Neuroscientist + Curious Mind + Passionate Maker
It's been nearly three years since I talked about adding a front dart to Ryan's basic trouser block. At the time, it was a completely improvised solution—something I pieced together from studying bespoke trousers in James Bond films and trusting my instincts about what needed fixing. Since then, I've deepened my understanding of how fabric can... Continue Reading →
To the extent that we believe we can skip steps, avoid the process, magically gain power through political connections or easy formulas, or depend on our natural talents, we move against this grain and reverse our natural powers. We become slaves to time—as it passes, we grow weaker, less capable, trapped in some dead-end career.... Continue Reading →
Silk pillowcases and sleep bonnets have definitely saved both my hair and Ryan’s. He’s a pretty aggressive sleeper—most mornings his hair used to look like a bird’s nest, sticking straight up in all directions. Since we switched to silk pillowcases, he usually wakes up with bedhead that’s way more manageable, often not even needing a... Continue Reading →
By now, you may have heard about using a separate fitting waistband to simplify pant adjustments. I cover fitting waistbands in Chapter 4 of my eBook. https://youtu.be/iqK71g05jyc?feature=shared Recently, I came across a similar concept applied to bra fitting (HERE and HERE). That got me thinking—why not apply the same idea to hipbelts for the lumbar... Continue Reading →
This project began in the summer of 2023, and by January 2024, the first draft of this manual was complete. However, as life often does, unexpected challenges delayed its progress. Over the past year, I’ve steadily refined and improved the draft, and now it feels ready to share with the world. One of my original... Continue Reading →
As promised, here’s my detailed guide to sewing a t-shirt, including how to finish the back neckline with binding for a professional touch. Setting Up your Machines Serger I use my serger for most of the t-shirt construction. While I don’t fuss about matching my serger thread to my fabric, I make sure to use... Continue Reading →
Welcome to the final post in this series on balancing pant patterns! I've been exploring the ins and outs of creating a well-balanced pant using the Topo Pants pattern by Leila Makes. Each part of the journey has been about discovering what it takes to get pants to drape just right, and now it’s time... Continue Reading →
In my last post, I experimented by lowering the front crotch curve to match the back crotch curve level. This tweak helped improve the pants’ drape but led to a 1.2-inch difference between the front and back inseams. Generally, inseams should match, or the back can be a bit shorter—up to about 1/2 inch. If... Continue Reading →
In Part 1, I introduced the Topo Pant pattern from Leila Makes and discussed how to find the drapelines and balance lines (kneeline and crotchline). What makes this pattern unique is that the front piece has a curved side seam while the back has a straight side seam. In Part 2, I adjusted the front... Continue Reading →
If you’re new to this series, I recommend checking out Part 1 before diving into Part 2. In this series, I’m studying the principles of balance for pants. I’m using the Topo Pants pattern from Leila Makes as my example. The front pattern piece has a typical curved side seam, but the back has a... Continue Reading →
I recently tried to fit the Topo Pants by Leila Makes, but I had to put the project on hold because I couldn’t get the pant legs to hang straight. Since then, I’ve been thinking about these pants a lot. The way they’re drafted is pretty unique. The front pattern piece has a normal curved... Continue Reading →
My old silk bonnets were completely frayed and dead, so I went digging in my stash to see if I could make my own. I like the final product, so here's what I did. Fabric I had some leftover 22 momme silk charmeuse fabric from when I made Ryan silk pillowcases, which was perfect for... Continue Reading →
