Weekend Review: Singer Tailoring

Singer Sewing Reference Library: Tailoring 
Minnetonka, MN: Cy DeCosse, c1988
127 p.

This is another classic book in a classic series. The Singer Sewing Reference Library is a great resource, and I've got all my copies in this series via thrift stores. It was published in the 80s so the photos are a little dated, but there are lots of them and they illustrate solid techniques. 

This volume came in very useful as I was working on my green jacket recently. Though my project was not as detailed or complex as a fully tailored jacket, this book gave me help understanding the construction and especially of course the lining, as you might guess if you read my jacket post! 

Like all of these books, this one is clearly laid out, with information on different levels of tailoring, depending on how far you're taking it. Each option is clearly explained with, as noted, tons of photos to help you grasp the concepts. Of course, because it's older, there are new options for things like fusible interfacings, but the core information is great and can easily be adapted to the materials we have available now. 

The book is broken up into sections - first, how to select the right pattern and kind of tailoring to match -- and then the fabrics and notions you'll need for your selection. Then comes a section on tools and equipment, followed by prep work - how to ready your interfacings, linings and fabrics, including questions of fit and muslining. 

The second part of the book is dedicated to tailoring and finishing. From detailed sections on construction and shaping all parts of a jacket, to clear information about linings/interlinings, buttonholes and topstitching, you will find everything you need here. 

It's quite detailed and a bit overwhelming, really, to see all the steps to a properly and fully tailored jacket. I'm not quite there yet! But it's also fascinating and inspiring to think about getting there. This book is jam-packed with practical and useful information and I am glad I was able to use some of it already. I like the 80s vibe of the photos but even if you don't, you'll get a lot of use from this one if you are also interested in tailoring. 

Weekend Review: Creative Sewing Ideas by Singer

Creative Sewing Ideas / Singer Reference Library
Minnetonka, MN: Cy DeCosse, c1990
127 p.

This is another book in the Singer Reference Library series, published by Cy Deosse in the 80s & early 90s. I have quite a few titles in this series, thanks to my thrift store habits.

This one fits nicely into this month's look at some of the books on embellishments that I have on my shelves. However, the first third is more about fabric manipulation than strictly about embellishment. 

It shares how to twist silk for a pleated texture, how to felt wool, and dye and discharge or stamp fabric to change the surface design. Some of these ideas are quite beautiful - the silk technique in particular seems very modern again.

Then the book moves on to sharing creative details that you can adapt to add some spark to your garments. From adding shaped bound buttonholes to decorative seams to double and triple piping and unusual shaped pocket openings, there are ways to adjust and add design detail to basic elements of a garment. Fraying edges or exposed seams seems a little of the era of this book's publication, but even these ideas might be adapted to something interesting. 

From there, we start to look at real embellishment. Adding buttonholes or buttons not for use but just for design is one simple idea. Then this chapter covers ribbonwork (basically flat ribbon applied in specific shapes and stitched down), beadwork, or punched lace in faux suede.

 Most interesting to me because it was completely new to me, was how to make Slentre Braid. This is a handmade braid that is flat on one side and half-round on the other, making it ideal for application as trim. The examples show the variations available in your choice of material and how it can be used at seams or edges. 

The book then concludes with some project ideas; this section is dated and didn't appeal much to me, but overall this book has some great techniques and ideas. Like all of this series, the photos are large, clear and colourful, although somewhat 80s -- okay, they are usually pretty spectacularly 80s! (just another reason I enjoy them). 

If you are looking for some new ideas to perk up your projects, this old book is a fun look at some ways you might change up a plain project a little; you don't have to choose the colours or over the top nature of some of the examples, but you could easily modernize the techniques and create something really interesting today. 

Weekend Review: Clothing Care & Repair

Singer Sewing Reference Library: Clothing Care & Repair
Minnetonka, MN: Cy DeCosse, c1985.
127 p.

This is an older book -- straight from the 80s in fact! But it is a very useful book even after 30 odd years. And it's easily found in thrift stores and online if you want to check it out yourself. 

This is full of useful information; the pictures are dated, but excellent mid-80s examples of clothing choices! 

Even though there are new products now that make mending and altering clothes quicker and easier in some ways, this book has solid info on a lot of topics. And unlike most other books on mending, even modern ones, this also goes over how to care for your clothes.

As stated below, "Care Extends Wear", and we are hearing today that "the most sustainable piece of clothing is the one already in your closet." So let's learn how to care for our clothes well so we can wear them longer.

The text is broken up into 3 main sections: Care (including washing & drying, hanging & storing, even packing advice... and an extremely useful nearly 4 page spread on stain removal) -- Repair (all the usual suspects - zippers, patches, mending tears, seams or hems, and discussion of different kinds of fabrics and their needs) -- and Customizing (quick changes to styles to keep things current and wear them longer, and even though the specific changes are aimed at an 80s silhouette, the techniques are still applicable and handy today). 

Have a stain? This book will help you with that. 

There are also some tips on creative repair or customization to make something your own. Those of us who already make our own clothes to start with could really run with these ideas. 

Patch It! 

This is book is one of those "oldies but goodies" that I keep on my shelf alongside my old and much used Readers Digest Guide to Sewing. I really like the clarity of instruction and the many, many clear photos in this book. I've found the answer to nearly every wardrobe malfunction emergency in here, and really do recommend it even though it is a little older. It covers basics to more involved information, and offers ideas for mending techniques that aren't visible if you aren't into the modern trend. Really solid. Enjoy the 80s hair while you're at it.

Thrifting for Treasure

Well, I haven't been posting here too much -- it's been almost a month! But I have been busy.

My sewing space has been, well, inaccessible lately. We had to have a new furnace installed; it was time to move to a high efficiency option. But. Unfortunately for me, that meant I had to move my entire sewing corner into stacks all over the house to leave room for gas and electrics and workmen to do their thing. So, long story short, I haven't been able to sew much lately! I still don't have the space put back together, but I do have my table & machine up, so that's good.

I'm going through each box and basket as I'm putting it back, and deciding what to keep or give away, and how to reorganize a bit to make things more usable. I've been meaning to do this kind of clean-out for quite a while now, but this jumble gave me the chance to get right on it.

So far I've thrown out old bits of clothing and odds and ends I didn't know I still had, and I've also given 27 metres of perfectly good fabric to the Goodwill. It was all things I knew I would never use - upholstery weights, polyesters, polar fleece etc. Turn about, I guess, since I do shop at my local Goodwill and Salvation Army & various other thrift shops a lot.

This week, after I dropped off my bags of fabric, I stopped in to see what was new inside. My eagle eyed husband spotted this:

I first thought, hmmm, that's kind of a neat set-up; a travelling case & a light enough to lift machine. Since it was only $35, after a bit of hemming and hawing (and a reassurance from the clerk that it worked) I bought it. When I got home, I realized what I had!

  It's a Singer Featherweight, the 221K model that was made in white with a short folding bed, probably in the early 60s. They are quite sought after, and are a reliable straight stitch machine that are now popular with quilters especially, as they are easy to transport & they sew a nice 1/4" straight seam very easily. Mine is in good condition, and it does indeed work, though I'm going to wait to really get going until I get some maintenance done on it so I don't ruin the motor. That was an exciting thrifting day!

I also added to my stash recently via an early birthday present from my sister, another thrifting diva:

I now have enough Anchor embroidery thread for many projects-- 22 boxes and nearly all full! This timely article about bobbinwork in the most recent Threads magazine has got my brain going. There is also a great article on the same topic in their archives! Think I'm going to try out some new techniques on the machine as well as continuing on with my hand embroidery projects.

And today I found a great book at another thrift store nearby -- it's Thérèse de Dillmont's Encyclopedia of Needlework, a facsimile edition which includes all the colour plates. First published in 1884, this is a thorough look at many kinds of needlework - all kinds of embroidery, crochet, knitting, tatting, even macramé - it is good reading. Interesting to know that macrame (or knotted fringe) was undergoing a surge in popularity at about that time...it's the next big retro trend that will return, I think. Calling it here! ;)

Have you made any great thrift store or yard sale finds lately? Do share...