Shape Shape: Sewing Clothing Patterns to Wear Multiple Ways

Another Japanese import from Interweave, this small volume is as carefully styled and designed as readers have come to expect from the publishing company. The book is really a capsule collection from designer Hiraiwa, complete with a pattern packet in the back pocket so they can sew the drape-y Eileen Fisher-esque styles included. From draw-string low-waist pants to a Two-Way Stole so complex that photos show how to put it on, there are 20 designs, made up in mostly solid linens. For those who love this aesthetic, a combination of the minimal and artsy, the book is a must-buy, but a few caveats: while there are numerous diagrams to show how to sew up the projects, they are tiny and packed with numbers (both metric and American measurements). Also, the designs are clearly sized for the typical Japanese woman, smaller than Americans (bust sizes range from 32 inches to 36 inches), and no basic sewing instructions are included. This isn't for new sewists, but it's a lovely, cohesive set of patterns. Color photos. (Feb.)