Progress Made!

Well it's snowing again, but my daughter still went to school. Thank goodness. She's been out for a week due to shoveling roofs. Another good day to sew and it's quiet! Except for Daisy, one of my bull mastiffs, she seems to always find trouble.

I finished a knit shirt on Sunday. I don't like to call these t shirts because they are simply too nice. This one is in a stretch wool. Super cozy and soft. This is a Pamela's Pattern, but of course, a full busted front, with darts. I top stitched the shoulder and arm hole seams to make the seams stay flat and it gives it a little pizazz, and I cover hemmed the sleeve hems and bottom hem.

Very nice dart!

Pretty Shoulder & Armhole Details

Wow neckline!

Looks as good on the inside as it does on the outside!

Next up is the rich chocolate brown Marc Jacobs fabric. That will be Pamela's Patterns Cool Cardigans Pattern, the draped front, and another "knit top" this time a turtleneck. I've never done that before, I hope it works!

Bye for now, Daisy is in trouble AGAIN!

New Outlook

I have spent the last few weeks reorganizing and I think I have found a happy medium. I have changed the studio to by appointment only and I feel less stressed. A store front is not for me with all of my other responsibilities.


There have been lots of new faces coming signing up for the trips and I am excited about all this new interest in the studio. I hope it continues to grow. I truly enjoy watching each of you grow in your sewing passion.


Last Friday I spent the day in New York with my Mom. We had a great time and we covered a lot of ground. Both of us got some really great pieces. Every time I go there I get so excited when I find something I haven't seen before. This trip I found a menswear store that will excite my men sewers and non sewers. They had beautiful shirtings and wools, great plaids and seer suckers too. Shindo was another store I hadn't been too. Lots of trims, edgings, elastics, and ribbon. All very cool stuff. I was most intrigued with the knit binding they had in every color imaginable. Great store.


I've attached some pictures of the things I bought this past trip and the trip before. I hope it inspires you. I have a couple of gowns to finish today, but I hope to get my cardigan done at least. Check back to see the progress.

Coyote Faux Fur Vest

Wardrobe planning, New knits in Cashmere & Silk, Viscose, Bamboo, and a great stretch silk charmeuse





Marc Jacobs Knit Draped Cardigan






Until next time.

Feeling a bit better

Well, I'm working my way out of my slump. I've done some reevaluating and I'm trying to change things a little. We'll see what happens.

On an exciting note - I had my first studio trip to the Garments District in NY yesterday. Six of us braved the cold and we had a blast. We visited Mood (I got a really cool piece of chocolate brown {I love brown} Marc Jacobs wool sweater knit, I'm going to make another Pamela's Patterns Draped Front Cardigan), Pacific Trimmings (I swear everytime I go there I find a new section of their store) Paron, Spandex World (I have a 6 year old gymnast:)) and Bead World. We had a great lunch at Rosie O'Grady's. We all had a very successful shopping day.

I'm off to sew for now.

Wanted: Creative Jump Start PLEASE!

I have to say I think I have lost my mojo. I have so many ideas that are swimming in my head and no way to organize. I think life has gotten in my way. I started writing this blog again in hopes to get motivated again. We'll see what happens.

Miranda Day Bag

Good Morning,

I am so excited to write this today. Yesterday, the Miranda Day Bag Class was held at my studio, with Karen Radding, The Bag Officianado. I asked Karen this summer to teach this bag and I had been waiting patiently until yesterday to take it. I am so pleased with my bag!

We learned a great new technique for making firm bottoms on bags. Karen did a great job of organizing the cutting and fusing process and we were done in no time. Our bags were done by 4pm except for whatever supplies we forgot. My bag just needs velcro for the closure. All of them are gorgeous. Here are some pictures. The zebra print is mine. We were all impressed with how the stripes matched at the seams. Not intentional on my part at all. My Threads magazine came yesterday and my button was in the notions sections! How cool is that!

Enjoy the pictures! I'll be back soon.

Merry Christmas!

I just want to say Merry Christmas to all my sewing friends!

My Linda Lee Project

Good Morning to you! I'm on a roll now baby! Two posts in a row! I should start one of those blogs like Julie did in Julie and Julia. That might be a bit ambitious on my part.

So I went to Topeka, Kansas before Thanksgiving to take a class with fourty or so other women. We learned about a new initiative to generate interest in garment sewing again called "Project Sewing Workshop". At the moment, a good portion of Linda Lee's popular pattern line called "The Sewing Workshop Collection and the "Shapes" collection that she put together with Louise Cutting, are in the line. Linda and her team are packaging patterns and fabrics in kits to take some of the stress off of new sewers when choosing a project to work on. Patterns and fabrics are available separately and I can coordinate other fabrics available from Project Sewing Workshop as well. She has a chosen some really nice fabrics and I am told that she is adding to the line all of the time. Fabric is available separately in 3, 5 and 10 yard increments.

So I chose the Trio Collection to work on when I was there. It is a top, a tee and cargo pants. I didn't really care for the pants.

I finished the tee in Kansas when I was there. They are really easy to construct. Its a cute pattern and something different. It is the first raglan sleeve I have ever made.

I cut the top when I was there and I finished it yesterday. I only had trouble with one step in the instructions. When sewing the collar to the top, they say to sew the back piece of the collar stand on first then fold over the shirt and sew it burrito style. I couldn't figure it out, so I sewed the same way I learned to install the collar in Peggy Sagers shirt pattern. I sewed the rest of the collar stand together. I folded under and pressed the top piece of the stand, pinned and top stitched. I learned this method in the Peggy Sager's Classic Blouse. From now on I would sew the whole collar in the same fashion. Way easier. If anyone know what burrito style might be, add a post, I may have to call the Sewing Workshop to find out what it means.

Overall the projects are relatively simple. I learned to flat pattern measure to adjust my tshirt and I did lengthen my shirt sleeves, the pattern is for 3/4 sleeve. On the advice of Linda, I only needed to lengthen the trio top. I might try the smaller size in muslin just to get a comparison. There is a lot of ease in this top. I will be making the two pieces again.

Well so long for now. Until my next project....