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Should be fine. The tea party seems to get too short before it gets too small.

Music Box jumper (the full version) in black handkerchief linen. Three narrow white cotton twill tape or cotton lace bands at bodice and hem.

I’ve done that with pjs, and they’re still going strong after two summers. Just try not to stretch the seams too much when you’re stitching– try taking some pressure off the presser foot.

The Badminton, Picnic, and Pinwheel all make lovely nightgowns!

My daughter has been more accepting of the sketchbook shorts in drapier fabrics– linen, and cotton/tencel twill. They are really my favorite shorts pattern, practical and comfortable. If your girl is wanting some “pretty”, lace hem tape can help.

I donate it, or use it for muslins or underlining.

You can’t get a 4T swingset skirt out of a half yard, but with careful cutting it works wonderfully for the tunic– as long as you use something else for the lining. I find I use the tunic pattern often for my really precious pieces. My daughter gets two summers out of them, so it’s a good one to splurge on. The bottom part of the ice cream top,…[Read more]

Yes, goes all the way through both layers. Visible stitches should be quite small and farther apart than feels natural.

There’s a good Grainline tutorial for french seamed sleeves:
http://grainlinestudio.com/2014/04/28/french-all-your-seams/

If you get it from JoAnn, you can use one of their discount coupons– my mother has done it. A whole bolt still counts as a single cut of fabric.

My grandmother had a lot of Thai silk around, and it has a lovely hand, not slippery at all. Definitely do a wash before you sew. I’d even take a small piece and subject it to a bit of abuse– I’ve had old silk fall apart on me before. It seems to be fragile when wet, especially.

A good trick I learned to preserve precious fabrics and those that…[Read more]

Yes, I love raglans in theory but they do have the potential to be awful on someone with boobs. A good pattern would be lovely.

Well, for me it’s all tied up in my feelings about consumption, and where our culture is right now in regards to it. I don’t want my daughter thinking that everything is plentiful, cheap and disposable. Clothing is one place that lesson is taught in our household. It feels like a big mix of need, cost, desire, fit, quality, and artistry.

Ha, I clicked on this thinking, oooh I want to know how to resurrect old thread!

I hear that cord is super soft– I bet it would make a great sketchbook shirt, too. Maybe a little oversized so it could also function as a lightweight jacket. And use the scraps in a bucket hat!!

I think about this a lot, too. We get lovely hand-me-downs from a cousin and an older friend. I usually take a few things and pass the rest on to other friends. There always seem to be enough dresses (said cousin gets things from an aunt with a penchant for amazing French hand-smocking), so I try not to make too many of those. Over time, I’ve…[Read more]

I’ve done Pinwheel, Badminton, and Class Picnic as summer nightgowns. Pinwheel is my favorite, though I recommend adding length.

If you do start to carry shears, consider the 8.5in Ginghers with a tiny serrated edge for cutting slippery fabrics. They are magic. Another tool I love is a white goat-leather thimble that I think I got from Purl. By far the best thimble I’ve ever had, and I do quite a bit of hand quilting.