Received this email question this morning:
Hi David,
I have been reading the reviews about your new pants book and every one of them has been very positive. I already own your first pants book from 2004 and found it to be a wonderful resource. So what is new and different about this new book? Is it just a newer version of the 2004 book? Or, does it contain new material not found in the first book? I watched the video clip on your blog, but it didn’t really tell me what the difference is in the 2 books. Thanks for your help.
Good question! The new book grew from the CD version, which I self-published in 2004 as a digital-only "virtual book," and the book is certainly based on the original material, so there's much anyone who has the CD will recognize, finally available on paper (which was the main thing people asked me about when the CD came out: "When will this be available as a "real" book?").
In addition, it's been extensively expanded and in a few instances revised. The main new elements are on the DVD, which is essentially an advanced workshop for folks who have worked through the book techniques and ideas. It's got two-plus hours of new video demos, documenting many variations and experiments on the basics that came up in the process of making 6 new pairs I created for the book, 3 men's, 3 women's, 150+ pages of mostly new RTW and custom garment detail photos and new process pictures, and four pages of internet links to new suppliers and info sources.
The main revisions in the text were to the existing-trousers tour section, which features 4 garments not on the CD, and to the zipper-fly section which is mostly new material, based on expanding and refining the techniques from the CD. There's also some new material on pocket making and pattern preparation and a smattering of new tips, including several on using my favorite new tool, the surgical hemostat (a fabulous tool, every sewer needs one!), in both the text and the videos.
If you enjoyed the CD, I think you'll find the book and DVD quite interesting and a valuable addition to the original material. If you never heard of the CD, it's out of production, but lives on within the pages of the book.
Thanks for posting that, David. I have a copy of 'On Making Pants', and I was wondering the same. I'll definitely be buying a copy of the new material now.
ReplyDeleteThanks Again!
I got your book, "Making Trousers" & I'm wondering why you made the disk a DVD-ROM instead of just a DVD. My computer will not play it, so do I now have to go spend $$$ on a new computer so I can view this? Meanwhile, my computer is NOT in my sewing room, while my portable DVD player that I can take in there will not, of course, play this. All the instructional disks I have will play on my DVD portable except for this one. I am a tad peeved.
ReplyDeleteSorry you're peeved, but you shouldn't have to buy a new computer to play the disk, if you can play regular DVDs on it. All you need to do is follow the instructions on page 138 about downloading Adobe Reader and Apple QuickTime for your operating system and you'll have no problems. The reason I chose to make the disk as a computer-only DVD is that I wanted to include a lot more info and material on it than just video. i.e., all the many photos and links to sources. and I preferred not to make the user switch players to allow access to the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteHi David.
ReplyDeleteI have a query on your book. I already own "Making Trousers: How to Achieve Great Result" purchased here in the UK less than a year ago. Now there is mention of a DVD, and I see a book called "Making Trousers for Men and Women: A Multimedia Workshop in Men's and Women's Garments" here on Amazon.co.uk.
The book I own did not come with the DVD, whereas the new one does. I find your book very useful and I am keen to get the accompanying DVD, but I am a little bit reluctant to purchase the book *again* just to get the accompanying DVD. Could I clarify that the two books are the same in other respects, and do you have any suggestions regarding the DVD? Kind regards, Brendon.
Hi, Brandon
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry for the confusion over these two versions of my book (both of which appeared at the same time, BTW), and I dearly wish I'd been able to eliminate it. But as the mere author, I was not privy to the decisions that led to it, not was my objection afterwards regarded with any interest. To this day, I have no idea why the UK distributor insisted that their version come without a disk, and that every reference to it be deleted from the text. It seemed obvious to me that anyone buying online would see the two versions and wonder, and especially that people who bought the disk-less version would inevitably hear about the disk and want it! Adding salt to the wound, as it were, the US publisher made the DVD available separately here, for only a few dollars, but then made the shipping to the UK so high that it winds up costing more than either book!
Actually, I must admit that there have been very few inquiries about it, but it's certainly been very frustrating for every one that there's no easy solution.
So, anyway; what to do? One option is you email me directly (click on my Profile here to get the address) and we work out something more feasible, such as me buying a copy of the DVD here (about $7, shipped to me) and shipping it to you myself, for what it actually costs (about $4), rather than the $20 the publisher charges!
Apologies once again for what seem such obvious unwisdoms by these corporate planners. No doubt they have their reasons, but they don't seem to have been thinking of the reader's best interest. I should have thought that was the important thing, but again, I'm merely an author.
Here's the link to buy the DVD only, BTW; see for yourself:
http://www.qbookshop.com/products/158976/9781589235151/Making-Trousers-for-Men-and-Women-DVD.html
Thank you very much for your considered response; it has clarified things for me. While your offer to purchase and ship the DVD to me personally is very generous, I think that the simplest solution all round will be for me to buy the "Multimedia Workshop" version from Amazon in the UK. I can accept the duplication as the book/DVD combination is reasonably priced. Thanks again, Brendon.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and hope you'll find the disk content worth it! I think you will…
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm looking forward to receiving it. Thanks again.
ReplyDelete