I love sleeveless dresses, but I don't love sewing separate armhole and neckline facings. They are annoying and even with understitching and tacking them at seam lines, they love to try to flip out, and often require more pressing after laundering than you might want to bother with. And then they still want to flop to the outside when you get dressed. Annoying. For awhile, that was the main reason I preferred lining ... Read more »
Sewing Tutorials
How I pattern hack a vintage & modern pattern together & sew a dress!
If you've followed me a long time anywhere on these here interwebs, you know that I love to hack sewing patterns. Hack patterns together, hack them into different cuts and style, you name it, I'll hack it. I knew one of the first things I wanted to do on my new YouTube channel (did you miss my launch?!) was a video where I walked through how I hacked one of my favorite bodices. It's a bit of a tutorial! Quick ... Read more »
1950s-style cuffed jeans (and informal video extravaganza!)
I made more jeans! And then I have some good news, and some bad news relating to that. The bad news is I've been saying since last summer that I was going to do a vintage jeans sew-along. And I... can never get to it. Friends, if you've followed me awhile, and if you've ever read any of my tutorials, they are intense. They can take me weeks to put together just one tutorial. I rarely even do them these days because ... Read more »
Pattern hack: turn Butterick B6285 wrap top into a tuck-in surplice top
As I mentioned in my wrap/surplice top series introduction, I have two pattern hacks I've worked up for Gertie's Butterick B6285 pattern. Yesterday I showed you how to lengthen the wrap top bodice. But today's modification is my favorite: how I turned this wrap top pattern into a surplice top. Basically, it looks the same, there's just no wrap ties, and it's long enough to tuck it in! I adore the general fit and shape ... Read more »
Pattern hack: Lengthen the Butterick B6285 wrap top bodice
We've hit mid-week in my wrap/surplice top miniseries! Aaaand I'm supposed to sew up another surplice top for Friday but it hasn't happened yet, so we'll see about that. ;) But today's post is the first of two pattern modifications that I've worked out for the Butterick B6285 wrap top pattern. Pretty much everyone I've chatted with on Instagram or in comments on my blog who has also sewn up this top has had the same ... Read more »
My Bettine hack tutorial at Sew Your Hart Out (and more of my new dress here)
Hello everyone! Today I have something really fun to share! I collaborated with Harts Fabric, an independent brick and mortar as well as online fabric store. Each September they have a full month called "Sew Your Hart Out September" in conjunction with National Sewing Month, to promote sewing. It's full of contests, tutorials, blog posts and such. This year they've expanded it considerably, with lots of great sponsors, ... Read more »