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Conversational Threads

Threads is a Real disappointment

louise | Posted in Feedback on Threads on

Dear Patternmaker 1
I must agree with your comments re:Claire Shaeffer. I resisted buying her patterns because I thought they were just wierd or too out-of-sync to be vintage or original, they were just jejeune. I did buy her jeans pattern though, because it was the only one carried in my size and there was the accompanying article in Threads. The jeans turned out but I must say the whole time I was making them I was shaking my head over the Byzantine methodology. If I am making a pattern that I really want to use over and over again I sometimes, on a whim, follow the instructions. This is what I did here and never will again. First and foremost I have to wonder why anyone would put in a full fly front after sewing all four major pieces together at the centre seams. I always abandon this notion and finish the front pieces alone. I seam the front inseam after the fly is installed and I always have a neat finish, whether serging, french seaming or flat felling. No other method works as well. Anyway your site is a dream and I will be visiting often. It seems I have broken through the “glass ceiling” of sewing finally.
Thanks
L

Replies

  1. KathleenFasanella | | #1

    Louise,
    I'm not very familiar with Claire's patterns. I bought one once because it said that it covered two methods; that of Vogue's usual practices and that of "design houses". Well, I've worked with a lot of design houses and while they're guilty of their own sins, I saw a bunch of new ones in this pattern (7634), lol. About the pants, _is_ there another way to seam them? That's wild. Why would you do it any other way than as you described?

    I notice that Carol F from Threads mentions they'll be publishing a welt pocket lesson. Cool. I just recently completed a 5 part tutorial on how it's done in the sewn products industry. Maybe folks could warm up to the topic in the meantime with the ones I wrote. I think the comparison btwn what they print and what I wrote could be interesting. Human engineering is such a fascinating thing, no?

    1. Zippered welt pockets:
    http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/zippered_welt_pockets.html

    2. Welt-Reece machine operations
    http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/welt-reece_machine_operations.html

    3. Marking & Cutting
    http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/marking_cutting.html

    4. Welt & per jig
    http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/welt_and_paper_jig.html

    5. Welt pocket construction
    http://www.fashion-incubator.com/mt/archives/welt_pocket_construction.html

    1. carolfresia | | #2

      I'm not aware that Claire Shaeffer has published a jeans pattern, although Sandra Betzina has (Vogue 7608). Perhaps this is what Louise is referring to. I'm not personally familiar with the construction methods she uses, but I do think there's some real merit to her design: she conflates the back yoke and back waistband into one piece, so you get the look of a jeans yoke, but the fit of a contoured waistband. This is rather clever, as the back waist is so often the major fit problem for women when it comes to jeans.

      Carol

      1. Beth | | #3

        I am going to jump in here to say that I have made the Claire Shaeffer pants pattern twice and (on me) the fit is excellent, plus it is comfortable to wear and flattering. I plan to make these pants again. About Sandra Betzina's patterns, I have no experience. She has terrific designs, but my aging body doesn't seem to be changing shape the same way. It is difficult to evaluate a pattern line as it relates to our own shape and style. Some will be dogs and others gems.

        Elizabeth

        1. carolfresia | | #4

          Elizabeth,

          Which Shaeffer pants pattern did you use? I've got the one with the contoured waistband, but haven't tried it yet. I've heard very good things about it, however, and the style is an excellent classic.

          Carol

          1. Beth | | #5

            Carol,

            I used the contoured waistband pattern.The envelope includes two patterns, one couture, one more like a regular pattern. Both turned out really well. The couture version eases fabric into the band. Not something I really know how to do. The regular pattern uses a dart.

            The leg is wide and hangs straight. On me this is flattering.

            Elizabeth

          2. carolfresia | | #6

            Thanks, Elizabeth. That's a good style for me, too, so I'll have to give the pattern a try.

            Carol

          3. Beth | | #7

            Oh, and I forget to mention that I shortened the legs about 2 inches. You might want to check that.

            Elizabeth

          4. Jean | | #8

            Carol, not a sewing comment, but a spelling one. I'm getting "reall"  sick of seeing 2 threads with reall in the title. Can you fix this misspelling please? Thanks.

          5. Elisabeth | | #9

            The basic grammar errors bother me more. The ones actually printed in the magazine. How can I trust someone who writes in an international publication about making "good-fitting" pants? Yep, them pants fit real good.

          6. AmyC | | #10

            I have to agree with the spelling errors on two subject headers.  I can ignore a typo in the middle of a text, but  it really bothers me to see a simple word like 'real' mispelled in a header, and in boldface.

          7. KathleenFasanella | | #11

            gawd...and people say I'm anal :-)Speaking of subject lines, I have to admire Threads for permitting the existance of kvetching critical subjects in the first place ;)

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