Reeni

creeping on your post to say YAAAY for the new book being available soon @Liesl!

A third vote here! I have had great success with Jalie patterns — they fill in for dd’s dancewear needs when o+S won’t do! I have tried 3 of their patterns thus far (I make them up with spandex remnants I get in the NY Garment district) — the sizing is all in one from toddler to adult 16 so I just trace it in really good light. Dd has a small…[Read more]

i have made this in a light cotton madras plaid; as a swim cover-up I can see it in crinkle or double gauze or ramie.

If you have to choose between those three colors I’d say black; if she is to wear it with jeans grey might be more youthful?
apropos of colored trim, planning as requested by dd a pistachio-green suedecloth big-collared moto jacket. (As she is tiny, she does not fit Lisette sizing yet — I will have to hack the School Days pattern most likely!)…[Read more]

would also like to add to those whose boys are growing out of the o+S sizes… would appreciate direction for jacket/blazer/layering options for tweens and teens unisex/all genders — i guess fba’s as well as adjustments for wider arms for guys.

a nice stiffener for small items like this is thin (1/16″) craft foam… it sews through without a problem and washes fine, especially next to wool. Vilene is water-soluble, but not a problem if not water-washing.

oh my, now dd wants to learn to sew! She has just made a little coin purse out of knit velour with a zipper. I cannot even tell her how long it took me to gather courage to tackle either knits or zippers, and here she was holding them up and saying she wants to do it herself and could I please show her how. Not do it myself, I think I pinned twice…[Read more]

oh my, now dd wants to learn to sew! She has just made a little coin purse out of knit velour with a zipper. I cannot even tell her how long it took me to gather courage to tackle either knits or zippers, and here she was holding them up and saying she wants to do it herself and could I please show her how. Not do it myself, I think I pinned twice…[Read more]

Yes, the caveat being that it’s a size 6! I forgot to add that I also cut the neck opening just a bit wider — on the sewing line vs the cutting line, both front and back. It was worth it because there’s no more of this fabric… pretty sure it’s from when i was in high school or early college 27 years ago or so!

i am sewing up a sample for 40 little aprons for the dance recital first weekend of May, which is also dd’s First Communion… I hope to get those out of the way so I can focus on her dress, which will be a Fairytale with a long circle skirt out of silk dupioni with long sheer chiffon sleeves (I think the 2+2 sleeve), and a jacket or capelet…[Read more]

i am sewing up a sample for 40 little aprons for the dance recital first weekend of May, which is also dd’s First Communion… I hope to get those out of the way so I can focus on her dress, which will be a Fairytale with a long circle skirt out of silk dupioni with long sheer chiffon sleeves (I think the 2+2 sleeve), and a jacket or capelet…[Read more]