Readers, My flight to London is tonight, and right now, mid-afternoon in Minneapolis, I’m feeling restless. I’m 98 percent packed and am asking myself what I could have possibly forgotten to bring or plan for. This keeps my mind busy but not satisfied. My small, sturdy bag is comfortably full. It will weigh about 30 […]
Who’s Afraid of a Sewing UFO?
Readers, A couple of days ago I found myself strolling over to my rolling baker’s rack, where I store my sewing projects on full-size baking sheets, and pulling out my oldest, most guilt-ridden UFO (UnFinished Object): my dreaded Sportcoat Project.I was simply curious about what I’d done and what was left to do. Having spent […]
What Worked/What Didn’t: 2013
Readers, What with its being a bright, shiny new year full of promise, I’ve been indulging in one of my favorite pastimes: imagining bright, shiny new projects. My optimism is never higher than on January 1. Uppermost in my mind is the short course Tailoring with Savile Row Tailors, which I’ll be taking January 14-24 […]
What Works/What Doesn’t: Chunky Tweed Vintage Jacket
Readers, It’s time to play another round of What Works/What Doesn’t. This is the game where I analyze a wardrobe item that’s been puzzling me. It could be something I made, or bought, or accepted as a gift or hand-me-down. Some things about it appeal to me, but other things do not. If a garment […]
Project: Vogue 8267 (1955), “Boy Shirt,” Part 3
Readers, I finished my flannel shirt this morning. The End. Oh, all right. I’ll try to find a fresh angle. It’s just that I have made about three dozen shirts over the years. What is there to say about collars, cuffs, plackets both of the front and sleeve varieties, yokes, pockets, fronts or backs that […]
Backstage at the Goldstein: Merry and Bright
Readers, Here is another item from the Goldstein Museum of Design that I came across when I was working on the donor files project. It is one of several hats, all from the 1950s or ’60s, donated by Mrs. John Gill. (Note to self: find her first name!) Of all Mrs. Gill’s hats–at least, of […]
Backstage at the Goldstein: The Gift of a Hat
Readers, I came across this delightful and touching story of an American GI buying a Paris hat for his wife in 1944 when I was working on a large files project at the Goldstein Museum of Design, which is on the St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. I don’t remember now whether I […]