Table of contents for #225 - Spring 2024 in Threads Magazine

NISAN AKTÜRK  (“Hexagon Patchwork,” p. 56) says, “I have two get-out-of-jail cards for when I get stuck in my creative process. I either browse my massive personal collection of inspiring imagery that I have been curating for years, or I chat with my partner and my best friend until I get that ‘aha!’ moment and figure out my next steps.” Nisan is a self-taught sewist based in Turkey. She’s been sewing since 2019 to create a fully handmade wardrobe. She is an accomplished knitter and writer who enjoys sharing her projects and experiences online at TheSocialFabric.net, and on Instagram @the.social.fabric. ELLIE LUM (“Fabric Lab: Waxed Canvas,” p. 18) says, “When I hit a creative block, I turn to my artist friends or my husband. Their perspectives often provide the fresh insight…

The chic leather coat shown on the back cover, designed circa 1975 by famed American designer Bonnie Cashin, has pockets that look ok perfectly modern and deceptively simple. Their curved openings are incorporated into princess-like seams that extend down from the shoulders, across the side seams, and to the back. Sizable pocket bags are secured with topstitching to the coat front, providing additional curved design lines. In fabrics from the smooth leather of the original coat to the plush wool of the sample at right, this pocket feature is practical, stylish, and unusual. While the patternmaking for these pockets is easy, it’s the marking and precision of sewing that give the pocket that clean and effortless look. I’ll show you how to adapt a basic dolman-sleeve coat pattern to incorporate…

LOOK FOR THESE ICONS ON THE PATTERN REVIEWS Includes sizes 24 and up Fast and easy Challenging techniques Downloadable pattern Printed pattern Projectable pattern Stylish Popover Shirt Atelier 8 Avril: Lapiz Blouse or Dress (Atelier8Avril.com) Skill Level: This design is moderately challenging. The instructions are in French, but non-French-speaking sewers with know-how could interpret the illustrations. There is a tutorial, also in French, on YouTube. Size Range and Fitting: The pattern is available in French sizes 34 to 48 for busts 31 inches to 43¾ inches and waists 23¼ inches to 35¾ inches. The ease at the bust is 9½ inches, at the waist 15¾ inches, and at the hips almost 6 inches. The ease is suitable for this garment type, but you may prefer to increase the hip circumference. Fabrics:…

Many of us possess beautiful old home linens stitched long ago, made by beloved family members or even by relatives we never knew. These textiles are precious to us for sentimental reasons. For some, handling these lovely examples of needlework allows us to appreciate the patience, time, and skill that our women put into embellishing their everyday items. These pieces, while beautiful, may not be as useful today, as home fashions have changed. We no longer put lacy antimacassars on our chairs or sofa or embroidered scarves on our dressers; nor do we use cutwork tablecloths and napkins regularly. Our casual lifestyles do not support the careful laundering, starching, and pressing of fancy linens. So what are we supposed to do with them? REPURPOSE WITH RESPECT Creating a romantic blouse…

Threads readers are a diverse lot, and we know T they range from new sewists to those with many decades of experience. Yet they share an outlook: respect for textile-art traditions, and curiosity about trying novel techniques and making new things. A paired appreciation of the old and enthusiasm for the new fosters the perfect mindset for creativity. Makers don’t have to reinvent any wheels, nor do they need to start from scratch. They can learn from others and interpret established practices in their own ways. This issue’s authors offer wonderful examples of this idea. Rachael Gilbert-Burns, a technologist who embraces the latest in digital strategies for sewing, shows how a vintage, hand-held darning tool can be just as efficient and inventive—and it can save items that might otherwise lose…

Waxed canvas is an old-school classic that has made a huge comeback in recent years. This versatile, water-resistant fabric has a unique blend of style, functionality, ity, and durability that makes it a favorite for bag making. The waxy finish helps it stay put at the machine, making it a dream to sew with—not to mention that it develops a beautiful, weathered patina over time. I design and sew stylish and hard-wearing bags that include waxed canvas. I’ll share the history, characteristics, and best uses of this textile, as well as provide tips on sewing with it. If you want a bag or outerwear piece that looks great and lasts for many years, consider waxed canvas. This just might be the newest version of heirloom sewing. TWO KEY COMPONENTS Waxed…

People say that art and fashion provide a reflection of, or reaction to, what is going on in the world at large. This spring, nostalgia—as well as a longing for things never known, like world peace or truly inclusive societies—continues to be a powerful influence on the fashion industry. The 1990s, with their “come as you are” sensibility, were an undeniable influence in street-style and runway shows during fashion month. FROM A SOMBER VIEW… This looking back carries with it a certain yearning for an idyllic time that never really existed: We just like to believe it did. To many, the world seems to be growing more divisive and dangerous than ever. Wars, conflicts, and staggering losses of human life populate our news feeds. Those of us in Northeast America…

One of my sewing goals for the past year has been to do more hand sewing, which is how I found myself making hexagons out of all my linen scraps one summer evening. My initial plan was to simply assemble the hexagons into a quilt. However, as I made more and more of them, I started to get attached to the idea of building them into a wearable project—a patchwork bomber jacket, to be more specific. The hexagons are made by folding the edges of a fabric circle to meet the center and securing the folds into place with a few stitches. I find this technique clever, so I wanted to construct the entire jacket around it and stay as loyal to it as possible. This meant that I would…

Architect and innovator Felecia Davis’s trajectory from sewing as a little girl to engineering textiles for building use reveals a creativity as flexible as the materials she studies. In her research and teaching, Davis explores ways to understand and harness the properties of woven and knit structures to revolutionize the human environment. The associate professor at Penn State connects art, science, engineering, and design through the worlds of architecture, textiles, and computation. As head researcher at the Stuckeman Center for Design and Computation, and director of SOFTLAB in the Stuckeman School, Dr. Davis has shown her work around the world, including at the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2023, as well as the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Her background is in engineering, and from a young age she…

Bonnie Cashin, one of America’s foremost 20th-century designers, produced this ensemble around 1975. One of her later designs, it clearly exemplifies her penchant for clean, sleek looks in luxury fabrics, with signature details. In this case, the turnlock closures, fine leather, and narrow, straplike belt are all reminders that Cashin was a key designer for Coach bags and accessories from 1962 to 1974. Though her garments have minimal fuss, they are planned for maximum style and functionality. In this coat, a swooping side-front seam descends from the shoulder, moves around the side and across the back, and incorporates the opening to an ample curved pocket. Learn to create this pocket on a dolman-sleeve coat pattern, on p. 12. Source: Chicago History Museum, ICHi-68879 (left) and ICHi-68872 (above), ©2014 Chicago Historical…

A Hopeful Forecast for Spring Fashion is fluid this season: The masculine/feminine binary is dissolving; fabrics range from sheer and floaty to sturdy and long-wearing; office wear is loosening up and looking more creative; special occasion garments tune into a sense of fantasy. Find out more about the colors and silhouettes, on p. 34, and scan the QR code to follow links to all the patterns listed. Web Extras to Spark Creativity Hexie extra: Nisan Aktürk’s hexagon patchwork jacket, p. 56, is a garment to enjoy for a lifetime. If you’d like a more detailed step-by-step tutorial on creating hexagons, trapezoids, and more, visit ThreadsMagazine.com. The enhanced article includes more photographs to guide you in folding these key shapes. Free blouse pattern: Transform embellished linens into one-of-a-kind tops. Joan McGowan-Michael…

Frogs are an ancient decorative closure that traveled from China to western Europe in the late 18th century. These fasteners are created by shaping a variety of materials into knotted patterns, such as the classic four-loop and the double swirl shape. A frog closure can be subtle when matched to the garment, or bold when made in a contrasting material. This closure is often functional, with a working, knotted button from matching fabric. But don’t overlook the interest created by adding a button of contrasting material, such as wood, metal, or clay. Multiple frogs can provide the focal point down a garment’s front. Alternatively, a single loop and button can often be an understated detail. Creating a handmade trim and closure adds a level of quality not seen in ready-to-wear…

A few years ago, my son brought home a well-designed duffel bag he had found at an army/navy surplus store in Britain. The bag looked compact at first glance. On further examination, I discovered it had a huge-capacity pocket folded and zipped so that it could be expanded when necessary and tucked away again when the load was lightened. I had to figure out how to make one for myself. I didn’t, however, want to make a carbon copy. I wanted to make it smaller, add pockets for my phone and sunglasses, and wear it backpack style. As long as I was making it up myself, I figured I could have exactly what I wanted. Thus began my obsession with cleverly designed, useful bags. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT My initial attempt…

For many years, I have altered better ready-to-wear clothing for my clients. My specialty is tailored clothing, but occasionally I get a request to do a special-occasion garment, as in the case of a recent request to alter a beaded gown. It was adorned with large faceted beads as well as smaller seed beads. The large beading was arranged in flower patterns, with the small beads stitched in a grid of vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. All the beads were attached to netting. There were obvious challenges, due to the type of fabric the garment was made with. Needed alterations required the work be done by hand. On the following pages, I’ll walk through my process of altering the dress for a petite client. Try these methods if you need…

There was a time when packets of needles were plentiful and could be found in every home. Making and mending clothes were common activities, so there was always a use for hand-sewing needles. Starting in the late 19th century and throughout the first half of the 20th century, needles were distributed in small paper folders, usually called needle books. These diminutive bits of ephemera are reminders of the prevalence of hand-sewing skills in decades past. They also provide evidence of the culture in which sewing flourished. Many needle books featured images of women and girls sewing together; multiple versions of similar groupings appear throughout the 1940s and ’50s, under the title “Sewing Susan.” The fashions, hairstyles, and background art change with the decades. This type of domestic imagery reinforces the…