Built by Wendy Dresses - Review

So you know how it is? When you say you won't buy anymore sewing books, due to the mixed results from too many of them? Well I saw this, it teased me on pre order for months, then I read the reviews, and Wendy's reputation is pretty rock solid, so I had to buy it. And for what you get it's a bargain.


So what is inside? Well 3 pattern pieces to make the above 3 dresses, a sheath, a shift and a dirndle!

Then what you get is a breakdown of each style of dress into how to alter the pattern into a variety of other dresses! Below is a selction:

From the Sheath dress.

Sheath dress.

Sheath dress.


Shift Dresses


Shift

Shift dress

Dirndle dresses

Dirndle Dress

dirndle dresses

dirndle dress

alterations example

pattern layout example

sewing up example

I just wanted to show how in depth this book is. It is not for a novice, but if you have done a bit of clothes sewing before, this would be suitable for an advanced beginner/ intermediate sewer. There are no seam allowances on the patterns, which is no big deal, as you copy them anyway.

The first step is to make a muslin, then alter that as necessary to fit correctly, instructions are in the book. Then once you have your own base pattern, you can use the other patterns and create a wealth of dresses! I'm making my 1st muslin, for the sheath dress, so I will see how that goes. But it is an exciting book, and offers great value for money (when most patterns cost £8+) I will post again on my successes/ failures!