Tilly and the Buttons: Stretch!: Make Yourself Comfortable Sewing with Knit Fabrics

I gave a five star rating even though I haven't yet made anything using this book! I am an intermediate sewist and this book contains a lot of really good information for everybody. This book is well written; in fact Tilly takes you through each project with lots of suggestions for personalizing. The patterns are included and can be traced onto tracing paper for customizable sizing. These multi-sized patterns are actually wearable and hackable. One could make an entire wardrobe for each season with the included patterns. The book itself has nice heavy pages and a flexible binding. I am so excited for my first me made outfit!

This is a great book to learn how to sew knits!! The techniques are taught simply and clearly, with more detailed instructions than any pattern. I’ve made the Frankie T-Shirt twice with knit jersey and they are my favorite tops!! The shirts fit so well with no alterations to the pattern. I’ve never traced patterns in the past, but this book forces that skill. But the book even makes that easy!! Want to sew knits??? Get this book!!

I've made 3 of the patterns in the book. I needed to upsize to fit my more curvy body. (I knew this prior to ordering!). Anyway, I have found the pattern pieces easy to trace. Generally all pieces needed are on one sheet. The multiple size lines are easy to decipher/see through my parchment tracing paper. The directions are clear and have plenty of pictures to show the sewer each step. Also several different variations are shown with directions and suggestions to consider. I highly recommend this pattern book to anyone interested in sewing with knits. So far I have made 4 different Frankie T shirts, the Stella Hoodie and the Freya top. I have another of each planned! Thank you for such easy to trace good, solid patterns with clear and easy to understand directions.

I've sewn the Bibi skirt and Frankie tee so far on a regular sewing machine (don't own a serger.) Even though Tilly's style isn't really my cup of tea (she seems really obsessed with horizontal stripes, and that applique idea on her striped Frankie tee looks downright awful), the patterns are versatile enough and she includes several other ideas to "make it your own" that you can, well, make it your own very easily. I was able to make the Bibi skirt with a higher waist, and the Frankie tee with longer sleeves and I've only been sewing for a few months. The instructions are pretty clear. In just these two projects I did though, there were certain things I just skipped over because they didn't seem necessary, or I used some other made up hack of my own to make things easier (like getting the stretch around the Frankie tee collar to be even; the quartering technique she described was irritating, so I stretched the collar and neckline around a large measuring cup and pinned it to make the stretch evenly distributed. So much quicker and easier.) One glaring problem I've run into is that her recommended stitch settings were inadequate for the stretch of my fabric. I HIGHLY recommend you run some test stitches of your own and stretch them to see if they break. Overall, I love the book. I feel like I'll be working through it for a while, trying all the different things included with each pattern and even trying more of my own adjustments. This book really is bursting with mix-n-match to make what you want potential.

I have made every pattern in this book and several hacks including some of my own hacks not in the book. The patterns are very well done and generally fit true to size. I think the Freya is sized a bit smaller than the other patterns and I actually went up two sizes compared to my measurements for that dress/shirt. Every garment came out better than the pictures in the book itself. Amazing. The other thing I really like about this book are all the tips and tricks for sewing various types of knit fabrics. Anyone who sews knows that the variety of knits and the properties of knit fabrics vary greatly. This book ties a type of knit to each pattern design and goes through many tips for sewing that type of knit including type of stitch to use on a regular sewing machine, type of needle to use, when to use stabilizers and type of stabilizer, etc. This book is a gem and totally worth the money. Highly recommend. I would have attached pics of everything I made but Amazon flips all my pictures sideways...oh well.

Fantastic volume. I am a strong sewer, but am new to knits. This books was easy to read and the step by step instructions very accessible. The author includes instructions for those with and those without a serger - gives some options depending on what machines you have. There is a brief section on fitting patterns which I found helpful. My very first stretch shirt was a success thanks to Tilly! Definitely recommend this book to any sewer interested in diving into the wonderful world of knits!

This book is so useful, well written, and easy to use! There are many tips and tricks for everyone to learn. Anyone can use this book, from new sewers to experienced sewers. The patterns and instructions are clearer than any pattern I’ve used! I recommend this book to anyone! I enjoy how it shows how to deconstruct each pattern to make new or different versions of each piece. The possibilities are endless!

This book is so prettyyy!!! Very helpful full of knowledge! Very easy to follow and the patterns are excellent!