NEW! Sewing...Good to Great
 IT'S IN THE DETAILS

See the most difficult sewing details demystified. Marta Alto has been teaching sewing since the 1970s, both as a traveling educator and in hands-on workshops. She has learned her craft by doing it and teaching it, so she knows first-hand where people have difficulties. The techniques she demonstrates here will improve your skills in making beautiful finished garments.

2-hour DVD
$19.95

Included: perfect darts, lapped and invisible zippers, facings, edge finishes, pocket styles, Hong Kong finish and to-the edge linings, hems in many fabrics, machine embroidery tips, and covered snaps over BIG buttons.
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DON'T MISS THE FIT FOR REAL PEOPLE SERIES...

Jackets for Real People
TAILORING MADE EASY!

Sew a jacket and ALL your FUTURE sewing will improve!  Follow along as Marta Alto sews a lapel-style jacket with double-welt pockets, vented sleeves, sleeve heads and lining for maximum learning. Clear, step-by-step close-ups take you each step of the way.

TWO HOURS and
45 MINUTES
Hi Capacity DVD
$24.95

and
Fit for Real People: Basics
Pants for Real People -- Fitting Techniques
Pants for Real People -- Sewing Techniques

Fit for Real People: BASICS   1 hour 30 minutes

Learn the basics of choosing the right size, tissue-fitting, altering, and fabric-fitting in this interactive DVD. Marta Alto fits a model who needs the most common alterations for the bust, back, shoulders, and sleeves. She demonstrates the same alterations on 3 styles of  tops— a fitted shirt; a loose fitting jacket, and a fitted princess jacket with a straight skirt. Palmer/Pletsch has been influencing pattern company fit products for over 25 years and are considered the "Fit Authorities" by The McCall Pattern Co.

Inside:
-Buy the right size pattern with the right amount of ease.
-Prepare a pattern for tissue-fitting.
-Fitting a darted, fitted shirt.
-Altering for broad back, full bust, forward shoulder, and fitted sleeve.
-Altering a loose jacket.  Adding a dart for a full bust.
-Altering a fitted princess jacket for full bust.
-Altering a straight skirt
-Round and high round back alterations

Fit for Real People DVD Video $19.95
 

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Pants for Real People, Fitting Techniques  
1 hour 20 minutes

Pati Palmer teaches you how to tissue-fit a fitted and trouser-style pant. She covers how to get the tissue ready, accuracy, common alterations, fabric pin-fitting, and waistband fitting. Marta Alto shows you how to sew a fitted pant and a trouser, including invisible and fly zippers, two pocket techniques, pressing creases, a waistband with give and a non-roll waistband, lining, and invisible hems. Companions to the book Pants for Real People.

Pants for Real People - Fitting DVD Video $19.95

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Pants for Real People, Sewing Techniques 
1 hour 25 minutes

Learn how to sew great looking pants that flatter any body. Marta Alto sews a fitted pant and a trouser, beginning with trying on her altered tissue to check it before cutting.  The goal of this DVD is not only to show sewing techniques for two styles of pants, but to show how you can fit yourself using hand-held and full-length mirrors" 
more about the series...

Pants for Real People - Sewing DVD Video $19.95

Teach Young Children
to Sew
NOW in DVD format

This one-hour DVD is for children and  teachers (parents). You can teach a five-year-old to sew!  You can also teach 10-year-olds hand sewing skills they can use while babysitting. Parents will love you because you'll also be teaching valuable "Life Skills" (manners, patience, following rules, coordination, responsibility, etc.).

Teach Young Children to Sew Video (DVD) $19.95

Learn to Sew a Shirt or Blouse

Marta Alto shows you how to fit, cut, mark, and sew two styles of shirts. One has a collar with a band, the other a convertible (fold back or button up) collar. She covers fit, fabrics, choosing the right interfacing, sleeve placket and cuffs, hems, and buttonholes.  Marta can make a quality shirt in two hours or less. Each one you make will be faster and easier to sew!

2 hours 7 minutes DVD
$19.95

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Sew an Ultrasuede Jacket

Learn all about sewing Ultrasuede while Marta Alto sews a blazer-style jacket. Includes cutting, marking, flat method constructions, and quick lining. You'll have the "confidence to cut" into these wonderful fabrics after watching this video!

1-hour DVD
$19.95

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FRUSTRATED BY INTERFACINGS?...

Perfect Fusing
Success with Fusible Interfacings in ANY Garment

Tired of struggling to fuse interfacing to jackets and other sewing projects? Marta Alto simplifies interfacing decision making in this expanded DVD video.

50-minute DVD
only $14.95

For information about the Palmer/Pletsch PerfectFuse interfacings click here.

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SERGING/OVERLOCKING DVDs...

Serger Basics and Creative Serging 
now available as interactive DVDs!

(See detailed descriptions below)

Sewing with SERGERS
Basics I & II Combined/Revised DVD  $19.95

Creative
Serging I & II Combined/Revised DVD $19.95

Sewing With SERGERS Basics

Part I

Learn to master serger basics with the help of this two hour video based on our book Sewing With Sergers. Marta Alto and Pati Palmer will show you:

• Close-ups of how a serger works
• Serger features
• Threading tips
• How to balance tensions
• 5-stitch types and their uses
• How to serge a seam
• Turning inside and outside corners
• Sewing in a circle
• Securing seams
• Practicing techniques on side seam pockets, easy slit sleeve placket and serging placemats
• Gathering on a serger
• Easy ripping
• A completely serged top
• The sewing order and secret tips to assure a perfect top
• PLUS: Serger Fashions!!!

A variety of sergers are used to make this video "generic".

Part II

Learn practical reasons for using your serger on garments with the help of this one hour video based on our book Sewing With Sergers. This video is the sequel to the sewing With Sergers Basics video. In it Marta Alto and Pati Palmer will show you:

• Easy serged details:
  -An easy Peter Pan Collar
  -An easy Convertible collar
  -Fast French Binding for a neckline
  -Serger Spaghetti straps and loops
  -"Painless" placket and cuff
  -Easy full skirt hems
• Serging elastic for lingerie and swimwear
• How to master the rolled Edge
  -Tension adjustments
  -Solutions to problems
• Lettuce rolled edge
• Rolled edging around corners for napkins
• Flat-locking
  -Tensions adjustments
  -2 and 3 thread flat-locking
• Flat-locking hems
• Crossing flat-locked seams
• Love and care of your serger
• PLUS: Serger Fashions!!!

A variety of sergers are used to make this video "generic".

Creative Serging I & II

Part I

Marta Alto and Pati Palmer will show you how to maximize your serger and have FUN using it. In this two-hour video based on the book Creative Serging, see close-ups of all the tips that make decorative threads work on YOUR serger, PLUS great fashion ideas:

• Decorative threads, yarns, ribbons
• Tips for using decorative threads
• Creative tension ideas:
  balanced
  flat-locking
  wrapped edge
  blanket stitch
• Creative flat-locking ideas:
  framed and floating
  hems (loopers out, ladders out)
  flat-lock fringing
  "couching"
  smocking
  flat-locking over pearls

Part II

This is a continuation of our Creative Serging video and is also based on our book Creative Serging plus The Serger Idea Book. Marta Alto and Pati Palmer will show you MORE great ways to use YOUR serger for decorative over-locking. And you'll see a fashion show of creative clothes.

• All serger models featured
• Decorative rolled edges
  stitch length, width and tension for decorative threads
  scalloped rolled edges
  fish-line rolled edge
  rolled edge flowers
• How to feed cording & not sew through it on any model serger
• Heirloom serging
• Sweater knits
• 4-step jackets
  curves and corners
  reversing decorative thread at lapel roll line (same technique use din fixing hiccups)
• "Extraordinary" ideas
  fagoting
  making your own trim
  serge a bedroom

21st Century Sewing 
From Solid Beginnings 
to New Heights... 
Home Ec Goes High Tech! 

Tips and techniques to make sewing fun, fast and trouble free.

Some of the solid basic sewing skills we learned in home economics are still important to a quality garment, but many today do not have formal sewing education available. In this DVD Marta Alto shares the most important things you need to know to sew well, and identifies new products that makes sewing easier and/or better.

The DVD is organized into four blocks of time. Organize your sewing time so you get it done!

1.         Buy correct pattern and tissue fit
2          Notions, cutting, marking, and fusing
3.         Pressing, collars, sleeves, zippers
4.         Finishing, buttonhole, hem tips

Note: A variety of sewing machines are represented. Models will change over time.

This is a good introduction or re-introduction to sewing, and a companion to Mother Pletsch’s Painless Sewing.

21st Century Sewing 1 hour DVD Video $19.95