Lightning McStitch

The imperial measurement of babies makes no sense to me at all. I can much more easily visualise babies in kilograms. A large baby is like an average cat (4-4.5kg) – my second child. An average baby is like a small cat (3-4kg) – my first child.
And you @juliamom2009, on my reference scale, had a pair of guinea pigs! 😅
( I weigh these animals every…[Read more]

Nice one @yirg 😃
@todd that cracked me up, your summation of the American psyche almost sounded like it came from a Canadian or Aussie! 😅
…. And made me realise a way in which metric may just pervade after all. Don’t you measure your guns in millimetres? I know nothing of guns but even I’ve heard of a 9mm pistol. How many sixteenths’ of an inch…[Read more]

Hi @nathaliecarol I think it depends on the border print itself. If, like in Juliamom’s case the border is “soft”. Ie curved, floral or ill defined, then cut as per the pattern.
However, if the border print has a very defined, straight edge bottom, then I would adjust the pattern pieces and “square off” the hem. It’s as simple as lengthenening…[Read more]

You’ll hand stitch the lining to the zipper in one of the final steps.
If you read the last steps it should be mentioned there. Meanwhile, just follow the instructions and it will all come together beautifully.

Hi Connie @totter2
Fusible web is like double sided interfacing. It’s used to stick two different fabrics together.
If you want white windows, you’d have to cut rectangles of white fabric and use fusible web to stick it down.
Thus, your windows can be whatever you want them to be.
If you don’t have fusible web, you could use fabric glue, or pins…[Read more]

Hold this thought for the weekend @enbee we’ve got a blog post coming up with lots of inspiration for jeans from Oliver + S patterns!
My all time favourites were mashing the back half of the After School pattern with the front half of the Field Trip! But there are other great examples.

To achieve that, I would cut the exact same size again, but sew the side/sleeve seam with a bigger seam allowance.
An extra 1/4″ seam allowance will take 1/2 an inch off the sleeve circumference and a full inch off the chest/body.
Saves on retracing the pattern in another size.

Rather than using a different pattern, why not just cut two versions of the facing.
You’ll have a waistband with a top seam, but that can be a nice feature and help prevent elastic rolling.
Or, trim the seam allowance off the top edge of the facing piece then cut it with the length on the fold. That way you avoid the seam at the top.
Either way,…[Read more]

Babies grow far, far too fast.
Their childhood I know will not last
Some days might drag on

I’ve woken up with a very sore throat
It feels like I swallowed a goat
I can’t find my pins
My brain has the spins
I’ve sewn the sleeves to the hem of my coat

My little girl is about to outgrow

Sailboat!

I “thrifted” an old orange chair
The seat and the arms are threadbare
The legs are still good
They’re made of Dogwood
But the rest seems to be made of cat hair

I’ve woken up with a very sore throat

{true but also the start of the next one}

I “thrifted” an old orange chair
The seat and the arms are threadbare
The legs are still good

Call me a cab ‘cuz I’m late
Once again there’s too much on my plate
A skirt and some pants
To wear to a dance

Have a look at Titchy Threads patterns. The Small Fry skinny jeans should tick all your boxes.
I haven’t made them up, but I have made the Twisted Trousers which have pocket with pocket bag coin pocket etc and excellent instructions. I made them in denim and they’ve been great looking jeans.
Based on that pattern, I’m sure the jeans pattern could…[Read more]

For the record: If you accidentally trace the size 10 waistband and facing, don’t try and attach it to the size 5 shorts. Doh.
Stuff up resolved.

For the record: If you accidentally trace the size 10 waistband and facing, don’t try and attach it to the size 5 shorts. Doh.
Stuff up resolved.

The big navy back to school sewathon was going great guns, but now I’ve had a stuff up.
Somehow, the front waistband of my Class Picnic shorts was too big. My fabric had a bit of stretch, so I made it fit. Doh. Big, sticky out wavy waistband.
It will need to be unpicked, shortened, and reattached.
Tomorrow.
Nit sure where I went wrong. I’m usually…[Read more]

The big navy back to school sewathon was going great guns, but now I’ve had a stuff up.
Somehow, the front waistband of my Class Picnic shorts was too big. My fabric had a bit of stretch, so I made it fit. Doh. Big, sticky out wavy waistband.
It will need to be unpicked, shortened, and reattached.
Tomorrow.
Nit sure where I went wrong. I’m usually…[Read more]