reader's closet - Threads
3 Maternity Dresses for Daughter
1 commentsummer dresses that she likes. They all have room for growth.
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Daughter's Maternity Outfit
This is a sheer loose top for the summer with knit pants and a little jacket for spring.
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Miss Patience Bag
This little bag is simple and quick to make. It is fully lined, lightly padded, has a magnetic snap closure and my Frilly Fabric Flower Brooch pin on the front. The pattern is available in my shop at...
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Fabric Basket
1 commentThese are 2 examples of my fabric baskets. They are fully lined. The pink basket is made with 3 coordinating fabrics. The handle, bow and corner accents match. There are large covered buttons on the...
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Tea Towels to Bedspread
2 commentsI was given a project to combine some beautiful tea towels that were given as a present but the receipient lives on a ranch and tea towel were not really useful, but she did need a new bedspread. So...
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Handmade Leather Handbag
2 commentsI wove pink and white leather together to form the panels. When stitching the pieces together I kept the pattern of the checker in a flow. I also stitched the strips together for strength...
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Smocked Dress
13 commentsI had the bright idea to try smocking! I used the lines in the design of the fabric as a guide and kind of made up my own smocking pattern. I added beads in each smocked area. The beads and...
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Skirt Repair
2 commentsI was commisioned to repair a hole in this skirt caused by a too hot iron. I saw this technique in Sew Stylish magazine and thought it would be a perfect camoflauge. I basted a zigzag stitch on...
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Fleece Coat
1 commentI started with Vogue pattern 1129, but modified the drape so that it's attached only at the shoulder (instead of all the way across the waist). I also made the scarf portion (what was originally the...
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Girly Dresses
3 commentsI have taught myself to sew and have terrible luck making my own clothes but found my calling in dresses for my neices. I have had so much fun making them. Hannah feels like a princess...
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'Mixed media' Ensemble
This project was one of my early experiments in combining sewn garments from contemporary and vintage patterns. In doing so, I also combined gendered attributes.
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Hand Made Card
1 commenti made it using card paper, decorative paper, glue, glitter, a stamp, pink marker, plastic gem, decorative hole puncher, and imagination. :) What do u think of it?
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A Lace Jacket
1 commentI was in one of the warehouse style fabric stores a few months ago with some of my other sewing friends and I found a wonderful off-white cotton lace fabric. I decided that one of...
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Zipper Flowers in a Zip!
Just one of the embellishment ideas my Fashion Design students will be using to create their recycle and redesign project, a blue jean purse!
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Recycle, Redesign and Rewear!
This project is one for my students in Fashion Design to try their hand at recycle and redesign. Lots of handwork involved unless you have a sewing machine that will sew really tough, thick...
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Organizing Your Stash
3 commentsKeeping my sewing space from becoming disorganized and chaotic, especially during the holidays, is a job in itself. When my workspace is chaotic I lose motivation. A flash of brilliance...
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Spring Peasant Blouse
Needed a little Spring in my life. I found this fabric at a little indie fabric store in my neighborhood. The only change I made to this old Butterick pattern was to sew the elastic directly on the...
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skirt to go with peasant blouse
This is such a great project for a beginner. I've only been sewing for two weeks and even I was able to make this in little more than an afternoon. I pressed the hem & casing at the same...
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Cuada Slouch in mixed grays
This Bag was made using a mix of new and old fabrics - I used a cotton base and then added uneven shapes of fabric on top - similar to crazy patchwork. The front phone pocket was originally the back...
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Italian Renaissance
5 commentsThe dress is made from a coral and gold colored jacquard. The dress has corset back. The front of the bodice is boned with professional corset steel bones. The dress is embellished...
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Retro Wrap From the Butterick Website
Like I said earlier the sewing bug has bitten me hard. I am nearly manic about sewing again. I chose this project because it was easy or so i thought and quick. It was fairly easy and pretty quick...
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Oriental by accident
1 commentThis was an experiment to use all cotton in the Kimonii, and the red straight skirt; together the blue and the red suddenly seem very oriental, where as I was going for sea side! I must confess the...
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Cocktail hat
I made this cocktail hat for a friend's daughter, using the hat base pattern from John Koch's article. I had difficulty making the darts in the buckram, using his method. After 5 failed...
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Happy Valentine's Day...
2 commentsRecently we were invited to attend a friends 40th birthday. I thought it would be great fun to wear what I wore to my own 40th, 24 years ago!!! The jacket is made from a metallic silk matelasse...
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patternless peasant blouse
1 commentI made this blouse for myself, since I can't seem to get anyone else's measurements. I really didn't know what to do on cutting a wedge for sleeves and fortunately, since I cut too small, I was able...
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Refashion - Fur and Leather
1 commentOne of my goals is to make something made of leather. This year that goal was met. The project was fun. It allowed me to experiment with refashioning two different materials. This was a very fun...
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Spring Coat in full bloom
7 commentsUsing Vogue Pattern # V8346 view B, I used upholstery fabric (a tip from a previous Threads issue). The design of the fabric is reminiscent of traditional Ojibwe floral beadwork designs and when I...
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T Shirt Dress
3 commentsThis is another one of my designs for a T Shirt Fashion Show at a local university.
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Day of the Dead Costume
Here I am at a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration at an art gallery in 2009. My costume started with an old long black dress and a commercially made witch hat. The hat has a...
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How I Became "Copperwoman"
1 commentWhy am I called Copperwoman? I have always really loved the color of copper. In 1996, I was in recovery from a full year of treatment for breast cancer, and was very interested in doing as many of...
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gypsy skirt
2 commentsSince my friend likes yellow, I bought as many contrasting yellows as I could. But two of them are a little too similar. Instead of gathering the thread by hand, I bought a gathering foot. But either...
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"Liesl's Dancing Dress" - A Sound of Music Costume!
Sound of Music fans rejoice! Remember the gorgeous chiffon dress Liesl wore for her "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" dance scene in the gazebo? Well now you can make one just like...
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Patchwork Red Riding Hood
Wonderful times are to be had in this amazing little red riding hood! Patchworked in an asst of prints, and corduroys, with specialty stitching between each seam, this hood is sure to be a hit...
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Steal Your Face Jean Applique Jacket
2 commentsInspired by the festivals I went to last summer and the music of the Grateful Dead, I created this upcycled jean jacket, going for a real bohemian marakesh style feel. This jean jacket has been...
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My 2 piece ensemble
3 commentsThis purple fabric is a cotton blend with a tweed like pattern for the skirt. The cream insert on the skirt is left over drapery fabric scraps that I had and wondered if it would look good together...
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Reversible Fish&Srtipes Cotton Crop Top
I bought this fabric and made place mats for my sister Katie and her bf James this Christmas. However, I loved the prints so much I bought extra for myself. Recently I finally was inspired to make...
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Modification on Ribbon Clutch
2 commentsI have been biten by the sewing bug hard once again. I really want to make full size vintage dresses, However I thought that it would be good practice to start with small things. I came across this...
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Orange Suspenders
1 commentMy son requested orange suspenders and after a quick search I realized I could make them without any problems. I bought a pair of suspenders at the thrift store and used the hardware from them. Then...
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Reversible Evening Dress
3 commentsThis was based on a Dior dress from the 50s. I made it reversible because I couldn't decide which colour I wanted it to be in. The sash is also reversible. I wore it to a carnival themed event. For...
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Felted Wool Jersey
1 commentSimplicity 2313 is a great pattern that has four distinct looking jackets. I chose the bias ruffled version to try out some wool jersey that I felted my self in the washer and dryer. The felting came...
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