Before you read another word (be warned there are many), please be aware that my review is very subjective. Many rave about the book I'm so critical of but I've tried to explain my reactions. I totally accept that you may think I'm entirely wrong based on your own experience.
Similarly, I may sound like a fangirl for the other but hopefully my reasons are equally clear. If not, please feel free to express other opinions (hopefully not about my needle obsession).
As I've virtually written a novel here (far better read on a tablet or laptop than a phone), I'm starting with a somewhat briefer summary so you can get the gist and ignore the rest unless you're really wanting the nitty gritty low-down.
Where are all the promised photos? Actually I've been able to link to their own web images showing the garment or feature that I'm describing.
1.
Sew your own Activewear by Melissa Fehr - a keen runner who started sewing and running in 2001 and soon determined to learn how to make her own activewear then went on to blog about it (Fehrtrade). She has a Facebook group and learned to draft her own patterns. In 2013 she released her first pdf activewear patterns. She also launched a Craftsy class last year, now Bluprint. Here's a
video she made for that telling you a bit more about herself.
13 patterns can be made from the instructions in this book but they are such a controlling factor that there isn't much room for detailed information on activewear fabrics, sewing techniques and other vital information that can make such a huge difference in finish and fit. The headings are in there but not with a lot of information, some of which (such as needles) is more recounting her experience rather than actually explaining why specific needles do a particular job with certain fabrics.
As a result of these limitations, anyone without a basic understanding of patterns is likely to find several aspects challenging. The paper blocks (in 6 sizes) included in the book are just a starting point for the patterns. A fair amount of further drafting and manipulation of the blocks is required to create each pattern. Detailed instructions are provided but no hand-holding. I do wonder how well the book was tested in regard to the helpfulness of the instructions. Naturally many of the construction details are repeated in different patterns but you don't get a page number to refer to the original full description, just the name of the section. The first example I dipped into to check this out was one of the early patterns and even that required you to search back 21 pages to find the information.
You could really do to have some experience of sewing stretch fabrics too as there are similar shortfalls in describing how stretch impacts on the patterns. Not much advice is offered on how to cope with variations between the stretch factors quoted and the fabrics that the sewer may have available to buy. There's a very brief mention of ease but finished garment sizes are quoted.
The styles are varied but there's no swimming costume or insulated jacket. The jogging pants look like something from the 80s to me but then again what do I know - I'm a grandma.
With so many more well drafted commercial patterns for activewear being available now than there were in 2013, when she started drafting her own, I have to wonder about the merits of putting in this amount of work when the outcome may not be as good.
To assess that, now is the time to pop down to one of the purple headings below specifically...AND THE FINISHED GARMENTS? (just above the image) for details of some of the reasons that led me not to make up any of these patterns. Then return here for the shorter summary of Johanna's book.
2.
Sewing Activewear by Johanna Lundström - a Swedish sewing and fitness fan (and another runner) who has been sewing since her youth and later extended that to include activewear. Also a blogger with a thriving YouTube channel (Last Stitch) and monthly live videos responding to live chat and questions from her viewers (while sharing their tips and experience too). Her ethos is definitely sharing knowledge in both directions and it's not exclusively activewear. She has a new book coming out this week on coverstitching. The activewear book bodes well for that one too. I should declare I'm a subscriber to her YT channel and member of her facebook group.
Johanna's Last Stitch YouTube channel.
Johanna's book contains no patterns so it's just choc full of
useful information. 16 different categories of activewear fabrics are described, plus aspects of stretch, weights, fibres as well as health and environment. Useful stitches using a sewing machine, overlock and covertitch are listed in an easy to follow chart, with descriptions of what they do and when they're used. Later in the book some of them are covered in detailed stages with suggestions for creating a sewing machine version of overlocker and coversititch stitches.
Needles are explained as are thread, notions and elastics (the techniques of applying clear elastics & fold-over elastic are explained in step-by-step pictures). The step-by-step detail of the projects section equips you to add extra design features to your patterns for extra functionality as well as the ability to pick and mix your binding, ribbing and waistband options.
If your brain gets a bit addled from time to time you can have a change of concentration and read the interesting interviews with other makers of activewear and my favourite pattern brand - Jalie Patterns.
The most obvious conclusion from all of this is - if you're not pretty used to sewing with patterns and confident to do some basic pattern drafting yourself, then the first book is not the one for you. You'll be much better off buying a commercial pattern and using Johanna's book. Read it to explain the techniques before you encounter them and then keep it at your side to guide you through each stage of the making.
There again, if you do have some experience in all that and want more in-depth information to improve your understanding and garment finish...I'd suggest the same applies.
If you want more detail on the hits and misses of these books venture onwards.
1.
SEW YOUR OWN ACTIVEWEAR: by MELISSA FEHR published early 2018 (bought a few months later).
Patterns and instructions to make 13 different activewear garments, which are described here as sportswear (mentioned as being suitable for running, yoga, horse-riding and cycling) but sadly it doesn't includes designs for dancers, skaters, swimmers or gymnasts. That's not her field of activewear of course but a basic leotard might have been achievable and would have fitted into the collection very well.
Sizes range from (bust/waist/hips)
XXS - 84/63/90 to
XL - 114/93/122. Adult women only but she points out that anyone with their own basic block for a man, child or someone outside those sizes could use her instructions to create these activewear designs to fit those people.
APPEARANCE, LAYOUT & CONTENTThe book has a lovely silky smooth cover and the paper has a nice coated finish with some big colour photos used to separate sections and start each new pattern. The graphic design is very sharp and clean which sounds lovely but I felt that the constraints of the layout has determined the content too often rather than the other way around, sadly much to the detriment of the book in my opinion. The text and diagrams are small with certain parts quite faint and surrounded by pristine white space so there's no allowance for imposing lots of tips and hints into floating boxes to attract attention to the useful snippets of info that might be helpful at that stage. There are a few all caps helpful hints in grey boxes but they're few and far between. It feels more like a text book than a step-by-step guide for learning to sew your own activewear (i.e. home sewers of varied experience and skill levels).
The first section of the book focusses on information on fabrics and sewing techniques. The basic headers are there but on average with only two paragraphs underneath each one it's often just a description that cam be very skimpy on practical and technical detail. The stitch samples are surprisingly wobbly in execution while photos linked to specific topics really don't help that much, often being tiny and unclear. The photograph illustrating a reference to reverse coverstitch just shows the inside of a garment (not actually the use of reverse coverstitch) and is so fuzzy that the stitch construction wasn't visible to me even with a magnifying glass.
Wondering about coverstitch? The two sentences on coverstitch machines don't really give the reader any clear idea of the merit in getting a coverstitch or what function it serves for activewear other than hemming. It does say you're lucky if you happen to have one.
There's worse to come. The topic of needles is incredibly poorly dealt with despite their particular importance for strech fabrics (and particularly in coverstitch machines). A few needle types are mentioned (universal, ballpoint and stretch) but not their characteristics, what sizes to choose or how they work for activewear fabrics (other than skipping stitches when they need changing). The superstretch needle doesn't get a look-in although it's wonderful for Meryl which doesn't get a mention in the fabrics section either. There's no explanation of the different needles used by some overlockers and coverstitch machines, nor even the standard advice to refer to machine manuals for specific requirements for individual machines.
If you're new to activewear, you'd benefit from much better detail than you'll find in here. I'm not sure who its audience is. This isn't a book for beginners nor for those with more experience looking for in-depth information to improve of the quality of their activewear sewing. I could cite so many more examples, but I'll spare you. Hopefully those examples give enough clues.
...ON TO THE PATTERNS...The patterns are prefaced by an explanation of how to use the book. Next come details of sports specific design considerations which points out aspects of activewear that may require different fit, fabric and mobility features in the design. These are certainly worth reading as reminders if nothing else. The only photos in the remainder of the book are a full page picture of the finished garment grouped with some cropped details at the start of each pattern.
The basic blocks have two levels of fit: close fit and relaxed fit. From these blocks 13 garments are created in the form of T-shirt, crop top, vest, rashguard, split shorts, leggings and exercise pants, cycle shorts, jacket, hoodie, warm bottoms, warm long-sleeve top. The lightweight fleece jacket has no hood, the hoodie has a full length zip but is probably more fashion wear imo.
The instructions begin by telling you how to amend the relevant basic block to create the pattern. The sewer traces a copy of the block then redraws necklines, collars, armholes, sleeves etc and creating colour blocked areas (some of the curves will be a challenge for anyone new to it). No tips on sewing convex curves to concave ones that I noticed. The addition of princess seams is also required for some patterns. SEAM ALLOWANCES, NOTCHES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL MARKS must be added by the reader. Some are pretty simple, others are less so, for example amending the yoga bottoms to include a self drawn gusset.
Credit to Melissa though - she provides instructions on drafting an underarm gusset that's grown on to a sleeve pattern. Now that is definitely very useful for dancewear but I've not tried the method of drafting she describes. I will do at some point.
She also suggests common fitting adjustments to the patterns for different body shapes. For tops: broad/narrow back; square/sloping shoulders; FBS/SBS; long/short torso; large/small biceps. For bottoms: crotch too short/long; sway back; flat/full bum; full tummy/thighs; thin thighs; full calves and lengthen/shorten.
The construction details are adequate but could have been so much more user-friendly with some well chosen photos. Fabric quantities are provided and a minimum stretch value is stated but the close fit garments are designed for a minimum of 50% stretch and as many of the stretchy technical fabrics I've used and looked at have 75% to 100% stretch, the garments made with those will look too big and loose. I didn't spot any advice on how to compensate for that difference in stretch.
AND THE FINISHED GARMENTS?In the end I chose to buy commercial patterns from a company I had already had good results with (Jalie Patterns) and applied the sewing techniques I'd gained from all that dancewear sewing. As a result, we have no choice but to look more closely at the pictures of the ones she made herself. Hmmm...actually, that's the main reason I went to Jalie.
Judge for yourself.
The first image in the book with its concertina sleeves and hulking shoulder seams wasn't encouraging. At least the shoulder length seemed to have been resolved in a later photograph, if not the sleeves.
Other red flags include:
an armscye far too highdiagonal pull lines below the bust with a V-neckband lifting off the shouldersan interesting off-centre zip design marred by the opening of the attached hood (never going to stay up outdoors either)more than one round neckband falling forwards (90% reduction for a neckband on these garments is inadequate and it's too deep for this fabric and technique).
Add all this to a smattering of just too many garments that seemed too tight/too loose that convinced me (rightly or wrongly) this wasn't a good advert for the quality of the drafting, construction and fitting advice. There are some good design features that look so promising in the line drawings but the damage was done.
(If you've been reading the slightly shorter version, time to pop back up again.)SEWING ACTIVEWEAR by JOHANNA LUNDSTRÖM published about a year ago, bought by me a week ago (already well thumbed through for this).
Johanna takes a very different approach. Matt uncoated paper packed with as much information as she imagined the reader might possibly find of practical help. Photos, tables, charts and clear explanations with step-by-step descriptions and yet more photos are used to make it as detailed as possible. It's not going to win any design awards on the basis of its aesthetic sophistication but it's bright, lively and engaging in the subject. It handles the sheer amount of information it can impart in bite-size pieces with aplomb. It's so very functional and easy to read with good size print and clear photographs that aid understanding - this a perfect approach for the job in hand.
Her decision not to include patterns gives this book so many advantages. No pitfalls from the complexity of amending and fitting patterns and most of all leaving a whole book to fill with useful information to improve the readers knowledge of activewear sewing, give them in-depth details on techniques and design features that they can add to any commercial pattern they choose to buy.
In addition to instruction, there are interesting interviews (Jalie Patterns is the first one in the book - clever thinking!) which also include other makers of their own activewear and indeed Melissa Fehr herself. Yet again there's no examples of garments for dance, skating, gymnastics etc but one of the interviews does include a multisport fan who also loves dance. Many of the sewing techniques and technical info are useful for us dancey folk too, it's just not noted in the text.
There's also a bit of useful drafting information too. She talks about adding crotch gussets to leggings and gives clear instructions on drafting and installing a triangle and oval crotch gusset (and amending the leggings crotch to accommodate them).
There are examples of all the useful machine stitches and I'll just pick out a couple of examples of elements that I criticised above to illustrate the contrast. Her four pages on coverstitch include a description of its application for activewear (including that of chain stitch) and more detailed information on using the right needles, threading, the necessity of sample tests, how to start & finish, coverstitch techniques and tips for going over bulky seams.
Although I've belaboured the advantage of not having any patterns in the book in fact there are a number of projects that can be applied to commercial patterns as extra elements for added functionality or alternative features. Some that I thought would be useful for me in making more activewear for my DGD are:
○ 3 types of pockets: a card pocket, a waistband pocket and zipped pocket
○ strings and ties
○ sleeves with thumbholes.
Are there any errors or omissions? Well... I'll start by saying her needle information is vastly more inclusive and detailed discussing sizes, types & characteristics, covering the different types for overlock and coverstitch (superstretch too) as well as microtex for the woven technical fabrics (those can be found in a good roundup of activewear fabrics early on it the book). She also makes it clear that sewers should look at the needle recommendations in machine manuals. Merit point for that.
However, I did spot an error with regard to stretch & ballpoint needles.!!!!!! It says that ballpoint needles are often labelled as stretch (no, they're often labelled as jersey) and there's further confusion suggesting that jersey needles have a different design of scarf and size of eye to stretch when it should really say that stretch needles have a different design of scarf and eye size to universal, ballpoint and jersey (which all have the standard scarf design and eye size). The elements are correct just wrongly attributed and could have happened in the editing of a complex sentence - but it's an error.
Anything missing? The only thing I spotted that might have completed her impressively comprehensive guide to stitches (including detailed instructions on both flatlock and faux flatlock) was the use of embroidery stitches for faux reverse coverstitch (the honeycomb stitch particularly). That's a small detail but I've been picky with Melissa so it's only fair. Nothing on sewing open ended zips or zips in seams, definitely a technique that needs to be mastered with stretchy spandex. Zipped pockets do feature.
Perhaps dancewear etc is something both Melissa and Johanna simply view as outside their area of expertise but I might make an overture to Johanna for a future feature or discussion of shared techniques on her blog and YouTube channel. Here is a promotional
video that she made for this book which gives you a look at the style and content. You can see a moving display of the pages in the book
here.
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