Category Archives: Garment Sewing

Of course. That’s what you’ll say when I tell you I decided around 2:00 yesterday afternoon to make Just One More Top for the trip. I wanted to try Katherine Tilton’s Butterick 5961 one more time. I still had some of the peacock RPL from my View C. I had also gotten some “army green” of the same fabric. Their army green is really closer to an avocado. So I made View A/B and cut it two inches longer. To counteract the floppiness of the collar, I took the lightweight interfacing that I had used for the hems on View … Continue reading →

Here’s a second take on Katherine Tilton’s Butterick 5961. I made the first one on Saturday and blogged about it here. I wanted some more black for tops, and picked up a nylon/acetate/lycra Swiss 4-way stretch at Gorgeous Fabrics. Ann’s description is accurate—”it’s a joy to sew.” I liked my sweatery teal tunic so much I decided to try the shorter version. I have ordered a pair of those new leggings-with-attached-skirt that one sees everywhere nowadays and thought the length of View A/B would be just right with that. I dipped into my knit remnants basket and came up with … Continue reading →

When I made Katherine Tilton’s Butterick 5925 top (blogged here and here), I fell in love with the RPL (Rayon-Poly-Lycra blend) fabric. I raced over to Gorgeous Fabrics and grabbed two more pieces, one in Peacock and one in Army Green. I expected these two pieces to have the same hand as the red RPL. I prewashed, and then last night, when cutting out Katherine Tilton’s Butterick 5961, I realized the hand was very different. And still wonderful. This top, which is slated to go to Germany with me next Friday, feels very similar to a lovely lightweight cashmere twin-set … Continue reading →

As I walked into the JCC this morning for my water aerobics class, the sky was overcast and the weather forecast said there was a 90% chance of rain for the balance of the day. A young mom and dad were getting out of their car next to me and walking their two children into the day care center. The mom was dressed impeccably and wearing a bright red coat. Wow! Pop!! We all should have a brightly colored coat to bring us some cheer on gray days. I’m headed into my basement sewing room to begin work on Marcy … Continue reading →

… And some of this incredible poly/rayon/lycra knit from GorgeousFabrics and Katherine Tilton’s wonderful Butterick 5925 top. I think I am more in love with this garment than anything else I’ve made this year. (You like the picture, don’t you? I’m channeling my inner Shams.) Here’s the review: Pattern Description: MISSES’ TOP: Pullover top has neckline and pocket variations, seam detail, and shaped hemine. A: slightly draped neck and pocket bands. B: pocket binding. A and B: semi-fitted, stitched hems. C and D: loose-fitting, hem band, and narrow hem. B, C and D: neck binding. Wrong side shows on hemlines, … Continue reading →

[Photo borrowed stolen from Marcy Tilton’s fabric store. I wrote recently questioning the definition of design. This morning I reviewed my blog posts since early February of this year (the date I traveled to Santa Barbara and got kick-started by my friends/teachers/mentors Diane Ericson and Marcy Tilton and inspired by all my stylish sisters of the cloth on the West Coast). I have made a staggering 27 garments since returning from Design Outside the Lines. Twenty-seven! (Oh, and that’s in addition to a bunch of knitting, two sewn bags, and helping DGD make her first T-shirt.) Honestly, that seems a … Continue reading →

Why, oh why, do I keep trying patterns no one has made before?! (Or at least no one has written a review or a blog post.) I must be a glutton for punishment, or else I’m emotionally bonded to my seam ripper! Today’s newbie pattern is Vogue 1363 in Sandra Betzina’s “Today’s Fit” line. I liked the layered look of View A. This has been my year of mixing prints, so I thought I would have some remnants that would work together with the Missoni-esque ITY fabric that I picked up at Vogue Fabrics’ booth at the Pittburgh Original Sewing … Continue reading →