Sunday, February 9, 2020

Weekend Review: Twinkle Sews

Twinkle Sews / Wenlan Chia
NY: Potter Craft, c2009.
160 p.
I found this book while thrifting, and I must admit that I had no idea who Wenlan Chia was when I picked it up.

Apparently she is a designer, best known for her knitwear, who has had lines available in stores and on the runway since 2000 under the brand Twinkle. Her styles are quite young and runway-ish in this book, too, as you can likely guess from the cover image. But I'm a sucker for a book with patterns included!

Sizing here ranges from 0 - 16, or from 32" to 40" bust and 35" to 43" hip.

The 25 patterns included are broken up into sections: Everyday Chic, Casual Charm, Effortless Elegance, and Playful Poise. Each chapter has variations on skirts, dress, or unusual tops/tunics. They all have the Twinkle aesthetic -- natural fabrics for the most part, and either embellishment or distinct finishes like the cover image neckline. One of my favourites is the "Take Manhattan" tunic -- a woven raglan sleeve tunic with short sleeves and a large cowl. The lines are slouchy and yet elegant.

All the patterns can be printed from a cd at the back of the book. If you still have a cd/dvd drive on your computer that is. They seem like standard pdf patterns, so if you have ever printed and put together a pdf you'll have no problems.

There is a fairly wide range of patterns here, although only two really appeal to me personally as something I might make and wear. But the styles are fashion forward and a young designer might really enjoy this book. I am interested in some of the techniques she uses, even if not that interested in an actual project. For example, there's a wine-red tunic with some lace insets, and I like the idea but would use it differently myself.

It was a fun discovery, though, and despite the limited sizing I think this has its own definite charm. Each pattern has a name, and fabric choice is a little bohemian sometimes. Worth a look, even if it turns out you don't make anything at all.

2 comments:

  1. There are so many designers and design books now, we are really in a renaissance. I keep a sewing and design wishlist at my library, mostly books like this that I would like to peruse even if it turns out the styles are not for me. It's always fun to see different ideas for textles and embellishments and think about how to incorporate them into your own style.

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    Replies
    1. I feel like that too. So happy to have access to books like this via my library so I can check out new things all the time.

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