The Fashion Designer's Handbook

Book excerpt: Tween girls love clothing, style, and expressing themselves through what they wear. In fact, the No. 1 dream career for girls ages 7 to 12 is fashion designer, according to The New York Times. Just what a girl needs to learn design and sewing basics, The Fashion Designers Handbook and Kit combines a lively instruction book with a kit loaded with tools and trimmingsa doll-sized dressmaker dummy, 27 patterns, rick rack, measuring tape and thread, and three different prints of fabric. Everything, in fact, a young designer needs to create a hip wardrobe for her 11 12-inch fashion dolls, including, of course, Barbie.The illustrated, four-color book guides readers from inspiration to design. How to think and sketch like a designer. Getting to know fabrics and fibers. Plus, why knowing your colors helps you put together a really cool outfit; assembling a sewing box; making appliqu and embroidery; and working with patterns.The 33 delightful projects are hand-sewn (the few basic stitches are taught), and simple enough for girls to complete with little or no adult help. Each is clearly explained with illustrations and modeled by dolls in charming full-color photographs. Plus a bonus: Three of the projects are for girls to make in their size for themselves: a Skirt T-Shirt Dress, Trapezoid T-Skirt, and an adorable tote.