Table of contents for #224 - Winter 2023 in Threads Magazine

KATHERINE WATERS (“Get Started with Tambour Embroidery,” p. 56) says, “I find hand sewing incredibly rewarding. The process is relaxing, deliberate, and I find great joy in the way simple stitches come together to create something much more complex. Hand sewing allows me to connect with my creativity at a sort of ground zero. There’s nothing that brings me closer to a project than a simple needle and thread.” Kat has been sewing since her foot could reach the sewing machine’s foot pedal. She’s made everything she wears since 2016. Keep up with her projects on Instagram @kat.makes or on her website, KatMakes.com. ANNA MAZUR (“Pattern Review,” p. 28) says, “Hand sewing is in my DNA. It takes me back to when I first held a needle to create hand…

Trouser Pattern for Stylish Doll Dressing In this issue, Contributing Editor Kenneth D. King shares techniques and tips for sewing palazzo trousers for a favorite doll. Visit ThreadsMagazine.com or scan the QR code on p. 18 to download his pattern for Lola’s pants. Then create a couture pair for your own best-dressed 11½-inch doll. More Web Extras to Inspire Alluring tambour beading: See additional images of this eye-catching embellishment by Katherine Waters. You can it try it out yourself using her easy-to-follow steps in “Get Started with Tambour Embroidery,” p.56. Take a trip in 2024: Textile-related retreats, tours, expos, and exhibitions abound in the coming year. Krysten Chambrot shares a curated selection in “Textile Tourism,” p. 63. Go to ThreadsMagazine.com to learn about even more destinations to feed your creativity…

You are putting the final touch on that beautiful tailored jacket or that classic coat. Now is the time to choose buttons, but you don’t find any to your liking. They are too small, too big, too bulky, too embellished, or the wrong color. I’ve got a solution for you: Make your own buttons. I’ll show you how to make Singleton buttons from your own fashion fabric. This type of button appears on high-end tailored garments from well-known brands. They are chic and discreet and they provide a special couture touch. They are easy to make and require readily available materials. Next time you’re seeking the perfect button to set off your garment, stop scrolling the online shops or searching the local stores and try this quick and fun technique.…

In recent years, people spent months or longer at home. Those of us with textile-based hobbies were often able to indulge in more time than usual perfecting or taking up sewing, knitting, weaving, and other arts. It’s hard to complain about that. Now, though, many of us are feeling the urge to get out of the house and see the world—or at least cover a radius larger than our backyard or block. In the new year, why not combine your love of textiles with your wanderlust? Plan a vacation that deepens your understanding of fabric history or teaches you new techniques. We’ve compiled a list of opportunities, far and wide, that will entice you. Whether you want to roam and observe, or take intensive or beginner hands-on classes, there are…

Temari, from the Japanese for “hand” and “ball,” Tare embroidered spheres with a long history. Balls for playing a kicking game were first made of animal hide; the game, “kemari,” was played starting in the 8th century. When the nobility adopted ball games, the toys were made from silk fabrics and thread salvaged from kimono. After cotton cultivation was introduced in Japan, in the 16th century, temari were stuffed and wound with scrap cotton. It was in the 17th century that decorated temari became popular. Prized by the noble and affluent classes, they were embellished with intricate stitched patterns. When rubber balls and other modern toys became readily available, temari evolved from toy to art form. Although there are many traditional designs and motifs for temari, the method for creating them…

It’s the week before the autumnal equinox as I write this letter, and yet I’m already thinking ahead to winter holidays and wrapping up 2023. As I do so, I am revisiting all I have to be thankful for in this past year. This is an exercise I probably don’t do often enough—though I don’t know why, because it’s a pleasure. First, I am grateful for the Threads team, a small but mighty group of experienced and hardworking writers, artists, and sewists. The people behind the magazine are, to me, irreplaceable. Next, our authors, new and returning: It is a joy to meet and work with people who are so generous with their talents. Even after more than 20 years of working for Threads, I still learn new things with…

It’s been a spectacular fashion season—if you’re 11½ inches tall. From the introduction of more representative dolls in the past several years, to this summer’s blockbuster movie Barbie, we’ve seen a lot of statement style in extra-extra-extra small sizes. If you, like me, began your sewing career dressing Barbie and her friends, you may feel nostalgic about this renewed embrace of our earliest fashion icon. I’ve always loved designing and sewing little outfits for fashion dolls. They can have a wardrobe that’s much more glamorous than most people need for daily life. Recently, I took my doll sewing to a new level and wrote a whole book about former showgirl “Lola,” her trials and tribulations, and her excellent clothes. It’s called Doll Couture: Creating Custom Clothes Featuring the Story of Lola…

Cozy Raglan Cardigan Jalie: Karine 4242 (Jalie.com) Skill Level: This is a quick and easy garment to sew. It includes detailed written instructions, and there is a free online video tutorial that a beginner can follow. Size Range and Fitting: The pattern is available in two size ranges. The F to GG range includes 28 sizes (children ages 2 to 13 [EU 92 to 155] and adults XS to 2X [US 4 to 24]) for chests 20½ inches to 51⅛ inches and waists 20⅞ inches to 46 ⅛ inches. The extended range, DD to MM, is available in PDF format only. It includes 10 sizes (1X to 5X [US 20 to 36]) for busts 47 inches to 63 inches and waists 41½ inches to 61 inches. The cardigan is fitted…

Double-cloth fabrics—textiles made of two layers of fabric joined by hidden threads—are a sewer’s dream. They are typically made of high-quality fibers, including luscious wools and cashmeres, and are designed to have two attractive faces. With the right techniques, you can craft a coat or jacket that is fully reversible. Although you’ll need to invest time in hand stitching to accomplish this, the results are well worth it. Select a fabric in your best colors, and a versatile pattern, and you’ll wear the garment for years to come. Clean-finished seams and edges are the start of a beautifully made double-cloth garment, and you can find instructions for these methods in Threads #223, Fall 2023. If you’d like to challenge yourself further, consider styles with dart shaping and classic closures. In…

It’s not uncommon to hear that a sewing enthusiast’s earliest projects were doll clothes. Stitching tiny garments can be a challenge for a novice sewer, but the glamorous results are a strong motivation to persevere. For anyone who believes in the power of clothing to express their personality, their aspirations, and their unique imagination, starting small can lead to much bigger things. Contributing Editor Kenneth D. King has a long history of designing and sewing high-fashion looks for 11-½-inch dolls. He has devised smart ways to create a miniature couture ward-robe. Find out how to make these stylish-at-any-scale palazzo trousers, on p. 14.…

THE VIONNET EXPERIENCE When I saw “Grainlines in Concert,” #214, Summer 2021, I was intrigued. When I read the instructions, I knew immediately that this was going to be a huge challenge. With the help of my genius husband, I was able to figure out the measurements. I did love algebra in high school, but this was over the top. I ended up contacting the author, Emily Magli. I can honestly say I’ve never attempted such a convoluted skirt pattern in my entire life. So I got all my pattern pieces made and cut out the skirt. I made a huge mistake, but I had enough fabric to correct it. It said to let the skirt hang for 72 hours or more. Not a problem. It hung for several months.…

For those of us who like to make things, the holiday spirit is about sharing our embroidered, quilted, felted, or other hand-sewn textile objects with those we love. We can also share the joy of making itself, by offering gifts that kindle the imagination and help the recipients expand their skills. Our editors have curated an assortment of items that are sure to be appreciated. This collection ranges from high-quality sewing and pressing equipment to kits, materials, inspiring books, and fun stuff that shows one’s bona fides as a sewist and/or textile geek. Long after the holidays are over, these presents will keep your friends, family, and yourself happy and busy. Kits and Supplies High-quality materials are the catalyst to making something wonderful. For garment sewers, quilters, and any DIY enthusiast,…

I have always been fascinated with bead embroidery. My mom taught me to sew at an early age, and embellishment was consistently a part of my stitching experience. We lived semi-rurally, in a time before fast Internet. My dad used to cart my sisters and me off to the library in town each week, where I would spend hours poring over sewing and craft books to learn as much as I could before it was time to go home. A few years later, I made my senior prom dress from a pattern of my design and painstakingly hand-embroidered seed beads to accentuate the floral design of the fabric. I even finished the hem with a chain to weigh it down like a Chanel jacket hem because I remembered reading about…

One of the biggest challenges for Lynn Brannelly and Alexander Andronescu is getting the word out about what their company, Sewn Adaptive (SewnAdaptive.com), does. They alter and modify readyto-wear garments and create clothing specifically for the disabled community. Even within their targeted client base there is a lack of awareness. “The disability community is so used to having to make do with whatever is available, often sacrificing fit and style for what is just feasible or comfortable enough,” Andronescu explains. Adaptive fashion includes apparel for people with physical and/or sensory disabilities, such as those who have difficulty dressing (for a variety of reasons) or those who experience severe discomfort when wearing off-the-rack clothing. In addition to 40 years of bridal and custom sewing experience, Brannelly has worked as a costume…