Who Needs NYDJ?

When you’ve got an incredible pair of skinny jeans that fit like they were made for you (oh, wait …), why would you lay out $120 for a pair of pull-your-tummy-in jeans that include so much architecture that you have to wear a loose top to look good? These are my new stretch denim jeans that will be perfect for all but the hottest two weeks of summer. The pattern is Marcy Tilton’s Vogue 8859. This is my third take on this pattern (Take 1; Take 2). If you only knew how many pairs of pants I have made over … Continue reading

Katherine Tilton’s Easy-Peasy Skirt

Musicians can never have too many black garments, right? I already own four black skirts. Two fit me. None please me. So for my Blossom Music Center performance last weekend with The Cleveland Orchestra and the Blossom Festival Chorus, I wanted a new skirt. I wanted it to be easy to create. And it had to be washable. Ever since making a couple pair of Marcy Tilton’s fast and easy pants (Vogue 8859 – take 1, take 2), I’ve been wanting to try Katherine TIlton’s pants and skirt pattern, Vogue 8837. It looked like it would go together quickly and … Continue reading

Poster City

Yesterday I finished another version of Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8817, View A. I am in love with this top. I think the neckline is one of the most flattering necklines I’ve ever worn. You may remember I made a top out of this pattern/view before the trip to France. The fabric is another Emma One Sock delight that Linda calls “Poster City.” The fabric is a 96% rayon/4% lycra blend that feels like buttah. This print is a little out of the norm for me, and I absolutely love it. Would you believe that, prior to last summer, I didn’t … Continue reading

Done *and* Completed

After writing about my feeling of exposure given the length of the front “ruffles” on Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8691, I went back to my sewing table and gathered up all my scraps. Alas, there was not enough fabric to cut new, longer panels. So I pulled out the pattern piece for the two front panels and cut a second panel to be attached to the bottom of the first panel. The piece started at the bottom edge of the front panel, extending down 2″ and up 1″—a total height, if you will, of 3″, with the bottom of the first … Continue reading

Done but not Completed

Here’s the top I finished yesterday. It’s another Katherine Tilton top, Vogue 8691. I snapped a quick pic to send to Jas at work before I left to attend a performance of Mahler Symphony #2. As I was walking from the car to Stambaugh Auditorium, I realized I felt a tad exposed. I wasn’t comfortable with how short the front was. No, you can’t see my crotch, but it feels like you can. That just won’t do. This morning I tried it on with my EF black slim washable stretch crepe pants, and didn’t like the look. That was going … Continue reading

Love at First Sight

You’ve seen two versions of this pattern so far (1, 2). Those were all View C/D of Katherine Tilton’s Vogue 8817. While I was in Santa Barbara for Design Outside the Lines, I saw two women wearing tops out of View B. It was very flattering on them, and I wanted to try it for myself. I had seen a gorgeous stretch rayon/lycra knit on the Emma One Sock site. The print is a mix of large abstract and small marbelized pools. Just gorgeous! The colors called my name. When the fabric arrived a few days later, I almost purred … Continue reading

A Successful Pants Attempt

After seeing these pants, Vogue 8859, worn by several friends, I wanted to try them. I’ve been investing heavily in Eileen Fisher pants over the past few years, but about $150 per pair, on sale!, is a lot for me to pay for a pair of pants. It limits the size of my wardrobe – heaven forbid! I wanted gray pants for my upcoming vacation, so picked up a lovely piece of gray stretch cotton from Marcy Tilton’s brilliant online fabric store. I was very anxious about fitting the pants, as I typically have a love-hate relationship with pants patterns. … Continue reading

Stars and Stripes

Another piece of yardage I brought home from California made it to the top of my list this week. When I bought the fabric, a luscious double-layer fabric that’s comprised of a sheer black knit and what looks like your favorite old comfy gray t-shirt gone all wabi sabi on you (thanks, Nancy Shriber, for the term), I had no idea what it wanted to be. When I first picked it up off the counter, I thought it would make a great extended front for an old Eileen Fisher boiled wool jacket I had dyed black. But the more I … Continue reading