The Sewing Machine Accessory Bible: Get the Most Out of Your Machine---From Using Basic Feet to Mastering Specialty Feet

Well, where do I begin... First, let me start off by introducing myself as a novice in the world of sewing. I am however, somewhat familiar with operating a sewing machine. I did grow up with two generations of women who knew how to skillfuly work a sewing machine, and my grandmother mastered her's quite impressively... and I loved to observe! I have owned my own machine since I was 20, however the amount of time spent sewing with that machine, probably less than 20 hours! Now that I am 40 "something" with an inherited amount of patience and time, I have sparked an interest in sewing again. You Tube videos, I must say, are great when it comes to sewing tutorials. But, I mostly needed a guide, or reference to refer to when it came down to understanding the features of my machine, and how they could work for me relating to a particular project. Or, something that I could refer to which details and explains the various types of fabric, needles and thread used with a machine. And all those feet! How, when and for what purposes when using them all? Buttons and zippers, and all those fancy techniques! Well let me tell you... This book is called the 'Sewing Machine Accessory Bible' for a reason! A definite must-have for anyone who sews, beginner or advanced. This is a beautifully illustrated and detailed book of reference. As far as I can tell, this book pretty much covers it all, and clearly. As far as covering basic feet and specialty feet of the machine, it not only discusses the typical use for that particular foot, but also details other stitches or tasks that can be performed using that foot. This book covers so much! From getting acquainted with the anatomy of your machine, to essential must-have tools, thread types, needle & Fabric directory, zippers, buttons, hemming, beading, appliqué, piping, darning/embroidery, quilting, and many, many other specialty foot procedures. Offers a buyers guide covering basic to high-end machines, to specialty machines. Covers sergers briefly. Even includes a trouble shooting section. This book is truly impressive! A much appreciated sewing machine asset tool!

Great book for a beginner sewist. Tells you all the tools and ideas you need.

I purchased this book the other day and am very pleased that I did. It is certainly a book to keep near your sewing machine, especially if you have a Janome sewing machine. Most of the illustrations feature Janome presser feet which is a rarity to see in sewing books. Other brands of machine feet are also shown so you don't have to be afraid that the book won't be of help to you. This book is very well set up with Chapter 1 on sewing essentials including anatomy of a sewing machine and the different notions and gadgets now available to help you achieve sewing success. Chapter 2 presents Basic feet with pictures of each foot being discussed, ideas for at least 6 sewing techniques that the foot can do and step by step instructions on the basic use of the foot. Each different foot section is 2-3 pages long in full color with pictures that are large enough to follow techniques. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 are set up the same way only they deal with Specialty fabric and technique feet, Pretty edges and Fancy Stitching. The last chapter of the book is a buying guide for machines. Chapters 2-5 are the meat of the book and show many excellent ways to achieve different looks. If you don't have one type foot, you might find that you do have one that can mimic the same thing. You also might find that you will see feet that you want to put on your wish list or go buy immediately, as they will solve a particular sewing difficulty that you might have. I know I saw several feet that are on my wish list and seeing what they do and how they work helps me to know if they is something I really want. Some presser feet can be pricey so you want to be sure they are what you need to purchase. I have many sewing books and this one is the best for discussion of sewing feet attachments. This book is a keeper. For logical set up, great pictures, and thoroughness, this book gets five stars from me.

OK and useful but not spectacular. For example, I would have used two different colors of fabric and a contrasting thread in illustrations of seams.

I purchased this book not only for myself but also for my granddaughters to use. They are learning to sew and I am gifting them with a really nice machine. This book will give them some help in understanding the variety of feet not only that came with the machine but also with those that are available to buy for it. I have read some of the reviews from people saying that this book is too basic for the seasoned sewer. Although I have sewn for fifty years there are many years that I did not sew at all and most of the sewing I do is very basic, like curtains and children's clothes. I am hardly a seamstress or tailor so I do find this book very helpful. I did take lessons when I purchased my second machine, but the store has moved and it is more inconvenient for me to take more now. So every little bit of extra knowledge I can gain from books is valuable to me and this book has filled that need. When I was attending classes I purchased so many feet and then never used them. This is an incentive to delve in to their usage again. So for a beginner and those needing a refresher I recommend this book.

The manual for my new SINGER heavy-duty sewing machine shows a lot of optional accessories (mostly presser feet) that I didn't know how to use. (My old faithful Singer "Touch and Sew" machine does straight stitching and buttonholes, but little else.) This book, THE SEWING MACHINE ACCESSORY BIBLE, is exactly what I needed to get up to speed with using various standard and specialty presser feet on a modern zigzag machine. The book has large, clear photographs of each type of foot, making it easy to identify the feet that come in inexpensive standard sets (e.g., Low Shank 11 Piece Snap-on Foot kit ). (My sewing machine manual has small line drawings of the accessory feet that make most of the feet look alike.) The book also is helping me decide which of the available specialty feet I need--or just want to own. What is particularly nice, is that for each type of presser foot, there is a short step-by-step photo essay that shows how to sew with the foot. There is also an explanation of what the foot looks like (in addition to the photo), an explanation of what the foot does, and lots of helpful suggestions and tips for using the particular foot to best advantage. For example, the book suggests using a ruffle foot to ruffle a ribbon, insert a ruffled strip, add a frill, make gathered or tucked skirt tiers, make a lacy edge, or gather veiling. The suggestions are all illustrated with photos that show what can be accomplished. This book also has a Buyer's Guide that tells you what sort of machine you will need for sewing the various kinds of things you want to sew. It compares several starter, mid-range, top-end, and specialist machines (Bernina, Brother, Husqvarna, Janome--but no Singer models). This is exactly the book that I needed, as a relatively experienced seamstress, to quickly find out how to use specialized presser feet to get the best performance from my new sewing machine.

Are you reading reviews to see if this book is any good? I have news for you. It’s fantastic. I collect reference books because I love information. I love machines and I love sewing. Any task you struggle with on your machine, there’s a specialty foot for that. The tedium of tiny hems, sewing curves, attaching elastic... the list goes on and on, there’s a tool to do it better. I bought a Chinese made 62 foot collection and wanted this book to make real sense of it. Good thing, because the foot collection came with zero instructions, just a roster with a couple oddly translated names. I can’t be mad. It was an excellent value. This book really helped with that. It has information about needles, fabric types, what needle to use for what weight... It doesn’t teach you how to sew. It just shows you the tool to use to do that one thing better. What a great book to have in my collection!

Every nice. Good and nice pictures, Great price.