Innholdsfortegnelse for #162 - August-September 2012 i Threads Magazine

We asked our authors: What influences directed you toward your current career? SUSAN LAZEAR (“Get the Ideal Silhouette,” page 40) has always been creative. “As a youngster, I discovered I had a passion for two things: fashioning Tressy-doll clothing (at age 5), and teaching (at age 8), with my 4-year-old sister acting as my student. That led to further sewing and designing, university degrees, and ultimately teaching at the college level.” Susan is a professor of fashion at San Diego Mesa College in California. She also oversees pattern and design software development for the company she founded 20 years ago, Cochenille Design Studio. To learn more, visit Cochenille.com. CAROL AHLES (“Fundamentals: Fine top-stitching,” page 70) has loved sewing and teaching since childhood. “When I was 10, a neighbor offered to…

Copy patterns with crayons best tip Sometimes, I need to copy a pattern so that I can move darts or make an adjustment in length or width, but I don’t want to destroy the original pattern. On the pattern’s wrong side, I draw over the cutting lines, darts, and notches with a wax crayon. I use pattern paper printed with light blue dots (or lines), and place the pattern’s grainline along a row of dots. Using a dry iron, I press the pattern onto the paper (marked side down). The wax transfers directly to the paper, and I have a perfect copy to alter and adjust. —Kathleen Wagner Seattle, Washington EASY DRAWSTRING RECOVERY One end of a waist drawstring can get pulled into the casing so far that it’s difficult or…

Menswear tailoring is often perceived as stuffy, mannish, and out-of-date, but the truth is, it’s as feminine, fresh, and stylish as you make it. Many techniques adapt beautifully to women’s garments. We’ve selected two methods to share: how to add a welt pocket and how to construct a two-piece waistband. Our emphasis is easing alterations and eliminating bulk. The welt pocket is traditionally used on the back of men’s pants, but why hide it there? Move it to the front, and use it in place of the traditional slant pocket. It’s an example of a menswear method women can draw from in the name of style. Men’s custom-tailored trousers are worth the money because the construction techniques are selected for durability and to allow for alterations. Unlike women, who make…

The minute I looked at the fabric, it just shouted beach dress—not that it’s hard to take the fabric seriously, because it’s lovely—but it was so soft and flowing and summery that it just seemed at odds with anything structured. Since just about everything I sew is highly structured, this was a nice change of pace. I could have done something linear and form-fitting, but I was afraid all the interest in the fabric’s designs would be lost if they were chopped up too much. So I thought this was the best way to let the fabric speak for itself. Part of the challenge was to add another fabric. I thought ties would be good. They could wrap around the dress in lots of different ways. I recently spent a…

Have you ever sat down to sew a garment and were not sure where to begin? Which comes first—the zipper or the side seams; the darts or the pockets? And does it even matter? Years in the fashion industry have taught me many “tricks of the trade,” but one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in creating garments professionally, is to know the correct sewing order for the best results. Fashion industry pros do not use direction sheets. Instead, they follow a very logical sewing order. Also referred to as the “Unit Method of Construction,” this systematic approach to sewing enables the garment’s complete front and back to lie flat as long as possible. All darts, tucks, pleats, and style lines are sewn first and the side seams or…

Alexander McQueen is an important British couture house, so it isn’t surprising that Catherine Middleton, now Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, asked creative director Sarah Burton to make her wedding dress. A collaboration between the designer and the bride, the dress was a look to the past as well as to the future. It celebrates the heritage of timeless British craftsmanship and pays tribute to the Arts and Crafts tradition with a design that combines simple forms, a romantic style, and a distinctive, contemporary design. The subtle color of the dress was achieved by layering ivory satin gazar over white. The lace bodice has a V-neckline with a sheer yoke and lace sleeves. A hallmark of Alexander McQueen designs, the closely fitted bodice narrows at the waist and…

we’d love to hear from you! Send your letters to: Threads Letters PO Box 5506 Newtown, CT 06470-5506 or via email ThreadsLetters@taunton.com threads In our next issue: Get expert advice on fitting for petites, sewing with handwoven fabrics, and sewing machine maintenance. Plus, learn to create a peplum, how independent patterns are developed, and what fabrics, silhouettes, and colors to sew for fall. EDITOR’S NOTE A Well-Rounded Garment Sewing a garment can be richly satisfying when all the elements come together as planned. There’s the design, the fabrication, the construction, and, most essentially, the fit to think about. This issue brings expert advice in each of these areas to help you create garments with the best results. One way to increase the chances your sewing goes smoothly is to follow the…

This issue’s winner receives: ■ Shirtmaking by David Page Coffin. This comprehensive paperback offers techniques to help you create elegant, custom-fit tailored shirts for a woman or man. ($19.95) ■ Fitting: Waist & Hips. This DVD is part of a four-part video series created by the Threads staff. Step-by-step examples show how to achieve a perfect fit. ($99.95 full set; also includes Torso, Bust, and Arms; not available for purchase individually) ■ Couture Techniques Workshop Basics with Claire Shaeffer. This two-disc DVD is a well-organized and easy-to-understand visual workshop that demystifies the techniques of couture sewing. ($39.95) ■ Threads Industry Insider Techniques DVD, Vol. 1. Threads editors and renowned sewing expert Louise Cutting demonstrate the timeless techniques and attention to detail that define well-sewn clothing. ($29.95) ■ Threads Industry Insider Techniques DVD, Vol.…

Zippers are so much more than mundane closures. When installed on a garment’s exterior, instead of hidden behind a fold of fabric, a zipper becomes a functional embellishment. Exposing a zipper to display its tape and teeth instantly adds a modern designer detail to any garment. There are several ways to install an exposed zipper, and nearly any seamline presents the opportunity to showcase a closure—the placement is up to you. The trick is in how you manage the seam allowance at the zipper’s bottom end. A miter-cut opening gives a flat, clean finish on both sides of a garment. The method I’ll show you here enables you to grade seam allowances to very narrow widths, so use it to reduce bulk on heavy or stiff fabrics. Using fusible interfacing…

Threads’ contributing editors excel at executing their good ideas and creating daring styles. So when we invited them for a design challenge, we wanted to find a fabric that would never appear in their private collections. We knew they could design stunning couture garments, but we wanted them to step slightly out of character and take on a fun summer project. We found a flamboyant print that’s neither a weave nor a knit, but a medium-weight mesh printed with bright, see-through butterfly wings (OsgoodTextile.com). They could design whatever they wanted, but it had to be a complete ensemble, and any companion fabrics had to be knit. What they made surprised and delighted us. Pairing the fabric with a sequined knit made for a stunning combination; and a shirred strapless beach…

When I saw the fabric for this challenge, my first thought was to make jeans, an unexpected use of such a fabric. The fabric has the same amount of stretch on the cross-grain as stretch denim (a little more on the lengthwise grain), so I expected them to wear somewhat like stretch denim. I made a sample to see if the fabric would work well, but I didn’t like the seam allowances that showed through. I wanted the seam allowances to disappear, and that became my personal challenge. I planned to wear black leggings underneath (like long johns). I interfaced the pockets and back yoke with black twill. I then underlined just the seam allowances to match the leggings. I cut 2-inch-wide bias strips of black organza (silk or synthetic).…

In 2011, a record-breaking 661,509 people went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to view the exhibit, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.” What was so astonishing about this designer and his designs that people stood in line for hours to see his work? “Savage Beauty” was an extraordinary exhibit that showcased the astounding creativity and originality of a designer; and, if you looked closely, the technical ingenuity was obvious. McQueen was known for his showmanship. Every collection began with the show and how it would be viewed. Most were more like art exhibitions than fashion shows. “[McQueen’s] iconic designs constitute the work of an artist whose medium of expression was fashion,” says Thomas P. Campbell, director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. McQueen emphasized the importance of imagination and free expression,…

Topstitching is as simple as sewing a straight stitch. However, since every stitch shows, fabric preparation, thread and needle choice, presser foot selection, and the proper technique are all critical to achieve a professional look. Topstitching is defined as one or more rows of stitching visible from the garment’s right side. Decorative and practical, this simple stitch has many uses. It holds fabric layers in place, such as seam allowances (this is often done with straight-stitched rows sewn on each side of the seam), facings (such as at the neckline), hems, collars, lapels, cuffs, pocket attachment, and so on. Topstitching adds texture and definition—similar to quilting, and gives decorative effects based on thread, stitch, and placement choices. Edgestitching is also topstitching that is sewn usually 1⁄16 inch to ⅛ inch…

Fine Vintage By Paula DeGrand This vintage jacket design, from a 1936 McCall’s pattern (no. 8944), challenged Paula’s nerves and sewing skills every step of the way. But the results are well worth the time and care necessary for this stunning creation. Paula says the Italian stretch wool herringbone in vibrant saffron yellow and orange with matching Bakelite buttons called out for the vintage pattern’s sharp tailoring and exaggerated details: a dramatic collar, back pleats, and extended center-front lap. But unsure her skills were up to the challenge, Paula shelved the project. She finally took the leap as a way to hone her tailoring techniques. Paula eliminated the pattern’s darted sleeve caps. Otherwise, her jacket is as it was designed in 1936. She experimented and made mistakes on samples, and…

One of the greatest sewing epiphanies I’ve had came to me at a regional sewing conference. During one of the final break-out sessions, one participant timidly raised her hand and asked a basic sewing question. The instructor answered encouragingly, but another woman sharing my table, apparently annoyed at the innocuous inquiry, rolled her eyes and quietly hissed, “Some people don’t even know how to use a seam ripper the right way.” At first, I was taken aback by the comment. Then, my mind raced to picture the way I used my own seam ripper. The truth was, I was baffled as to the esoteric art of seam ripping. If I couldn’t properly rip a seam, perhaps many of my other sewing skills barely ranked above rookie, and—worse than that—maybe every…

If standard bias-bound garment edges leave you cold and uninspired, my alternative binding technique offers a fresh way to finish edges. An appliquéd binding creates a beautiful finish and embellishment in one and offers ample opportunity for artistic expression. This technique originated as a quick fix when I discovered I didn’t have enough uncut fabric left to make a bias binding on a pieced, quilted jacket. I didn’t want to face the jacket or introduce another fabric to the garment. But there were enough fabric scraps to piece together a binding—as long as I didn’t obsess about cutting them on the true bias. The pieced binding also complemented the jacket’s collaged effect. You can piece an appliqué binding, as I did for my collage jacket and the vest shown on…

Couture sewing is many things—precise, impeccable, lovely—and Susan Khalje manages to make it fun, too. Susan has a special, easygoing way of communicating the techniques that create iconic garments with eternal appeal: The designer jacket, the little black dress, and bridal gowns. In her popular sewing workshops, DVDs, books, online tutorials, and as a Threads contributing editor, she’s made some of the best methods accessible to home sewers. Here, Susan shares details about discovering and teaching couture. THREADS Name a person, a place, and a thing that were surprising influences in your career. SUSAN KHALJE A person? I’d have to say Charles Kleibacker, who was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a mentor. I adored him and we developed a wonderful relationship that was an honor, a joy, and just…

When I think back to my college years, I remember a woman I used to see on campus. The clothes she wore seemed to suit her perfectly, and she always looked great. I assumed that she had a perfect figure. But with the perspective of experience, I wonder now if she really did. Perhaps she had simply mastered the art of camouflage and was adept at creating the appearance of a perfect figure. Few bodies naturally match the fashionable ideal. People come in a broad spectrum of shapes, each with its own assets and fitting challenges. But don’t despair. The clothing you sew and wear can help you create the illusion that you have the ideal figure, regardless of your body type. Playing with garment proportion and silhouette lets you…

Fabric inspires me to work in two distinct ways. First, I like to listen to the fabric, play with it for a while, and let it tell me what it wants to do—more or less. Second, I like to force it to comply with my design and turn it into a garment that contradicts the fabric. This translucent butterfly mesh fabric doesn’t lend itself to a structured garment. It screams soft and flowing. But I like to make fitted little jackets with seams and darts that create shape. I like to quilt layers together to build soft structure. And I love to combine fabrics, especially prints, in the same piece. I envisioned a jacket with a notched collar—a look that never seems to go out of style, and the V-neck…

McQueen didn’t make the kind of clothing people copy in their sewing rooms. In many ways, his legacy isn’t in the clothing that people wear, but in the inspiration he brings to the design process. This is where the home sewer can benefit from studying his work. He challenged every rule of design and technique, and, in so doing, expanded the notion of what fashion can be. You can go to any master tailoring book to learn to set a sleeve, or you can attend a workshop to learn to sew lace. McQueen did these things—and more—with extraordinary skill, but his most powerful lesson for us is the way his eyes beheld the world around him and then passed on his vision through his designs. We, too, can see a…

The classical lines of ancient architecture have inspired artists and designers for millennia. Take a simple sketch of ancient architecture that inspires you to your computer and digitize it to create a couched embroidery version for a summer satchel. This embellishment can be embroidered in a snap when you start on the computer. A wide variety of effects can be achieved by manipulating simple built-in outline stitches. To create the appearance of a couched cord, two different stitches are digitized and then combined to stitch one over the other. The first stitch stands in for the “cord,” which is then “couched” with a second pass of digitized zigzag stitching. You can make both stitch types by adjusting existing embroidery stitches. For the look of cording, choose an outline stitch that…