Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects
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Authors: Amy Butler
Text copyright © 2006 by Amy Butler. Photographs copyright © 2006 by Colin McGuire. Illustrations copyright © 2006 by Jacob Redinger. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-4521-3255-6
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available.
The Library of Congress has previously cataloged this title under
ISBN-10: 0-8118-5159-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-8118-5159-6
Technical writing by
DIANNE BARCUS
and
KIM VENTURA
Designed by
WARMBO DESIGN
Styling by
MONIQUE KEEGAN
of Enjoy Co.
Art direction by
AMY
and
DAVID BUTLER
CHRONICLE BOOKS LLC
680 Second Street San Francisco, California 941057
Velcro is a registered trademark of Velcro Industries B. V.
Wonder Under is a registered trademark of Freudenberg Nonwovens.
Contents
Vintage fabrics, where to find them. Modern fabrics with a vintage feel, a great alternative. Caring for fabrics. Preparing fabrics for use (prewashing, whitening, and bleaching). Types of fabrics to use on these projects. Buttons, ribbons, beads, and finishes.
10 Care and Use of Vintage and New Fabrics
31
Big Dot Pillow, Round Ruffle Pillow, Pom-Pom Pillow
118
CD Holder and Desktop Organizer
125
Document Duvet and Photo File
146
Clutch Handbag with Fabric Flower
157
Simple Leather-Handled Shoulder Bag
161
Patchwork Handbag with Zipper Charm
SIMPLE TECHNIQUES AND BASIC EQUIPMENT
Sewing basics, as well as some advanced techniques where applicable. Illustrations depicting types of stitches to use. The explanations of terms, stitches, equipment, and techniques.
173 Sources of Fabrics, Notions, Trims, and Beads
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book is dedicated to my grandmother Velma Heymann for stirring my passion for sewing and giving me my first fabric “stash.”
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this book. Without you this project would not have been possible.
A special thanks to the following individuals: My husband, David, for all of his support and help in writing this book. Dianne Barcus and Kim Ventura, two powerhouse ladies who developed the instructions for the projects I designed—their talent and support are incredibly inspiring. Jake Redinger, our “anchor” in the studio, for his amazing illustrations. All of the seamstresses who tested the projects and turned in beautiful work time after time: Nichole Redinger, Dorothy Hughes, Suzanne Aschenbeck, Tracey Swisher, Joyce Burrows, Paula Bevier, Thea Lewis, Donna Thompson, Joy Jung, Kathie Harding, Arlene Donnelly, Tammie Hedglin, and Kim Redding. Colin McGuire for his gorgeous photography. Monique Keegan for her awesome styling abilities and friendship. Diane Capaci for keeping us organized. Kevin Reiner of
www.firmlyplanted.net
, for providing us with incredible plants. Green Velvet for lending us some lovely accessories for our photo shoot. Jeannie and Will Zink for allowing us to shoot in their home. Randy Levengood and Donna Howard of Colonial Coin Laundry for allowing us to photograph the Oversized Laundry Bag in their facility. Thanks to our models, Maxfield Keegan, Sharon Sinsabaugh, Kevin Reiner, and Sarah Baker. Kokka Ltd. of Japan for providing us with beautiful fabrics. Thine Bloxham of Timtex, Inc. for providing us with loads of her great interfacing. Husqvarna Viking for my sewing machine. Chris Timmons for her much appreciated technical assistance. And Jodi and Mikyla from Chronicle Books for their encouragement, support, and vision.
INTRODUCTION
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of stitching a seam or finishing a hem, then you know about the deep satisfaction that comes with sewing. As a fabric and sewing-pattern designer, I am fortunate enough to experience that satisfaction every day. I love making beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations by hand, and sharing them with the people closest to me. And I’m thrilled to be able to share my love for sewing with you. Let
In Stitches
be your guide to creating gorgeous, stylish, useful pieces for every room in your home.
This book features patterns for beautiful accessories—from a decorative patchwork throw for the living room, to chic placemats and napkins for the kitchen, a hanging toiletry basket for the bath, and a glamorous sleeping mask for your bedroom. But don’t worry—I haven’t neglected your wardrobe. You’ll find patterns for a perky pleated apron, a luxurious kimono-style bathrobe, and a sleek clutch for nights on the town. And, of course, all of the pieces make great gifts too.
The projects in this book are geared toward the beginning or intermediate sewer, but if you have a more experienced hand you’ll also find them fun and useful. If you’re new to sewing, you’ll want to read “Simple Techniques and Basic Equipment”
(page 170)
before you start; you may also find the glossary of common sewing terms to be helpful. The book begins with a discussion of how to choose the right fabrics, notions, and trims, and how to care for both vintage and new fabrics, so take a peek at that section before you shop.
While fashion trends are forever changing, the art of sewing is timeless. Once you learn how to sew, you’ll never again be restricted to buying off-the-rack, cookie-cutter garments that others have dreamed up. Instead, you’ll enjoy the freedom of creating pieces that reflect your own personal style, however modern or retro it may be, while tapping into the history of this ancient art.
Allow the patterns in
In Stitches
to inspire your creativity. Let your personality shine through in the fabrics you choose and the adornments you make. Maybe you’ll even find yourself chanting my favorite creativity mantra:
Utility can be beautiful.
Comfy can be stylish.
Organization is healthy.
My personality is unique.
Handmade is best!
Enjoy.
—Amy
FABRICS
Fabrics have attitude. They are graceful, exciting, quiet, or loud. They can set a mood, or even take your mind to a certain place, such as a tropical beach or your favorite garden. They are as colorful and varied as the person who uses them. Culturally, their stories are as old as human history. They can point to simpler times or futuristic ideals. Astonishingly, they can do all of this at once.
My fabric collection, twenty years in the making, would take over my studio if I didn’t use the materials in my projects. In my work as a fabric designer, I draw vast inspiration from both vintage pieces and new designs, and I use them both when I create new pieces. Vintage fabrics lend a certain charisma, warmth, and sometimes patina to my projects. New fabrics can offer added durability as well as a fresh attitude to the same work. When you combine fabrics, you allow your personality, warmth, and spirit to shine through. Choose fabrics that you love—that suit your taste and style.
Finding vintage fabrics requires some digging around. Antique shops, flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, vintage clothing shops, textile shows, and maybe even your own closet or attic are all possible sources of vintage fabrics. There’s also an entire world of traders and sellers on the Internet, but be prepared to dig just as hard online as you would at a flea market on a sunny afternoon! Curtains are another often-overlooked source of fabrics. Just cut away the bad spots and use the curtain fabric just as you would any other material. The beauty of finding and using vintage textiles is that you are not only allowing their story to be told in a different way but also repurposing and recycling a material resource.
New fabrics can be found at fabric stores and quilting shops. There are so many options! Another great way to get new fabrics is to purchase bed sheets and covers, or tablecloths, which tend to be wider than fabrics sold by the yard and so are especially useful for large projects. Depending on where you search, you can find linens with everything from reproduction vintage prints to super-hip, modern designs. I combine them all. Be sure to check the resource guide for places to start looking for the best vintage and new textiles.
As charming as vintage fabrics are, they come with their own set of special needs that must be attended to prior to use. That neatly folded yardage you’ve found at a garage sale may still have a considerable amount of sizing (starch or another fabric stiffener) in it. Other finds will be aggressively wrinkled from having lived in a bag for years. For this reason, all fabrics (old and new) should be washed before you start working with them. Most cottons and linens can be machine washed in cold water on the gentle cycle. If your fabric hasn’t been exposed to water in a while, soak it in cold water for a day or so to rehydrate the fibers before you clean it. If it seems too fragile for the machine, you might want to think about substituting another fabric for your project. But if you simply must use it, hand wash it in warm water with a mild, phosphate-free soap.