Sewing with African Wax Print Fabric: 25 vibrant projects for handmade clothes and accessories

Bought some material to make the patterns not tried yet but seems good value

Love the variety of patterns and clear instructions.

I enjoyed sitting with a brew & exploring it's pages when it first arrived. The best thing about African Wax Print fabric are the big, bold patterns but in a way that also means many commercial patterns, both indie & mainstream, are unsuitable because the smaller panels cut into the patterns too much making the outcome quite jarring. That, is where this book comes in.... These patterns play to the strengths of African wax prints, simple shapes designed to show the fabric off at it's very best. And the patterns aren't boxy, boring items of clothing. I knew the first pattern I would make up straight away, the circle skirt & I had the perfect fabric in my stash. I've now worn it for 5 days straight, I love it that much!! All the patterns are printed on A0 paper with pattern pieces for each garment printed in different colours for ease of use ready for you to trace out & you're good to go...I eat, sleep & breathe sewing so didn't do more than quickly scan the instructions but I do think this book is for beginners & the more seasoned dressmakers alike. It's well written & photographedDown sides?Well, this isn't a massive downside depending on your outlook... It might be argued that the patterns toward the back of the books are things that someone with a bit of experience could do without the patterns/intructions in the book, self drafting for free... There inclusion is absolutely brilliant for beginners though many of them are easily downloaded from various blogsites on internet for free quite readily. But, they're here, in the book, all in one place & the work has been done for you - might be cool, might be filler... Just depends on your outlook!!By far the biggest issue for me is that there are no body measurements that correspond to the sizes anywhere in the book, so you have no way of knowing what size you need to trace out, other than physically measuring each pattern piece, not very beginner friendly! BUT... I asked out on social media & the author popped up to say that the 2nd edition would include the body measurements table and for anyone who has the 1st edition, go to her Dovetailed website, click the "books" tab and open the listing for this book & the missing table can be found there.That's actually it. I really like this book, yes it contains things that, if experienced, you can work out without a pattern, make up bag, headband, facemask, etc. But the work has all been done for you & they're handy things to have in the arsenal. And the missing measurements table is a bit of a problem but I still really like this book & will be returning to make pretty much all the garments in this book & a load more circle skirts (with matching facemask, obvs!). It has it's issues but who doesn't these day, right? Buy it, it's smashing!

Great book with patterns to try.

Great book with different pattern styles looking forward to starting - thank you for providing instructions. Perhaps there could be a line added to the selling information about people buying tracing paper so they do it at the same time as opposed to having to go out again to get it. If its clearly laid out for buyers that would be very helpful - attach it to your book. Thank you

Lots of simple patterns all in one place. Great selection of sizes. Highly recommended

This is an lovely sewing and pattern book. I love African Waxed fabrics, but the patterns here can be made with others fabrics too of course. The patterns are graded from very easy *, through ** and *** for the most difficult in the book. The instructions for the Anthea skirt straightforward and clear (the first thing I made) and there are really helpful explanations of general sewing issues, including fabric and pattern cutting. Also included are the paper patterns for the garments.Update, I initially gave this book 5*. I love this author’s fabrics and pattern ideas. Unfortunately, after I made the Anthea skirt, the flaws in book started to become apparent. I have to say her instructions are mostly inadequate. When tracing the pattern for the Lottie Culottes. The lines are in dark orange. There is another pattern overlaid in red. It’s very difficult to distinguish one from the other. The pattern pieces for the waistband are at least 2.5 inches too short in the size 16. Fortunately, I made a toile, which saved me from cutting too short in my expensive fabric. I will have to draw my own measurements against the sewn cullottes for the waistband. This really is unacceptable. Also, having been looking for nearly one hour on two occasions, I have given-up trying to identify the pocket drawings on the pattern pages. I decided to contact the author for clarification, but she has no way of contacting her on her website (no email address, contact form etc). I watched a couple of her videos on YouTube (unfortunately there isn’t one on the Lottie Cullottes) and sadly, I have to say despite loving her fabrics and the garments she designs, teaching is not her strength!

haven't made anything yet going to buy material on my next London trip