Every Tuesday we share projects from Treadle Yard Goods employees (a.k.a. The Treadlettes) and our customers and fans!
Julie recently completed this Regalia Blouse in an amazing yellow clip dot lawn. The light, almost sheer fabric was a little tricky to work with, especially in all the tiny details, but we think the result is well worth it!
Hey it's Elizabeth, and today we're talking about making a muslin mockup.
Some sewists just call it a muslin, others a mockup, but either way, it's a basic test version of your garment used to check fit.
Mockups are basic, made of cheap fabric, and are never meant to be made into completed garments. Use old sheets, thrifted fabric, or any basic, stable woven. Machine sew them together, and don't bother with seam finishes, hems, facings, pockets, or tidy details.
You'll try the mockup on and see where changes to the fit could be made. Often this involves pinning, cutting, and drawing on the fabric. My favorite thing to do is take pictures - it's so much easier to analyze the pics than just look in the mirror!
When everything looks good, you'll transfer the changes to your paper pattern.
I am often asked about when a mockup is necessary, or whether I make one for every single garment I sew.
I personally make mockups for about 80% of my projects. I'll skip one if my project is made from a knit or if it's very loose-fitting, such as pajama pants.
I'll also do a mockup if I'm not sure about the style of the finished garment and want to check it out before I commit to sewing.
Want to know more? Michele and I will cover tons of common pattern adjustments in our Fitting Starts Here class!
Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!
Every Tuesday we share projects from Treadle Yard Goods employees (a.k.a. The Treadlettes) and our customers and fans!
Rebecca used one of our NEW wools to make herself this cute jacket!
She used a PDF pattern from Burda Style that she tiled together herself - not the most fun option when you can have us print it for you!
We talked about caring for wool a couple weeks ago, and that always brings up the annoying nuisance of moths.
It's true, sometimes moths eat holes in your wool! It's awful, but there are things we can do.
As with so many things, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Moths are particularly attracted to soiled spots, so clean all woolens before storing for the season. You CAN hand-wash all your wool items, including sweaters and cashmere. See our wool washing tips here!
Putting wool items away fresh and clean will make them much less vulnerable to moth damage.
Moths prefer dark, musty spaces, so let air and light into your closet frequently, and keep the closet floors and corners free of dust.
But what if it's too late and the moths have already gotten in?
First we're gonna get rid of them. Sealing up the affected garments in airtight bags with mothballs is an effective method, but mothballs are toxic so you'll need to be careful and follow the directions.
Dry cleaning, airing, and ironing can also rid your clothes of moths. Learn more at this article here.
Next, we want to mend those holes. There are lots of creative ways! You can mend invisibly with matching thread or get colorful with embroidery and patches that make it artsy and intentional.
Our Decorative Mending class shows you plenty of options for fixing holes, whether they're caused by moths or just normal wear and tear!
Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!
Every Tuesday we share projects from Treadle Yard Goods employees (a.k.a. The Treadlettes) and our customers and fans!
Treadlette Elizabeth made this cute apron - and you can make one too in our Holiday Apron class!
She used the Market Apron pattern with linen upcycled from an old curtain plus a cotton print from her stash.
The Tessuti Apron is a similar pattern that's free to download!
Today we have a book review from Treadlette Laura! Worn A People’s History of Clothing Sofi Thanhauser (2022) Worn is a history of fabric and clothing. As a sewist and a teacher of beginning sewing, my favorite part was the author’s lessons learned from attending Woolfest in Scotland, “Things can be mended, they must not be rushed, and their imperfections are an intrinsic part of their value.” (p. 259) This is the message I try to communicate to students and remember as I sew. |
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The book dives into the ecological and human costs of how linen, cotton, silk, synthetics, and wool are produced. The author describes the ongoing pollution caused by fabric and garment production as well as how the industry relies on exploited laborers. I liked how this book shared many stories and details about the value of garment workers and how that has changed through history. I also enjoyed how the author highlighted how micro-communities, textile manufacturers, and clothing makers around the world are using ancestral and ethical methods for making what we wear. This is a dense book, that tends to wander at times, but it is a good read for anyone interested or concerned about where our fabric and clothing originates. Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here! |
