At the start of 2014, I set a goal for myself: sew at least one garment per month for the year. It was a low bar, but it wasn't so much about sewing 12 more garments for my wardrobe as just creating on a regular basis, even when life got busy. Here's the big round-up… Continue reading 2014 Resewlution Wrap-up
There was a moment there, staring at my textbook on drafting the suit jacket a few months ago when I was actually uncertain if I could finish my Pattermaking course. See, I went to class for the first month of the semester and then had to take the rest of the class as an independent… Continue reading Patternmaking Final Project: The Suit
Wearable muslin (left) and final draft (right). Slight changes make a big difference!As part of my patternmaking class, we were tasked with drafting a pants sloper from measurements (I used my own) and then creating a "style" from that basic pattern. The process of drafting pants isn't too difficult, if you just accept that multiple… Continue reading Self-drafted trousers: two brown versions
After posting about this semi-fail dress, a reader suggested trying out the wrap dress by the pattern company Onion (I can't find a webpage, but you can purchase pattern 2037 here or here). After dragging my feet about buying another dress pattern, I bit the bullet when I found this lovely Stenzo cotton/ lycra fabric from L'oiseau Fabrics.… Continue reading Wrap Dress (Onion 2037)
See this blazer? I designed, drafted and sewed it myself! And since I'm no longer actually attending lecture (conflicts with my teaching schedule), I'm using the book and my professor's office hours to get the job done! (By the way, here she is, walking through the construction of the jacket on YouTube. She's an amazing sewist!)This… Continue reading Self-drafted blazer!
Okay, there are three posts associated with this lovely tweed skirt, but after that, I promise: no more skirts! I'm sick of looking at my bottom half, and I'm sure you feel the same! Don't I look grumpy about it?This final pencil skirt is a project for Britex. The fabric is a truly incredible silk/wool… Continue reading Month of the pencil skirt: (Part 3 of 3). The Charlotte Skirt in silk/wool tweed.
Gosh, it's been a while! Sure, school starting back up (for the kids, and fashion classes for me) and prepping for my quarter teaching biology (which starts next week), have really slowed down my sewing. But the main reason I haven't been too active here lately is because the contractors put one of our toilets… Continue reading Month of the pencil skirt (Part 1 of 3)
At the suggestion of several readers (thank you for rescuing me from indecision!) for uses for this striped canary ponte knit from Mood , I went with the Vogue. Here's a refresher of the pattern (Vogue 8663) envelope, now out of stock:What is most distinctive (and worth sewing, in my opinion) is the pleated neckline.… Continue reading Last vestige of summer dress–Vogue 8663
I guess it's a little silly since I just drafted and released my own (free!) cowl-neck pattern, but I just had to buy Colette's newest release, the Myrtle dress. It was like a black hole, just pulling me in: I couldn't resist! I love a casual dress, and this pattern looked like it would be… Continue reading Cropped Myrtle dress and pattern review
No, no awards were won for this dress--hope I didn't misrepresent myself there! However, the fabric (Anna Maria Horner's Flower Circuit in linen) is what I bought with a gift certificate as part of the prize for my winning skirt from Skirt Week 2013! That counts for something, right? Mostly the print just reminds me of… Continue reading Blue ribbon dress
Bea & Lucille 