Much of the time, a garment’s zipper opening is straightforward: The zipper is inserted into the center-back seam, or possibly along the side seam, or maybe at a center-front seam.…
In 2020, Threads editors posed a challenge to the members of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (ASDP): Create a garment or two-piece ensemble inspired by one of the…
Fitting is a perpetual challenge for sewers. Not only do patterns vary in proportion depending on the company’s block (the basic pattern from which all designs are derived), but as…
Growing up I remember my mom and my grandma saying that you couldn’t have a pair of pants or a skirt without pockets. Where else would you stash your hanky?…
This issue of Threads is the first on a new schedule. We are moving from the bimonthly cadence we've followed for 35 years to a quarterly release schedule. Subscribers and…
In your sewing career, you’ll discover that there are times when a garment calls for a thin, flexible finished edge. Some instances are in garments made of heavy boiled wool,…
Just like all of you, I love to make clothes. Choosing a pattern and making a garment are exciting, and during the process, I have a mental picture of what…
I’ve been teaching pants fitting and sewing since the 1980s. My techniques and skills have changed and improved over the years, but this fly-front zipper technique has remained the same…
One of my favorite shirt styles is the button-down collar shirt. This style is most closely associated with the Oxford cloth button-down, known as the OCBD among traditional menswear enthusiasts.…
For artist and designer Erin Jean Kaya, creating costumes for dancers is a natural fit. The professional ballroom dancer, competitor, and instructor has been making colorful dancewear in many styles…
Outlining the contours of a stretch garment adds decorative impact. You can do this without compromising the garment’s flexibility, with an applied band that remains smooth and ripple-free. This technique,…
McCall’s 7983 This ensemble pattern yields a slim, columnar silhouette. It consists of a close-fitting bodysuit paired with a slim pegged skirt. The pull-on bodysuit has a snap-tape crotch closure…
Just Patterns: Linda Wrap Dress 2102 This unlined wrap dress for woven fabrics has details that give it a refined and businesslike air. The three-quarter-length sleeves are finished with two-piece…
Vogue 1702 Designed by couture expert Claire B. Shaeffer, these palazzo-style pants are perfect for showcasing a flowing fabric. The fully lined pants have front and back waist darts and…
Paper Theory Patterns: Olya Shirt/Shirt Dress The unconventional shape of the pattern pieces makes this an exceptional design. The yoke and sleeve are combined in a clever and unusual way.…
Worthy Design Studio: Iconic Bomber Stand out from the crowd in this one-size jacket with interesting piecing details and a relaxed silhouette. You will also be supporting a worthy cause,…
Cashmerette: Chilton Trench 5101 Trench coats are versatile and can work as fancy accessory coats or as utilitarian garments for daily life. The Chilton is a classic, belted, fully lined…
Dyeing lace trim with a paintbrush opens a kaleidoscope of possibilities, and it's an easy way to create a beautiful, unique detail for garments and accessories.
Classic batiks are created by a wax resist and overdyeing process. Textile historians trace their development to 13th century Indonesia. Artisans there used handmade copper stamps or “tjaps” to imprint…
Big, decorative buttons add drama to garments. At the same time, they pose problems: How do you attach buttons with extralarge holes rather than shanks, and what is the size…
For the last 5 years, I have been living my dream. After sewing for over 30 years, I fulfilled my lifelong desire to open a sewing studio. Now I teach…
Designed and sewn by Pat Billups of Grand Prairie, Texas, this gown won the Best Overall award in the Four Elements design challenge posed by Threads and the Association of…
Stand out from the crowd in the Worthy Design Studio Iconic Bomber, a one-size design with interesting piecing details and a relaxed silhouette. You will also be supporting a worthy…
