After making a couple of Colette Patterns (Violet Blouse and Laurel Dresses 1 & 2), I thought it might be nice to review the Colette Sewing Handbook. I know this book is now quite old, but it’s relatively new to me. I got this book for free via my old job in a bookshop – a perk I definitely miss! I didn’t get it for free to review here, though.

The book is like several sewing books I have (it’s an addiction, what can I say?) in that it takes you from knowing absolutely nothing about sewing and teaches you all the basic techniques and equipment, through all the things you might need to know until you can make some clothes, and with some patterns included.

The tips pages include:

Tools and SuppliesHand stitchesEditing for your style (like Coletterie’s series Wardrobe Architect)

Choosing fabric
The patterns included are in an envelope at the back of the book:

Meringue Skirt – the book has some good tips for how to deal with scallops.

Pastille Dress – there’s a whole mini chapter before this pattern on getting a perfect fit, including a sway back adjustment, which is something I always mean to do as I have a narrow back and curved posture.

Truffle Dress

Taffy blouse

Licorice dress

I think the only one of the included patterns which is even vaguely my style is the Pastille dress, which I’ll try to make one day, when I’ve made all the other patterns on my list…. Does anyone else have loads of patterns, from books, and from companies, which you want to make, but never have the time to, and yet you keep buying more? And more fabric. Always more fabric! Has anyone made any of the patterns from this book?

Anyhoos, the things I like about this book are that it’s spiral bound – this might seem silly, but I’ve made a couple of aprons from the first GBSB book and trying to keep a non-spiral bound book open while trying to read the instructions is frankly a pain in the arse, so spirals are good. I also have found the instructions on the Colette patterns I’ve made really clear to understand, so I have high hopes for the fitting tips being useful. Do you have this book? What do you think? Do you have any other favourite sewing books? The new Great British Sewing Bee book is definitely on my list!