Knit: Innovations in Fashion, Art, Design PDF by Samantha Elliott

Knit: Innovations in Fashion, Art, Design

By Samantha Elliott

Contents

Introduction
Fashion
Alice Lee
Ornella Bignami
Mark Fast
Ramón Gurillo
John Smedley
Leutton Postle
Markus Lupfer
Irina Shaposhnikova
Shima Seiki
Sibling
Carlo Volpi
Christian Wijnants
Woolmark
Art
B-Arbeiten
Isabel Berglund
Liz Collins
Chia-Shan Lee
Ruth Marshall
Lauren O’Farrell
Na’ama Rietti
Magda Sayeg
Annette Streyl
Design
Annette Bugansky
Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam
Claire-Anne O’Brien
Catherine Tough
Woolly Thoughts
The Yarn Company
Designers Directory
Credits

Introduction
Knit: Innovations in Fashion, Art, Design aims to present a snapshot of what is happening globally within knit, capturing the zeitgeist by exploring the multitude of outcomes being produced by fashion designers, product designers, artists and community knitters (guerrilla knitters, knitting groups, charities and others) who choose knit to realize their visions. The interviews they provide cover a range of issues, including design philosophy, the creative process, aesthetics, materials, technologies, environmental influences, and stitch and yarn choices.

The contributors featured have all been recognized for the quality of their work, whether they are up-and-coming young designers, or wellestablished companies that have been trading for hundreds of years. What they also have in common is the desire to work with knit in a highly innovative way, either through design or technology – or both. Wherever possible, contributors have been asked to provide imagery that has not been published before, resulting in a fresh and exciting selection of pictures that illustrate environment, process and outcome.

There are a few fantastic publications already in existence that explore knitting in its many forms, but there are not many. As well as adding to their number, I believe this book offers a fresh approach, demonstrating the versatility of knit by grouping current practitioners into three different disciplines, inviting the reader to compare and contrast. The approach of anarchic, forward thinking design label

Sibling, for example, can be seen alongside the work of Ruth Marshall, an artist who studies and recreates rare or extinct animal pelts through knitting, and the performance pieces, or ‘knit interventions’, staged by Liz Collins in the USA. While very different in their approach and their outcomes, they nevertheless all share the drive to produce original and thought-provoking work.

In fact, while interviewing the contributors, what struck me were the similarities between them. I asked Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam how she defined herself, and her response was that this was something that probably mattered more to other people than to her. This is perhaps true of all the contributors; many could go in any section as they demonstrate such broad and diverse practice.

In the 1980s, knitting experienced a sharp decline. Sales of yarns and knitting patterns dropped massively as interest in the craft was replaced by fast fashion and the wide availability of cheap machine-knitted garments. However, as part of a resurgent interest in crafting in the twenty-first century, and benefitting from the development of the internet, knitting is now enjoying a revival. Memberships of guilds and clubs are increasing rapidly (the Women’s Institute expects to have 250,000 members by the end of 2015), with members wanting to forge contacts with like-minded practitioners both in the real and virtual world.

The local yarn store has been reinstated. Knitting suits our time. It is no longer an essential skill performed by a housewife to create cheaper garments (cheap garments are readily available, and yarn is no longer cheap by comparison), but a craft of choice, enabling makers and doers to develop skills, express a design aesthetic, make a political statements and become members of a community.

Knitters have also embraced the online world, with websites such as Stitch ’n’ Bitch encouraging knitters to set up groups, and Ravelry (which had 3 million members in 2013) offering a user-driven knit and crochet community. Knitters can now use the internet to learn from each other, blog, and share information and inspiration, creating the ultimate global knitting group.

Guerrilla knitting has been embraced as a global activity, too, with yarn bombing (or ‘graffiti knitting’) taking place on every continent. Some of these interventions are domestic in scale, affecting a handful of people who may pass an embellished tree or lamppost on the way to work. Others have a larger political presence, magnifying the inadequacy of a public space, or drawing attention to important issues such as homophobia or nuclear disarmament. Sadly, this movement may possibly have become a victim of its own success, having been adopted as a marketing tool by large companies. However, there are a number of practitioners who are undergoing a rebranding of their own and are reclaiming the activity, creating works that both provoke thought and demonstrate technical excellence.

Technology has also developed to enable faster, more efficient and (when pushed by an inspirational designer or artist) innovative knitting. And yarn development continues to evolve: a huge industry supports spinners and trend forecasters; global fairs showcase technical developments in spinning and construction, and are well attended by designers, corporations and fashion and textile students. Yarns can be strong – strong enough even to support the weight of the human body, or bodies, as with the play structures of Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam – enabling artists to explore ideas related to scale and human interaction. Or they can be super-fine, able to create the most fragile, web-like structures.

Knit has been reinterpreted into products, too – scaled up to perform weight-bearing tasks as furniture, see Claire-Anne O’Brien in the design section, or as fine ceramics as cast by award-winning designer Annette Bugansky; knitted homewares exist designed to satisfy our need for nostalgia, or reinterpreted for our modern age with up-to-date colours that fit into our homes and comfort our children.

Knitting continues to inspire, inform and surprise. I hope you identify with some of the practitioners showcased in this book, and that they inspire you to be bolder, more experimental, and to continue engaging with a skill that has been evolving for thousands of years.

Fashion
Fashion is a huge, multifaceted industry and, for many, the preferred platform for the knitted structure. This section attempts to capture current trends by presenting a few of today’s most inspirational designers and companies. There are notable exceptions. One may ask, why have a fashion section if it does not include the big brands? My feeling was that their work already receives a lot of coverage, so I have chosen instead to focus on designers who are ones to watch – promising underground creatives, or those demonstrating particularly innovative techniques and styling.

The British design duo Alice Lee create luxury garments, with all pieces knitted entirely on a domestic knitting machine, pushing the technology to its limits. These are hands-on designers who will knit on the machine for hours to craft amazingly intricate structures. Rising star Christian Wijnants is the first of two winners of the esteemed International Woolmark Prize to be featured in this book. The second is Sibling, a trio known for their unconventional reinterpretation of such classic knitted pieces as the twinset, using bright colours and luxurious embellishments.

Relative newcomers Leutton Postle discuss their love of developing knitted fabrics, driven by a passion for colour and textiles, alongside fellow London designer Markus Lupfer – known for his embellished motif sweaters, adored by celebrities and often copied by mainstream retailers.

Canadian Mark Fast is renowned for his construction skills. His approach to knitted clothing embraces this decade’s love of bodyconscious, or ‘bodycon’, clothing to celebrate the female form. Ramón Gurillo is a Spanish designer and passionate advocate of knitting. Fuelled by a love of his country, his clothes resonate with nostalgia and warmth.

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Dress and Ideology: Fashioning Identity From Antiquity to the Present PDF Edited by Shoshana-Rose Marzel and Guy D. Stiebel

Dress and Ideology: Fashioning Identity From Antiquity to the Present

Edited by Shoshana-Rose Marzel and Guy D. Stiebel

CONTENTS

Authors vii
List of illustrations xi
Introduction, Shoshana-Rose Marzel, Bezalel Academy of
Arts and Design Jerusalem, Israel 1
PART ONE NATIONHOOD 17
1 Secular Fashion in Israel, Oz Almog, University of
Haifa, Israel 19
2 Sartorial Boundaries on the Chinese Frontier, Antonia
Finnane, University of Melbourne, Australia 37
PART TWO RELIGION 53
3 Rabbinical Dress in Italy, Asher Salah, Bezalel Arts and
Design Academy Jerusalem, Israel 55
4 Zoomorphic Brooches in Roman Britain: Decoration or
Religious Ideology?, Lindsay Allason-Jones, Newcastle
University, UK 69
5 How Muslim Women Dress in Israel, Oz Almog, University
of Haifa, Israel 87
PART THREE IDENTITY 109
6 Ideology, Fashion and the Darlys’ “Macaroni” Prints, Peter
McNeil, University of Technology Sydney, Australia 111
7 Feminist Ideologies in Postmodern Japanese Fashion: Rei
Kawakubo Meets Marie Antoinette in Downtown Tokyo,
Ory Bartal, Bezalel Arts and Design Academy Jerusalem, Israel 137
8 Military Dress as an Ideological Marker in Roman
Palestine, Guy D. Stiebel, Tel Aviv University, Israel 153
PART FOUR POLITICS 169
9 Fashion and Feminism, Henriette Dahan-Kalev, Ben
Gurion University, Israel and Shoshana-Rose Marzel,
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Jerusalem, Israel 171
10 Fashion Politics and Practice: Indian Cottons and
Consumer Innovation in Tokugawa Japan and Early
Modern England, c. 1600–1800, Beverly Lemire, University
of Alberta, Canada 189
11 Breastfeeding, Ideology and Clothing in nineteenth-
Century France, Gal Ventura, The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Israel 211
12 Dress as Political Ideology in Rabelais and Voltaire
Utopias, Shoshana-Rose Marzel, Bezalel Academy of Arts
and Design Jerusalem, Israel 231

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Finanne
Figure 2.1 Unidentified artist (active early 15th century). Eighteen Songs of a
Nomad Flute: The Story of Lady Wenji, Episode 5: Encampment by a Stream.39
Allason-Jones
Figure 4.1 Examples of zoomorphic brooches from Roman Britain. 71
Figure 4.2 Distribution of zoomorphic brooches in Britain. 73
Figure 4.3 A Distribution of horse brooches; B Distrubution of horse-and-rider
brooches. 74
Figure 4.4 A Distribution of cockerel brooches; B Distribution of duck
brooches. 77
Figure 4.5 Distribution of the other animal brooches in Roman Britain. 78
McNeil
Figure 6.1 “Fig. 1 is a head in stone; Fig. 3 a weapon, Fig. 4 a non-descript
carving; and Fig. 5 a mask in wood with real hair; all are from the South-sea
Islands.” 114
Figure 6.2 Fan, French, 1790–6, printed paper, by Den Gamle, Denmark, 27L,
224:39. 117
Figure 6.3 Title page, Darly’s Comic-Prints of Characters, Caricatures.
Macaronies. Dedicated to D. Garrick. Esq. 125
Figure 6.4 “Cupid’s Tower” (March 1776) and “Bunker’s Hill or America’s Head
Dress.” Darly’s Comic Prints, 1776. 129
Stiebel
Figure 8.1 Sica and sheath, En Gedi (Courtesy of Gideon Hadas. 156
Figure 8.2 Wooden phallus pendant, Camp F at Masada. 161
Lemire
Figure 10.1 “Perspective Picture of Famous Places of Japan: Nakanocho
in Shin-Yoshiwara,” Toyhuaru Utagawa, c. 1775. People enjoying the pleasure
district of Tokyo on Nakanocho Boulevard at night. FP 2-JPD, no. 1701. 193
Figure 10.2 “A View of Nakazu,” Toyaharu Utagawa, c. 1772–3. Pedestrians
crossing a bridge. FP 2-JPD, no. 1935. 195
Figure 10.3 There was an immediate visual impact from this printed garment.
Caraco and petticoat, printed cotton made on the Coromandel Coast, India, c.
1770–80. T.229&A-1927. 198
Figure 10.4 Indian printed cotton on coarse fabric, eighteenth century. This
printed textile was designed for the lower end of the European fashion market. 201
Ventura
Figure 11.1 Four main breastfeeding garments (G.V.). 212
Figure 11.2 James Gillray, The Fashionable Mamma or The Convenience of
Modern Dress, 1796, etching, hand colored. London, Wellcome Institute and
Library for the History of Medicine. Wellcome Library, London. 214
Figure 11.3 Edgar Degas, Aux cours en province, c. 1869, oil on canvas,
36.5 x 55.9 cm. © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. 218
Figure 11.4 Paul César Helleu, Le Sein, c. 1897, drypoint on paper, 57 x 41
cm. Private collection. 223
Figure 11.5 Édouard Debat-Ponsan, Avant le Bal, 1886, oil on canvas,
87 x 65.5 cm. Tours, Musée des Beaux-Arts. © 2013. White Images/Scala,
Florence. 224

INTRODUCTION
During the French Revolution, one of the questions the revolutionaries struggled with was the new clothes of the new French citizen. In 10 Floréal an II (April 29, 1794) the newspaper La Décade philosophique, littéraire et politique published an article entitled “Considérations sur les avantages de changer le costume françois.” Here’s an extract of its content:

Clothing presents physical and political considerations worthy of a reasonable republican’s attention … Dressed in more sensible clothing than our own, men would become healthier, stronger, swifter, better able to defend liberty; women would give the state healthier children. A national costume would fulfill functions truly deserving of a free man’s consideration, such as constantly proclaiming and recalling la patrie, and distinguishing French citizens from nationals of countries still stigmatized by the chains of servitude. It would make it easy to signal the age and public functions of citizens, without tampering with the sacred foundations of equality.1

As shown by this example, the concept that ideologies are expressed through what people wear is not a new one. However, although the relationship between ideas and their materialization in dress is an important issue in fashion research, paradoxically it is one of the least-researched themes. This book bridges this marked gap. To make the most of ideas, we stretched to ideologies; then, to demonstrate that the way people dress in order to promote ideologies is as old a notion as human culture, we included chapters that span a long duration of time, from the ancient world to the present; and last, in order to show that every (important) aspect of the relationships between ideology and clothing transcends location and time, we did not limit ourselves to the West, but integrated in each section chapters from a wide geographical and historical range.

Fashion vs. clothing
Clothing, dress, and fashion are not interchangeable terms. According to Joanne Eicher and Mary Ellen Roach-Higgins, the term “dress” refers to “an assemblage of modifications of the body and/or supplements to the body.”2 Joanne Entwistle defines dress as “an activity of clothing the body with an aesthetic element” while “[t]he term ‘fashion’ carries with it the more specific meaning of a system of dress that is found in Western modernity.”3 According to Barnard, “fashion is thus defined as modern, western, meaningful and communicative bodily adornments, or dress. It is also explained as a profoundly cultural phenomenon.”4 The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the term fashion as “the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time.”5 Thus, according to Marilyn Revell DeLong,

Fashion involves change, novelty, and the context of time, place, and wearer. Blumer (1969) describes fashion influence as a process of “collective selection” whereby the formation of taste derives from a group of people responding collectively to the Zeitgeist or “spirit of the times.” The simultaneous introduction and display of many new styles, the selections made by the innovative consumer, and the notion of the expression of the spirit of the times provide impetus for fashion.

To conclude so far, it may be said that fashion is the ability as well as the obligation to change one’s dress style in accordance with the new collective one, even when clothes are still wearable. Already from these, fashion is spirit, while clothing, dress, garment, adornments, and so on are its material components. But there is more to fashion.

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Altered Style: Sewing & Embellishing Wearable Fashions PDF by Stephanie Kimura

Altered Style: Sewing & Embellishing Wearable Fashions

by Stephanie Kimura

Contents

6 Introduction
7 Getting Started
8 Products
14 Sewing Techniques Something Old
23 Mom and Apple Pie Apron
27 • Aunt Lulu Loves Pink!
28 Dance the Polka Glasses Case
32 • Men Make Passes at Girls Who Wear Glasses
35 Coco Mocha Coin Purse
40 Ginza Fashionista Purse
43 • Caesar’s Palace
44 • Black Tie at the CMAs
45 Magnolia Blossoms Jacket
Something New
49 Safari Backpack
57 Breakfast at Tiffany’s Wrap Skirt
61 • French Riviera Sweater
62 Pretty in Pink Blouse
66 • Deco Diety Tee
67 • Mermaid Sea Queens Tee
Something Borrowed
69 Hermes Messenger Bag
75 Erica Purse
78 • Antoinette
79 Save the Earth Overalls
85 Spring Espadrilles
87 • Bombay Jewels
Something Blue
89 Reach for the Stars Jacket
92 • Joie de Vivre
94 Celebrity Signature Handbag
98 Savannah Shoulderbag
104 A Geisha’s Journal Vest
109 East Meets West Skirt
113 • Leopards ‘n Lace
I Do!
115 Chloe’s Wedding Dress
118 Sash and Train
119 Blanc de Blanc Shrug
121 Blushing Bride Hat and Veil
123 Heart’s Desire Purse
126 Glossary
127 Resources

Introduction
Altered style is all about adding your personal stamp and thoughts to everything in your life. Once you start, your life will never be the same again. You’re probably already doing it unconsciously in a practical sense, so now use it creatively and meaningfully. “Altered Style” will lead to an enhanced lifestyle. You’ll look at everything differently. No longer will shopping be humdrum, deciding between the black leather shoes that will match all the other black accessories or brown because it might be the new black…but you’re not sure. No longer will you have to have the very latest and most costly styles. You’ll learn to shop in your own closet, a friend’s closet, consignment stores, thrift shops and sale racks.

Replace old buttons, change the shapes of collars and cuffs with lace, add grommets as embellishment and sprinkle sparkling crystals everywhere. Subtly add your secret thoughts to the inside of shoes and belts, or proudly blaze words across the shoulders of a jacket for all to see.

Check out magazines for the latest design ideas, and create your own version from the clothes you already have. Add snippets of vivid fabrics and exotic beads in hues you love. Use random shapes and a spontaneous placement method to create an abstract style. Use the element of surprise and impromptu doodling in the most unexpected places. You’ll be surprised at how confi dent and fearless you’ll feel!

Wear these signifi cant pieces of wearable art when you need to go out and conquer the world. Then, on days of quiet solitude and introspective peace, let the colors and artful images speak in nuances as the designs are placed in a purposeful trail across a vest. Add a cutout circle portal; the viewer will follow the path of textures and approach the round window that provides a glimpse into the artist’s soul. Journal life’s meaning encrypted in Haiku on vintage kimono fabric with a permanent marker. Use fabric adhesive, and bond it to the inside of the garment. These exercises in developing techniques will boost your self esteem when you begin to express yourself. You may even want to share your wearable art with others in a gallery setting!

To create something new, accessorize and add flourishes to projects made from the ingenious circle. Stretch the creative, problem-solving portion of your mind by thinking of ways to alter the circle to suit your needs. With just a folding of fabric, a few measurements and a simple equation, you will be able to create aprons, skirts, collars, cuffs, pockets and artful designs. Use these simple projects as a backdrop for the drop-dead gorgeous accessories you create.

Some days are just for silliness and frivolity: no worlds to conquer and no world needs to ponder, no techniques to learn and no equations to remember. Grab a pair of high-top sneakers and a handful of scrapbook supplies. No one said memories had to go in a book — and wouldn’t it be fun to send them to your older sister….the accountant?

Getting Started
This book will be your BFF (best friend forever). We’ll have fun, we won’t watch the time, we’ll spread everything out so we can see it all in a glance, we’ll take chances, and we’ll create our own style. Collect some specialty reference books as well as some excellent Web sites. There is a vast world of information about sewing machine needles, thread, seams and more, as well as the material found in your sewing machine manual.

There is some information about sewing…no, not rules, but the standard (for now). Some information is good forever, like basic sewing skills. Some information needs to be updated, such as new improved sewing notions. And some information applies to personal taste, like whether you should baste everything before sewing. Set your own standard to accommodate your skill level while you evolve. Take classes at a nearby shop, and add new techniques to your repertoire at your own pace.

Products
Some basic information on fabrics, stabilizers and notions is provided. Use this as a starting point, and update with new information as you go along. Get a three-ring binder and divide it into sections. Keep notes on the information you gather from reference books and Web sites (so you can go back and look it up in detail), save pages from sewing magazines (they explain the latest products), and sketch ideas for the future.

Fabrics
A trip to the fabric store can be overwhelming (in a good way!). Quilt stores are great because you can buy a lot of cotton fat quarters, sustenance for the altered soul. Buy in groups of four — it’s only a yard! Select a main motif and supporting fabrics. Keep a stash of basic “tone-on-tones” to bridge all the prints. Always keep some black, white and red (or your favorite color). Yellow or a color with yellow mixed in (i.e. green or orange) adds zing.

When you are buying fashion fabric for the circle projects in this book, consider the drape, stretch and ravel factor. A heavier, woven fabric (such as denim or linen) will drape away from the body, creating a lovely fullness. A softer or loosely woven fabric (like chiffon or gauze) will fall close to the body. Knits usually fall close to the body. Fabrics like chiffon and knits allow you to add fullness with gathers with elegance, not poofi ness. How much stretch do you need, and why? Woven fabrics only stretch on the bias. When a circle is cut, there is minimal stretch in certain parts of the circle. This is great for aprons, wrap skirts, and skirts that will have a zipper and waistband. This is ideal for areas that require a fi nite measurement. A skirt with an elastic waistband will require a circle measurement of whichever is larger, the waist or hips. If the hips are larger, the waistband will have gathers.

When a circle is cut from a fabric such as chiffon, rayon, silk or a knit with two-way stretch, there is a lot of stretch. This is ideal for a smooth waist area and will accommodate any size hip with minimal gathering. The chiffon waistband will still need to be the largest measurement, but the chiffon will ease back with very little gathering. With a knit waistband that will stretch, the measurement will be somewhere between the smallest and largest measurement, depending on the stretch. When attaching the waistband to the skirt, use a narrow zigzag stitch to accommodate the stretch. There isn’t a fi nite formula, so a little trial and error is required on an individual basis.

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The Zapp Method of Couture Sewing: Tailor Garments Easily Using Any Pattern PDF by Anna Zapp

The Zapp Method of Couture Sewing: Tailor Garments Easily Using Any Pattern

by Anna Zapp

Contents:
Tools of the Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 1: Customize Any Pattern to Fit Your Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Step 1 – Take Your Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Measurement Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Step 2 – Choose a Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Step 3 – Determine Your Ease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Ease Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Step 4 – Find the Amount of Ease Built Into the Pattern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Step 5 – Prepare the Pattern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Step 6 – Measure and Mark the Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Step 7 – Cut, Baste, Fit, and Transfer Changes to the Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Review the Pattern Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter 2: Make a Pattern from Your Favorite
Pair of Pants (Without Taking Them Apart!) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Step 1 – Check the Fit of the Pants You Are Copying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Step 2 – Press Your Pants for Marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Step 3 – Mark the Center Front and Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Step 4 – Mark Horizontal Grid Lines on Your Pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Step 5 – Mark the Pattern Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Step 6 – Measure the Pants and Draw the Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Step 7 – Allow for the Darts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Step 8 – Troubleshoot Funny Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Step 9 – Add Seam Allowances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Step 10 – Match the Front and Back Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Step 11 – Cut, Mark, and Baste Your Trial Pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Step 12 – Fit the Trial Pair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Step 13 – Check the Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Step 14 – Solve Fit Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Step 15 – Make Your First Pair of Pants from the New Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Step 16 – Change the Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Step 17 – Things to Remember When Making Your First Pair
of Pants from Your New Pattern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Chapter 3: Master the Art of Pant Construction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Step 1 – Prepare the Fabric and Cut Out the Pants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Step 2 – Set the Pleats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Step 3 – Make the Pockets (Slash, Welt, or Faux Welt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Step 4 – Set in the Front Fly Zipper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Step 5 – Mark and Partially Sew the Pants Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Step 6 – Attach the Front and Back Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Step 7 – Interface and Sew the Waistband Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Step 8 – Check the Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Step 9 – Attach the Waistband . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Step 10 – Finish the Center Back Seam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Step 11 – Attach the Belt Loops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Step 12 – Set the Pleats and Hem the Pants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Chapter 4: Sew Easy Lined Vests, Camisoles &
Sleeveless Tops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Step 1 – Prepare the Fabric and Cut Out the Garment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Step 2 – Interface and Stabilize the Edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Step 3 – Make the Front Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Step 4 – Connect the Back and Back Lining to the Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Step 5 – Finish the Garment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Chapter 5: Create Beautiful Tailored Shirts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Step 1 – Prepare the Pattern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Step 2 – Cut Out the Shirt and Interfacing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Step 3 – Sew the Front Bands and Pockets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Step 4 – Sew the Back Yoke and Shoulder Seam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Step 5 – Adjust the Collar Band Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Step 6 – Sew the Collar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Step 7 – Attach the Collar to the Collar Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Step 8 – Attach the Collar Band to the Neckline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Step 9 – Set In the Sleeve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Step 10 – Fit the Sleeve Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Step 11 – Add the Cuff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Step 12 – Add the Sleeve Vent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Step 13 – Attach the Cuff to the Sleeve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Step 14 – Position the Buttons and Buttonholes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Step 15 – Hem the Shirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Western Shirt Variation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Step 1 – Prepare the Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Step 2 – Change the Yoke Shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Step 3 – Make and Attach the Piping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Step 4 – Attach the Yokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Step 5 – Pipe the Cuffs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Chapter 6: Tailor a Couture Fused Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Step 1 – Select the Interfacings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Step 2 – Prepare the Pattern Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Step 3 – Define the Roll Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Step 4 – Make Pattern Pieces for the Interfacing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Step 5 – Interface the Jacket Pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Step 6 – Create Bound Buttonholes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Step 7 – Sew the Front Pockets, Seams, and Darts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Step 8 – Tape the Front Edge and Shoulder Seam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Step 9 – Sew the Body of the Jacket. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Step 10 – Fuse the Jacket Hem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Step 11 – Attach the Under Collar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Step 12 – Prepare the Front Facing, Upper Collar, and Lining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Step 13 – Attach the Upper Collar and Facing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Step 14 – Set In the Sleeve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Step 15 – Hem the Sleeve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Step 16 – Attach the Lining to the Jacket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Step 17 – The Grand Finale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
About the Author. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Introduction:
During the 25 years I have spent sewing – mostly alone in my studio – I never dreamed that the funny little ways I had of doing things would be of value to anyone but me. I am happy to be able to share my methods with you and hope they are helpful and will increase your joy of sewing beautiful garments in less time and with less frustration.

The satisfaction and sense of achievement you experience when you finish and wear a garment you’ve made for yourself (or someone else) is indescribable. I realize that sewing garments has taken a back seat to embroidery and quilting and I believe part of the reason is that fitting can be difficult and ready-to-wear clothes are more affordable these days. However, ready-to-wear can’t match the detail, quality, and fit of a custom-made garment.

This book addresses the aspects of garment sewing that often cause difficulty for student sewers in my classes. I offer commonsense techniques for pattern fitting, construction, and tailoring. It has taken me many years to develop these methods. Once I had a good background in traditional tailoring methods, and after years of altering designer ready-to-wear and manufacturing my own line of designer western shirts, I was able to develop my own methods of couture sewing.

The methods presented in this book evolved from my need to sew garments for clients in an expedient and professional manner, and to be able to easily alter the pieces when my client’s measurements changed. Had I not developed these methods, I wouldn’t have been able to make a living doing couture sewing.

You will learn how to take your measurements and use them to tailor any pattern as well as how to copy your favorite pair of pants. I don’t instruct you to do a lot of basting but if you feel the need to baste any areas, please baste. I don’t tell you when to use a press cloth, but you should use a press cloth when necessary. I don’t always cut out the points of notches, I sometimes make 1/4" clips. If clipping makes you nervous, please cut the notches however you like.

You will find construction methods for six garments – a pair of pants, a shirt, a western shirt, a lined vest, a camisole, and a tailored jacket. If you want to improvise on any of these methods, just know that there is more than one way to skin a cat. If another way works for you, please use it. You will be able to duplicate and apply the methods to any style of garment that has the same parts.

My general philosophy is to get it done, put it on, and wear it out! I hope you agree!

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The Magic Pattern: Book Sew 6 Patterns Into 36 Different Styles! PDF | Amy Barickman

The Magic Pattern: Book Sew 6 Patterns Into 36 Different Styles!

By Amy Barickman

CONTENTS
Introduction: Making Magic
CHAPTER 1 Sewing Basics: How to Make Magic
CHAPTER 2 The Tank Top (Magic Pattern A)
A1. The Alice tank top (REPURPOSED LOOK)
A2. The Avery tank top
A3. The Adelaide tank top
A4. The Alma tank top
A5. The Abigail tank dress
A6. The Anne tank dress
CHAPTER 3 The Skirt (Magic Pattern B)
B1. The Blythe skirt
B2. The Beatrice maxi skirt
B3. The Betsy skirt
B4. The Bridget skirt
B5. The Billie bias skirt
B6. The Bernadette miniskirt (REPURPOSED LOOK)
CHAPTER 4 The Dress (Magic Pattern C)
C1. The Cecelia dress
C2. The Camilla maxi dress
C3. The Charlotte shirt (REPURPOSED LOOK)
C4. The Chloe tank dress
C5. The Catherine shirt
C6. The Candace dress
CHAPTER 5 The Cardigan (Magic Pattern D)
D1. The Diana cardigan
D2. The Delia cropped jacket
D3. The Daisy cardigan (REPURPOSED LOOK)
D4. The Davina long cardigan
D5. The Daphne vest
D6. The Dorothy jacket
CHAPTER 6 The Coat (Magic Pattern E)
E1. The Estelle trench-style coat
E2. The Emma coat
E3. The Eloise wrap coat (REPURPOSED LOOK)
E4. The Edith coat
E5. The Evelyn cape
E6. The Evangeline cropped coat
CHAPTER 7 The Accessory (Magic Pattern F)
F1. The Freddie cap
F2. The Fiona scarf
F3. The Faith beret (REPURPOSED LOOK)
F4. The Frida sun hat
F5. The Farrah tote bag
F6. The Francesca handbag
Appendix: Resources
Index

INTRODUCTION
Making Magic
Welcome to The Magic Pattern Book! If you sew, you’re already familiar with the concepts of sewing books and patterns, so the question you might be asking is really, what’s so magical about these? Quite simply, a magic pattern is a single set of pattern pieces that can be transformed and pieced together in different ways to yield an impressive array of finished pieces. And, like most magic, it can actually be explained through simple mathematics: There are 6 patterns included in this book that represent 6 basic wardrobe elements (tank top, skirt, dress, cardigan, coat, accessory); from the 6 patterns you can make 6 different looks each (for example, pocketed A-line skirt, a maxi skirt, pleated skirt, pencil wrap skirt, bias skirt, and miniskirt) for 36 different designs. Multiply that by the 6 fabric suggestions for each of the 36 designs, and you have 216 possible different looks—and that’s all before you bring your own hands and your own creativity to the equation.

Those hands of yours are capable of magic. And though sewing is not at all akin to waving a magic wand over some fabric (anyone who’s pricked a finger with a needle or sat hunched over a sewing machine for hours on end, or made an errant scissor snip through an amazing piece of silk knows this truth), there is something magical about the process of creating that is rather enchanting despite—or maybe because of—the amount of effort you put into it.

Although your hands (and mine!) may not be able to channel the creative genius of the great fashion designers, the power of expression is inherent in us all. By making your own clothes, you’re not limited when it comes to shapes, fabrics, or silhouettes. And with just a bit of guidance you’ll be creating your own one-of-a-kind garments in no time. The Magic Pattern Book will allow you to design a personal wardrobe that represents who you are. By selecting and then combining the color and texture of the fabric with the form and line of the design, you will learn how to implement your sewing skills while improving your design expertise. These pages are meant to serve as a handbook to refer to again and again. As fashions evolve, you can continue to turn to this book for reference and, with just a bit of creative impulse, be able to update the patterns in small but meaningful ways to stay au courant.

MARY’S MAGIC PATTERN
(and Other Inspirations from the Fairy Godmother of Modern Sewing)

In 1990, while following my own passion for fashion, textiles, and design, I founded Indygo Junction, Inc., a pattern company that offers a range of designs and ideas for sewing enthusiasts. Through the years, I have been encouraged and inspired by so many of you who share the same passion. I continue to scour the globe for new resources, but I always return to my inspiration, Mary Brooks Picken, an extraordinary woman and teacher who founded the Woman’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences in the early 1900s.

Her correspondence school attracted more than 300,000 students from around the world—women learning to enrich their lives through dressmaking, millinery, cooking, fashion design, beauty, and homemaking—and reached thousands more through its newsletters and other publications, making it the largest school in the history of the United States for home study of the home arts. Mary became a leading authority on fashion and dressmaking, and she consulted with brands like Singer and Coats & Clark to create educational materials, products, and marketing programs. Her weekly column on sewing was syndicated in 300 newspapers over the course of two decades. She was a founding member of the Fashion Group, the international organization for those engaged in all phases of fashion work, as well as one of the five original directors of the Costume Institute, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. But perhaps her most significant achievement, in the context of this book, was penning the popular feature “Magic Patterns” in the Woman’s Institute’s Inspiration pamphlets and Fashion Service magazines. Her initial Magic Patterns were patterns you drew or cut yourself, or cut directly from the fabric using the measurements and diagrams that were provided in the textbooks. The spirit behind them, of course, was in the malleability of the design—they could become anything! The patterns I’ve developed for this book are my ode to Mary Brooks Picken’s original concept—and though my Magic Patterns have more structure (and they work like traditional patterns), the spirit is the same: Take what’s given, and add your own spark to it.

I can only imagine the type of reach Mary’s teachings and publications would have today. Poring over my vast collection of her newsletters and books, I’ve selected some of her timeless style advice and wisdom to share throughout the book in hopes that her words may inspire you as you read, design, and sew. She was one very talented, empowered, smart, and stylish lady, indeed, and I continue to turn to her teachings when I’m in need of guidance from my sewing fairy godmother.

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Costume Craftwork on a Budget: Clothing, 3-D Makeup, Wigs, Millinery & Accessories PDF by Tan Huaixiang

Costume Craftwork on a Budget: Clothing, 3-D Makeup, Wigs, Millinery & Accessories

by Tan Huaixiang

Preface
This book is based on my years of experimental executions of costume and makeup designs in theatrical productions. I consider this book to be a companion book to my Character Figure Drawing book, published two years ago by Focal Press. The drawing book emphasized drawing and rendering techniques; this craftwork book focuses on the execution process and on techniques for creating craftwork for costume designs.

My purpose in writing this book is to stress the importance of the steps that turn 2-D costume designs into 3-D physical objects. In my opinion, experience creating craftwork from designs is essential for anybody who wants to be a better costume and makeup designer. The creation of the actual crafts may be delegated to others, but the costume designer should understand the craftproduction process.

I consider myself to be a hands-on person. (I believe my crafting skills are much better than my writing skills.) This book is a summary of the executions of my designs that worked effectively on stage. It covers broad-based craft subjects, useful information, instructions, and ideas.

Unfortunately, I don’t possess all the process photos showing every step for each creation in the book. To make up for this, I have included many drawings illustrating the most important processes; I hope the sketches make sense to you. The lesson here is: DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE PROCESS PICTURES OF YOUR WORK! You never know when you may need them later.

In addition, some of the photos that appear in this book are of poor quality, and I apologize for this; I was not able to replace them. I am also unfortunately unable to list all the names of the people related to every photo.

The methods and techniques presented in this book are rather primitive and simple, and can be done using basic equipment. Creating craftwork involves problem solving, exploring media, and cost control.

My book on character figure drawing has been well received by the readers, and I hope readers who are interested in creating craftwork will find this craftwork book even more useful.

Introduction
I received positive feedback from readers after Focal Press published my book Character Costume Figure Drawing. This interest from my readers encouraged me to write a second book. Character Costume Figure Drawing demonstrated drawing techniques for portraying characters with lifelike body language and facial expression; Costume Craftwork on a Budget is a continuation, focusing on the development and execution of craftwork. It shows the techniques for moving from 2-D designs to 3-D pieces of theater craftwork that I have designed, built, and used effectively on stage. My goal is to make this an instructional and technical book that is easy to follow and fun to read.

This book covers broad topics, including 3-D makeup, false teeth, beards and wigs, masks, millinery, armor, soft leather shoes, nonhuman costumes, aging and altering garments, and Halloween costumes. There is no other book available that comprehensively covers everything I cover here. Some of the methods I developed had never been used before. Many other techniques I improved and enhanced to make my project work in a particular situation, producing end results that were beautiful, economical, and quick and easy to make. I have made many crafts throughout my career, and for this book I have chosen examples that use a diverse array of techniques.

This book demonstrates straightforward step-by-step procedures with many illustrations. It also includes my designs, construction photos and illustrations, materials and tools, production photos, and some of my students’ creative work for productions I designed. I am very proud of my students’ work, and I am delighted to be able to share our experiences with other theater craft creators.

Although you may not make the same crafts I show in this book, I hope you pick up some useful techniques that will help you along your creative pathway. I hope this book will inspire new ideas in your craft-creating adventures. Although certain details covered here may seem elementary, I include them in order to thoroughly display the creation of the craft. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of all the steps. The book covers productions from throughout my career, and many of them took place many years ago; I illustrated these older productions with line drawings.

The techniques for creating the craftwork in this book are only one way to execute the projects, and of course they are not the only way. Craftwork should not all be done the same way; otherwise, it won’t be unique. We must always keep trying and learning nonstop, continually experimenting and developing, and imaginatively inventing new techniques and technologies.

This book is for anyone who is interested in craftwork, such as theater costume professionals, students, craft specialists, or people interested in Halloween costumes; it can be used in the classroom as an instructional tool or in a theater company’s craft department. It is for anyone who needs specifi c craft techniques for theater productions or for anyone whose goal is to create fast, easy, and practical crafts that are durable. If you don’t have a big budget for a production but still want beautiful products, this book imparts some inspiration, methods, and ideas to get you started and help you create dramatic and unique pieces of affordable artwork.

I hope this book is enjoyable to read and brings out the readers’ creativity, imagination, ideas, and inspiration as it tells a story of how to cleverly make durable products in a short amount of time in simple, easy-to-follow steps using a wide array of illustrations and photographs.

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