Description
Learn to sew your own low-waste, size-free wardrobe—starting with a simple square.
Tired of confusing sizing charts and tissue-paper patterns? Discover a beginner-friendly method that’s inclusive, modern, and sustainable with It Starts with a Square.
In this innovative guide to garment sewing, designer Cris Wood presents 17 wearable projects made entirely from basic squares and rectangles—no pre-sized pattern pieces or special notions needed. With Cris’s guidance, you’ll learn to measure your body and draw each pattern piece directly onto fabric, creating custom-fit clothing that’s both stylish and waste-conscious. With no zippers, no buttons, and only straight seams, this book offers the perfect on-ramp for new sewists.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Styles You’ll Make Again and Again: 17 size-unlimited garments, including tops, skirts, and dresses, plus variations
- Beginner-Friendly Support: A glossary of sewing terms and beginner FAQs
- Inspired Ideas for Confident Sewists: Hacks for mixing and matching pattern components
- Make-It-Your-Own Customizations: Tips on customizing garments for fit and function
- Inclusive Visuals: Over 200 illustrations and photos, including every project modeled on different body types
More than just a how-to, this book encourages you to have fun while you sew, exploring necklines, sleeves, skirt styles, and more, to build a modular, personal wardrobe. Packed with detailed illustrations, clear step-by-step instructions, and an innovative size-inclusive method, It Starts with a Square is your must-have guide to sewing garments you’ll love!
REVIEW: PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY – AUGUST 2026
“If you know how to thread your machine and basic sewing terms, you can make these patterns,” promises sewist Wood in this stylish debut manual for making low-waste, size-inclusive garments out of simple square and rectangular fabric pieces. Instead of using tissue-paper templates, Wood instructs readers on how to measure parts of their body and cut the right amount of fabric accordingly. The designs are presented in order of difficulty, starting with a beginner-friendly boxy top, which features a simple boat neck and straight sleeves, and ending with the advanced “Linda Top,” which has a square neckline, a gathered bodice, and bubble sleeves. Other projects include the “Twosome Skirt,” which boasts an angled patch pocket and an elasticized waistband; the sleeveless, A-line “Juniper Dress,” which has a large bow on the shoulder; and the wrap-style “Throw Jacket.” Each project contains a list of recommended fabric types and a suggested cutting layout guide to minimize fabric waste. The detailed written instructions include helpful illustrations, and novices will appreciate the glossary of basic sewing terms and techniques. It’s a worthy addition to any sewist’s library.” – Publishers Weekly
Additional information
| Author(s) | Cris Wood |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | 144 |
| Imprint | Quarry |
| Date of Publication | August 2026 |