Cris Wood
Quarry
4 August 2026
144
eBook - PDF
Non-Fiction/Sewing
ARC via Edelweiss
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.
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!
It Starts With a Square presents an interesting concept of making clothing cut simply into squares and rectangles and then assembled, rather than using complex patterns, thus simplifying the process and also saving on wasted scraps of material. I learnt to sew as a child, taught first by my mother and then in Textiles class at high school. I did make clothing back then, but as an adult I have done less and less. I still have a sewing machine and can hem etc. but time has been a principal factor. I requested this book for review, thinking if there were easy patterns to follow I could try one in the near future (if I can ever find the time). The book focuses a lot of dresses and skirts, which I do not really wear, but there are a few tops as well, and a couple caught my eye in particular. The book begins with the simplest pattern and gradually increases difficulty level; although, even with the final pattern, the author believes a high beginner could accomplish it, so there is nothing completely out of reach for amateurs here. The process for each garment is clearly and concisely explained and well illustrated, so I don't think it would be difficult to follow. Overall, I think this is a great book for anyone coming back to dressmaking after a break or looking to attempt it for the first time. It would be a great stepping stone before moving on to traditional patterns. I am giving it 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free eBook ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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