Not Your Grandma's Sewing Guide

Sewing is one of my new pandemic hobbies, along with crochet. I ordered this book along with a couple of other beginning/intermediate sewing guides. I received this book today and have already read 75%. I had no clue regarding the profanity laced pages until I randomly opened the book to the section of using your sewing machine. My jaw dropped when I read the chapter title. I had to double check to see if my eyes were deceiving me, afterall, this is ragweed season and my eyes can get blurry vision. After confirming my reading skills were still intact, I laughed until tears ran down my face! I am a retired nurse anesthetist and quite familiar with colorful "sentence enhancers" not only from working in the OR but from my own thoughts when things are headed south in a high stress job. So if cursing bothers you, don't buy this book. But if you are looking for insightful, to the point, helpful information on sewing and enjoy a good laugh, (and I mean hilarious), then absolutely purchase this book! By far, by VERY FAR, it's my favorite. I haven't laughed this hard in so very long! It's like Kaitlyn Dornbier, the author, read my mind! Very validating, and encouraging for my new hobby. Perfection is overrated and I love how Kaitlyn helped me to laugh at my mistakes. Perseverence and acceptance of imperfection are the key to learning any new skill. If it was easy, everyone would be sewing. As Kaitlyn states, there are many many ways to approach and conquer any project, just get on with it and enjoy the journey! Thank you Kaitlyn for writing such a unique sewing help book and I deeply appreciate the blatant honesty of your words, all of them. Not a book for youngsters or the prim and proper. A fantastic and refreshing book for those of us who find humor in colorful sentence enhancers and love a good laugh while learning. To top it all off, on page 93, is a brief accounting of your accomplishments and interests. A software engineer and dog enthusiast shows your obvious intellect and caring heart, plus your picture is adorable. The self deprecating humor was an exact description of my life outside of anesthesia. I don't know what I'm doing in my hobbies either, but I'm enjoying the trip! I love to learn new things. Thank you for such a fun and informative sewing book! I will buy any other books you write. How about the subject of knitting or crocheting? Just tossing it out there!

As someone who has wanted to get into sewing but had no idea where to start or what to do, this book is a life saver. It gives you all the 101's and cuts all the crap you don't need. Kaitlyn prepares you for all the mess ups and gives you easy to over come them with expletives and humor. The book itself is also just plain hilarious and the language just makes you laugh and reinforces that you can do this. Because it can be hard for me to find what I want, this book is helping me make clothes that fit and are exactly what I want. If you've ever thought about sewing this book is a MUST!!!!

This book was amazing!! I was reliving all the frustration I had when first learning to sew. The fact that she lays it out there and just says what she is feeling made it such an easy read I can’t wait to see what her next adventure might be. Great job on not only an educational learning how to book but keeping me entertained again. Looks like I may start sewing again!!

This book is hilarious, and has quite a bit of attitude. While most of the sewing tips and instructions are quite good for beginners a few are lacking in proper instruction. (I have been sewing for over 20 years) This book is a good guide to basic sewing skills aimed at clueless newbies. There are no specific projects in this book. If you are intermediate to advanced in skill, you won't learn much - but the book is quite funny in it's attitude and approach. It does have alot of swearing, but there is a cleaner version for younger purer folks.

It's very casually written. Yet it does get right to the point. Straightforward. Solid information. Its funny cz my mom and I sew separately together. I know she will get as much if not more out of this book. My bobbin ran out@2months ago n n I havent sewn since. Plan on using this book as reference for short cuts n general know how.Thank you!!

Kaitlyn Dornbier’s Not Your Grandma’s Sewing Guide is so much more than a sewing guide. Reading through the pages makes it feel like you have your best friend beside you laughing about (or cursing about) all the struggles that every new seamstress faces. I never knew learning to sew could be so fun! Her illustrations and explanations are very clear and easy to follow even this less-than-stellar-crafter could figure it out. Kaitlyn is one talented gal, a serious jack of all trades. After looking her up on etsy, she made a custom painting for me, as well!

As mentioned in other reviews, there is quite a bit of profanity but it makes it relatable! You cant tell me you've never muttered a few curse words when a zipper doesnt go right of have to rip a seam. It's easy to follow and makes sewing garments seem way easier than I ever thought they would be. I'll be getting ordering one for a friend who recently also picked up sewing!

this is a really funny and casual (read: lazy) approach to sewing. I liked it for readability and visuals, but it did not go in depth enough about the information I found most important. I learned about different sewing terminology, and different types of seams and seam finishes, but what I wanted to know most was about hemming and alterations- which this guide only spoke about for half a page. There was a large section dedicated to pattern making, which I feel is more for intermediate sewing. I read it all in about 20 minutes. I will reference it from time to time, but you are better off using YouTube to learn.