLE!!! I especially use this book when I go to the fabric store. This gives me an idea of what type of notions that I need to purchase or perhaps I already have!!! I truly love this book!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent reference
Review: This book clearly sets out the types of problems and techniques that can be associated with many different fabrics and fabric types. Especially good for the beginning sewer are the sections on thread, machine feet, needles to use and special techniques. My only real problem with the book is that several of the fabrics I wanted to look up weren't there. I am not sure whether this is because the missing fabrics are not treated in the book, or whether they go under a different name in America to what it does in Australia. The index would have been improved by a larger number of fabric names: for instance, poplin does not appear in the index, nor does Ultrasuede.
| 
