Ask The Fashion Professor

Dear Fashion Professor,

My daughter is interested in fashion design. I already have a sewing machine. Can you recommend a couple of how-to books for beginners?

Sincerely,
Mom of Five

Dear Mom of Five,

At several Christmas parties that I managed to get invited to this has been a common question - How can I help my child, grandchild, niece/nephew, boyfriend, dog/cat learn design?

The simple answer is have them draw, read, think and sew.

You already have the machine. For those that don't have a machine, I'd suggest Amazon.com. They have a good selection of Brother machines (Wink!) with various features - read the comments carefully - both positive and negative.

A good starting book is Simply Sewing by Judy Sadler. The book introduces basic sewing techniques (hand and machine) and has directions for 12 items, including a makeup bag and a skirt made from old jeans. Also available thru Amazon.

And go from there. Helping a child or adult work thru a project can be a wonderful and rewarding experience for all involved .

Best,
Anthony