Readers, The orange wool wearable test I’m doing before I make my leopard collar jacket has continued to come together nicely. I made the upper collar-lining unit yesterday. Then I pinned it to the under collar-jacket unit, and stitched the units together in one long seam. Pinning and stitching this long seam is always exciting […]
Project: Vogue 9820 (1959) jacket, part 3
Readers, I’m sewing a wearable test from stash fabrics before I cut into the leopard print velveteen and the wool-cashmere blend for the final version. I bought the orange fabric, which I’m guessing is a wool blend, at the Textile Center’s annual World’s Largest Fabric Garage Sale a few years back for two or three […]
Bolts from the Blue
Readers, It started early yesterday morning when I was checking out the latest conversations on PatternReview.com. “What Minnesota PR members will I see Saturday morning at the Guthrie Theater Fabric and Trim sale?” asked SewMN. “It’s on Saturday, October 19, from 9 am to 1 pm at the Guthrie Theater.” This was news to me. […]
Project: Vogue 9820 (1959), part 2
Readers, My muslin of the leopard collar jacket has come together pretty quickly–a pleasant surprise. I used some of my maddening flower-printed stretch cotton left over from my Advance blouse project as a stand-in for the leopard-printed velveteen. (I say maddening because only minutes after I press it, it goes wrinkly on me again.) The […]
Starting My “Stop Doing” List
Readers, I’ve just reread Jim Collins’s thought-provoking article “Best New Year’s Resolution? A ‘Stop Doing’ List.” You may know Jim Collins from his books such as Good to Great that examine successful companies. Well, what he says about the value of deliberately choosing to stop doing certain things is very pertinent to getting things sewn. […]
Project: Vogue 9820 (1959), the Leopard Collar Jacket
Readers, Do you have a dream project you’ve been on the verge of doing for years? I do. It’s my leopard collar jacket. This Vogue pattern from 1959, which I bought in an eBay auction, has captured my imagination since at least 2002. I know that for sure because I bought the leopard-print velveteen that […]
Project: Vogue 7711 (1952), Waistcoat, Version 2
Readers, Remember that black linen big-pocketed waistcoat I made a while back? That was my wearable test, sewn from stash fabric I was willing to sacrifice. The test turned out very well. That waistcoat was perfect to wear browsing in New York’s garment district. I can stow a lot of swatches in those pockets! A […]