April Henry

No, you can still make it! The shirt won’t have the same drape as the original pattern, so it may be a little more oversized in appearance. But just refer to the finished measurements on the pattern and that will give you a better sense for how it will fit when it’s finished. I hope that helps!

Hello! The Dior dart on that style is quite short, so it could probably be moved in a variety of ways, but it also depends on how much “take-up” is in the dart (your bust size, the size you’re sewing, etc.). You could potentially ease the dart into the princess seam or move the princess seam slightly forward to absorb it. It may take a little…[Read more]

Hi ladies,

I assure you the waistband is the correct length–I’ve just checked it again. It’s slightly shorter than the waistband of the skirt because the skirt fabric gets eased into the waistband as you sew it. You might be experiencing problems because the skirt waist itself stretches a bit as you’re working with the fabric. If you’re having a…[Read more]

Hello! With the shoulder seam and the two gusset seams you’ll have plenty of places to add width, yes. I would suggest opening the seams on your muslin to see where the jacket “wants” to add space in order to determine the best spot. I hope that helps!

Hello! Thanks for your patience as I’ve been traveling. This should be a relatively easy fix. You’ll want to pin out the resulting fold in the fabric and blend the lines to make a smoother sleeve. The result will be sort of like this very crude drawing, with more of a curve to the sleeve. I hope that makes sense?

There are so many places now! I wrote a blog post a long time ago and I’m sure it needs to updated, but this might give you a place to start?

where do you shop for fabric?

Yes, you’ll do the same with the facing.

You’ll definitely want to trim some of the bulk from the neckline as you go, yes. That’s where the basting stitches come in handy, to help you line up everything to the point of the V neck.

That seems like sound advice. Maybe try an all-purpose needle or even a ballpoint needle?

It looks like the photo you’re try to upload might be too big?

Do you mean the test square to be sure you’ve printed it at the right scale?

4 ply silk would be AMAZING! And I’ve worn my Cannes Trousers to the opera several times. Highly recommend! Both comfortable and elegant. Enjoy! I’ve been to the Vienna Opera several times now and it’s a wonderful experience!

Hello! The total width of the legs depends on the size you’re making but the size 6 is apprximately 40″ all the way around. You can also use this tutorial if you want to make them narrower.

how to narrow or widen a trouser leg

I used silk crepe-back satin for the blue trousers. The drape is…[Read more]

It’s basically what the tutorial is doing, actually. If you look at the end result they’ve essentially raised the seam line and curved it a bit more. It’s just a fancier way of doing it. I would suggest that you watch for drag lines that indicate a necessary adjustment elsewhere, but I think your end result will be very similar if you do it the s…[Read more]

That’s great! Would love to see a photo if you post it someplace. It sounds like a terrific project!

Hi there, I would be inclined to make the change at the underarm part just because it’s easy, but it might depend on what you need.

It should be fine at 1/2″, no worries!

I saw a faux suede trim at Mokuba in Paris a few weeks ago. I´m sure they have it in the New York store as well–you could call and ask them about it. It seemed perfect for this purpose, to me.

Interesting idea! I wonder if you could make it two layers with encased elastic between the two layers to finish the bottom edge? In my mind I can engineer it but… I think it would be quite easy to sew, actually!