The Refashion Handbook: Refit, Redesign, Remake for Every Body

by Beth Huntington

Overview

Take secondhand finds from frumpy to fabulous with a little help from Beth Huntington, a.k.a. the Renegade Seamstress. The Refashion Handbook contains 19 stylish projects, each showing you how to transform easy-to-find items into a better fit, a new design, or a radical makeover. Learn the basics of refashioning: how to measure, reshape, fit, and finish a garment, so it fits you perfectly. Plus size? Petite? No problem! Beth’s designs flatter a wide variety of sizes and body types. Her easy techniques are fun for even beginning sewists. You’ll love creating your own secondhand chic!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607059233
Publisher:	C&T Publishing / Stash Books
Publication date:	10/01/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.03(w) x 10.06(h) x 0.36(d)

About the Author

Refashionista Beth Huntington inspires sewists to transform secondhand finds into fashionable clothing that can be worn anywhere. When she’s not refashioning, she spends her days in a classroom full of energetic kindergarteners. Beth lives in Oregon. Visit her at her blog, The Renegade Seamstress.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Redefine Fashion, One Refashion at a Time
You Might Just Surprise Yourself
Secrets to Thrift Store Shopping
Organize Your Space
Essential Tools For Refashioning
Basic Refashioning Skills
Measuring for Fit
Know Your Needles
Basic Machine Stitches
Basic Hand Stitches
Slipstitch
Topstitching
Whipstitch
Blanket stitch
Sewing a Basic Seam
Finishing Raw Edges
Finishing an Edge With Bias Tape
Hem With Hem Tape
French Seam
Install a Center Zipper
Darts
Gathering
Cap Sleeves
Projects
Date Night Dress
Headlight Halter Dress
Spotlight on the Little Black Dress
Leather Laptop Sleeve
Renegade Ikat Bag
Ultra Cashmere Skirt
Merino-Wool Cardigan
Wild Life Jacket
Wild Life Skirt
Great Art
Quick and Easy T Shirt Resize
Vine and Dine
Tribal Tie Dye Maxi
Detailed Denim
Southwest Fold-Over Clutch
Mocha Flow
Bow Sleeve
My New Floral Line
Emerald Petals About the Author

Editorial Reviews

09/15/2014
The author’s blog is devoted to refashioning her lumpy thrift-store finds into more attractive (although by no means trendy) outfits, so it makes sense that her first book showcases 19 of the concepts she’s used in her sewing for herself. A frumpy three-quarter-sleeve T-shirt turns into a cute fitted top, while the Emerald Petals Dress takes a frequently found style (the sleeveless, bulky dress) and reworks it into a stylish cap-sleeve dress. The book uses written instructions and color photographs to show the techniques Huntington uses, which should be helpful for readers who clearly can’t count on finding the exact same clothes that she did. A basic techniques chapter is adequate, covering a few trickier skills such as hemming a pleated skirt. There are gaps—Huntington more than once suggests using a purchased pattern for a portion of the sewing without explaining how to do so—and it’s a little odd that Huntington models all of the projects, but this book is a great inspiration for those who like to make one-of-a-kind garments for women. Full-color photos. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Beth Huntington's sunny disposition and normal silhouette (she models all her creations) add to the mix to make this an encouraging and practical handbook for anyone, whether plus size or petite, to create unique and thrifty garments in true Make Do and Mend style.

11/25/14 Mumtopia

The Renegade Seamstress shows how to refashion and up cycle your wardrobe piece by piece.

Winter 2015 BurdaStyle Magazine

The Renegade Seamstress shows how to refashion and up cycle your wardrobe piece by piece.

Winter 2015 BurdaStyle

Here's a great follow-up to "Rescuing the Unloved and the Unworn," our Spring 2014 Notions cover story! Step-by-Step photo tutorials will walk you through the phases of the redesign process that will transform garage-sale, thrift-store, or back-of-closet finds into hip modern pieces that look brand new.

Fall 2014 American Sewing Guild Notions Magazine