It's no secret that I love to sew. A LOT. And sewing is a constant journey of learning. One of the most important things I've learned is that keeping a sewing journal is a total game-changer! It's basically just a big ol' notebook to keep track of projects. I record things like the pattern I used, include a little swatch of the fabric, and any other details I deem important at the time of writing about the project. ... Read more »
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Sewing tutorial: all-in-one facing for a center back zipper dress
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 a vintage dress with ribbons on the bodice
As it's been getting warmer, I've been a busy bee lately with life stuff, and my sewing time has been less. You have to enjoy the warm weather when you can, and sometimes that means hanging out on my deck rather than holing up in the basement sewing! (Much as I love holing up in the basement sewing!) But I recently finished sewing a vintage dress, and it's the subject of my latest video on YouTube. It's another ... Read more »
When I sewed a vintage capsule wardrobe for Viva Las Vegas
This week is the Viva Las Vegas rockabilly weekender, and while we're not attending, I'm reminiscing about the last time we went! Back in 2019, we attended, and I was a vintage sewing machine: I sewed a vintage capsule wardrobe, sewing a total of 10 outfits for the weekend, including two menswear shirts for Mel. I KNOW. Of the items in this more-is-more vintage capsule wardrobe, only one thing that made it to my ... Read more »
How I sewed my vintage birthday dress for 2023
It's my birthday, and as I've done for the last decade, I sewed myself a birthday dress to mark the occasion! I haven't been that great about keeping up with them all on my blog, but several have made it here, including my very first one, the one I made for my 40th birthday in London, and the one I made for Viva Las Vegas. They're almost always made from vintage sewing patterns, and this year's birthday dress was no ... Read more »
Sewing a plaid flannel jumper dress with Butterick B5748
If you've spent any time around my blog or social media, you know I love plaid. And I love sewing plaid. And apparently, I love sewing with Robert Kaufman Mammoth plaid. Because I've made a vintage dress with it, and a vintage tie-front topper, and now, in my latest YouTube video, I sewed a vintage jumper dress with it! I used Butterick B5748, which I wouldn't exactly call a tried and true pattern yet, but it's ... Read more »