Threads Design Challenge VI

Yes! I want expert
sewing tips, fabric
reviews, and more.

Sewing Basics
Garment Construction
Design
Fabric
Fitting
Embellishments
Embroidery
Tools & Supplies
Home Decoration
Quilting
Video Tips
Online Extras

In the Current Issue
Advertiser Index
Sewing Corner
Magazine Index
Contact the Staff
Author Guidelines
Buy Back Issues
Order Slipcases
Threads eLetter

Designer Lois Ericson's first reaction when the package of fabrics arrived was, "Who chose these colors?"

Despite her initial dismay with the UPS brown, marigold yellow, and sky blue, Lois created gorgeous coordinating separates. Deep purple pants and a caramel silk blouse anchor her outfits, which transform from day- to evening-wear when she reverses the cranberry vest (worn over a purple jacket) to reveal a vintage kimono fabric.



Lois's vest in cranberry (Design and Sew #336) features a large letter "L" along the bodice opening, trimmed in butterscotch. She wore this over the purple jacket for the daytime events.		In-seam buttonholes faced with cranberry red accent the front of Lois's purple jacket (Design and Sew #336) and extend down from a slot seam.

Step one was color correction: "I dyed the brown a dark cranberry red, then made the blue a purple, and the yellow a rich butterscotch."

Design beginnings: "Designing an intriguing vest was the place to start. As I was snipping and pinning, lots of ideas were clicking. 'This is going to be fun,' I wrote in my journal."

Her extra fabric: "I chose a vintage kimono fabric in a splendid chocolate brown with a subtle pattern of swirls and wheels, which I used for the evening side of the reversible vest."

How she used letters and words: "Isilk-screened my name vertically on the linen tote bag and then intersected favorite terms like 'studio,' 'collage,' 'jacket,' and 'pattern.' The end result looks like an inspired game of Scrabble."

Got her wheels realigned: "While I loved the swirls in the kimono pattern, I didn't like the wheels. So I cut extra swirls from the unused sections and appliquéd these directly over the wheels."



Vintage kimono fabric, pieced and beaded, form the reverse side of Lois's cranberry vest. Under the vest is a blouse (Design and Sew #310) in a luscious tone of butterscotch, achieved by overdyeing the yellow silk.		Lois's initials, printed on the caramel silk side of her reversible evening scarf, add rhythm and interest. Photo: David Coffin.

How textures get invented: "The front of the vest didn't hang correctly, so I pinned several small circular tucks randomly along the front. This looked interesting and improved the fit, so I redistributed the fabric to add even more. I sewed beads to anchor the tucks."

The $35: "Dye! Beads! Tassels! Leather! More dye! More beads!"

Last-minute tension relief: "A few days before the deadline, I started a totally different vest from vintage indigo-dyed squares that I'd purchased in Japan. A totally different focus allows you to clear your head."

Lois Ericson is the designer of Design and Sew Patterns (www.designandsew.com) and publisher of a sewing newsletter, The Good News Rag.

[ previous ] [ next ]