Table of contents for #212 - December 2020-January 2021 in Threads Magazine

SARAH VEBLEN (“From Muslin to Pattern,” p. 56) says, “Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about dart rotation. My goal for 2021: to explore how I can use interesting and unusual dart configurations to create a visually pleasing proportion on different body types and figures, in addition to achieving a beautiful fit.” Sarah’s background in making custom clothing taught her the intricacies of garment sewing. Now she helps others express creativity through their sewing. With Threads, she has produced videos on garment fitting and on creating master patterns. SarahVeblen.com JACK DEUTSCH (freelance photographer) says, “I want to go outside my comfort zone and create a series of images that push me to challenge my current photographic perspective. I am a longtime stills photographer, but I am exploring video more and…

Online extras from this issue Discover more images, resources, and techniques to inspire your sewing See garments from every angle: View the front, back, and side views of the jacket author Ellen W. Miller made for “Needle Felting Know-how,” p. 62, and the Butterick 6738 ensemble in the Pattern Review department, p. 34. Threads Insiders also have access to a complete view of the Papercut Patterns Palisade Pants, p. 28, made in linen. Find more sewing gift ideas: Check out additional books and machines for yourself or other sewing enthusiasts in your life in this supplement to the “2020 Gift Guide,” p. 68. Follow a visual guide to transferring markings: See step-by-step images of author Sarah Veblen’s method for getting your test garment’s fitting changes onto the final pattern, in this Web…

There are many reasons to repurpose clothing into new designs. It saves money. It reduces waste and saves the planet. And it is a lot of fun. When you start looking at a thrift store as a fabric source, you’ll see that it is a treasure chest of colors, textures, and patterns. I love to remake preworn sweaters, and especially to combine multiple knit garments into a single, one-of-a-kind piece. Most sweaters contain at least two textures, and often more. Plain stockinette, ribbing, and other decorative knit patterns offer a range of interesting fabrics that can be repurposed in unexpected ways. Look at the knit’s wrong side, too, to find surface patterns that coordinate with the right side. Unless a sweater is extralarge, you are unlikely to have enough fabric…

Many people experience problems with store-bought pants fitting correctly in the seat, waist, and hip areas. Bodies come in many shapes and types, and your waist-to-hip proportion may not match the garment’s cut. A common issue is finding pants that fit comfortably in the hips, only to have a gaping back waistband. Alternatively, if the pants fit your slim waist, they can hardly be pulled over your hips. The opposite situation exists, too, when your hips and seat are proportionally small compared to your waist. This results in excess fabric over the buttocks and back thighs. For many sewers, the same fit challenges occur in commercial pants patterns, so making your own pants doesn’t immediately solve the problem. Fitting a pants muslin is tough to do on your own, especially…

Wool has qualities that make it beloved by many sewers. It is available in a wide variety of textiles, woven and knit in many weights and textures. No other fiber is as receptive to shaping with heat and steam. This characteristic opens impressive design and tailoring possibilities. Wool fabrics and yarns seem to have an unparalleled range and depth of color. To spark your sewing plans, a number of articles in this issue cover ways to create with wool. For great workmanship and design, check out “The Wool Wrap-up,” by former Assistant Editor Erica Redfern, p. 48. It is our annual coverage of the national Make It With Wool competition. Every year, it makes me hopeful about the future of our pastime, as many of the impeccable entries are by…

Recently, I examined a cute fake fur jacket from a known designer. It was startlingly simple, as designerwell-garments sometimes are: an unlined, waist-length jacket with an asymmetrical front opening that closed with snaps. The front opening overlap had a bound edge and was faced with felt to support the snaps’ ball portion. The underlap was two layers of felt, forming an extension for the snap sockets. The interior seam allowances were neatly bound, and the cuffs and waistband were knit ribbing. I had the sewer’s light bulb moment: I could make a version for much less than the nearly four-figure price tag. A funnel-neck top pattern could be the basis, with a pattern adjustment to design the front opening plus a facing and placket for it. These pieces can be…

Self-fabric bands along a garment’s edges are a classic way to outline a silhouette. Those who prefer not to wear ruffles and lace can create a beautifully defined shape that’s subtle and sophisticated. The slinky purple dress on the back cover features velvet bands sewn on a sheer ground. Velvet’s structure makes it a difficult fabric to work with. Depending on the fiber content—it can be made from fibers as varied as mohair, silk, rayon, polyester, or acetate—it may be stiff and brushy, or fluid and drapey. It should be cut and sewn in one direction so the pile catches the light at the same angle and the color looks uniform. You’ll also need to be careful of “bruising” the pile during sewing and pressing. All these characteristics may deter…

Imagine painting with wool: golden shooting stars flying across a navy dress, with a blaze of stardust streaming behind, autumnal leaves tumbling down a dark brown jacket, or a Mondrian-inspired abstract color pattern gracing a jacket’s sleeve. Needle felting, also referred to as dry felting, is an embellishment technique that permanently embeds batt or roving fibers into a base fabric. To achieve results, you work a sharp, barbed needle through fibers layered on a fabric’s surface. The needle’s barbs carry some of the fibers into the fabric. When the needle is withdrawn, the fibers stay enmeshed. As long as the fabric and the needle felting fibers match, they can be felted together. In other words, wool fibers felt to wool fabric, and silk fibers felt to silk fabric. I’ll demonstrate…

You may know Jasika Nicole from her roles in television shows such as Fringe, Scandal, and The Good Doctor. However, you may not know that she is also an avid home sewer, amateur shoemaker, and artist. Jasika found her passion for sewing in college and has pursued the craft since then, tackling complex projects. She enjoys sewing garments from a wide range of pattern designers, carefully curating her wardrobe to suit her lifestyle and personal taste. She documents her sewing and shoe-making adventures on her blog, Try Curious (JasikaNicole.com/Try-Curious-Blog), and has an active social media presence on Instagram (@JasikaIsTryCurious) and Twitter (@TheJasikaNicole). Through sharing her artwork and sewing journey, Jasika encourages sewers and makers of varied backgrounds to share their experience. Threads spoke with her to discover more about her…

Self-fabric ornamentation is an understated yet elegant addition to any textile or garment. When paired with a sheer companion fabric, the results are fetching. This circa 1939 velvet evening gown is a good example of how exquisite the combination of self-fabric and sheer fabric can be. The bands’ angular shapes echo the dress’s back V-neckline (not shown) and the zig-zag waistline seam. Learn a clever method for working with velvet to create your own evenly spaced, shaped bands. Turn to p. 26.…

A GRIPPING QUESTION First, thank you for bringing me so much pleasure and knowledge the last 12 or so years—it could have been a lot longer had I known about Threads earlier. Second, would you consider an article on silicone and or other nonslip products? Many of the store-bought garments I buy for working out now have a line of rubbery material where the garments might slip or creep up. I wanted to add some to a sewing project and discovered there is little information about this product or how to apply it, online or elsewhere. —Mary Riley, Linthicum, Maryland THRIFTY AND CHIC Reading the essay, “Closures: Frugal finery” by Jennifer Hoffman in #211 (Oct./Nov. 2020) reminded me of an outfit I made for a posh wedding a few years…

Accent seamlines and garment edges with hand-sewn sequin and bead clusters that bridge the gap between separate rolled edges. Joining seams by hand with beaded accents is a labor of love that yields unique garments with a visual pop and a subtle peekaboo effect. The technique dresses up a favorite pattern for an easy, unlined, special-occasion look. Depending on the fabric you choose, your jacket, top, or dress will be light and airy or soft and drapey. The beads provide a little weight, and clever engineering gives the garment structure. Start with a pattern that fits well and has been tested for ease of movement. This seaming technique is best for loose-fitting styles that have little, if any, stress on the seams. This does not suggest that the garment must…

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS ON THE PATTERN REVIEWS Includes sizes 24 and up Fast and easy Challenging techniques Petite options For knits Downloadable pattern Threads Insider and tablet exclusive Papercut Patterns: Palisade Pants (PapercutPatterns.com) These pull-on pants or shorts have tapered legs, a 2½-inch-wide partial elastic waistband, and a faux fly front. Designed with side panels, this look has topstitched side-front and side-back seams instead of side seams. The pattern has two length options: just above the ankle, or midthigh. The distinguishing detail on this pattern is the crisscrossing, double-layer pocket within each side panel. • All sizes contain only 1 inch to 1¼ inches of ease at the hip, which does not cover body measurements up to the next pattern size. This means that if you are between sizes,…