My grandmother inherited a similar but older machine from her mother in law in 1930's. The machine worked like a dream, however had no zigzack, no stitching back, no thread cutter etc available. Just simple straight stitching! Since it is not electrical, it can go as quickly as you can turn the "manivelle". My grandmother sew wonders on this machine for years and never wanted to replace it. I had the big pleasure of sewing a summer dress for my daughter on the machine last summer. I loved it instantly for its reliability and I came to appreciate its beauty. Turning the "manivelle" made me feel that this machine stitches in more manual way than my Elna and Janome sewing machines. I now understand better why my grandmother never replaced it. I felt that this machine is a bridge to all the women in my family who sew on it.

My grandmother inherited a similar but older machine from her mother in law in 1930's. The machine worked like a dream, however had no zigzack, no stitching back, no thread cutter etc available. Just simple straight stitching! Since it is not electrical, it can go as quickly as you can turn the "manivelle". My grandmother sew wonders on this machine for years and never wanted to replace it. I had the big pleasure of sewing a summer dress for my daughter on the machine last summer. I loved it instantly for its reliability and I came to appreciate its beauty. Turning the "manivelle" made me feel that this machine stitches in more manual way than my Elna and Janome sewing machines. I now understand better why my grandmother never replaced it. I felt that this machine is a bridge to all the women in my family who sew on it.

Good idea!

I do not live in the USA, so I do not watch Project Runway. Curiously enough, Burda WOF magazine had a re-interpretation of Jackie's clothes in issue 8/2010. You can have a look here:

http://www.burdafashion.com/fr/Magazines/Archives_des_magazines/Pieces_culte/1270777-1463237-1770935-1770938.html

I am wondering if this is a coincidence with the theme of Project Runway!

Elissavet

I learned to sew on my own after having observed and helped my mother sewing with Burda patterns for years. At that time, my mother was a quick sewer that cared more for production and less for perfection. My granny who has been sewing for years was the exact opposite. Time did not matter, the project simply had to be perfect. I am in between the two: there is pleasure in making something quickly, but there is also pleasure in making it perfect!

My mother appreciated my help, but would not let me use her machine. In my 20's, my boyfriend at the time bought me an Elna. I loved the machine and married the guy some 12 years later! I started sewing almost immediately. In the beginning I used Burda magazine for the patterns, but I really needed more instructions and explanations than the ones provided there. In Europe, Burda has been for years the reference magazine for all sewers. Burda is a monthly magazine with some 40 patterns per month, the latest designs available, but bad instructions. So, after sewing series of sleeveless T-shirts, shorts and pocketless jackets, I stopped. I felt that I needed somebody to tell me how to sew better. It wasn't until I had my third child that I discovered simplicity patterns and books and a little later Threads magazine. Since then, I am sewing all weekends all the things I dream of. I sew for my family, my home, my kids and of course for myself. My mother and my granny leave in another country, but when I sew I feel as if they were next to me. Sewing allows me to test how fearless I can be and I love that! It also allows me to get better every day and for that I have to thank you, dear Threads.

Kenneth King has a real teaching talent. His techniques are not simple, nor a shortcut, but I follow them with confidence because I know I will get where he promised; he has been there and he shows me the way. He has a contagious enthousiasm about perfection and a need to make materials obey his dreams, I quite admire that! I never thought that professionals would share the way he does, so thank you for the music!

From the colour maching perspective B is the same colour palette as the dress. From the colour attraction perspective magenda in A is more appealing. Yet, to be honest, yellow is not good for a headline and magenda does not go at all with the dress. So, I would propose a new option: put the headline in a tomato red which belongs to the same Automn palette as the dress!

I find Amy's and Mila's dresses quite nice, Janeane's, Jay's and Maya's acceptable and all the rest really ugly! The really ugly ones are so bad, I can barely look at the wearer without saying "oh, my God"! I am sure all designers did their best and that the construction methods they used were good, but some indeed missed the essential, that is to create a garment that favors the wearer! As a home sewer, I thought designers could do this with their eyes closed and I am surprised to see how mistaken I was. Neverthess, the effort is worth praising, so thank you all for participating!

Ever since I read your article, I have been changing lots of pattern pieces into bias. I absolutely love that! If cut generously a bias front on a blouse works wonders for my not so little tummy! Thank you!

Speed in garment construction is easier to by serging. If your needle breaks when serging, there is no better tool to use for removing it than a bent-nose plier. This beading tool gives you the stability and accuracy you need to remove the broken needle in seconds.
Elissavet

I have been reading a number of instructions about making fabric flowers and this is by far the BEST. Thank you so much, dear Kenneth, for sharing this with us!
Elissavet