Tabla de contenidos para #222 - Summer 2023 en Threads Magazine

BARBIE MCCORMICK (“DIY Pressing Forms,” p. 46) says, “The movie that comes to mind as an all-encompassing costuming extravaganza for me is Black Panther (2018). I only saw it because my boyfriend is a Marvel fan, but I absolutely love the array of costumes and how well they fit the characters. Both the modern, Western dress styles, and the traditional African heritage styles are so evocative and inspiring.” Barbie loves learning as much as she can about design by reading about well-known designers and how their use of fabric and fit evoke the desired personas. See examples of her custom dressmaking and alterations at BarbieMcCormick.com. GAIL PATRICE YELLEN (“Essential Techniques: Differential Feed,” p. 72) says, “The Downton Abbey costumes captivate me, but one is special. Lady Rose’s (Lily James) wedding…

Hobbies are meant to relieve stress, but for some sewers, deciding what to make and getting started bring on stress. You know you want to sew an ensemble that expresses your style, but you can’t seem to pull it all together. You end up sewing random pieces that don’t coordinate or, even worse, not sewing at all. There’s a solution for that. People who sew for enjoyment tend to value individual style. They want to look fashionable, but not like a carbon copy of everyone they run into in their community. However, you may not feel confident about bringing together hues, prints, and silhouettes that are new to you. Happily, ideas for clothing can come from the most unlikely sources. Rather than reaching for the obvious, such as a fashion…

Strapless garments are often seen as a challenge to design and construct—and if not well-made, they also can be a challenge to wear. Because of this, they are ignored or relegated to costume. That need not be the case. The key to a wearable strapless design is a proper corset structure. ure. This part of the garment can be hidden within or featured as part of the design, but it must be correctly fitted and constructed. I’ll show you what a professional corset looks like and explain how its elements work. My focus will be on a foundation corset, which shapes and supports a strapless dress. If you’re thinking of sewing a strapless design, these questions may come to mind: Will this design support my bust? Will the garment fall down…

I am an indifferent cook: I enjoy watching the Great British Baking Show but can’t ever see myself bothering to practice three types of meringue or puff pastry. On the other hand, I love to sew, and little makes me happier than to learn about new techniques, materials, and design approaches. Plan a dinner party menu? I lose interest before the main course. Work out a versatile, chic capsule wardrobe in my best colors and silhouettes? That’s the perfect Saturday evening activity, as far as I’m concerned. Editing this issue felt like taking a course in gourmet sewing methods. Linda Lee’s “Color and Design Strategies,” p. 38, shows how to bring together assorted ingredients into appealing, cohesive ensembles. Barbie McCormick’s “DIY Pressing Tools,” p. 46, emphasizes the importance of having the…

Summer dressing, for me, tends to fall into the relaxed, easy-to-wear realm. But sometimes I want a look that feels special, even if it’s not a traditional special-occasion outfit. That was the inspiration for this wrap: It’s light as a feather, has a bit of shine and texture, and can be worn in a number of ways. This wrap is made with nothing more than silk organza and fabric paint. My first idea was to create a perfectly geometric, linear pattern with a paintbrush. Instead, I found that applying the paint with a foam stamp created irregular motifs I liked much better. I then cut along two edges of each motif so that, when the scarf is twisted or wrapped, the stamped marks stand up slightly, adding texture. The paint…

Dressmakers have been following paper patterns for more than 100 years: Around the middle of the 19th century, patterns became widely available to home sewers in the United States. The industry innovated and refined their products over the decades, culminating in the printed tissue patterns we know today. Patterns have always reflected contemporary fashion and, therefore, are a fascinating source of information about what people wore and what they sewed. For the 2022 Threads/Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (ASDP) design challenge, we asked organization members to design a garment or ensemble inspired by vintage patterns. To ensure that all contestants had access to a wide range of patterns, we steered the designers to the website of the Commercial Pattern Archive, a collection of more than 61,000 patterns, from the…

Mary Brooks Picken is widely known as the author of influential how-to books for home dressmakers, published from the late 1920s into the 1950s. But she made her mark earlier, as the founder of the Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts & Sciences (WIDS), part of the International Correspondence Schools based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. From 1914 to 1938, the institute offered a comprehensive sewing education by mail. The program consisted of dozens of booklets, each copiously illustrated with step-by-step instructions for everything from basic sewing to advanced tailoring, and a dizzying amount of information on millinery. For a few dollars a month, a student received a packet of instruction booklets, supplies such as pattern paper and garment blocks, and answer sheets. When she had completed the exercises and a written exam,…

LIBRARY OF SEWING ADVICE I wanted to let you know that, as a longtime subscriber, it takes me years to get around to projects, but I remember and refer back to multiple articles once I get rolling. For a recent project, my main inspiration was from Threads #205 (Oct./Nov. 2019), “Skirt Formula,” by Raminta Vilkiene. When contemplating what I would do for the hem, I remembered “Shortcut to a Faced Hem” by Marcy Harriell in #215 (Fall 2021). It worked like a charm. Fortunately, I also referred to Threads #211 (Oct./Nov. 2020) “Fabric Lab: Brocade or jacquard?” by Erica Redfern before I cut out the metallic brocade fabric. I use the website as a sort of index to figure out what back issue an article is in and then pull…

Charming Pleated Blouse DP Studio: Le 600—Blouse with Box Pleats and Elasticized Waist (DPStudio-Fashion.com) Skill Level: It is a moderately time-consuming pattern, but worth it for the unusual details and shape. The challenges are forming the pleats and dropping in the collar/stand unit. The instructions are translated from French, and terms that do not translate exactly might be confusing for less experienced sewists. Size Range and Fitting: The pattern comes in French sizes S to XL (36 to 48) for busts 32 ¾ inches to 43 ¾ inches and waists 24 ¾ inches to 35 ¾ inches. It is a loose-fitting blouson-style shirt, with an elastic casing that settles at the natural waistline. The finished garment measurements are not provided. Fabrics: Shirting-weight cottons, silks, or linens are ideal for the design.…

The narrow knife pleats on the skirt of this late 1950s to early 1960s sundress add personality to a simple silhouette. Manufactured by Koret of California, the dress is an example of the company’s Koratron permanentpress process. This patented method involved a heat-activated, chemical fabric treatment. The dress’s label calls the finished product “Tubpleets,” and guarantees the pleats will stay sharp with hand washing—no need for dry cleaning or tedious ironing. In this garment’s bodice, the designer mimicked the look of fine pleats, but with a different method: stitched tucks. The tucks’ seams are hidden when the tucks are pressed flat. Learn to plan and sew these blind tucks, on p. 20.…