skirt as top

I haven’t seen it in a stripe at all that I can recall. Since the pieces are narrow at the top and wider at the bottom you will end up cutting your stripes on an angle. If you are then able to match them together you will effectively get chevrons at each seam.
I’d play with some miniaturised pattern pieces and striped paper first to see if you…[Read more]

Tonight I made a Sunday Brunch skirt. Old school Oliver + S!!
I knocked up a quick one in some drill I was gifted in a stomach churning shade of pink. I’m sure she’ll love it and mostly I just wanted to check the fit and construction before I start fiddling with it….
I’m thinking a mini City Stroll wrap skirt using the Sunday Brunch as the…[Read more]

Tonight I made a Sunday Brunch skirt. Old school Oliver + S!!
I knocked up a quick one in some drill I was gifted in a stomach churning shade of pink. I’m sure she’ll love it and mostly I just wanted to check the fit and construction before I start fiddling with it….
I’m thinking a mini City Stroll wrap skirt using the Sunday Brunch as the…[Read more]

I am with @lightningmcstitch on this one. I made my baby girl some wool jersey Hopscotch nighties in the smallest size. Can you imagine how tiny those front yokes were?

I found a good steamy press made them behave long enough to stitch.

#teamballpointneedle here, I am very particular with needle choice and always use ballpoint needles for knits.
I do agree though, a nice sharp universal for attaching the woven collar would be best.

Any blunt needle will cause problems, some you may not be aware of until you wash your garment. I hate those little ‘pull’ marks that can…[Read more]

Okay, @sarahd2711 , that is seriously cute!

I think your fabric choice will be your deciding factor here. If you use a soft draping fabric, the fullness will be lovely.
A quilting cotton may look a bit odd.

@jesims, I alter a lot of ‘Light in the Box’ bridesmaid dresses and this is what works for me.

Place the dress on and pin out the excess in long French darts, take of the dress and tailors chalk the edges of the pinned section on the inside. Baste the darts in and try on again.

This can be very effective and means you have not cut away any…[Read more]

I wonder if this may help, it is not the Tea Party but it shows you how to join flat piping.
http://fiveandcounting-motherof5.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/play-date-part-2.html
Please disregard if it is not helpful.

Thank you @georgeandizzy.

I wonder if this may help, it is not the Tea Party but it shows you how to join flat piping.
Please disregard if it is not helpful.

Thank you @georgeandizzy.

Oh, forgot to mention that yes, I did consider having the button closure instead, and in fact our very own Lotta has a tutorial for it, but unfortunately this occurred to me after I’d already cut my fabric, and I didn’t have enough to cut another back bodice. I even thought about Frankensteining an extra button panel or something on there but…[Read more]

Oh, forgot to mention that yes, I did consider having the button closure instead, and in fact our very own Lotta has a tutorial for it, but unfortunately this occurred to me after I’d already cut my fabric, and I didn’t have enough to cut another back bodice. I even thought about Frankensteining an extra button panel or something on there but…[Read more]

I made and finished the size 4 bubble, adding length (about an inch each) to both the bodice and skirt, plus extra width to the skirt for extra pouf. I didn’t realize how much shorter a bubbly bubble is than a deflated one (without elastic) which is the way I usually make them. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m used to longer dresses on her or…[Read more]

I made and finished the size 4 bubble, adding length (about an inch each) to both the bodice and skirt, plus extra width to the skirt for extra pouf. I didn’t realize how much shorter a bubbly bubble is than a deflated one (without elastic) which is the way I usually make them. I don’t know if it’s just that I’m used to longer dresses on her or…[Read more]

Ditto the above — unless a particular needle is giving me problems like the popping/grinding you mentioned, I just use universal needles for everything, including knits.

Sadly I can’t see it being quite that easy. If the fit through the shoulders and upper chest is good then yes, you can take in side seams.
However, any changes involving or above the sleeve area would get messy.
Centre front or back seams that go full length would be easier places to play with removing width.
Sorry not to be more help. Sometimes…[Read more]

This may sound heretical, but I often sew with whatever is in the machine and don’t notice any difference.
When I bought my overlocker it came with Universal needles and I queried the salesman as I thought they should be jersey or ball point needles. His reply was that nothing is “sharp” anymore with the exception of denim needles…
In case I’m…[Read more]

Hi Rebecca, I sew with merino jersey quite a lot and find it behaves quite well with steam ironing. Better behaved than cotton Lycra in my hands.
Steam press it into submission!

I think my lining layer is more opaque, but the top layer is sheer enough that you could see this rectangle beneath it, but using fusible web and a scrap of thin fabric worked really well. I added a scrap to the bottom of the (white) zipper as well. It’s not perfect — is 1am sewing ever — but nobody’ll notice from the cheap seats 🙂

Thanks, Heidi!