Australian Stitches

By Lisa A. Christman, Ph.D. Flat and expandable pockets can be sewn to tops, jackets, dresses, pants, and skirts in any loca›on desired. Any embellishment such as embroidery should be completed on the pocket prior to a›aching it to the garment. The A

By Susan Khalje You’ll want to start with a strip of fabric that is on the bias – and I mean perfectly so. It has to be marked and cut at exactly 45 degrees. Any varia›on in that will result in drag lines – which are impossible to remove - and a stra

By Judith Turner • Shoes (plain) • Fabric • Mod Podge Fabric-Tissu-Tela • Paint brush • Scissors • Awl • Stanley Knife • Wet rag Before starting, lay paper or some kind of cover sheet down, because this is a messy job. I used baking paper. The firs

FEMININE SCARF-TIED NECKLINES, SOFT SLEEVES, DISTINCTIVE PRINTS … THEY ALL MAKE THE BLOUSE THE COMEBACK STAR OF 2017. A›er years of li›le nondescript jersey knit tops and the like, the ultra-feminine blouse returns in a big way to fashion this year …

As with all fashion designing, it is recommend that you trace a copy of your personalised bodice and skirt patterns. This maintains your original pattern for future use. Then begin the creative process. Mark the centre of the sleeve and clearly label

Today we have velvet available in a wide variety of types and weights; novelty velvets, brocaded velvets, two-tone velvets and crushed velvets. There are crush and spot-resistant finishes and co›on, linen and synthe›c velvets are machine-washable and

By Megan Nielsen This is 5cm (2in) wide horsehair braid, but it is also available in various widths from 12mm (½in) wide all the way to 15cm (6in) wide. Horsehair braid is made from nylon or polyester and as you can see is a netting. It’s quite flexi

Roller or PVC pipe Satay s›cks Assorted cu›ers Polymer clay Old twin needle – 4mm or 6mm Drill bit inserted in waste clay ‘sausage’ (Bake the sausage and glue the bit into pre-made hole a›er baking) Texture sheet Ceramic ›le When the clay comes out o

By Style Arc The off the shoulder look is the defining feature of many 2016 designer collec›ons. In the age of social media, trends can come and go fast, but off the shoulder garments have gone beyond a flee›ng Instatrend to become a wardrobe staple.

Sometimes they’re viewed as just the icing on the cake, but in fact trims are an essential part of any great design … and they can certainly take any garment out of the ordinary and every day, especially when used in surprising ways. Here are two of

Circular ruffles can be adapted to suit the wearer, the occasion and the garment. They may be wide or narrow and can be voluminous and extravagant or simple and understated. The type of fabric the flounce is made from will also affect the appearance.

A placket is posi›oned toward the back of a sleeve and can be marked by folding the sleeve edge into four, excluding the seam allowances. The quarter mark on the back of the sleeve is the placket placement line which is drawn parallel to the straight

The Academy has been working toward providing our students with an overall simplified system that will give students blocks that will fit virtually any ‘body’. We designed, developed and tested our own template which gives a fi›ed bodice and sleeve b