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Dana Willard
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Fabrics A to Z: The Essential Guide to Choosing and Using Fabric for Sewing Paperback – April 1, 2012

by Dana Willard (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 187 ratings
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Fabrics A to Z is the essential guide for sewists and fabric enthusiasts of all levels. This thorough resource explains the unique characteristics, strengths, and limitations of more than 100 fabrics in easy-to-understand terms, so any sewist can enter a fabric shop with confidence. From dotted swiss to silk charmeuse to faux fur, each entry includes a close-up photo of the fabric as well as an overview of its characteristics, ideal uses, and special considerations when sewing. As a bonus, the book concludes with a section on the best tools and notions to use when working with particular fibers, as well as tips on how to read patterns. The small size and flexibind format of Fabrics A to Z make it perfect for tossing into a bag when headed to the fabric store.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    224 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Stewart, Tabori and Chang
  4. Publication date
    April 1, 2012
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1584799560
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1584799566
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dana Willard is the creator of the popular blog MADE. Her patterns and designs have been featured in sewing publications such as Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause and Sew magazine, as well as on blogs and zines such as Craft, Odeedoh, Sewfearless, and Refashion. She lives in Texas. Visit her website at dana-made-it.com.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Stewart, Tabori and Chang (April 1, 2012)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1584799560
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1584799566
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 187 ratings

About the author

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Dana Willard

Dana Willard

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
187 global ratings
So helpful!
5 Stars
So helpful!
I really love this book. It’s a great resource to just have. I’m new to sewing and kept getting so lost in the fabric store trying to find the right fabrics for my projects. This book is an easy read and very informative. I love that it tells me about each fabric, how to iron or care for it, and just extra tips like if something shrinks a lot or frays a lot. It goes over the tools you will need for the fabric as well. I wish it had actual swatch’s in the book but the photos are really great.
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Top reviews from the United States

Tatiana Faria
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for basic knowledge one fabrics
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
The book is extremely easy to follow and understand! I teach a materials and textile class and it’s been great to have a place where I can find most information on different fabrics
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mysticalrising
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bang for the Buck. Lots of useful information :-)
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
So I was looking for a book that would tell me about each fabric as I am new to garment sewing. Most of the books focus on what it is made of which didn't help me determine how or what could be sewn with it. This book gives me that info in a small package that is easy to carry. This book gives a brief description of the fabric, the properties, working with the fabric ( to cut, handling for sewing, needles to use, thread, stitch length, sewing feet,interfacing or lining.), care , whether it is suited for apparel, home decor or craft. There are also hints through out the book for some of the fabrics. I think that this is the most comprehensive and user friendly fabric book out there for a good price. I have the All New Fabric Savvy as well and I prefer the Fabrics A-to-Z better. I only wish the swatches came with the book so you could feel them. I guess that I will be adding them myself.

If I could make a suggestion it would be to make it spiral bound and add fabric swatches so you can see and feel the fabric. Or make it expandable so the consumer could add swatches.
35 people found this helpful
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Julie Ann
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference, Packed with Info.
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2017
Verified Purchase
This book is small, but packed with important information. Most fabrics have one page dedicated to it, with a photo or two of the fabric. There is a short synopsis, but again full of information. No wasted words. Then she goes on to give you what I consider the most important. Properties, including drape, weight and special considerations. Then there is working with, including what type of needle to use, cutting out, thread, stitch length. Lastly there is care, including pressing and shrinkage. Each fabric has designated icons that show what the fabric can be used for. The sections are broken up in wovens, knits, blended, etc.. Lastly there is a section on notions and tools.
I have read through this book twice, and have learned a lot about fabrics, even seeing where I went wrong with past sewing disasters. It has made an excellent quick reference. It is small enough to keep by my machines. It has saved me time setting up my machines and testing on scraps, knowing what thread to use, needle, stitch, or special considerations with the fabric I am sewing. I highly recommend this book.
16 people found this helpful
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Alex Bradshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars So helpful!
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
I really love this book. It’s a great resource to just have. I’m new to sewing and kept getting so lost in the fabric store trying to find the right fabrics for my projects. This book is an easy read and very informative. I love that it tells me about each fabric, how to iron or care for it, and just extra tips like if something shrinks a lot or frays a lot. It goes over the tools you will need for the fabric as well. I wish it had actual swatch’s in the book but the photos are really great.
Customer image
Alex Bradshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars So helpful!
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
I really love this book. It’s a great resource to just have. I’m new to sewing and kept getting so lost in the fabric store trying to find the right fabrics for my projects. This book is an easy read and very informative. I love that it tells me about each fabric, how to iron or care for it, and just extra tips like if something shrinks a lot or frays a lot. It goes over the tools you will need for the fabric as well. I wish it had actual swatch’s in the book but the photos are really great.
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2 people found this helpful
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KellyBell
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, hard to read
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is very comprehensive and useful for any sewing enthusiast. I am only taking one star off for the incredibly small print. The font size goes up and down on every page, and the smaller size font is extremely small. It can be very difficult to read, especially in poor lighting. But, if you have perfect vision, it may not be a big deal for you. Other than that, the book is well-written and useful for anyone needing some education on fabric types. It covers a basic description of each fabric type with a brief description of how it's manufactured and for some fabric types, a very brief history.
One person found this helpful
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HeidiM
5.0 out of 5 stars So helpful
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2013
Verified Purchase
This book is a fabulous, valuable dictionary of fabric. Often I buy fabric online and most online retailers do not give a good description of the fabric or even the basics such as weight (e.g. light, medium). Now I just turn to my handy dandy Fabrics A-Z and look it up.

The book is broken into categories such as Wovens, Knits, and Specialties. It is further narrowed to specifics such as flannel, gauze, jersey, satin, etc. It gives a thorough description of the fabric, characteristics, properties (weave, weight, etc.), care (wash, dry clean, shrinkage), and even how to handle the fabric and which needle, thread, and stitch length work best. Also included are sewing tips where the author thought necessary.

There is a Notions and Tools section that explains the different presser feet, threads, fasteners, etc.

I had been looking for a fabric guide book for quite a while but couldn't find one that addressed the specific information helpful to use while shopping online. This book is truly the only one I need. It will make a great gift for my sewing friends!
6 people found this helpful
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Coconuttrees
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for beginner sewers
Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2019
Verified Purchase
I love this book! I'm a beginner sewer and this book walks you through the types of fabrics and their uses. Each section even includes what kind of project would be best suited for each type. It even has a section that covers notions. It is an easy read and is packed full of information. I would recommend this book for anyone who is beginning to sew and needs guidance navigating fabric choices.
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Karen G Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful, easy to read.
Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2012
Verified Purchase
I really like the information about the many types of cotton. Before reading that section of the book, I only knew about "thin and cheap" and the thicker stuff from the quilt shop. Now I know why quilting cotton isn't the best choice for making baby clothes and what kinds of cotton would be better. The color photos clearly show the fabrics.

The sections in the back that cover needles, notions, tools, etc., are very useful.

I haven't finished the book yet, but a lot of the mysteries, confusions, and gaps in knowledge have been cleared up. It is written in a concise yet friendly way and is enjoyable reading. This book is worth the money and I'm very glad I bought it.
19 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

mobc
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabrics A to Z
Reviewed in Canada on December 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
I really like this book; very informative and easy to understand. A necessary book to have in your sewing library. Thank you.
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Wendy
5.0 out of 5 stars Very very useful...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
I often use this reference book when I want to know which fabrics are suitable for a sewing project and also how to care for different fabrics. I would recommend it for anybody who gets confused about the zillions of fabrics available.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on March 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
Awesome
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Louise
5.0 out of 5 stars As an essential guide (vocabularywise) I would say it's the best I've read to date.
Reviewed in Italy on April 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
I needed the book for translation purposes. However, I dabble in sewing. I must say regardless of your knowledge in this field this book is amazing it is so well explained, the photos make the materials look real. If you were not sure about which textile to use in any particular case or its faults, which needle to use etc. It was like taking an intensive course.
I immediately advised it to my students who do Fashion design. To be perfectly honest I would advise it to people who buy clothes on line so they know exactly what they are getting and if the right material had been used.
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Eric Dodémont
4.0 out of 5 stars Ah finally!
Reviewed in France on February 14, 2014
Verified Purchase
Ah finally received it. It is indeed a good reference book but it would be nice if it's real fabrics because it makes a difference if its felt and not just seen on photos. I will always bring it with me whenever I'm on my trip to fabric store.
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