Table of contents for #198 - August-September 2018 in Threads Magazine

What is the most challenging sewing technique you’ve tried? PAMELA HOWARD (“Jackets in Proportion,” p. 51) says, “I had only been around horses once when I was a teenager, and I vowed that I would never ride one again because I couldn’t find the brakes. This time, I would not be riding one, but drape-fitting him for a custom blanket. He had a bit of a challenging disposition, so the owner let me know what kind of mood he was in before each fitting. Animals have personalities just like people, so I needed to be tuned in to that.” Pamela is a Craftsy instructor, a pattern designer, a top alterations specialist, custom clothier, and teaches nationwide. She has been sewing since she was 14 years old. DENISE SEVERSON (“Embellishments: Graphic…

Focus on details Ready-made reading glasses are commonly available, but the right pair can be difficult to find. Readers.com has a vast selection that is easy to sort through with a user-friendly quick-find tool. The glasses come in magnification factors from 1.00 to 7.00, and many include the option for bifocal lenses. If you aren’t sure what you need, consult the site’s blog, Fine Print. It has many resources, including a quiz to help you discover what strength you need, DIY tutorials such as how to make a glasses chain, and more. Reading glasses can be helpful for close detail work such as embroidering or hand-sewing, as well as seeing small print. For a wide selection of styles and features, look no further. (Readers.com; $9.95–$99.95) Give me Liberty AliceCaroline’s subscription…

During my years as a custom clothier and alterations specialist, my main objective was to ensure my clients always looked their best. My specialty was tailored garments, and I made lots of jackets. A high-quality jacket is a mainstay of many wardrobes, from professional to creative and casual. My job was to refine my customer’s design idea and guide her in choosing a silhouette best suited to her body type. I'll share the considerations I focus on, to help you find a jacket design that emphasizes your most attractive features. IDENTIFY YOUR FIGURE TYPE Discovering the best garment shape for your figure can take some experimentation, as well as clear-eyed observations. I recommend evaluating your overall shape based on five common silhouettes: • Inverted triangle—wider shoulders, narrow hips; • Triangle,…

Norman Norell, whose New York-based career spanned 1922 to 1972, was one of the foremost American designers of the 20th century. He designed this silk faille evening gown in 1965. Its crossover front, tied closure, full skirt, and high-waisted bodice are reminiscent of a traditional Korean hanbok. Spare garment silhouettes were Norell’s aesthetic, and in this gown, he anticipated a 21st-century design concept: no-waste design. This approach creates garments without leaving fabric remnants. See p. 26 for more on Norell’s impeccable construction details as well as no-waste design.…

If you’re a fan of classic, easy-to-sew textiles, you may already have discovered the beauty of piqué. This fabric offers a firm drape, stable hand, and pleasing surface texture. Piqué denotes a fabric created on a dobby loom, which has a special attachment that enables the loom to produce fabrics with small, raised geometric patterns. Woven piqué is traditionally made from cotton yarns, and its surface may appear padded, quilted, or embossed. EARLY HISTORY Developed in England during the 18th century, piqué made a fine addition to the cotton industry. Also known as marcella, or piqué de Marseille, the weave was created to imitate the look of corded Provençal quilts, known as boutis, made in Marseille. In the 20th century, piqué became a staple in men’s fashion and is associated…

In this silk faille gown from 1965, American designer Norman Norell devised a garment that could have been cut from a length of fabric, leaving only the tiniest of scraps. In doing so, he anticipated no-waste design, an approach that has gained traction in the 21st century. Norell seems to have been inspired by traditional Asian costume when designing this garment. At first glance, the wrapfront style, wide neckband, broad waistband, and cut-on sleeves call to mind kimono. However, these elements are even more closely related to the Korean hanbok. A two-piece garment, the hanbok is made up of a full skirt that wraps and hangs from a wide, bandeau-like band and is worn under a short, wrapped jacket that closes in front with ties knotted into a half bow.…

Many of my favorite sewing and tailoring techniques are inspired by vintage garments. I found a plaid wool jacket on a recent shopping trip, which had a fascinating collar and lining treatment. The jacket back and sleeves were lined, but the front lining extended only about halfway across the chest and to a few inches below the armholes, in a bolero-like shape. This partial lining made the jacket easy to get on and off and comfortable to wear, and left the fronts unfaced, so the fashion fabric’s wrong side was visible on the turned-back lapels. I realized this method would work beautifully for any jacket in which you wanted single-layer fronts with a lined back. It enables you to show off the reverse side of a double-faced fabric without the…

Sewing enthusiasts take the tools needed to cut fabric seriously. These days, there are many options for scissors and shears on the market. It can be confusing as you decide whether to stick with a favorite old pair or upgrade to something new. I’ve researched some choices you’ll encounter when shopping for scissors suitable for garment-sewing projects, so you’ll be better informed when you make a purchase. You’ll discover some key facts when seeking out new cutting tools for garment-appropriate fabrics. The price range is wide, and there are many styles, sizes, and materials. You can spend a lot, but you can also get an excellent, long-lasting pair of shears for less than $60. My advice is, don’t buy bargain scissors. Prepare to spend a bit of money to get…

In fashion these days, almost any pant width or length is acceptable, from skinny to palazzo, and floor-grazing to cropped. But there’s nothing like a long, sleek pair of pants to put confidence in your stride. They skim smoothly over curves and bumps, and flow as you walk. Pair them with a slinky knit top or a tailored jacket, and they can go just about anywhere. In a favorite runway show from Thom Browne, I fell in love with pants and coats graced with extra rows of buttons down the front and sides. This eye-catching embellishment gives oomph to a plain pair of straight- or wide-legged pants. Rather than sewing buttonholes on the pants, a tricky and unwieldy task, you’ll make a mock placket that doesn’t open, and insert it…

BEST TIP Match bobbin to thread I found a way to store my bobbins so that the thread does not unwind, and I always know the thread’s brand and color number for matching. I thread the end of the bobbin thread through one of the holes in the bobbin and bring it to the flat side of the bobbin. I write the first letter of the thread brand and its color code on an Avery temporary ¾-inch round sticker and affix it to the bobbin over the thread tail. For example, Mettler 0261 is M0261. The sticker keeps the thread from unwinding and enables me to record embroidery threads as well, because I the colors. I use this process to mark my sometimes want the bobbin thread to be the same…

Many of us swoon over gorgeous lace trims and fabrics on beautiful special-occasion gowns. However, simple and affordable lace trims used in abundance can make a special garment for any event. Try quéing flat lace to create large-scale geometric designs that enhance the lines of an easy-going dress or skirt. The bold, angular shapes offset the trim’s girlishness to create an eye-catching, dynamic effect. SELECT A GARMENT PATTERN Plaid or striped arrangements can be used on a variety of garment silhouettes. When considering a pattern, look at the number and placement of seams or other details that may require matching. You may be able to eliminate a seam by placing a pattern piece on the fold, so the lace can travel across the fabric continuously. Alternatively, a seam enables you…

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS ON THE PATTERN REVIEWS Includes sizes 24 and up Fast and easy Challenging techniques Petite options For knits Downloadable pattern Colette Patterns: Prudence 1040 (ColettePatterns.com) With its simple yet elegant silhouette, this dress is appropriate for day or evening. The bodice has a funnel neckline with a front keyhole opening, short cut-on sleeves, front and back neck and waist darts, and an invisible zipper in the left side seam. The skirt includes two styles: ankle-length with inverted box pleats or knee-length with gathers. Links for online tutorials are provided. There are a several errors in the instructions. On p. 24, step 5—in reference to thread chains—directs the reader to p. 34 for information, but the directions are on p. 29. Also on p. 24, step 3…

In the United States, most fabrics are 44 inches to 60 inches wide. Pattern companies plan fabric-cutting layouts based on these widths. In contrast, for centuries, Japanese kimono have been constructed from 14-inch-wide lengths of fabric. The width is part of the kimono design and limits cutting most vertical seams. Two lengths each are used on the front, back, and sleeves. All the fitting turns excess fabric to the inside, and the hem allowance can be wide enough to line the kimono’s skirt. The fabric’s woven, printed, or embroidered design is planned for perfect placement—even beautifully centered through a center-back seam. LIMITED MATERIAL A number of years ago, I attended a sewing fair and the star presenter was the late Koji Wada, from the legendary Kasuri Dyeworks, then in Oakland,…

Beneath the sewing table One of my earliest memories is of sitting under the table at my mother’s feet as she sewed. She told me that when I was an infant, the hum of the machine worked magic in sending me to dreamland during late evening bouts of colic. As I grew into a toddler in a busy home, under the sewing table was my private getaway. I would play with my dolls while my mother worked above me in companionable silence, broken only by the hum of the sewing machine and the hymns my mother sometimes sang softly to herself. The place grew so familiar to me that one day, at age 2, I sang out, “R-E-V-E-R-S-E!” My mother, a first-grade teacher, was astounded to hear her toddler spell…