Welcome to my digital sewing journal. A place to share some of the research that goes into sewing garments from fabric links to pattern reviews.
Today I am bringing you a resource get you to that just right fabric that goes beyond Joanne Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. Learn your fabrics first Study on Instagram or blogged pattern reviews. what fabric did they use? What do they have to say about working with the fabric. Also, Some fabric stores have more... Continue Reading →
I am not here to talk you out of a sewing class because if you are new to sewing, it’s a great investment in your skills. I never took a sewing class because I could not afford them. Instead I learned from Indie sewing patterns that often have step by step sewing patterns, and sew... Continue Reading →
I saw this dress on Instagram and was intrigued so I hopped over to the Cashmerette website and to my surprise it wasn't available to the general public. Hoity Toity! I couldn't believe it! I looked into this so called "Cashmerette Club" and was very pleased to see that it was not only very affordable... Continue Reading →
I am love, loving the cargo pant trend I am seeing for Spring 2023 fashion styles. Not your basic carpenter pant, but uber chic in sateen, silk, and lightweight luxury fabrics.
In my last post Sew a Classic Summer Wardrobe -Part 1, I talked about how a button up shirt, and a white jean are the first 2 of 5 essential pieces to a classic summer wardrobe. Today I want to show you some examples of the flowy trouser, the knit tank dress, and the shirt... Continue Reading →
There are 5 quintessential pieces every classic summer wardrobe needs; A button up shirt, a white jean, a flowy trouser, a knit tee shirt dress, and a shirt dress.
I set out to master sewing knits this year, and here is what I learned. Knits behave differently Every knit behaves differently so be sure to test out your stitch length and lower your differential feed accordingly. If the setting is too high it will pull the fabric and cause your seam to curl. Try... Continue Reading →
I like to sew Style Arc patterns cause the sizing is usually very close. I buy the single size 18 and just nip it in where needed. In this case, the 18 was perfect around the top half of me, but was about 2 inches too wide starting under the pocket bag. For jeans, you... Continue Reading →
Sewing Sweaters with sweater knit is easy and the Sewaholic Refrew Tee was perfect for the cashmere sweater look I wanted after all that sweater sewing research I did. I made them with some luxurious Hacci knit I got from SurgeFabrics. It's called Versailles Brushed Hacci, and I sewed one in the Stone color and... Continue Reading →
Why is it when you search for a sweater sewing pattern you get Mostly sweatshirt sewing patterns? I spent a lot time looking for one and I want to share that with you to save you some time. I am mostly looking for that cashmere sweater look I can wear in the mild winter of... Continue Reading →
If you are here to find out more about sewing this waterfall cardigan from Style Arc, then you came to the right place! So, it’s a very simple construction. Something I am learning about Style Arc patterns is that though the directions are about as tiny as on a big 4 tissue pattern, the pattern... Continue Reading →
This was such a fun sew! I actually sewed until my back hurt on my first sewing session. All the little details were just so fun, and I kept wanting to see what came next! I had it in my mind that of course the collar instructions were going to be thin, and planned to... Continue Reading →
There are a lot of complaints on social media about the difficulty of Style Arc patterns. I held off buying one until I felt like sewing was my Superpower. I will be honest, the directions are in a tiny font, but at least there were some illustrations. I think you do need to have some... Continue Reading →
I really, REALLY wanted this dress. I saw Lifting Pins and Needles version on YouTube, and was like a woman possessed! This is not a difficult pattern at all. Just a shirt top with a mandarin collar, some buttons, a little gathering. I have been sewing up a storm lately. Jeans, wide leg pants, blouses,... Continue Reading →
It took a lot of fitting to get these Seamwork Nolan pants just right. The style was cute enough that I struggled through, even though I had a lot of issues with the sewing pattern. I mean, I took a day to make a muslin, but only for one leg, and that just didn’t give... Continue Reading →
I have never owned a jumpsuit before, but now I definitely want to have at least two! I sewed up the full-length version of the Yari jumpsuit by True Bias in a size 18 which is the largest size. I was crossing my fingers that it would fit and it was perfect! It has jump... Continue Reading →
Rayon Challis and grey hair that refuses to take a dye. Should I go silver? If you’ve never sewn a shirt with a collar before, let this be the one you choose! I have sewn quite a few, and every time it’s just a slog. I often just flub the whole garment due to the... Continue Reading →
These were so challenging y’all. I had the sizing just right from the first pair I sewed but this time I wanted a zipper fly. I bought the zipper expansion pack from True Bias. It was only six bucks! The fabric is this strange Jade twill from Nick of Time Textiles. $6.95/yard as of this... Continue Reading →
I really enjoyed sewing this dress. It’s basically a T-shirt dress with ties and slits up each side. You know what though? It really seemed drafted just for me with the gentle hip curve starting just where it helped the front to pull away from my tummy. Then you wrap it with sewn in ties... Continue Reading →
Guess what? You all get to learn from my mistakes! Yay! When a pattern says “For Intermediate Sewers”, take that seriously. I had never sewn a shawl collar on a jacket before, so the directions were really a mystery to me. Sew Liberated uses hand drawn illustrations to show each step, which if you really... Continue Reading →
Whew! It’s been a week of sewing challenges for me. Many fails you’ll never see, and one I saved from my scrapped pile (see my Instagram for the Arenite Pants save). Today I want to share one of this weeks successes! Being a large framed 6 foot tall woman, I have always felt too conspicuous... Continue Reading →
Four stars for this easy but elegant pattern! My main tips are to choose your fabric carefully, and to size down by at least 2 sizes. I sewed up a size 14, though my measurements had me at 20. I really held my breath cutting into this beautiful rose colored washer linen. I had exactly... Continue Reading →
I first made these way back when I was new to sewing in 2015. I had to use the highest size which might have been xxl, not totally sure of that, but Rae recently came out with expanded sizing. I was sure I would need that, so she kindly sent me an updated PDF. See... Continue Reading →
Although I had some issues with this pattern, I did manage to figure out how to sew it. I took some pictures to help clarify some of the directions, and will share them with you. Let’s just say this should be an Intermediate sew. You will have to: Sew bust darts, waist darts, and back... Continue Reading →
This has been my favorite sew since I don’t know when. It was super simple, great directions, and I made no adjustments to the pattern. What more could you ask for? The Phoenix Blouse by hey June Handmade Patterns comes in size 2-22 and has 2 views. View A has bell sleeves, and view B... Continue Reading →
These were actually fun to sew up even though they were my first pair of culottes ever! The Tania Culottes by Megan Neilson comes in 3 different lengths which is great cause can you imagine trying to lengthen the half circles that the legs are? No way. The pattern directions were excellent. I don’t usually... Continue Reading →
I have been “stalking” Sew Liberated sewing patterns on Instagram for months, dreaming of this romantic Estuary skirt. I imagined it would look great on me, that I would wear it with tee shirts and tank tops in the summer, and oversized sweaters in the winter. When I cut out a size 18, I expected... Continue Reading →
The first time I sewed the Fringe dress was last summer, in a flowy rayon fabric. Total fail. I ended up cutting it down to a blouse, which I don’t wear often, it’s just okay. I kept seeing great versions on Instagram and just really wanted to make it work. So this time I used... Continue Reading →
This is not a new sewing pattern, but it is definitely a keeper. The True Bias Lander pant can be wide legged or long and bell bottomed, or tight and skinny legged....because it’s basically just a suggestion when it comes to the sizing. But do get it because if you have never sewn pants before... Continue Reading →
Follow my blog with Bloglovin I had to keep reminding myself that the Closet Case Kalle shirt is not meant to be a traditional shirt. I actually tried to tailor the back to be more like a woman’s shirt and you know what happened to that version? Garbage can! I must have sewed it wrong,... Continue Reading →
I am a big fan of Indie patterns, but when I just need a simple basic skirt $3.99 is all I am willing to pay for a sewing pattern. Enter Butterick 6568, which actually has several wardrobe pieces. It comes with a wrap top, two piece jumpsuit, and this simple A line skirt. I like... Continue Reading →
(this post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small %back if you purchase after clicking, at no cost to you- refer to ‘Disclaimer’ in the menu for more info Today, I present the first of many to come, The Strata Top by one of my favorite indie Pattern designers Sew Liberated. There... Continue Reading →
This May Knit Top was my first Style Arc pattern. I just love all their styles. However, the directions for this top were so vague. I just had to guess, and it did not come out perfect, but it will do. The part that was confusing is how to cross the top before sewing the... Continue Reading →
The Blanc tee from Blank Slate Patterns is my new favorite tee! I bought the dot fabric with the intent of making a dress but it was just too thin! And since I would have to line it anyway I might as well make it reversible. I didn’t have enough to make a whole shirt... Continue Reading →
This Hinterland Dress from Sew House Seven makes me feel like I am a little girl again. I had so much fun dressing up and shooting some fairyland photos in my sleeping garden. This is just a small corner of the huge garden I created at my rented house. It sleeps, but is gloriously lush... Continue Reading →
I want to say I loved making this top, but I can’t. So much went wrong, though I made it work for me in the end. Read on if you want to avoid my mistakes. Look at this pattern photo. Isn’t she cute and stylish? And I got this pattern half off for 5 bucks!... Continue Reading →
I have always wanted an 8 gore skirt for the lovely swing it gives, but could never find one that fit me just right. This is why I sew right? I sewed it in a navy linen blend from Fabric.com which feels like it will last forever, but was too stiff for this pattern. I... Continue Reading →
Thank you Itch to Stitch for this new, easy sewing pattern. It was just what I needed right now in this drafty barnhouse I live in. I might even sleep in it. This was really fun after the brain tease that the Fumeterre skirt gave me (next blog post). I got to just enjoy the... Continue Reading →
Let me show you how I made this cozy chunky infinity scarf in just 5 steps. This was soo much easier than crocheting for hours and hours, which is usually what you see when you google a chunky scarf. After making the Astoria Sweater, I had about a half yard left of this luxurious French... Continue Reading →
The pussy bow blouse is perfect for Fall and winter looks. Style it with jeans and a leather jacket, or pair it with pea coat to get a chic feminine look. I know it’s usually something you see at work, but I don’t care! I am just going to wear it whenever I want to.... Continue Reading →
This is my favorite top and I made it many years ago. It was sewn from a flannel sheet with the Made for Rae Beatrix pattern. I cut the back on the fold and pleated the excess. It turned out soo cute, and I want to make another but am not sure that I can... Continue Reading →
I have had the Astoria sweater sewing pattern (Seamwork Magazine) for over a year in my stash but never got around to sewing it. I loved how it looked on the model, but could not see it on my size 20, six foot frame. But after sewing the Seville Skirt, I knew that was just... Continue Reading →
It’s getting cold here in this barn I live in. Time to sew something warm and cozy, like an oversized Toaster sweater from Sew House Seven. This was one of the easiest sewing projects I have ever done. Also, the most satisfying! Maybe it was the super soft, Burgundy French Terry Brushed Fleece Fabric I... Continue Reading →
This classy skirt only cost me 4 bucks! I don’t include the cost of the pattern because that I consider sewing tools. I can make as many of these beauties as I want! I’ll start with two. The first is a thrift store find of 3 yards for $4. I think it’s called suiting fabric.... Continue Reading →
Examples of alternative fabric choices
Maybe it’s just me but when I see the label 1 hour sew” on a sewing pattern, I cringe. That label is meant for advanced sewers right? This week I worked on a pattern I found on Etsy by MadebymePatterns. It was only 4 bucks! Very nice PDF pattern! Has layers, Easy overlap construction. It... Continue Reading →
I share my faux suede version of the Hvar jacket, and briefly describe how to bag the lining.