Making a Wiksten Haori from a Mid-Century Modern Curtain

August 16, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

This Wiksten Haori was once a curtain in someone’s house. The leaf design on this fabric is typical of the mid-century modern style. It was all about the exotic, so tropical themes were big. Vintage drapes can cost as much as $200 per panel on Ebay. One Saturday afternoon, I got lucky. I found mine […]

A Spring Jacket with Triangle Bound Buttonholes

May 3, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

For years, my sewing bucket list has included “Jacket with Bound Buttonholes.” Well, this jacket has triangle shaped bound buttonholes and I’m saying, close enough! Yes, they were a bit fussy to sew, but I’m glad I took the leap to do them on this project. I will admit that the first two were ‘nail […]

Waiting for Spring in my Wiksten Haori Jacket

March 23, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

Well, it’s official. I am now a big fan of the Wiksten Haori jacket. I might be the last blogger to make this lovely jacket. I avoided this pattern at first, as I prefer fitted jackets to loose-fitting styles. But on a recent visit to a local fabric store (Bolt, such a great store!! […]

Two Hvar Jackets are Better than One

March 1, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

The Hvar Jacket from Itch to Stitch has been on my to-sew list for awhile because I’m crazy about cute easy-to-wear jackets. Not only are they adorable, but they help bridge the wardrobe no-man’s land between seasons. A light jacket can function as a layer under a heavy coat when the weather is severe, or […]

Day and Night Dress Challenge: Transforming a boring dress with Edge and Sparkle

February 22, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

I’m so honored to be participating in Elizabeth’s Day/Night Dress Challenge for the third year in a row (here are years one and two.) The Challenge has a great twist this year. Rather than make two new dresses, the idea is to take a dress you’ve made but ignored, and make it more wearable by […]

A Knit Anorak in Two Hours or Less

June 10, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

It’s June, and I would love to say that this make is out of season, but it’s still layering weather here in the Pacific Northwest. When summer does arrive, it usually lands pretty hard though, so I’ll be breaking into my stash of linen this month! But for now, I’m craving soft warm cozy layers […]

Putting Fushia Linen To Good Use

April 26, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

I have a new favorite color; fuschia. This fuschia linen jacket takes me back to my first handmade effort years ago, a Vogue Perry Ellis jacket pattern that I fussed over because it was so expensive! Everything about that project felt special to me, so I visited a specialty fabric store and splurged on […]

A Quick Cozy Jacket and Ginger Jeans

March 2, 2018.Reading time 7 minutes.

After completing my two dresses for the Day/Night Dress Challenge, I needed something to cleanse my sewing palate. Usually, when I’m in that mood, I choose a simple pattern to complete. But this time, I decided to make a fun outfit including a new pair of Ginger Jeans. So in this post I’ll talk about […]

A Peplum Jacket For Layering

December 8, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

A love the four Helmis I made this year, so much so, they might make it into my Top Five Hits for 2017! But unfortunately, those shirts aren’t warm enought to wear alone at this time of year. So, my Helmis became the perfect excuse to sew a new jacket! As you all know, I […]