Re: [Paddlewise] [BR] Sewing Outdoor Gear by Rochelle Harper

Another good book on this subject is "Sew & Repair Your Outdoor Gear" by Louise Lindgren Sumner, published by
The Mountaineers in 1988.  It has lots of good information on how to make and repair superior outdoor gear,
including more than just clothing.  Otherwise, judging from Michael's description, the content is probably
fairly similar to the book by Rochelle Harper.  There are no pictures of people in the book, female or
otherwise.

Dave Carlson

Michael Daly wrote:

> I know a few Paddlewise readers make their own gear, including sewing up
> their own stuff sacks, outdoor clothes etc, so I thought I'd mention this book.
>
> "Sewing Outdoor Gear - Easy Techniques for Outerwear That Works"
> by Rochelle Harper, The Taunton Press, 2001,  ISBN 1-56158-283-2
> US$24.95,  C$39.95
>
> Sewing, like kayaking and so many other activities, starts with a bit of
> intimidation.  Then, once you learn the basics, you can do a lot on your
> own.  You get a little cocky, thinking "This is easy".  Then it happens.
> You get to that point where you learn a little more and you realize not
> how much you know, but how much you don't know and how much
> separates you from the real experts.  This book is intended for those
> who want to go from the basics into the area of "what I don't know"
> in the field of outdoor gear.
>
> The title is a bit misleading and the key is in the subtitle.  It isn't so much
> about outdoor gear as about outdoor clothing.  If you want to make a bivy
> sack, sleeping bag or new tent fly, this book won't fit the bill.  It can help you
> a bit, but it's really a book about clothing.  Harper hasn't written a step-by-step
> guide to making a complete outfit either.  This book focuses on techniques
> and in that it is good.
>
> Sewing Outdoor Gear is neither a beginner's nor an expert's book.  You have to
> know sewing basics to understand the book - she doesn't spend time explaining
> that.  If you know the basics, it will provide a guide for you, so you don't have to
> be an expert.
>
> The beginning section is on fabrics and materials.  This is a good chapter that
> summarizes many of the high-tech fabrics we've come to appreciate - GoreTex,
> Polartec fleece, insulation and so on.  Harper provides tables comparing the
> properties and uses of different insulations, shell materials and so on.  She does
> a good job of explaining the use of layered clothing and the merits of wicking layers,
> insulating layers and wind- and waterproof breathable layers.
>
> The next section is on fit and features in outdoor gear.  She reviews the need for stretch
> and ease (a term referring to the extra volume in clothing to allow for extended movement
> in a non-stretch material) and the features that make clothes work.
>
> Then it's on to sewing.  The following chapters cover modifications of off-the-shelf clothes
> (for those that want to upgrade or who find bargains at garage sales etc) and creating
> clothes from scratch.  These include modifications to patterns if you wish to customize a
> design to better fit your needs.  These chapters, as the subtitle says, emphasize techniques.
> Harper doesn't walk you through a complete garment but shows how to work out the details,
> say, a patch pocket with bellows or a collar and hood on a jacket.  She saves you the trouble
> of trying to figure out the gazzillion steps needed to make some detail and get the steps in the
> correct sequence.  As an expert in ripping out stiches, I can appreciate this!
>
> My complaints are few :
>
> This book is really intended for women (as are almost all sewing books).  Every illustration is
> of women's gear and features female models.  I sort of figured that with outdoor gear, there'd
> be a slight expectation that some men would be in her audience (my most recent foray into
> fabric stores the other day found more men than ever shopping and _serving_ in what used to
> be an all-female trade).
>
> The text and illustrations are not always well matched.  For example, there are cases where Harper
> refers in the text to a "line" where on the illustration it's referred to as a "cut".  This forces you to
> puzzle out some of the illustrations more than I'd like.
>
> Overall, it's a good book.  It isn't the be-all-and-end-all of sewing outdoor gear books, but it's
> the best yet in a very small market.  Worth a look.
>
> Mike
>
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