Welcome back to the website, and welcome to my spiffy new look! Isn’t it wonderful?  My webmistress is a genius! I am particularly loving: The fabulous new logo with my little seamstress friend The shiny new Portfolio page (under Admire) My new profile photo with Felicity, by the fabulous Sarah The ‘As Featured In’ brag page, which makes me blush both with pleasure and a bit of Kiwi ‘not good at being a tall poppy’ modesty! The full Seamstress logo, which is hidden somewhere on the page.  Can you find her? As much as I love all of this, and as fabulous as it is, this is only the beginning!  More fantastic things are going to be added and updated and shiney-fied over the next six months, plus the usual blogging awesomeness.  I can’t wait!  

Last week I started going through my posts from last year, in order to write a year in review post, and what did I find?  My draft 2013 year in review post, never finished, and never published.  Eeep! What’s a good blogger to do?  Re-write it an recycle it for 2014 of course! Top five favourites for 2014: Stockings.  The Nana stockings most of all, but they all make me quite happy!  And the stocking pattern/tutorial will be published next Wed/Thur! The Vionnet chiton dress for ‘When I Was a Bird’.  These dresses are so fun to make, fun to wear, and effortlessly elegant.  And obviously, I’m pretty pleased over the Threads article about them! The Inspired Edwardian Swimsuit. I  am just SO chuffed that I made an Edwardian swimsuit, and so pleased by how it looks on!  I can’t wait to do a proper photoshoot with it. The Ballerina Moment dress, because, Grandma’s fabric & pattern + ballerina moment = happiness! The Amazon Queen Pair of Bodies.  I’m just amazed at how much I …

Almost 20 years ago, just after I learned to sew, I discovered Threads Magazine. The local library had a subscription, and while you weren’t allowed to check them out, I was hooked.  The articles on fabrics, garment construction, and sewing techniques were amazing.  Whenever I was in town and had a little time, I would sit in the corner of the Kaunakakai Public Library, perusing the back issues and absorbing information. Thanks to Threads, I learned the basics of pattern drafting, how to set sleeves perfectly, how to take a pattern from an existing garment, and masses of beautiful sewing techniques and finishes.  By the time I went to university, I was good enough to be hired by a costume shop (where, admittedly, I learned a HUGE amount more, because there is no substitute for hands-on learning from experts). When I went to buy a comprehensive modern sewing book a few years back, I instantly picked up the Threads Sewing Guide.  Then I questioned myself: am I just being a fangirl?  I spread out every …