Sew Subversive is about making fashion your own, whether it's embellishing or customizing off-the-rack clothing or transforming clothes that have lost that loving feeling. The three twenty-something co-owners of Stitch Lounge, an urban sewing studio in San Francisco, teach you, in plain, fun language, how to do it, whether you're hand sewing, machine sewing, or, in a few cases, simply wielding a pair of scissors.The first three chapters lay the ground work: Hand Sewing Basics, You
Sew Subversive is about making fashion your own, whether it's embellishing or customizing off-the-rack clothing or transforming clothes that have lost that loving feeling. The three twenty-something co-owners of Stitch Lounge, an urban sewing studio in San Francisco, teach you, in plain, fun language, how to do it, whether you're hand sewing, machine sewing, or, in a few cases, simply wielding a pair of scissors.The first three chapters lay the ground work: Hand Sewing Basics, You and Your Machine, and Gearing Up, which includes Fabric 101, how to set up a sewing space, and a run-through first project on the sewing machine. Then the fun begins with Embellishing and Customizing projects, including adorning your pant legs with ribboning, turning a computer-scanned image into an iron-on that you can apply to a t-shirt or skirt, taking in a skirt, or untapering a pair of pants (the authors believe tapered pants are the devil's work). Then move onto Refashioning: The Next Life of Your Old Clothes and turn a t-shirt into a skirt, a sweater into a halter top or legwarmers, or a pair of pants into a hip belt. There are 22 projects in all, some of which only require an iron and/or pair of scissors, while others can be sewn by hand, for those readers who haven't yet made the sewing machine plunge.
^ (2012). Sew Subversive: Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista ISBN 9781561588091 (revised Jul 2025)
^Sew Subversive : Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista by Melissa Alvarado, Melissa Rannels and Hope Meng (2006, Paperback)ISBN 9781561588091 (revised Apr 2019)
^Melissa Rannels (2006). Sew Subversive: Down & Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista, Taunton Press. Amazon. ISBN 9781561588091 (revised Nov 2014)
^ALVARADO, MELISSAMENG, HOPE (2014). Sew Subversive : Down and Dirty DIY for the Fabulous Fashionista, Taunton. BiggerBooks. ISBN 9781561588091 (revised Oct 2023)
^Sew Subversive: Down And Dirty Diy For The Fabulous FashionistaIndigo. ISBN 9781561588091 (revised Jul 2016)
This is a fun and inspiring book. I noticed that some of the other reviewers thought it was too simplistic. It is true that it focuses on some of the most basic sewing techniques, including handsewing, and how you can take a minimum amount of tools and create fabulous outfits. It is for would-be sewer who is intimidated by the notions, patterns, and fabrics in the fabric store, but would love to get started on some quick, creative projects using what s/he already has. Being the daughter of an amazing se..
I was excited to see this new DIY sewing book in the new books section of the library, as I'd been eying it on-line for awile. However I was really disappointed with this book after reading it. Sew Subversive offers the beginning sewer (and I do mean complete beginner) and "Fashionista" somewhat practical advice at the beginning of the book on a number of topics including, choosing a sewing machine and how to thread it, hand-sewing, understanding fabrics, reading a pattern, organizing supplies and other nit..
This is definately for beginning or very basic seamstresses. If you like the thrift store-chic look (and I am talking thrift store- old 80's stuff and granny shoes) this is great. If you like a little more sophistication and style, probably not your best option.
