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 …