The Pattern Review Handbag Contest

I consistently use PatternReview.com to check out new sewing patterns and read tips on construction before sewing garments. But the site has numerous features I’ve never fully utilized. Of those, the most intriguing to me are the sewing contests, but I’ve never managed to get any of my projects finished in time to meet the contest entry deadlines. About a week ago I discovered the Pattern Review Handbag Contest. It was running through November 30th and entries had to be sewn between November 1st and November 30th. … Continue reading The Pattern Review Handbag Contest

katboulderNovember 30, 2014December 21, 201413 Comments

Tutorials

Tutorial – Fagoting by Machine

I made a bunch of test swatches before sewing up the fagoted dress I posted on Friday, so I thought I’d share a tutorial with you… The first step was to sew a line of the stitch I wanted on some stabilized fabric. (I just put paper behind my fabric here – this is just to keep the stitch from bunching up and giving you a wrong measurement.) Get out a ruler and measure how wide you want the gap between your fabrics to be. In this case, I measured between the points of the ‘>’ shapes and got 1/8″. Continue reading “Tutorial – Fagoting by Machine”

JamieDSCNovember 25, 2014November 25, 201412 Comments

Reviews

Style Arc Flat-Bottom Flo Review

If you struggle with pants fitting and you have a rather flat behind, this pattern might be for you! Thanks to Jamie, I found out about and ordered this new pattern from Style Arc: the Flat Bottom Flo. You are forced to choose one pattern size when you order. My measurements fell in-between sizes. After asking Style Arc which pattern to order, I ordered the larger size. Continue reading “Style Arc Flat-Bottom Flo Review”

lynnenewNovember 24, 2014November 23, 20148 Comments

Challenges

The December Sewing Challenge!

Thanks Lynne, for a wonderful November challenge. It motivated us to explore stitches on our sewing machines that we’d never tried before! Most of us have sewing machines with so many stitches we’ve never even tested them all. Your November challenge was the perfect opportunity to start expanding our knowledge of our sewing machines amazing capabilities! Now that we’ve gotten a good start on exploring our future possibilities with our sewing machines, it’s time to honor the past. So our December challenge is VINTAGE! The interpretation of … Continue reading The December Sewing Challenge!

katboulderNovember 22, 2014November 23, 20141 Comment

Challenges, Finished Projects

November Challenge – Papercut Clover Dress with Fagoting

This was a HARD challenge for me because I’ve never had much interest in decorative stitches. My previous machine had maybe 12 different stitches, just the basics really. The newer machine I bought a couple years ago has something like 300 stitches but since I’ve never needed them before, I haven’t touched them. I usually start any kind of challenge by flipping through a potential project list I keep with inspiration photos to see if anything jumps out at me and I stumbled on this photo with a note: “Anything with fagoting”

Continue reading “November Challenge – Papercut Clover Dress with Fagoting”

JamieDSCNovember 21, 2014November 21, 201411 Comments

Challenges, Finished Projects

What I Made for Lynne’s Challenge – Kwik Sew 0188

For our second group challenge Lynne chose our theme: “use a sewing machine stitch you’ve never used before”. I decided to try a quilting stitch. I’ve sewn patchwork quilt tops before, but I’ve always had my patchwork quilted by others – I’ve never done my own quilting.

Continue reading “What I Made for Lynne’s Challenge – Kwik Sew 0188”

katboulderNovember 20, 2014November 30, 201414 Comments

Junk Drawer

Jill’s November Challenge – Built-in Machine Stitches

I have had my machine for 11 years I have NEVER used one machine stitch other that the basic zig zag, straight, stretch and so on. I didn’t really have a project in mind for this challenge so I just stitched out a little sample of what these stitches actually looked like. Here they are. They are quite thin and the one design, it’s a … Continue reading Jill’s November Challenge – Built-in Machine Stitches

JillyNovember 19, 2014November 18, 201414 Comments

Challenges, Finished Projects

November Challenge: Stretch Stitch on the Tonic 2 Tee

My first foray into building my core wardrobe is a long sleeve tee using the SBCC Tonic 2 Tee pattern.

I can only think of two items that I’ve done using a knit and one of those was a complete nightmare. This time I’m going in ready for success powered by sewing blogs.

Melly Sews suggests using the lightning aka wobble aka stretch stitch on knits so the seams can maintain the fabrics stretchable quality. Lladybird uses a walking foot so both layers of your knit feed through evenly. The Tiramisu Circus has a nice post on stabilizers for knits. Continue reading “November Challenge: Stretch Stitch on the Tonic 2 Tee”

mahlicadesignsNovember 18, 2014January 9, 20156 Comments

Challenges, Finished Projects, Reviews

November Challenge – New Machine Stitches

Every machine I’ve ever owned had stitches on it that I’d never used. The challenge this month was to try using some of those mystery stitches on something, anything. Continue reading “November Challenge – New Machine Stitches”

lynnenewNovember 17, 2014November 11, 20148 Comments

Finished Projects, Refashions

3 Shirts to Dress Refashion

Well I failed on my “I’m not buying any new sewing books” pledge. I’d previously vowed not to purchase any more sewing books until I made a project from each of the books I already own. Oops! I recently bought a LOT of new-to-me sewing titles. My favorite is “ReSew – turn thrift-store finds into fabulous designs” by Jenny Wilding Cardon. This book includes 20 easy-enough-for-beginners refashioning projects using thrift store finds. Easy, thrift-stores and sewing? Those are 3 of my favorite things, so this book is perfect for me! Continue reading “3 Shirts to Dress Refashion”

katboulderNovember 14, 2014November 23, 201412 Comments

Reviews

Butterfly Kimono from Butterick 6065

Well, this was unintentional, me posting a kimono right after Jamie. Plus, we’re having a Kimono night at the Denver Sewing Collective’s next meetup. I’ve got kimono on the brain. This was an super easy jacket to make. Basically a rectangle folded over and the side sewn where your arms go through. I like the drapey band that Butterick has here. I bought the fabric from … Continue reading Butterfly Kimono from Butterick 6065

JillyNovember 13, 2014November 12, 20148 Comments

Finished Projects

Simplicity 1318 – Leopard Print Kimono

This make is a month old already and was just meant to be a wearable muslin, but I wore it to the last ASG meeting and Kitty talked me into posting it. It was a muslin I made up to test the kimono pattern I used for the silk kimono from the October challenge. The pattern is Simplicity 1318 but I pieced it together to remove the center back and sleeve seams. Continue reading “Simplicity 1318 – Leopard Print Kimono”

JamieDSCNovember 12, 2014January 9, 20155 Comments

Reviews, Tips & Tricks, Tutorials

Brother Dream Machine – My Design Center Review

Well the highly anticipated Brother Dream Machine is finally here! I think many potential customers are intrigued by the possibility of creating their own embroidery designs on the machine. And I am certainly one of them. So let’s see what it can do. Continue reading “Brother Dream Machine – My Design Center Review”

lynnenewNovember 12, 2014November 12, 201417 Comments

Finished Projects, Tips & Tricks

iPad Assisted Cross Stitch

I just attended the annual Quilt-A-Fair in Longmont, Colorado and discovered this new type of cross stitch from Mill Hill that uses beads! I used to love doing counted cross stitch but it just takes so long to finish a project that I gave up on the hobby. But these new kits from Mill Hill are sewn on perforated paper. It’s a little like plastic canvas, but it is flat so it is much easier to sew on. And they also mix beads and traditional cross stitch for a shiny, dimensional effect. I love it! Continue reading “iPad Assisted Cross Stitch”