Downtowndiy Sewing: 15 Easy Designs for City Girls With Style

Paris! London! New York! Every hipsterette wants to look like she belongs in a glamorous city. And now, with downtownDIY Sewing, a trip to the bank can be just like a trip to the Left Bank. Buying the Times can be like strolling the Thames. And even a day that’s so-so can be so, so Soho. This kicky crafts book brings a new, fresh look to sewing, with 15 patterns easy enough for beginners--and sophisticated enough to appeal to them, too. For twentysomethings, it’s like stumbling into the best vintage boutique ever. Is it all a dream? No! With simple cutting and step-by-step instructions, the book guides sewers through basic techniques. The projects include a party top, a wrap skirt, an mp3 cover, and more, so much more. And at just $11.95, even starving artists can afford their own copy.

Alice Chadwick is the author of downtownDIY Knitting and downtownDIY Crochet, both from Watson-Guptill. An award-winning artist and designer, Alice studied fine art in Italy and England. She lives in London.

Leanne Finn-Davis has worked as a pattern cutter for some of London’s most intriguing designers, including Hussein Chalayan, Britain’s Designer of the Year for 1999 and 2000. She lives in London.