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…
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?…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
