Sewing books can be the perfect inspiration to turn from an amateur to a stitching pro. You can learn simple and advanced sewing skills by reading different books on sewing. They will help you master a wide variety of sewing projects that range from simple to complex.
With so many books on sewing written by different authors, selecting the best books is not exactly a walk in the park. In fact, you may get utterly confused when you try to select one from the hundreds of books available online.
In a Hurry? Here are Our Top Choices for the Best Sewing Books for Beginners
To help you select the best ones, here we have hand-picked 12 of the best sewing books for beginners.
1. School of Sewing: Learn It, Teach It, Sew Together
School of Sewing is one of the best books for individuals new to sewing. This book teaches a lot of sewing skills, including fabric selection and sewing zippers, buttonholes, and pleats.
The book contains 12 projects that you can complete in three-hour sessions. The winner of the 2015 IBPA Ben Franklin Gold Award in the Craft & Hobby category, this book is written in a highly engaging manner with detailed lesson plans.
Whether you are learning on your own or with a group of friends, this book will perfectly meet the needs. You will learn several useful tips on using a sewing machine and the related accessories.
Every project is illustrated in detail with appropriate photos. You can read tips and advice on how to sew like a pro within minutes. The book will offer tips on how to quickly complete a sewing project. With this book, even complex projects such as sewing pleats and ruffles will seem fun and easy. You will learn how to insert zippers and buttons.
The book also contains insights into the color theory. You will read about advanced tips like how to troubleshoot the machine and more.
Shea Henderson, who has written this book, is the owner of the Empty Bobbin Sewing Studio. She is an expert sewing pattern designer and her work has been published in different magazines. You can learn expert sewing tips written in an easy-to-understand manner by reading her book.
2. The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques
Another great book that will help you master the art of sewing is The Sewing Book: Over 300 Step-by-Step Techniques. This book contains hundreds of techniques — 300 to be exact — on how to sew just about anything.
The book will teach you how to sew children and adult clothes. You will know how to do alterations and carry on other sewing tasks such as tucks, darts, hems, pleats, mending, and fasteners. The book contains 15 projects that let you apply the skills.
This book is considered to be an encyclopedia of sewing tools and fabrics. You can read about over 100 tools and 50 fabrics in the book.
You can find step-by-step instructions with illustrated pictures. The pictures explain everything from sewing by hand and machine. The books explain everything down to perfect details explaining each pressure foot.
The book will explain how to select the right thread that will result in the perfect stitch quality. You will also know how to pick the right accessories for different sewing jobs. The book also provides definitions of different sewing terms such as snaps, buttons, eyes, hooks, and Velcro.
After reading the book, you can master complex sewing skills such as sewing envelope cushions, pleats, pockets, necklaces, darts, facings, and collars. The book has been written by Alison Smith who owns a premier sewing school in the UK. She is the first British to be awarded the Member of British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to the Sewing and Corsetry.
3. First Time Sewing: The Absolute Beginners Guide
This book introduces beginners to the art of sewing. Here, you can find simple and easy-to-understand instructions for hand stitching and machine sewing. You can read descriptions of different tools and materials.
This is an excellent book for beginners to learn about the basics of sewing.
The book covers the basics of sewing different projects. Here you will learn how to make pants, shorts, a pillow, and aprons. The book contains information on creating seams, balancing tension, and sewing patterns.
A great thing about the book is the different home decor projects that allow you to complete projects such as elastic waist skirts, waist pants, t-shirts, and baby blankets. You will find different techniques to complete each project including sewing seams, patterns, hems, zippers, and more.
The book is written by the Editors of Creative Publishing International, who have been writing instructional books on sewing for many years. The company publishes reference sewing books for both beginners and experts.
4. The Sewing Machine Classroom: Learn the Ins & Outs of Your Machine
The book contains information on basic sewing terms and skills. You will learn about different skills such as pintucks, puffing, scallops, and more. In the book, you can find out information on how to install zippers, buttonholes, and make the perfect hem.
The book contains advice on how to maintain your sewing machine. You will learn about basic maintenance tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the machine. The book explains how to troubleshoot problems such as needle breaks, tension break, and skipped stitches.
In this book, you will learn how to select the best fabrics, threads, and other important accessories. The beautifully illustrated book contains info on selecting ideal feet for the sewing machine.
You can use this book as a reference to using and troubleshooting the sewing machine. The book contains charts, photos, and detailed information about everything related to sewing.
This book is written by an experienced sewing expert Charlene Phillips who owns the Sew Box. She has written for many magazines and offered sewing classes around the US. You can join the author as she explores the basics of sewing skills in this book.
5. That Handmade Touch: 20 Simple Sewing Projects for You and Your Home
Practice makes perfect sense in sewing. And this book will walk you through simple sewing projects that will hone you your sewing skills.
Written by experienced pattern designer, quilter, and sewist, Svetlana Sotak, the book showcases the author’s creative sewing skills. The book will teach you how to create basic piecing and quilting skills. You will know how to achieve a professional finish for different projects.
This book contains delightful sewing designs for bags, pouches, clutches, baskets, cushions, and quilts. Instructions are written clearly and there are tips for customization. You can find inspiration to create your own unique designs after reading the books. This book is perfect for all levels of experience including beginners and experts.
6. Turnabout Patchwork: Simple Quilts with a Twist
If you want to become proficient in quilting, you should definitely buy this book. The book starts with a simple block and progresses to more advanced techniques. You won’t find much difficulty in creating beautiful design quilts using easy-to-sew blocks.
The basic blocks will help you create unique designs using simple techniques mentioned in the book. You can create quits as you slice, sew, turn, and again sew reading the instructions int he book.
Every chapter of the book highlights a single block. There are different design options for each block resulting in 24 quilt patterns. You can create runners, lap quilts and more after reading this book.
7. Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More
This book will provide information on how to patch different fabrics using Japanese inspired visible repairs. The book contains hands-on projects that present the current trends in mending denim.
The book teaches simple mending techniques including interior patches, exterior patches, darning, slow stitches, and weaving. You will learn about how to mend different parts of the cloths. The book is recommended for beginners with little sewing skills who want to know how to make patchwork denim.
Each chapter contains a photo, brief description, and instructions on mending. You will learn how to mend denim using simple artistic techniques. The books are written by an award-winning author Katrina Rodabaugh who explores the art of creative sewing. Her works and designs have appeared in different art venues and theaters across the US.
8. Sewing Me! Sewing Basics: Simple Techniques and Projects for First-Time Sewers
Sewing Me is yet another great book for beginners to learn basic sewing skills. Written by expert sewist, Choly Knight, the book contains basic information on sewing showing readers how to select a sewing machine, tools, fabrics, and more.
The book contains information on simple sewing projects for creating hats and hand towels. In this book, you will read basic sewing techniques and troubleshooting tips. The book contains illustrative photos, clear instructions, and easy-to-understand patters.
You will build your sewing skills through 15 practical projects. The book will teach you common mistakes that result in sewing disasters. You will learn how to gather fabric, bind edges, seams, and install zippers and holes.
This book is great for both young and old sewing enthusiasts. However, it will particularly appeal to newbies who want to learn to upgrade their sewing skills through easy-to-understand instructions.
9. Baby Quilts for Beginners
The book is a must for beginners who want to know how to create quilts for babies. The book contains information on quilting different patterns. Here you can find out 13 different quilt patterns for little ones that are very easy to make.
The adorable quilt patterns can easily be made by beginners. Most of the projects can be created within a few minutes. The instructions are easy to follow with different designs. You won’t have much trouble in making a baby quilt that will serve as the perfect gift for a baby shower party.
10. Singer: The Complete Photo Guide to Sewing
The book is written by Nancy Langdon who is the president and chief designer of Studio Tantrum and Sabine Pollehn who is president of a sewing pattern German firm Farbenmix. In this book, you will learn about basic tips and tricks for completing a sewing project.
The book contains information on sewing decor, garments, and many different projects. Here you can read about choosing the right tools and using sergers and traditional sewing machines. The 312 pages of the book contain 1,200 photographs of different projects.
Here you will find step-by-step easy to understand instructions for creating different projects including home decor projects, fashion sewing, and tailoring. The book contains information on how to create tablecloths, pillows, and window treatments.
You will find out information on how to select a sewing machine and take measurements of different things including tables, windows, and people. You can read about commercial sewing patterns and achieving the perfect professional finishing.
11. Love at First Stitch: Demystifying Dressmaking
Another great book for beginners is the Love at First Stitch written by Tilly Walnes. The book provides tips on different clothing projects in an easy-to-understand and fun-to-read way.
You can connect with the author as she shares her passion for stitching different projects. The book contains tips and hints in making multi-size patterns. You can even learn how to create your own unique signature style.
This book provides the basics of sewing in a pleasant, informal tone. Every chapter of the book contains tips that guide you in creating clothes using adaptable and versatile patterns that can be customized to suit your style.
12. Sewing Happiness
Sewing Happiness is one of the best books for beginners that show you how to sew different projects. In this book, you will find out information on traditional and Japanese inspired home projects.
Written by author Sanae Ishida, this book contains a narrative of the author’s personal struggles as she developed her own sewing skills. Here you will find information on 20 different projects that are organized by seasons. The book has been delightfully written together with a memoir that gives an emotional touch to the creative art of sewing.
Our Final Thoughts on the Best Sewing Books for Beginners
If you’re into sewing and sewing machines, you’ll love any and all of these books. They’ll help you dig in a little bit deeper to this wonderful hobby. These are our favorite 12 best sewing books for beginners. We hope (and know) you’ll enjoy them!
