Table of contents for Sew Stylish Sew Confidence in Threads Magazine

here was a time in my life when I didn’t know other people who sewed. I worked for a newspaper and had a tiny apartment with only a folding card table to sew on. (I had to sew slowly because the table shook violently at the sewing machine’s high speed.) I had kept sewing after middleschool home economics because I loved fashion and couldn’t a≠ord the clothes I aspired to. Plus, my mom gave me her sewing machine. I was happy making dresses and skirts on my own . . . but a world opened up when I met other sewers. They brought inspiration and encouragement. They shared patterns, tools, and advice. They encouraged me when I didn’t think I could accomplish something, and they helped me turn mistakes into…

This Valentine’s Day, Spiegel proudly presents the 60609. She has over 1000 stitch variations, including three fonts for letters & numbers. The unique smart sync technology allows you to use a smart phone or tablet to enjoy free video tutorials & unlock special features on the machine directly from the Spiegel Social Sewing Application. A romantic addition to any home, this special occasion gift will make you fall in love with sewing all over again. MACHINES AVAILABLE AT SPIEGELSEWING.COM…

As a designer, author, and contributing editor to Threads magazine, I’ve dealt with more than my share of fabulous textiles. Now you can learn the expertise I’ve picked up while creating custom eveningwear for clients. Kenneth D. King is featured in the Craftsy.com class “Smart Techniques for Fabulous Fabrics.” 1 Create a funnel to turn bias tubing. The most difficult part of turning bias tubing right side out is beginning the turn. The solution is to make a funnel in the tube. Fold the bias strip right sides together. With short stitches (0.5 mm to 0.75 mm), start stitching at the raw edge, and taper the stitching toward the fold, funneling to the desired tube width. This funnel should be about 1 inch long. Once the tube is sewn, thread a…

PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON A LOOK YOU’VE SEWN WITH THESE EASY ACCESSORIES. First, colorful little hair clips and hairpins put a simple, modern spin on a vintage standby. Pair sparkles, beads, or buttons with filigree or molded flowers in your favorite colors and glue them onto sturdy metal clips or slides for a perfect marriage of old and new. Then, on the following pages, discover two lovely necklaces. One features beads held in a rustic branch formation by wire, while the other showcases embellished lace appliqué. Make them in pearl and platinum hues as shown, or strike a different mood with stronger colors. Either way, these designs will add to your shine for the evening. Excerpted from Bead Sparkle by Susan Beal (The Taunton Press, 2015). Filigree flower hairpins…

One of the sweet spots of sewing is getting acquainted with lace. Lace is what fairy tales are made of, and no matter what your sewing skill, you can have a happy ending. Working with lace lifts the caliber of your sewing and puts it in a category where dreams can happen. Lace can be worn around the clock for everything from weddings to beach parties. Make it professional as a blouse under a tailored jacket or fun-loving and feminine as a top with jeans. Lace can be purchased as fabric or as trim in many widths. Lace is an unexpectedly forgiving material. Even if you make a mistake, it is almost always possible to salvage the project because lace isn’t limited by grain. It doesn’t ravel, and it lends…

Purchasing your first sewing machine is a big step. Most sewers learn to sew on someone else’s machine—one belonging to a grandmother, a parent, a friend—but eventually the time is right to buy your own. Buying a sewing machine is like purchasing a car. You can buy an economical, stripped-down model, or a luxury vehicle loaded with seemingly endless bells and whistles. Cars range in price from reasonable to ridiculously expensive. Most of them will get you safely and easily from point A to point B—the primary reason for owning a car. With a sewing machine, as with a car, it’s fabulous if you can take advantage of amazing amenities, but they aren’t all mandatory for a great sewing or driving experience. There are more frills available than you may…

As staff seamstress at Threads, I am constantly creating garments. A beautiful hem is especially important to consider when sewing special-occasion garments. You want it to look professionally done: without puckers and so that the garment hangs without encumbrances. If the hem looks neat, the entire garment will be more appealing. Here are a few ways to hem special-occasion garments for a finish that is attractive and unobtrusive. For any of these options, let the skirt hang on a hanger or a dress form for 24 to 48 hours before marking the length. The typical floor-length hem is 1 inch off the floor; at this length, the chance of tripping is reduced and the hem does not interfere with your shoes. Norma Bucko is Threads’ staff seamstress. Learn how to…

SARAI MITNICK STARTED COLETTE PATTERNS IN 2009, hoping her new company could help revive the art of sewing. Her quirky, vintage-inspired designs—supported by thorough sewing instruction booklets, polished packaging, and online guidance—quickly earned an enthusiastic following. With a background in userexperience research that informs every aspect of her business, Sarai has built Colette into a popular independent brand. In the past few years, Sarai expanded her business to include Seamwork, a digital pattern magazine that extols “the simple pleasures of a handmade wardrobe,” and Seamwork Radio, a monthly, interview-format podcast. You can find out more about her patterns and products at ColettePatterns.com. SewStylish talked to Sarai about her move from user-experience expert to indie pattern designer, how self-expression drives her sewing, and the state of the sewing industry. By Stephani…

Extra! Extra! Sew Simplicity SewStylish 8328 along with us Visit SewStylish.com/8328 to discover bonus content from this issue. The spring 2017 issue features the latest SewStylish pattern from the designers at Simplicity. These on-trend evening separates can be sewn for prom, parties, and other special occasions, such as weddings! Follow our free sew-along as we demonstrate how to fit and sew this design. With our sew-along, you’ll learn how to sew Simplicity SewStylish 8328 from muslin to finished ensemble. Video tutorials, 360-degree garment views, and more If you’re just getting started on your sewing journey, you need to know how to use a pattern. In our latest round of videos, we show you how to choose and read a pattern, and how to lay the pieces out on your fabric.…

Atest garment is made in inexpensive fabric to check the fit and style of a pattern. It is known by several names. In the United States, we usually call it a muslin because, typically, we use muslin fabric (an inexpensive, undyed, plain-woven cotton fabric). However, you’re not required to use muslin. Some people prefer to use a less expensive fabric that they can wear. I use muslin because I can write directly on the test garment as I make fit and design changes. This helps me keep accurate notes right where I need them. Couture designers use cheaper versions of the final fabric for their test garments, such as a mill second of cashmere. In some circles, the test garment is called a toile. Both muslin and toile refer to…

If there’s ever a time you really need a pocket, it’s on an evening out. Clutches are cute, but who wants to be clutching one all evening? You worked long and hard on the perfect makeup look, and you should have a place to carry the necessary touch-up materials. Here’s a quick pattern and an easy how-to to add in-seam pockets to Simplicity SewStylish 8328. This technique works on most skirts or dresses with side seams. In this case, the skirt is cut in three panels, with a centerback seam and two forward side seams, perfect for pocket placement. You’ll see how to add pockets in simple fashion fabric or beneath an overlay, to cover the possibilities with this versatile pattern. Sarah McFarland, SewStylish editor, had a homesewn prom dress…

MASS-MADE, INEXPENSIVE CLOTHES DON’T HAVE PERSONALITY. They are planned to appeal to the largest possible consumer market and designed with construction shortcuts to make them inexpensive to produce. The results are boring! Look through the garments in any high-end boutique, and you’ll see designer garments featuring amazing details and embellishments. Your sewing skills enable you to get high-style fashion for a bargain, whether you enhance an existing garment or make it from scratch. Here are two fast, easy, and trending embellishments applied to Simplicity SewStylish 8328. With a little time, you can add designer touches to your garments. By SewStylish editor Sarah McFarland, who’s planning to use the lace hem on a skirt. Bejeweled belt This ribbon-backed belt costs a fraction of examples on bridal websites. You can use it…

ALENÇON LACE—A lace with a solid design on sheer net that’s outlined with a heavier thread. A-LINE SILHOUETTE—A dress or skirt that flares slightly from waist or bodice to hem. APEX—The highest point on a rounded bulge. APPLIQUÉ—A surface embellishment made by cutting fabric or lace designs and stitching them to the foundation fabric. ARMSCYE—Armhole. BACKSTITCH—A strong hand-worked stitch that doubles back on the previous stitch. BACK-TACK—To machine-sew a few stitches back and forth to anchor a seam’s beginning or end. BASTE—To temporarily join fabric pieces with large, easily removable hand or machine stitches. BIAS—Any line diagonal to the crosswise and lengthwise grains. “True bias” is on a 45-degree angle to the selvage and allows for the most stretch in wovens. BIAS TAPE—A fabric strip cut along the fabric’s true…