Table of contents for #199 - October-November 2018 in Threads Magazine

LAUREL HOFFMANN (“Industry Seam Allowances,” p. 40) says, “When writing technical instructions, testing is a constant, which is the reason I spend the same amount of time experimenting as I do perfecting. For me, they are one and the same. I sew as I write, editing the writing, and correcting the diagrams until the material can be easily understood.” Experienced in custom and industrial garment creation, grading, and patternmaking, Laurel is completing her instructional sewing program books, tested during the 20 years she taught in college. She lives in Oreland, Pennsylvania. CFashionEdu.com ERIN WEISBART (“Essential Techniques: Catchstitch review,” p. 74) says, “I think it’s important to do both. When developing a pattern or following a personal sewing whim, I often experiment for the joy of trying new things and to…

This season, focus on staying warm, being comfortable, and looking fabulous. Quilted jackets, long wool coats, and flowing capes steal the stage at many fall ready-to-wear shows as trends veer from severe, fitted styles and move toward the comfort of looser silhouettes. Designers played with volume by layering sheer fabrics with different patterns to create a casual yet chic look in tunics worn over slim-legged pants, and other ensembles. Many runway looks are ’80s inspired, with big shoulders and vibrant colors. This season’s trends urge boldness with your fashion choices. Don’t be afraid to stand out with loud prints or eye-catching details. It’s about being unique and embracing your personal style. Erica Redfern is Threads ’ assistant editor. High-impact outerwear A great coat can keep you warm and show off…

EDITOR’S NOTE Investment sewing When you spend time making a garment, it should work for you on many levels. There’s fit, color, silhouette, fabric type and care requirements, as well as how it integrates with your existing wardrobe and day-to-day activities. Creation takes resources, and you deserve worthwhile returns. Of course, that means di≠erent things to each of us. We hear from readers about specific garment types, textiles, and methods you want to learn about. Our goal for each magazine video, and podcast is to keep building a library of sewing education and inspiration. For this issue, we focused on garment versatility and wearability. Clothes that work in a number of situations offer an excellent return on sewing effort. In “Single-Layer & Reversible,” p. 58, Becky Fulgoni shares her ingenious…

Dupioni and shantung are often treated as interchangeable descriptions, but these fabrics are different. Dupioni doesn’t work in place of shantung in some applications, and vice versa. Both fabrics are typically made of silk and have visible cross-grain slubs. However, there are key differences to understand so you can make an informed choice between them. DEFINING THE TERMS In the past, dupioni could only be produced when two silkworms spun their cocoons too close together in the wild. The cocoon fibers tangled, which created rough, uneven filaments. These tangles give the fabric its characteristic slubs. The word “dupioni” could be related to the Italian and French words for “double.” Shantung originates from the Shandong province in China. Though it may look similar to dupioni at first glance, it has a…

This mid-century wool jersey dress uses engineered seaming details to give interest to a simple silhouette. The designer, Marion McCoy (1912–1960), manipulated the fabric with merging darts and innovative seaming to sculpt a form-fitting, meticulously crafted day dress. For this design, she also created a shaped hem on the dolman sleeves. The visual effect is of a sleeve that wraps around the forearm, but the method is more straightforward: A simple change along the hem edge of a two-piece dolman sleeve pattern yields a shape that combines geometry with an organic line. You can modify any sleeve pattern that has an underand overarm seam for the same style. Judith Neukam of Omaha, Nebraska, delights in discovering how vintage garments were made. Adapt a two-piece sleeve pattern Convert a sleeve pattern…

I love the concept of reversible garments, especially for traveling. Packing items that serve double duty means more outfit choices and more room in my suitcase for souvenir fabric. The catch is that most reversible garments are two pieces: an outer layer and a lining that can be turned to the outside. This doesn’t lighten the suitcase at all. I have also found that double layer garments usually hang nicely on one side, but pull and bunch when reversed. Edges cause problems as well, when one side shows where it shouldn’t. My solution is to use double-faced fabrics and smart sewing methods to create truly reversible, single-layer garments. They’re stylish, useful, and fun to design and sew. The key to success is to create seams and details that work on both…

The project hanger BEST TIP I learned at an early age the importance of keeping pattern pieces available until a project is completed. However, pattern pieces take up a lot of space, and it is not easy to stay organized. I solved this problem with what I call my “project hanger.” It has two deep pockets and a cylindrical pincushion along the bottom edge. You can make it using any hanger size. When I am ready to begin a new project, I put the pattern envelope in one of the hanger pockets. I collect all the necessary notions and interfacing in the other pocket. Once the fabric is cut, I pin the pattern pieces to the pincushion. At the end of the sewing session, it’s easy to store the hanger…

Custom-made adornments for garments, bags, hair ornaments, or jewelry are delightfully easy to create. Basic hand beading skills and a simple backing method produce beautiful pieces you can attach to ready-to-wear clothing or your own designs. If you prefer to wear them as jewelry, add earring hooks or backs, or chains, ties, or strings of beads to make necklaces. My design approach is no-fuss, and the jewel motifs evolve as I work. Each piece begins with a focal bead or stone, and then I add smaller beads and sequins around the center bead. Choose a pleasing assortment of bead colors, then let the design develop as you sew. The technique is creative and relaxing, and you can redesign as you go, as long as you knot the beading thread securely…

Named Clothing: Agate Pencil Dress (NamedClothing.com) This panel dress has a casual yet elegant look. The semifitted midi-length dress has a bateau neckline, three-quarter-length sleeves with a dropped shoulder seam, and a left-side zippered hemline slit from thigh to hem. Princess seams originate at the shoulders and subtly curve between the waistline and thigh. The dress has a side zipper closure and a narrow self-fabric belt with eyelets and a buckle. Our tester recommends making a muslin to check the fit and placement of the curved seamlines on the body. This design is ideal for medium-weight woven fabrics such as wool crepe, linen, piqué, chambray, and lightweight denim. (Sized 0–18 [European 32–50] for busts 30–45.75 in. and hips 33–48.75 in.) —Tested by Pam Howard, Newnan, Georgia STYLE TIP: Emphasize the…

Pattern blocking and embellishment have been important trends on fashion runways in recent seasons, and I’ve enjoyed participating in this creative direction. However, many of the top designer examples are shown on dramatically oversized garments. A bold print mix on a large-scaled silhouette can be visually overwhelming on all but the most statuesque frames. To make this style statement wearable—rather than over-the-top—a suitable garment pattern is essential. The pattern should offer uninterrupted areas for decoration, but be streamlined enough to flatter the figure. To fulfill these requirements, I have developed the Tabula Rasa Jacket pattern (FitForArtPatterns.com). Its natural shoulder line, relaxed fit, and vertical panel seams provide options for pattern blocking, while contributing to a slimming effect on the body. Unique to this design is its squared armhole shape: The…

web extra See every outfit combination possible at ThreadsMagazine.com. Observe the differences three people make when they build personalized ensembles from the same pattern. No two sewing enthusiasts create the same garment designs, and fascinating details are found in the variations. Threads editors come across great techniques, interesting new patterns, and exciting fabrics every day. To combine expertise with inspiration, we brainstormed three capsule wardrobes from Simplicity’s ensemble pattern, Threads 8748, a collection of coordinates for knit fabrics with a pencil skirt, pull-on pants, mock-turtleneck top, and wrap jacket with shaped raglan sleeves. We paired knits with stretch wovens and found wonderful choices for their comfort and versatility. Many of these fabrics are easy-care and simple to sew, although, as you will see, you can expect even better results when you…

have a question? Send it to us and we’ll find an expert’s answer. Threads Q&A PO Box 5506 Newtown, CT 06470-5506 or via email: ThreadsQ&A@taunton.com Velvet takes a cat nap Q If I’m making a velvet garment, which way should the nap run? A Threads Contributing Editor Judith Neukam explains: There is no hard-and-fast rule about which way the nap should run on a velvet garment. The choice depends on several considerations. Many people compare determining the nap direction to petting a cat. Down is smooth, like petting head to tail. Up is rougher, as if you tried to pet a cat from tail to head. When you rub traditional velvet with the nap, which is considered down, it feels smooth and silky. If you run it against the nap,…

In 1959, I signed up for home economics at my junior high school. I was 12 years old and already fascinated by sewing. Our teacher, Mrs. Patchin, scooted around in kitten heels as she taught us the rudiments of the craft. She called us “little ones” most of the time, and although every seventh-grade girl I knew tried to act older than she was, we didn’t mind having “little one” status while under Mrs. Patchin’s merry gaze. We completed our first few projects, including pillowcases with French seams, easily enough with Mrs. Patchin’s help. All too soon, it was time for our final projects. We would be making outfits for ourselves, which needed to include a blouse and a skirt, one of which had to have a zipper. We were…

Marion McCoy worked as head designer for the Carlye Dress Corporation from 1938 until she started her own company in 1945. Mid-twentieth-century designers were faced with the financial effects of the Depression, World War II regulations on materials, and the dawn of patents for garment designs. Even as she confronted these challenges, McCoy was praised by Women’s Wear Daily for her silhouettes, style lines, and ornamentation. This 1951 wool jersey dress has an elegant, deceptively simple silhouette. The design includes merging darts and diagonal seams, drapey dolman sleeves, and intriguing, asymmetrical, wrapped-look cuffs. See how to create the cuffs on p. 26. From: Vintage Details: A Fashion Sourcebook (Laurence King, 2016); photographer: Stephen Sartori Source: The Sue Ann Genet Costume Collection, Syracuse University School of Design Text: Judith Neukam…