Thread Cult

A current exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum explores how Georgia O'Keeffe used her wardrobe and photographs taken of her to help craft her public image. Christine talks with guest curator Wanda M. Corn about how she came upon a trove of the artist's clothes (many of which O'Keeffe sewed by hand), and how O'Keeffe applied her modern aesthetic to nearly every facet of her life. The show runs through July 23, 2017 in Brooklyn. It will travel to two more museums: the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston Salem, North Carolina Aug. 18-Nov. 17, 2017; and the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem Massachusetts Dec. 16-April 1, 2018. Outro: "Beast on the Soil," Desert Orchard by Blue Dot Sessions.

Rosie Martin, the force behind DIYcouture, discusses her new book No Patterns Needed, a collection of patternless sewing designs based on squares, circles, and rectangles. Rosie shares how she started designing patternless fashions, her favorite indie patterns to sew from, and where she likes to go for inspiration in London, her hometown. Outro: “Summer Fun” by Scott Holmes

Jessica Rosenkrantz, co-founder of Nervous System, a generative design studio, discusses her work creating 3D-printed clothing. Nervous System has collaborated with New Balance to make 3D-printed midsoles for sneakers, and they've also designed several 3D-printed dresses, the most recent of which was commissioned by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston for their #techstyle exhibit. Jessica and Christine talk about how 3D printing clothing works, and about Nervous System's innovative technique for printing a dress in one full piece. Outro: "Lift off" by Jahzzar. 

Sewing blogger and upholsterer Sonja Gingerich (of Ginger Makes) recently started an online fabric shop, Hell Gate Fabrics, specializing in fabrics that are healthier for the environment. Christine caught up with Sonja to chat about career transitions and the murky world of textile sourcing. Outro: "Redhead" by Jahzzar.

Filmmaker Vicki Vasilopoulos discusses her documentary, Men of the Cloth, which follows three Italian master tailors in the U.S. and Italy. Christine and Vicki also chat about her newest project, The Little Dress: A Journey of Hope, that will tell the story of a 100-year-old woman who sews a dress a day for girls in Malawi. Outro:”Where the River Run” by Ketsa.

A current exhibit at the Museum at FIT explores the connection between haute couture and the folk stories of the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, and Charles Perrault, among others. Christine and associate curator Colleen Hill chat about the process of organizing the show, how fast fashion is pushing designers toward the fantastical, and why we might want to teach kids traditional fairy tales rather than the sanitized Disney versions. See the exhibit virtually by visiting http://exhibitions.fitnyc.edu/fairy-tale-fashion/. Music: “Sweet Water” and “Welcome Home," by David Szesztay.

Artist and teacher Rebecca Ringquist pulls embroidery out of its classic confines, using her needle and floss to tell modern stories in cloth. This episode she and Christine chat about her process, the art of collecting, and her new book, Rebecca Ringquist's Embroidery Workshops: A Bend-the-Rules Primer. Outro music: "Inspire me Forever" by Spinningmerkaba 

How do you come to know someone if all you have is the evidence of their clothes? This is the mystery author Jessamyn Hatcher is trying to solve after the discovery of 21 rare couture gowns in a forgotten storeroom of the heiress Hortense Mitchell Acton. The dresses were made by the innovative and radical Callot Soeurs, one of the Belle Epoque’s most celebrated couture houses. The collection reveals not only a forgotten piece of fashion history, but the story of one woman’s life. Jessamyn detailed the discovery in the March 23 issue of the New Yorker, and in this episode she dives deeper into the tale, revealing along the way how the clothes we wear can tell our story long after we’re gone. 

A new exhibit at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art explores how high fashion influenced bereavement rituals during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. In this episode, Jessica Regan, co-curator of the exhibit Death Becomes Her, discusses how the silhouettes of women’s clothing changed during this time period and how elaborate mourning rituals created a booming business for dress makers, as well as a costly investment for women who needed to wear black for an entire year. Jessica also shares some of her fashion and textile must-sees at the Met. 

Outro: Fauré’s Requiem in D Minor, Op. 48: Introit, The Choire of King’s College Cambridge,  Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment & Stephen Cleobury

History, home ec, and fashion converge in this episode, an interview with historian Linda Przybyszewski (Professor Pski to her students), author of The Lost Art of Dress. Professor Pski fills us in on the fascinating and little-known story of the "dress doctors"—a group of early 20th-century seamstresses, scientists, and artists who taught girls and women the art of dressing (and living) with style, taste, and beauty. If you've ever wondered why vintage sewing books are so rad, you can thank the dress doctors!  Outro: "Born on a Train" by The Candy Strypers

Sometimes home is the best place for great ideas to thrive. Fifteen years ago, Natalie Chanin discovered just this when she moved her nascent clothing company—Alabama Chanin—from New York to her hometown of Florence, Alabama. Since then, she’s built a thriving clothing and lifestyle company that merges craft and fashion in a beautiful way. Christine and Natalie talk about starting her business, how to get over creative bumps in the road, and how changing your perspective can make you more successful. Outro music: "Insprie Me Forever (Secret Anomaly Jonez Mix)" by Spinningmerkaba

Textile designer Heather Ross is best known for her whimsical fabric designs and illustrations for children's books, but her art springs from a darker past. This month she publishes a memoir about growing up in a dysfunctional family in rural Vermont and her path to becoming an artist, entrepreneur, and mother. In this episode, Heather and Christine discuss the book, how she gets creative work done (hint: early in the day!), and tricks for surviving muggy city summers. Outro music: "Colourless Green Ideas Sleep Furiously," by Lee Rosevere, 

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, a traveling exhibit, currently at the New York Historical Society, explores how quilts, flags, and other sewn goods communicated the wartime experience. Curators Lynne Bassett and Margi Hofer discuss how cotton and textiles played a powerful part in the conflict, and how women's work contributed to the war effort and eventually helped propel the suffrage movement. Outro: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" sung by Odetta

For someone who sews, the workrooms of haute couture houses are probably just as (if not more!) interesting than what we ultimately see on the runways. Claire Shaeffer has spent her career studying the construction techniques for haute couture, expensive ready-to-wear, and historic designs, and written more than 20 books on the subject. This episode, Christine and Claire discuss a variety of topics, including Claire's background as an acrobat, shadowing dressmakers in Paris workrooms, and her two newest books on Chanel. Outro music: "Bughici - Suite for Violin, 8 Ardeleneasca, moderato" by Advent Chamber Orechestra

Whether you're a fashion history buff, or just really like to play dress up, the world of historical costuming offers a unique perspective on how people lived and moved in the past. This episode, Christine catches up with Lauren Stowell, creator of American Duchess, a blog focused on sewing costumes from the 18th through 20th centures, and the creator of the American Duchess line of historically-accurate footware from the same period. Lauren shares a cool new shoe for pre order, and Christine shares an exciting opportunity for amature sewers (hint: it involves being on TV!). Outro music "Handel -- Entrance to the Queen of Sheba for Two Oboes, Strings, and Continuo allegro" by Advent Chamber Orchestra.

Need advice on sewing for special occasions? Susan Khalje, the renowned couture sewing teacher (and Thread Cult’s first repeat guest!), has you covered. This episode, she and Christine discuss her soon-to-be released online cocktail dress class, as well as the art of the French jacket, dressing for your body type, and how investing in quality fabrics can make you a better (and saner!) sewer. Outro music "Wave Rider" by Necronomikon Quartett. 

Nora Abousteit helped found BurdaStyle.com and then founded Kollabora.com, a beautiful and fashion-forward site that lets sewers, knitters, and other makers share their work and sell their patterns. This episode, Christine and Nora discuss building an online crafting community, how indie designers can use Kollabora to sell their fashion and home decor patterns, and Nora shares an exciting new video component of the site. Outro music: "Waterflies" by Drama for Yamaha

Liesl Gibson creates super chic, modern sewing patterns for both kids and women. This episode Liesl and Christine talk about her design process, the resurgence of sewing as craft, and the delicate dance of balancing motherhood with a successful business. Outro music: "Paradise Engineering" by Yacht

Maura Grace Ambrose, Austin-based artist and founder of Folk Fibers, makes beautiful, timeless hand-dyed and hand-stitched quilts. In this episode, Maura and Christine discuss the art of natural dyeing and hand quilting, foraging for dyestuffs, and how quilts tell their own stories. Outro music: "Smoothest Runes" by Thick Business

Often called the mother of modern quilting, Denyse Schmidt marries the best of the handmade and modern design. This episode, Christine chats with Denyse about what goes into making her quilts, the history of patchwork, the creative process, and several museum shows Denyse will be featured in this fall.