Draping: The Complete Course

I was so excited to receive this book in the mail today. This is a tentative review because I have yet to read the whole book. So far, I am impressed! From the quality of the material this book is literally made from (the pages are very thick) to the gorgeous photographs to the depth of information, I was wonderfully surprised. I also own Draping for Apparel design by Helen Joseph-Armstrong. I was hesitant in ordering this book because I owned that one; however, this book is way more up to date. From the colored step-by-step photos to the DVD included, it does not miss a thing. Unlike most sewing books, which are fashionably outdated, this book have pictures of celebrities from this decade rather than the 80s. You have pictures of Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Palthrow. Perhaps I am very ciritical but I have no need in making 80s style jackets with the big shoulder pads. yuck. I love how it references draping in Haute Couture... eg Dolce and Gabanna & Oscar de la Renta..the best part is that all the projects are iconic pieces: from Audrey Hepburns famous black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's to Jackie O's pink suit. Love love love While The Draping for Apparel Design has a wide range of designs, this one breaks everything down from basic, intermediate and advanced. Most sewing books are like reference dictionaries but this book is structured like an interactive course, where the information build on top of each other from section to section. I am very excited to put this book to practice... and I will get back to update this review soon! Update criticisms 10/4/13 : This book is a lot of fun bc it is filled with historical facts and trivia. I love this aspect of the book. It definitely make you appreciate the process of draping a lot more. After watching all the videos, I've decided they are very detailed and informative; however, I wish there were more on the truing process. One thing I didn't like was how it does not provide one dimensional diagrams showing how the fabric was cut after the draping process. You see this in the Apparel for Designers book, and although this is more of a pattern making rather than a draping process , I still believe it would have been helpful for your typical novice. Another issue with the book is that it does not tell you how to measure an individual's body measurement. It also assumes you know basic terminologies such as the Center Front. The Draping for Apparel Design very clearly breaks down these measurements and defines these terminologies that are commonly used in draping : ex bust arc, hip arc, crotch depth etc. these measurements are crucial to the truing process. So for this reason, I think it would be nice for a beginner to also get the Draping for Design Apparel as a reference book. Finally, I've.also noticed that this book lack instructions on how to adjust for a perfect fitting. It does not show you how to tell if a fitting is too tight or baggy. I wish they had touched on that. Update: 10-17-13 The more I read this the more I love it. The author isnt just skilled at draping but very fashion forward, I love the section on the bustier. Whenever I think of making a corset, two images come to mind Madonnas crazy suit and Scarlette O'hara. So guess what you have a pic of the scene of Vivienne Leigh from the movie and Madonna in concert. This section on the bustier talks about cup sizing to type of fabric. Even my book on beginner's corset doesn't talk about the details highlighted in this one section.

If only all textbooks were this precise in the instructions. If you are thinking about fashion school this is a must! It covers how to drape and create a rough draft like all the fashion houses. All the photos are high quality with clear directions, with only a few line drawings. Versace, Hollywood icons and vintage costume styles shown. If you were looking for a book on corsets and crinolines but could not afford the expensive ones, this one is awesome. If you have ever wondered how did a designer take the idea and turn it into a real garment, this book shows you the draping techniques to achieve the pattern. This book however does not cover sewing techniques, but considering you learn how to make the pattern for anything your imagination can dream up, I love this book! Basically with this book you can create anything from a prom gown, wedding gown, Victorian, corsets, basic skirts, blouses, jackets, pants, you name it. Even better, it comes a with dvd with lessons, and if you're like me sometimes it's better to see a video than simple line drawings. It is worth every penny.

This is the first book on draping that I've read that explains how to drape knits and how to improvise with the technique. This alone is a reason for buying it. The book is organized by projects, so you learn draping by doing it, starting with a very simple garment, and ending with a very complex dress. There is no superfluous information, so the book is very easy to read. You can also review it very easily, because there are a lot of step-by-step pictures. In the DVD, the author shows how to do the essential draping techniques. This book is the easiest draping book I've ever read, and also the most interesting one. You won't find all the variations on collars, sleeves and skirts, but you'll learn how to drape a lot of fabrics and types of garments. And after you read this, you can figure the variations out by yourself. I highly recommend this.

Hi, First let me explain quickly what I was looking for in this book. I was a student in patterndrafting and draping in France. Unfortunately, draping was kind of a weak spot for me so I was looking for a book I could follow and that would help me build a bit more confidence and knowledge. OK, now, what about the book? First: the quality is there... pretty book on stiff paper with good photo quality and quite clear diagrams... Yayyyy!!! I really love the fact that Karolyn comes to the draping of bustier pretty soon in the chapters (even though I'm not the ultimate bustier fan ;-) )... I think it's a good way to show learners that pretty stuffs can be achieved even at the beginning. She also gives very short tips all along the books that helped me to get focused on the actual fitting rather than... I don't know... matching temporary lines for example (that can be very distracting when you try to match everything instead of focusing on the fit and grain). As in all other draping book I've found the ease (for a jacket or not close-fitting garments) is not discussed in the depth... But I guess it's a real challenge to try and explain it in a text... Anyway, she made a few comments about it so I hope you'll be better at ease controlling than me (I'm quite desperate with ease, whatever the method, whatever the garment ahah). Good point : the variety of styles. You'll have very classical.vintage styles opposed to modern ones. And, no matter if you like the garments you see in the book, you'll learn the techniques and be able to apply them to the garment of your choice. If I'm being honest I have to say I was quite disappointed on the final projects pictures, the step by step methods explained are in my opinion very good, but the final garments have a lot of defects on them (especially for the smoothness of collars... They tend to break somewhere between front and back instead of turning in a nice curve...) I really think it would be worth re-doing these pictures for a next edition since it gives a false impression of bad technical skills... A very big "thank you" because she explained in a very simple diagram the difference between armholes and sleeve caps for loose and close fitting sleeves. Regarding the included DVD... I was unable to read it on my macintosh but it was ok with my PC... It covers from the basics to the advanced stuff, I hope you'll find it as helpful as I did. I won't comment the pants part since I don't have a legged dressform at my place... But still, it's nice to have a chapter covering pants. I'll end my comment by saying... If you're interested in draping, whether you are a beginner or a more advanced student...Just buy it... It's not that expensive for a technical book and the content and quality are good. P.s. : Sorry if I made mistakes... Non-english speaker here.

Every since I bought it, I bring it with me as many places that I can. One of the few text books that offers draping instructions (through a project) on garments with understructures, and how to quickly mimic that understructure. Also advanced coat techniques. I looked for this and hadn't found it in any other books. The directions can be brief - not an inexperienced draper's book. But if you're looking for advanced techniques, then go for it!! You won't regret it! Also, the beginning has some really great practical advice about considerations of different fabric weights that I haven't found in other books.

I am learning how to drape on my own without formal classes. Although I have not yet tried any of the projects, I find the reading very easy to understand. The book is full of pictures which help out a lot and there is also a DVD with live video. Amazon's price was the lowest price I could find so it was really a steal for me. It arrived as promised and in brand new condition. I look forward to working with this book.

Awesome book! I am a home sewer, and I wanted to learn how to make my own designs, so I don't have to try to change around commercial patterns. I read through the book and was impressed by the clear instruction. Then I watched the DVD. WOW! It is broken down in to small chapters, so it is easy to find which video you want to see. The instructor clearly explains what to do and why. I would definitely recommend this to others.

I love this book! It’s big and beautiful! It’s very interesting with garment history, lots of how-to photos and just full of instructions and information. It’s a wonderful asset to my sewing book library. This one book replaces several other books. I’m very glad to have it. It’s worth the money spent.

This book is fantastic. It takes you through draping the most basic bodice blocks to incredibly complicated things. Grab a bolt of calico or muslin and just work your way through it. It gives you the methods to achieve something, then gives you a test on it with a practical garment you've seen on a red carpet or similar. Incredibly useful. Anyone starting out in draping needs this book. I've been draping for about ten years now, and even I still use it as a reference, and as a grounding tool when I find I'm glossing over things I already know and making mistakes. Buy it.

OH MY!, this text book is by far the best, most comprehensive draping book I have seen. The photographs are clear and show the focal points that the descriptions are sometimes not even needed. The DVD video, that comes with this book, I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! I've watched them over and over since I received the book yesterday. They give me the confidence I need to do this. Karolyn does a great job of explaining the process in each video. THANK YOU KAROLYN KIISEL!

Essa versão do eBook não vem com o link dos vídeos. Mas o livro em si é MARAVILHOSOOOOOO

Best book for learning draping, I'll know because I own a few.. Practice makes you perfect, but the instructions in text and the DVD is extremely helpful in understanding the intricacies and concepts. The book is also beautiful, almost like a coffee table book, the designs are quite contemporary compared to other books on draping. The author should come out with a PART 2 or sequels dealing with newer styles and modern ideas. The real test is accomplishing results on drape fabrics like chiffon and crepe, not muslin or calico. That's when it gets tricky, the author should do a section on handling that and silk for silk blouses or taffeta skirts. The REAL DEAL.

Great book to introduce oneself to draping. I bought it for school since my class ended up not having an assigned draping textbook. My classmates saw it and then proceeded to borrow mine or buy their own copies. Essential addition to the designer's library.