I've been eagerly awaiting the release of Cashmerette/Jenny Rushmore's new book, Sewing the Curve, and it did not disappoint!
Monday, November 20, 2023
Friday, October 27, 2023
Henrietta Skirt
Monday, October 9, 2023
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Leaf Peeper's Throwover Sweater
A seasonally appropriate sweater project with an inappropriate name.... you'll have to wait for it as there is some backstory.
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Friday, August 18, 2023
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Cottonwood Times Two
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
Striped Ruby Overalls
My mom loved the overalls I made her for mother's day and I thought they looked great on her. So when she showed up at my house with a length of fabric from her stash and a plan to make another overalls pattern, one with a complicated tie closure that looked difficult for bathroom breaks, I convinced her that another pair of the Helen's Closet Ruby Overalls was a better bet.
Thursday, July 13, 2023
Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Gilbert Top Three Ways
I made a round of Helen's Closet Gilbert Tops recently: one for my mom for mother's day and two for myself.
Saturday, May 27, 2023
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Sunset Sweater
A couple months ago I was in a rush to pick a project to bring on a trip, and to have a sweater made for my sister-in-law before her birthday... this rush project just turned out beautiful!
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Love Number Sweater
Another knit project finished! Poorly timed with summer approaching, but it's chilly today and I'm wearing it, so that's nice!
Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Friday, April 14, 2023
Viscose Linen Noil Fringe Dress
Feeling springy over here! Flowers are coming up and legs are bare again. We’ll probably have snow again next week, but I’m taking advantage of these opportunities.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Fish Batik McCall's 6044
Sunday, March 19, 2023
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Enid-style Granny Go Round Jumper
Loosely inspired by the cheerful and chunky knits worn by Enid, the roommate in Wednesday, and aiming to use up some yarn from my stash, I crocheted this fun sweater for my niece!
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
Sweater Knit Finlayson
It's Tim's birthday month, and I've promised him a bunch of hand-made gifts... here's the first one out of the gate!
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Fibr and Cloth Studio Photinia Top
Sneaking in at the end of February with the project I sewed for the Black History Month Pattern Designers challenge (#BHMPatternDesigners on Instagram!).
Friday, February 24, 2023
Wool Daphne Jacket
Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Abstract Cotton Jacquard Pietra Pants
After my recent success with the Closet Core Pietra Pants pattern, I decided to make another pair!
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
Sunday, January 29, 2023
Sew Fancy Pants: Ginger Jeans
Ok, another project from the WIP pile! I got started on this project back in the fall, and then... it sat there. Thank you to #SewFancyPants2023 and the #JFFIChallenge2023 for the inspiration to just f*cking finish these pants!
Monday, January 23, 2023
Friday, January 20, 2023
Sew Fancy Pants: Dani and Miller
I'm so thankful for the sewing community and the fun challenges that prompt me to tackle sewing tasks that are lingering on my to-do list.
I've really been struggling with sizing these days. I'm bigger than I used to be, but sizing up has not been foolproof for me. Earlier this year I cut two pairs of pants my measurements and sewed them up.
But they both ended up turning out enormous for some reason! They've both been bunched up in a corner for many months... but happily Sew Fancy Pants, hosted by Nicole, and the #JFFIChallenge2023, hosted by Wyldwood Creative prompted me to dig them out and give them another try!
Dani Pant: This pair of pants has a tortured origin story even beyond the sizing issues. This is the True Bias Dani pant, which I originally cut out last year, maybe in the spring?
This is view D, the tapered pant with the full elastic waistband. I skipped the side seam and back pockets out of laziness and a lack of fabric.
The fabric is speckled Essex cotton linen in black. I love the multi-colored speckles and the texture they give the fabric! Of course you cannot see the speckles because my photography skills have failed yet again.
Remind me never to unpick a black garment with black serging. Ug. Once I had them taken apart, I cut down to a size 16, and got to re-sewing them.
But the torture didn't stop there... I somehow managed to sew and serge the two front legs together as well as the two back legs before I noticed. More unpicking. Sigh.
Ultimately I made it through alive and with a pair of decently fitting pants, though! Now that I'm closer on the fit for the Dani pattern, I'd be up for trying the fly front view, and the shorts look pretty cute!
Like the Dani pants, I cut the Miller size that corresponded to my measurements, size 22. But they were enormous. I tried to re-cutting in a smaller size, but couldn't quite make it work the way the pockets are done. So to the bunched up corner they went for 6+ months.
When I took them out recently to try again, I opted to re-sew them, but with a 3/4 inch seam allowance on the side seams and inseams. I also sewed the crotch seam with a 3/4 inch seam allowance at both ends near the waist, but tapering to 3/8 inch at the bottom of the curve. This worked out pretty well!
The fabric is Ventana twill in ivy that I bought from Fancy Tiger Crafts a couple years back. Always on the hunt for the perfect olive green bottom weight.
In the end I'm fairly happy with my Miller Trousers. Oversized, but with my fit changes, no longer ridiculously so. I wish the waist was a little bit higher; I feel like these might be the type of pants I have to constantly tug up because they hit my belly at the widest point.
Anyway, hooray for Sew Fancy Pants for getting me to finish these long stashed, unfinished objects!