Tamara

My kid is going to be Word Girl (a cartoon that I actually LOVE) and I’d love some advice on her cape….if you look at the photo I’ve attached, I’m not sure if the yellow around the neck of the top is supposed to be part of her cape?

This will be a super simple costume to make….mostly – once I figure out the cape/neckline!

Any advice?

I did a corduroy jacket last year for my daughter – I lined the body with a rather lightweight (Polartec 100) fleece, and lined the sleeves with quilting cotton and underlined with Thinsulate. We’re in California, so she won’t get too much wear out of it here but she did wear it in Boston when it was less than freezing. I made her a size 5 and…[Read more]

@cybele727 – I love the ugly fabric challenge idea!

Well I managed to double dip and get Sarvi’s size 5 project covered as well with my monochrome swingset.
I’ve always thought a lovely sewing community idea would be a “skill swap”. In the way that quilters swap quilt blocks, or people swap handmade gifts. In my swap idea (which I’m not volunteering to organise cause I think it could get really…[Read more]

I haven’t done it but I think it will work really well. Whether you put elastic in will depend on how good the recovery of your ribbing is, and how much faith you have in it not stretching out over time.

@aprilshowers firstly, that is one fabulous idea for a costume. What a smart kid.
I’d start with a raglan sleeve pattern and then cut and split the front and back and sleeves to widen them. Then use elastic inside a casing around the neck to bring it all back in.
The art smock in Little Things To Sew is much like this. Or you could do it with the…[Read more]

Can I ask you to use the tag #oliverandsmonochrome that way I can easily round up our monochrome sewing rather than see thousands of Ansel Adams wannabe landscape photos!

How’s it going? I haven’t had much time to browse Flickr yet, but I’ve been watching instagram.
I’ve got a swingset blouse that is close to done and then photos needed before I…[Read more]

@jesims I did it here: https://m.flickr.com/#/photos/79480359@N03/17241405191/
I simply worked out how high I wanted the neckband to be the cut the regular neckband length to twice the desired height.
That gives a straight up turtleneck. Attached exactly as per the regular neckband.

I’ve just put the photos up of my first black and white creation – a Playdate dress. Why, oh why did I take so long to sew this dress pattern. It’s such a great shape and style.

I’ve got one more outfit left to sew, so I’m working to the North American version of the 5th of October, as in my time zone that is eerily close…

Here’s the Flickr link that I was remembering. Flickr link
This is a stunning wool version of the School Photo dress by April1930s

@rebecca if you can follow diagrams and don’t have a very tall/big bloke then this book of shirt patterns would be the bomb!
There’s every collar/cuff/style combination imaginable.

Book Review – Book of Men’s Shirts

@mlinton I remember an exquisite School Photo dress in the Flickr stream that was a wool with red pocket lining. It showed when viewed from the side and slightly open but man wax it a nice feature. Try searching the Flickr stream fro school photo dresses.
I think a thinner pocket facing is a good idea I you’re working with a thick(ish) fabric.

@justsewit I know the spotlight knits you mean. They are very “stable” which makes them nice to sew and hem, bug I wouldn’t try using them for a neckband. Perhaps a facing, bug not a stretchy neckband.
If you’d consider buying off the internet sight unseen I can strongly recommend the Ottobre ribbings. I’ve bought them from the Ottobre Etsy shop…[Read more]

@justsewit I know the spotlight knits you mean. They are very “stable” which makes them nice to sew and hem, bug I wouldn’t try using them for a neckband. Perhaps a facing, bug not a stretchy neckband.
If you’d consider buying off the internet sight unseen I can strongly recommend the Ottobre ribbings. I’ve bought them from the Ottobre Etsy shop…[Read more]

How are you attaching the neckband @justsewit ?
Sewing machine or overlocker/coverstitch?
I am like some weird evangelist when it comes to knit fabric, I want the world to share the love! 🙂
Happy to help if there’s any way I can.

How are you attaching the neckband @justsewit ?
Sewing machine or overlocker/coverstitch?
I am like some weird evangelist when it comes to knit fabric, I want the world to share the love! 🙂
Happy to help if there’s any way I can.

How are you attaching the neck and @justsewit ?
Sewing machine or overlocker/coverstitch?
I am like some weird evangelist when it comes to knit fabric, I want the world to share the love! 🙂
Happy to help if there’s any way I can.