Jasper Sweater Review + A Giveaway!

This is the recently released Jasper Sweater by Paprika Patterns. (Full disclosure: I received a copy for free in exchange for an honest review.) I made it up in a rayon double knit from JoAnn’s. The pattern calls for a stable heavy weight knit (sweatshirt fabric, basically) but this is a little bit stretchier than recommended because of the high rayon content. I made View A – the pattern also has versions for a longer dress version and a turtleneck instead of the hood. Continue reading “Jasper Sweater Review + A Giveaway!”

JamieDSCFebruary 24, 2015February 24, 201536 Comments

Tips & Tricks

A Little Applique Test with ScanNCut and Dream Machine

I’ve been meaning to do this little test for awhile. It’s simple: take a drawing of an applique shape and scan it on the ScanNCut for fabric cutting and scan it on the Dream Machine to create an applique embroidery file. Will the fabric piece and the embroidery design be the same size? If this experiment works, then I don’t need to use any additional software to create cut files and embroidery files for my applique. Continue reading “A Little Applique Test with ScanNCut and Dream Machine”

lynnenewFebruary 23, 2015February 21, 201510 Comments

Challenges

March Challenge Announcement

After looking through all the half finished projects in my sewing space, the theme for the March challenge was clear to me… UFOs! (That’s Un-Finished Objects.) So, dust off something you’ve had lying around for way too long and make it work! I don’t know about you, but I’ve got WAY too many options for this one! Who else is in? As always, anyone is welcome … Continue reading March Challenge Announcement

JamieDSCFebruary 19, 2015February 19, 20153 Comments

Challenges

Jill Shows Her Sewing Room Challenge

Here it is, my sewing room with no apologies. Click on any image for a better look if you care too! This is the one place in the whole universe that is all mine, or as Virginia Woolf would have said a room of my own. The day I took these photos I was finishing up a blitzkrieg of sewing. Working on bodices, sleeves, silkies and … Continue reading Jill Shows Her Sewing Room Challenge

JillyFebruary 18, 2015March 7, 201818 Comments

Challenges

February Challenge: My Tiny Sewing Corner

When the February challenge was announced as “show us your sewing room”, I snorted at the “room” bit. My sewing room is a 4×4 foot corner of my small apartment attached to the kitchen. I was trying to figure out how to take a panoramic picture to fit it all in, but… don’t need to, it all fit in one shot! Here’s a diagram I’m calling The Anatomy of a Tiny Sewing Space:

Continue reading “February Challenge: My Tiny Sewing Corner”

JamieDSCFebruary 17, 2015February 17, 201517 Comments

Challenges

February Challenge: Sewing Space Reveal

This month’s challenge was to show off our sewing spaces! For awhile, I was sewing in our unfinished master bath on a card table, but then my husband built me this cute 8′ x 12′ sewing hut in our backyard. What started out as a fairly empty sewing space has quickly become completely filled floor to ceiling with sewing stuff. Here’s a peek! Continue reading “February Challenge: Sewing Space Reveal”

lynnenewFebruary 16, 2015February 14, 20158 Comments

Finished Projects

Carolyn Pajamas and Shoddy JoAnn’s Flannel

Early this January, Heather of Closet Case Files sent out her latest pattern to a group of pattern testers along with a fabulous description of how she wanted to make a pajama pattern she could wear working from home and feel like a sophisticated business woman, or something you could make in silk and look like Katharine Hepburn… I mean, look: The pant + long … Continue reading Carolyn Pajamas and Shoddy JoAnn’s Flannel

JamieDSCFebruary 10, 2015February 9, 201516 Comments

Challenges, Reviews

Sylvia’s Threads Challenge and Bionic Gear Bag

One of our Sewing Collective members, Sylvia, has been sewing up a storm lately! In response to our January Threads Challenge, she completed a dress she was inspired to make from the July 2012 edition. If you may recall, Sylvia asked me many months ago to digitize the rose that Jennifer Stern had drawn for her machine embroidered embellishment. I wrote about that process here. You never know what becomes of these requests, so I was astonished when she told me she had finished the dress! Continue reading “Sylvia’s Threads Challenge and Bionic Gear Bag”

lynnenewFebruary 3, 20158 Comments

Tips & Tricks

Intricate Applique Made Possible by Stitch Artist and a ScanNCut

You may recall that I once tried cut out a rather intricate monogram of the letter K on the ScanNCut using marine vinyl (see here). It didn’t go so well because the marine vinyl just wouldn’t stay stuck to the cutting mat. I’ve decided to revisit that monogram to showcase how you can make some really intricate appliques with the help of a ScanNCut. Along the way, we’ll end up doing a little Dream Machine trouble-shooting. Continue reading “Intricate Applique Made Possible by Stitch Artist and a ScanNCut”