I'm someone who has a pretty distinctive style generally speaking, but there's always room for trying new shapes and lines. And that's something I enjoy doing now and again. It doesn't always work out. Case in point, I made a dress last summer that I loathed as soon as it was done and it taught me I don't like straight dresses with no waistline, but belted at the waist. I've had other fails, too. But many times, it works ... Read more »
Archives for 2018
The first of my “Bolero Period”
I'm happy to share some knitting with you today, and it's the first of what I'm going to jokingly refer to as my "Bolero Period". I started this bolero in early November after Rhinebeck, and I only finished knitting it the first week of February. I mean for a small bolero, that's basically ridiculous for me. Granted, I did knit my large red Autumn Leaves scarf in the meantime, but I think that only took me two or three ... Read more »
A dress and a fitting tip that transformed my dressmaking (and the dress)
If you sew a lot of garments, you possibly have one or two fitting tweaks that you're used to doing regularly. It can take some time to get there to know what you need to do, and it may involve some false starts, too. For me, the biggest thing that transformed my sewing—specifically the fit of my dress bodices and blouses—was when I realized I nearly always needed to shorten bodices, especially for vintage patterns. Up ... Read more »
Tiki trousers
I'm excited to share a really fun pair of trousers with you today! I've secretly been working with Spoonflower to share my thoughts on their latest fabric addition, Dogwood Denim™. I'm sure you've heard of them but if not: Spoonflower does print-on-demand, eco-friendly digital printing on fabric. They have thousands of designs to choose from, and a bunch of types of fabric for different applications. When I ... Read more »
Pendleton-inspired plaid coat
One of the reasons I try to never put down a sewing project is I know I'm liable to have changed my mind about something. Such was kind of the case with this coat right here. Which... I made back in the fall. I know, perpetually catching up in-between new projects! But I digress. Initially, I wanted to make it in early fall. I looove vintage Pendleton 49er style jackets, and they are in heavy rotation in early ... Read more »
Autumn Leaves in the snow
I am picky about my reds. Really picky. In fact, the main reason red doesn't appear in my wardrobe more often is my pickiness. I like a bright, true red. Not maroon, not burgundy, not fuchsia, not garnet. Red. It's hard to vintage in vintage clothes, it's hard to find in fabric, and it can be hard to find in yarn, too. Instagram stories is my new favorite thing, and it was through a quest to find a perfect "Tasha" red ... Read more »