Table of contents for No 31-3 in Australian Stitches

Fashion by definition, is centred on the new: a different material, a surprising detail, an unexpected silhouette. But in the midst of all this ‘news’, designer Giorgio Armani, the undisputed king of wearable tailoring, has made the ultimate anti-fashion statement with a recent collection, aptly dubbed the ‘New Normal.’ It’s an arsenal of timeless classics ranging from sleek white shirts, Breton stripes, tweed jackets, and chic, pleated pantsuits. Because of this, many a fashion scribe has been proclaiming that classics are once again ‘having a moment.’ The truth is that it’s ALWAYS the moment for classics … that’s what makes them so! But that doesn’t mean that they always stay the same. Granted, the changes to them may not be so seismic and happen over time, but they DO happen.…

Vogue Patterns has a long illustrious history of showcasing the talent of the world’s best designers, so it is exciting news when one of our own joins that esteemed club. Nicola Finetti is certainly one of Australia’s most ‘international’ designers, and his romantic, sophisticated and very feminine aesthetic is sure to delight home sewers the world over with his first Vogue Patterns collection. Even though Finetti is most known for those romantic ‘Couture’ level flourishes such as intricate beading, imported lace and exquisite floral embroidery, they are always built on a very structured, streamlined base, which harks back to his background training as an architect, where the Italian studied in Rome and worked in Buenos Aries before moving to Sydney in the mid ‘80s. “I was expressing myself through clothing…

Invisible zips are readily available in the market place for all to use. They used to only come in gown length and three basic colours, when lapped or centred slot zips were the most common practice. I remember in the early days of my couture career, having to face zip openings in heavy or bulky gathered seams to achieve a professional finish. Let me share with you my tried and tested ways of inserting and finishing an invisible zip. Although there are many different techniques used when sewing, I have found that some are more reliable than others. Consistent results inspire all creators to sew more often and tackle more elaborate projects. Invisible zip insertion When comparing an invisible zip with a standard dress zip they look similar but are…

www.mccallpattern.com…

Burda Style patterns at www.simplicity.com…

www.simplicity.com…

Life in the 21st century moves at a more hectic pace than 20 years ago. The Guild recognises this and the fact that taking time out to attend regular meetings is not possible for everyone. Some members are time poor and others are living in isolated locations with no organised group nearby. So how to keep the passion for sewing alive? We’ve introduced a virtual neighbourhood group that meets via Facebook. The group is called AUSSEW-Along and was formed to facilitate the online sew-along. For the uninitiated, a sew-along is a group of people sewing the same project in bitesize chunks. Instructions are posted a bit at a time and participants can share their experiences – successes and disasters. The heart of the Australian Sewing Guild, since its inception, has…

Finding pants that fit, so they provide adequate room and movement, is a challenge that all women have experienced at one time or another. A well-fitting pant looks smooth over the body and should be comfortable when the person stands, sits, stretches, bends, or walks. When pants are proportioned to fit correctly, they look attractive, conceal the figure problems, flatter the body, and are comfortable to wear. To achieve a well-fitted pair of pants, the pant must be checked to match the figure shape of the model, and at the same time, match the style points of the design. These areas cover the waistline shape, waistline fit, crotch depth, and balanced inseams and side seams. Due to of a variety of figure types and crotch depths, it is recommended that…

B6280 DRESS: Sleeve/contrast variations. For faille, crepe, jacquard, linen, brocade, broadcloths, with contrast in lace. Misses’/Misses’ Petite sizes: 6 – 22. B6281 DRESS: Sleeve/contrast yoke variations. For crepe, linen, peachskin, faille, with contrast in lace or sheer fabric. Misses’/ Misses’ Petite sizes: 6 – 22. B6293 JACKET, TOP & PANTS: For poly velvet, faille, crepes, rayons. Jacket also in brocades, jacquards. Pants also in scuba poly knit, stretch wovens. Misses’ sizes: 8 – 24. B6299 DRESS & JACKET: Sleeve/skirt variations. For brocade, faille, jacquard, crepe.Misses’/Women's sizes: 8 − 16/18W − 24W. www.butterick.com…

New Look patterns at www.simplicity.com…

BEYOND COTTON – making by hand: stamp, print, dye and paint By Krista Fleckenstein Mixed Media goes graphic, minimal and sophisticated. Go beyond commercially available materials and get your hands dirty! Stitch up 19 designer projects while experimenting with ways to stamp, print, paint, dye, and embellish fabrics to use for unique projects to gift and keep. Beyond Cotton will encourage readers to work with different, but readily available materials like leather, rivets, and industrial-grade felt. Create a Leather Cuff in three ways: Stitched, Carved or Stamped; learn to create design repeats; set up a home printing table and experiment with dyeing fabrics. Break out of what is offered and take ownership of your work from start to finish. This book is packed with skill-building techniques and crafty inspiration! RRP:…

While patterns usually indicate fabric measured by the metre, suede is sold by the square foot. To calculate the number of square feet you’ll need for your project multiply the suggested imperial yardage and fabric width on the pattern. This will give you the number of square inches. Square inch to square feet conversion factor is 0.00694 (there are 144 sq. inches in 1 sq. foot). Multiply the number of square inches required by 0.00694 to give you the number of square feet of suede you require. For the Burda 6800 jacket view A shown here, the fabric requirement is 2yd (72in) of 55in wide fabric. 72in x 55 = 3960 square inches. 3960 x 0.00694 = 27.4824. You will need to add 15 percent to allow for flaws in…

It is important to recognise that all fashion looks have their own particular fitting concerns and one cannot hope that fitting problems are eliminated when amounts of fabric are not present. If there is a body curve where the design is intended to fit, we can always consider that a fit problem may arise. Be prepared to toile fit these unusual design lines to reduce problems, remembering to always approach the latest fashion with an open mind. The Problem When we make up garments that are backless or near backless, the main fitting concern is a gaposis either at the back armhole area or along the centre back edge of the design in the shoulder blade area. The reason that the gaposis occurs is the lack of fitting features provided…