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Seamwork Issue 02 is here!
The January issue of Seamwork is up and ready for you to read!
We’ve added a new feature this month called Swatch Service. I’m interested to know what you guys think. We frequently get questions about where to buy fabric for our patterns, so we actually went off and ordered a whole bunch of swatches from several online retailers. We then picked out a small but diverse bunch that would work well with this month’s patterns. What do you think? Is it helpful? Should we show more options? Take bigger photos?
In this issue:
- Tasha Miller Griffith writes about accepting your infinite list of to-dos
- Haley Glenn gives us a guide to working on the bias
- Ponte, interlock, double knit – if you’ve ever wondered what all these terms mean, read Alyson Clair’s guide to double knits
- Create a vintage look with hemstitching using a modern sewing machine
- Melissa Fehr gives us a guide to activewear fabrics
- We round up 4 different tricks for turning spaghetti straps
- In this month’s Behind the Seams, we look at how stitching was used to add detail to several simple black and white vintage pieces.
- For Swatch Service, we round up some of our favorite lightweight woven fabrics and double knits.
And here are the two new quick-to-sew patterns in this issue:
Savannah is a lovely everyday camisole cut very simply on the bias, edged with stretch lace, and finished with French seams and adjustable self-fabric spaghetti straps. It’s the sort of simple garment cut from lush fabric that you can wear all the time – as loungewear, under your sweaters, or on its own with a cardigan or blazer. We even provide tips for making this one in knit fabric with elastic straps, if you want a variation that can take you to yoga class too.
Manila gives you basic leggings with a sweet detail: a curved tulip cuff. You can make Manila in activewear fabric for working out, jersey for lounging or keeping warm under skirts, or double knit for sleek pants to wear under a tunic blouse or long sweater.
You can visit Seamwork.com to read the issue, download it from the current issue page, or subscribe to get the patterns.
Comments
Kelly
January 2, 2015 #
Okay, I liked the first issue of Seamwork, though bags are seriously not my thing, but oh goodness, this is brilliant!! I love the combination of simple patterns and detailed info to go along with it. I think you all have developed something really fantastic here!
Ro
January 2, 2015 #
Sarai, the patterns look. Gorgeous. Any idea how we in the UK can buy the magazine as I’d love to but not sure how buying things in dollars works…! Thanks in advance.
Kenn
January 2, 2015 #
Hi Ro. You can subscribe to Seamwork using any major credit card or PayPal. The conversion to US dollars will be handled by your bank (or PayPal).
Beth
January 2, 2015 #
I finished reading December’s Seamwork yesterday, checked my email, and bam! There was the January issue :) Personally, I LOVED seeing the Swatch Service portion and I dearly wish I knew where you got all those beautiful sweater knits from the December issue.
Sarai
January 2, 2015 #
Well, we bought those locally so I’m afraid it’s not much help! I’d like to do more with fabrics you can buy online as well, it just takes a bit more advanced planning. :)
Beth
January 2, 2015 #
Of course they were ;)
Angela
January 2, 2015 #
Wow, Sarai, I liked the first issue very much – but this one is even better!! I LOVE LOVE so much about it! Let’s see – the swatch service is wonderful, I learned about some fabric suppliers that I had never heard about before (not sure my budget will appreciate this new-found information though…). I appreciate the effort to give information related to the patterns that go with this issue, that was very helpful! I have tons of books, etc. about sewing, but to have the pertinent information RIGHT THERE with the pattern – both fabric choices and technique – is very nice indeed. Also, I like the addition of an article that isn’t strictly sewing (the infinite to-do list) to help round out the issue.
I also really appreciate the fact that you are focused on clothing – not quilts or crafts, which are fine and I’ve nothing against – but I’m trying to become an excellent seamstress and make clothes that look beautiful. Your new magazine is truly everything I could have wanted.
I subscribed the very first day we could, and I’m so glad I did! You have a life-long subscriber here.
Sarai
January 2, 2015 #
So good to know!
We just did a survey of subscribers a few days ago, and I’m reading through every single comment right now. It’s given me a lot of food for thought, which has me excited for future issues and all the ways we can get better. :)
carlalissa
January 2, 2015 #
This issue rocks…. you kind of read my mind about hemstiching…. Thanks and Happy New Year!
Jeri Sullivan
January 2, 2015 #
I absolutely love your magazine! I typically embellish my clothing with some sort of embroidery and so far you are hitting it out of the park!
elaine abreu
January 2, 2015 #
Hello! I was browsing the new seamwork mag and love the patterns. I was thinking of using this wonderful fleece lined knit I found to make the leggings, but it only stretches one way. Can I still use it and maybe give the pattern a bit more length in the crotch to compensate for the lack of vertical stretch?
Sarai
January 5, 2015 #
You’d probably want to add length all over. Without vertical stretch, the leggings will come up much shorter (I know, we tried!)
elaine abreu
January 6, 2015 #
Ha ha, that makes sense, I will add length all over the leggings pattern and give it a try. The good thing is that I bought…the whole bolt O.O ( 8-9 yards) so lack of fabric will not be a problem. Thank you for your response :D
Anne Lyth
January 3, 2015 #
The new issue of the magazine is beautifully put together, and I can’t wait to see up the camisole. I also loved the article about sewing on bias. I love the drape and feel of such garments.
I liked the idea of the swatches. It started some ideas in my mind that I might otherwise not have gotten.
Sue Heiss
January 3, 2015 #
Great article. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time.
Thanks.
beckyjopdx
January 3, 2015 #
I echo everyone else. The first issue is fantastic, and this 2nd issue shows the fine tuning of your new endeavor. I love it.
If I may, the framing of the photos is a bit weird…the strange notch-outs look like you’re just trying to put a white cover over something like a tag or a water mark. I get the artistic intent, I’m just not 100% that is how it translates. I keep finding myself wondering what you covered up. That is so minor really.
The bias cami section with the hemstitch and the spaghetti straps…it’s just such a value. As always, Sarai and team, a quality value. Thank you.
Sara A.
January 3, 2015 #
On my screen, all the photos in the features look like they’re polaroids fanned out on a table. It’s pretty, but each has a caption underneath which can be truncated. This makes me think that maybe if I move my mouse cursor the right way the back one will jump forward so I can see the pictures/read the captions easier. It doesn’t seem to work that way though. :(
Sarai
January 5, 2015 #
Do you mean the photos that overlap slightly, or all the photos? We need to do more testing on those, because they look really different depending on your screen. :\
beckyjopdx
January 7, 2015 #
as info, I’ve checked it on my ipad and my mac with ios and didn’t see overlapping, and checked on my work pc w windows 7 and my little windows laptop/tablet with windows 8.1 and saw no overlapping either. I have a windows phone – and don’t see any overlapping. the only place I see overlapping is at the bottom “View & Download” patterns section where it’s an intentional style set. HTH.
Lena
January 3, 2015 #
I love the new swatch service feature! I buy almost all my fabric online due to lack of good fabric stores around here. In my two years of sewing, the thing I still have the most trouble with is figuring out what type of fabric to order for a pattern when I can’t see or touch it. Even if I don’t want to order the fabrics you suggest in particular, I think it will be very helpful to see the descriptions of the fabrics you recommend so I can find something similar. Thanks for doing the legwork and ordering all those swatches!
Christina
January 3, 2015 #
Hi. I was on the fence about subscribing when I read your first issue but subscribed as soon as I received the preview of the second issue:-) I also tried to find out if there was a way to buy the patterns from the first issue but didn’t find any… I just printed out the camisole pattern and will probably have a go at it tomorrow. I was wondering if you could give me advice regarding omitting the lace portion of the camisole. I was thinking of drafting a facing on the grain (to stabilize the neckline somewhat) and making wider straps to hide my bra straps. At 38G, I can only wear spaghetti strap tops with a cardi or shirt over. Do you think that will work? Any tips? I might try the pattern first without alterations but woud love to be able to tweak the pattern so I can wear the camisole on its own without being too self conscious;-) I think this pattern could really be a key piece in my handmade wardrobe.
Sarai
January 5, 2015 #
Yes, I thnk you could do a facing, or you could even finish the edge with a bias tape facing that is turned to the wrong side.
Ami
January 4, 2015 #
That cami top is beeeaaaaauuuutiful! :)
Janette
January 4, 2015 #
Thanks so much for another lovely pattern – the Savannah – can’t wait to get started on it!
But I’ve just a quick question – the quarter inch bra rings and sliders seem so tiny, I’ve looked at the photos of Savannah and the sliders look much larger than this – is the size of these optional perhaps?
Thanks for your help, and for such a great magazine – love it :-)
Wilma
January 4, 2015 #
I was hoping for leggings and a top! Now I can make a nice and comfortable set with the Oslo pattern for my planned hospital stay in four weeks. Also found the rest of the content more interesting this time. Bags and draping weren’t very interesting to me, but I am looking forward to reading this issue with great attention.
Shannon
January 4, 2015 #
This looks great! I kept meaning to subscribe to get the cardigan pattern in the first issue but forgot. If I subscribe now, can I access issue one patterns? Thanks!
WendP
January 4, 2015 #
I’m curious where the “approximate time required” estimate comes from. I am more or less a beginner (I know how my machine works, can do straight & curved seams, follow clear pattern directions, take care of most snags with my machine when sewing, and I’ve completed a handful of beginner projects), and I spent 4 hours on the Oslo today, and made it about halfway through. I thought about where I might get faster, were I to do another one or two Oslos, and I’m not sure where it would happen. Granted, I wouldn’t need to cut the pattern pieces out again, and it did take me a while to cut out and pin my fussy fabric, but then knits in general are a bit fussy to cut & pin straight.
Don’t get me wrong – I found the directions clear and easy to follow (I only had to ask for help once!), and I’m liking how it’s looking so far. I had also made the assumption from the get-go that I’d likely take longer to complete the project that the estimated time. But I am wondering what goes into that estimate. Thanks!
Shannon
January 5, 2015 #
Did your 4 hours include taping and cutting out the pattern? I think that might not be counted.
Sarai
January 5, 2015 #
First, we sew them multiple times to get a general sense of the time it takes, but that’s just a first estimate since we’re all pretty efficient. But the real time is nailed down when we give them to our testers, who are a range of skill levels. We ask each of them how long it took and adjust from there.
Of course, some of it depends on the techniques you use. For example, if you don’t use a serger, it might not be as fast. And we don’t count the time to piece the paper together, since it’s (1) meant to reference cutting/sewing time and (2) some folks use the copy shop version.
So that’s the story. :)
WendP
January 6, 2015 #
Thanks, I appreciate the response. Fortunately for me, I’d already figured “If the directions say 2 hours, it’ll likely take me 6-10”, so I wasn’t enormously surprised. Just curious how the official count came about.
FWIW, I hadn’t counted cutting the paper pieces (printed on a single oversized sheet – I have no patience with tiling and taping), but did count cutting the fabric pieces. I was also using a sewing machine instead of a serger.
Michelle
January 5, 2015 #
I love the swatch idea! Particularly for knit/stretch fabrics. I’ve had trouble finding high quality stretch.
Wendy
January 5, 2015 #
Will you make patterns from back issues available? I was traveling and couldn’t get to issue 1 patterns but assumed when I subscribed that I might have some access to back issues, perhaps by individual purchase. I had my eye on the Oslo sweater.
Sarai
January 5, 2015 #
We’re working on that!
Bethanie
January 6, 2015 #
I second the request for access to back issues (especially the Oslo sweater – yum!!). I was waiting for Christmas money to subscribe, which I did today (happy Snoopy dance!!).
Must add that I LOVE everything about Seamwork from the quick and easy patterns to the differently sized and colored models. It is truly splendid!! :)
Patricia
January 6, 2015 #
I’m quite excited for this month’s patterns. I’m very short on tops, so the camisole will come in handy and the leggings are super cute.
And last month’s Oslo is acting as my new robe. I love it and it took me about four hours total, from taping and cutting out the pattern through the last step. Well done!