if you are anything like me, you are often scrambling to look something up, figure out a technique, or just find information. and the internet is priceless for that kind of hunt. i wanted to highlight some of the things that have given me ideas or help when i was looking for it, in addition to just linking them from posts. buttonholes, shopping, tailoring, padstitching, or whatever–i often need help on all of it!
vintage patterns
- The Vintage Pattern Primer, by NewVintageLady
- The Vintage Pattern Primer, by casey’s elegant musings
- Using Unprinted Patterns, by Gertie
- Vintage Pattern Pricing, by Gertie
- Resources for 1930s and 1940s Patterns, by Debi
sewing machines
- PatternReview. i’ve had hit-or-miss experiences on PatternReview but my simple FW post in the sewing machines forum got so many helpful, excited responses in such a short period of time that i was completely overwhelmed! in fact, most of these suggestions are straight from the PR sewing machines forum.
- Featherweight RX. Dave McCallum has a book and a DVD on using and servicing a FW. i haven’t committed yet, but i’m leaning seriously toward buying this series.
- The Featherweight Factory. i’ve been particularly encouraged to check out the “question of the week” section.
- A Spa Date for Your Featherweight. PR user JillyBe has a lovely, thorough and humorous post on her blog about cleaning and servicing her FW.
- Graham Forsdyke’s Singer Featherweights site. slightly overwhelming, full of history and information. he seems to sell them, as well!
- April 1930s Sewing Shoppe. more about parts and machines for sale than actual information, but well-designed with loads of things to look at.
- MPB’s Featherweight posts. Peter at MPB seems to prefer other machines over his FW, but his love for vintage machines is unmistakable.
- Spare Time (For Sewing) also has a lovely collection of posts about her vintage sewing machines, including her FW.
- Five Things to Remember When Buying a Sewing Machine, at the Coletterie
- The Joy of Vintage Sewing Machines, at BurdaStyle (and by Peter)
tailoring
- Padstitching at Ann’s Fashion Studio
- Padstitching and collar shaping in the Lady Gray Sew-Along at Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing
- Gigi uses a blind hemmer to do her padstitching by machine
- Padstitching video at the Made by Hand blog
- The Great Coat Sew-Along
- The Lady Gray Sew-Along
- The RTW Tailoring Sew-Along
- The Collected Coat Vlogs from Gertie again
- The New Vintage Lady makes a tailored jacket in one week
embroidery
- Stitch School
- Sublime Stitching (including Transfer Techniques)
- Stitch dictionary at Needlecrafter
- Vintage Pattern Pool at Flickr
- Vintage Transfer Finds
- Antique Pattern Library
- Overview of Vintage Embroidery Patterns
- Preserving Vintage Embroidery Patterns
- Cute, Retro and Authentic Embroidery Designs at Craftster
Videos:
- Threads Video: Manuel’s Free-Motion Embroidery Technique
- Talented Featherweight at YouTube
Other sewists using embroidery:
- Casey’s Elegant Musings
- Sore Fingers: towels with adorable vintage naval themes
- A Bee in My Bonnet: circle skirt with bee motifs
- Dash Away the Winter Blues with Embroidery: thrift store sweater refashion
- Gertie’s New Blog for Better Sewing
- The Sew Weekly
- The “That’s Good Enough” Top: Colette Patterns Crepe with embroidered embellishment
- The “Not on My Watch” Outfit: Butterick 8848 with embroidered motif
- The “Little Houses” Shirt: Simplicity 8399 with embroidered hem
- Grosgrain
beltmaking
- Beltmaking 101, by casey’s elegant musings
- Beltmaking School from A Fashionable Stitch:
- Pat’s Custom Buttons and Belts
techniques
- gussets, by Summerset
- bound buttonholes
- hand-worked buttonholes, at A Fashionable Stitch
- seam finishes
- making a muslin, by Marina
- using a sloper, by Karen Howland (Threads Magazine)
- quilting a garment (french cardigan jackets), by Marina
- adding a skirt vent
- horsehair-braid hem, by Gertie
- adding scallops to a garment, by Sherry or Casey
- using boning in a garment, by Susan Khalje (Threads Magazine)
- using boning in a bodice, by Gertie
- sewing a princess seam, by Kenneth King (Threads Magazine)
my library
sometimes, though, you just need a book. some of my favorites:
(none of these links generate any income for me…i’m just sharing some thoughts)
ZOMG SAILOR MOON PICS. I think I have a sewing blogger crush on you. Also, that is a nice list of resources. Which I realize was the main point of this page, and not Mina and Artemis and Amy.
um…picture your love and admiration for the world of LOTR, and that is basically how i felt about BSSM when i first discovered it in junior high–it was the first story that really took me fun and exciting places and i have never stopped loving it…time travel…magic powers…doomed yet unstoppable romance…what is not to love? 🙂 i may have been the only 8th grader in the US to be sending away for bootlegged, subtitled copies of the japanese episodes!