Friday Fun Fact: Worn book review

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.

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!

Friday Fun Fact: a book review from Laura

Today we've got a sewing book review from Laura!

The Coat Route 

Craft, Luxury, and Obsession on the trail of a $50,000 coat 

by Meg Lukens Noonan  

This is one of my favorite books, and I don’t mean a favorite book about fashion or sewing. It is the true story of an Australian businessman who asks his tailor to make him a warm coat for his upcoming move to Vancouver. Because cost is not an issue, the tailor uses the best materials, starting with Vicuna wool at $6,000 a yard, and hand sewing techniques to highlight the dying art of bespoke clothing.  

The author describes each step in making the coat from drafting the pattern to the final detail stitches. She also describes the history of the manufacturing process for the wool, buttons, silk lining, and other components of the coat. The book is not about excess, but about the quality of the supplies and craft that add lasting value to clothing.  

Enjoy the book and think about how sewing our own clothes is a practice of quality. 

Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!

Zakka Books!

We have a new book in the store, Zakka from the heart. It pairs nicely with the Zakka Embroidery book. We have multiple copies available of each!

New Books!

Try a new pattern or technique or just get some fun inspiration with these great new books!

Sewing Planner

Do you wish your sewing was more organized? Are you looking for a great sewing gift? Look no further - the Colette Sewing Planner is here!

Helpfully arranged by season, you'll find style and measurement charts, project pages, and lots of places to design, sketch, and make notes!

The planner also includes 4 different croquis outlines for various body types. Trace the one that most resembles your figure to create ideas and try out styles.

Organize your sewing! The Sewing Planner can help!

Burda Kids Magazine

We have the new Burda Style summer special kids' issue available at Treadle!

Each issue of Burda magazine is packed with fresh ideas for garment sewing. And ALL the patterns are right there in the magazine, full-size. Just trace and go! It's an incredible value - you get so many patterns for the price of one.

In this special issue, it's all about kids! From babies to tweens there are fun, hip play clothes, special party outfits, beachwear, and some sweet crafts. Burda is all about modern and classic. You won't find fussy frills here, just funky modern casual and fresh gorgeous dressy looks.

Stop by and see more of this issue and all of the current Burda Style magazines at Treadle!

Stitched Safari

We have a sweet new felt crafting book at Treadle, Stitched Safari, just filled with adorable animals to sew!

Each project is brought to life with beautiful hand-stitched details. Cats, dogs, giraffes, sheep, goats, elephants, kangaroos, and so many more. It's hard to resist this much cute!

Best of all, the book includes a sheet of full-size patterns and detailed sewing directions. So why not start making your own Stitched Safari today?

The Happy Bicycle - new book and signing event!

Treadle is excited to host a book signing with local fabric designer, patter creator, and author Kathy McGee of Hemma Design! Enjoy some yummy treats from The Oilerie, chat with the author, pick up your copy of the book, and get inspired to make some fun bike accessories!

The book is packed with great ideas and patterns. From bags and baskets to seat and helmet covers, you'll find projects that are practical as well as just darn cute! Here's a little peek.

It's all happening Saturday, November 8th, 4-6 pm at Treadle Yard Goods!

Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting

Do you feel great in the clothes you sew, or do well-fitting garments elude you? Do you have pesky little fitting issues you just don't know how to solve? Then this book is for you: The Complete Photo Guide to Perfect Fitting by Sarah Veblen, longtime Threads contributor, sewist, and author.

Most of us know to make muslin mock-ups when we want a really good fit, but don't always know how to read the pulls, stress wrinkles, or bagginess and what to do about it. Sarah Veblen walks you though fitting multiple garment types on various figures, showing real-life examples of how to read the fit.

Skirts, pants, and various types of bodices and sleeves are covered, as well as how to drape a dart, how to fit over a full bust, adjustments for petite figures, and so much more.

You'll also learn how to transfer your changes to the pattern so your final garment will reflect that perfect fit.

Me & My Sewing Adventure

We have a wonderful new book at Treadle, Me & My Sewing Adventure, the follow up to the popular Me & My Sewing Machine.

This book covers SO MUCH, from pressing basics to handsewing stitches, tons of different seam and edge finishes, how to make your own fabric- and thread-covered buttons, plus embellishments, patchwork, and so much more! It's the perfect guide for advanced beginners looking to broaden their skill base. It would also be an excellent reference for advanced sewists!

We have a well-curated book selection at Treadle, filled with the best titles for sewing resources and techniques. Come find a book to inspire you today!

Downtown Abbey Sews

We have an exciting new magazine in the store: The Unofficial Downton Abbey Sews!

Packed with projects inspired by the hugely popular period drama, this is a little magazine filled with a whole lot of pretty. Drawn from the classic look of the 1910s and 1920s, you'll find dresses, blouses, accessories, and menswear all making an appearance.

Add a little elegance to your sewing. Try a Downton Abbey inspired project!

New Hand Sewing Book!

We have a wonderful new book at Treadle, all about hand sewing!

At first glance, this looks like just another embroidery book, but it's so much more. Stitches for tailoring and fine garment sewing are covered, alongside stitches for knitting, mending, quilting, and more!

The book's table of contents is separated into "functional" and "decorative" sections. The functional stitches range from hand gathering and seaming to pad-stitching and blind hems, while the decorative stitches cover dozens of beautiful embroidery and embellishment designs. 

 This book would be a wonderful companion to either of the Hand Sewing Classes at Treadle, or used on your own.

Learn what you can do with every craftsperson's best tools: your own two hands!

New Craft Books

Today we're reviewing a group of new crafting books.

Forest Fairy Crafts, with its eye-catching, colorful characters, is almost irresistible! Projects for a village of adorable fairy characters, made from simple supplies like wool felt and yarn, with sweet embellishments os buttons, sequins, and more.

Stitch Zakka is full of embroidery and patchwork projects inspired by the Japanese "zakka" style, an approach to crafting and decor meant to fuse modern grace with retro charm, merge Japanese aesthetics with Scandinavian, and create something beautiful, useful, and meaningful.

Sweet & Simple Handmade by Melissa Wastney conveys feelings of calm delight. Working with cool, neutral tones, this book features projects meant to nurture the sweet simplicity of childhood. With sewing, knitting, and upcycling from old garments, the author shares projects for garments, toys, and more, to help you cherish the little ones in your life with handmade tokens of affection.

All these and more are available at Treadle Yard Goods!

New quilt books

We have so much new and exciting stuff in the store right now, I'm having a hard time keeping up! Today we're reviewing a trio of breathtaking new patchwork and quilting books.

The new Shots and Stripes book by color guru Kaffe Fassett is truly gasp-worthy. Using only his lines of shot and striped cottons, Kaffe explores the incredible potential of color blending with these 24 quilted projects.

Colorific by local Minnesota quilter and author Pam Goecke Dinndorf focuses on color and fabric selection for high-impact quilts. The quilts in the book were photographed entirely in Northern Minnesota, against the backdrop of stunning natural scenery.

Patchwork, Please! is another current favorite in the shop. Featuring smaller projects in the Japanese Zakka style, this book is full of fun and quirky patchwork pieces.

There's a book for every quilter at Treadle Yard Goods!