Stress Free Sewing is an essential reference book for home sewers, crafters, and sewing enthusiasts at all levels. You know that panicky feeling you get when your sewing machine jams? Or that awful frustration of seeing your careful stitches in a buttonhole come undone? What do you do when you look on the Internet and everyone has a different take on how you should be sewing on a ruffle? Sewing, for the beautiful and rewarding fun you get out of it, can sometimes be stressful and frustrating, even for the best of us. Organised by the stages in a project, from choosing tools, through reading patterns to fitting waistlines and adding buttons and zips, all the information is presented so you know exactly where to look when you get stuck with a problem. Illustrated entries cover every aspect and item in the sewing process, with each entry providing the characteristics, pros and cons, and basic considerations of working with that item. Icons alert the reader to whether tips relate to buying and choosing materials – using and working with them; techniques and best practice hints; or health and safety considerations. Cross references take you between chapters so you can see how different aspects relate to each other, offering troubleshooting tips that offer advice on how to deal with virtually any sewing situation. A detailed contents list combined with an index at the front of the book make it extremely easy to flick through and find information.