Color Blocking and Statement Sleeves

September 8, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

Is color blocking still a ‘thing’? I hope so, because here I go again. I suppose the good news is that, even if color blocking is clearly ‘out’, the statement sleeves on this dress are clearly ‘in’! I decided to color block this dress when I found a yard of poppy linen and navy linen […]

Tucks, Pleats, and Sewing through grief

August 31, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

Hi all! It’s been a rough week around here. Dustin, our little buddy for sixteen years succumbed to renal failure last week. If you’ve visited here before, you may remember him from several photos. He loved to be in the middle of everything, and blog photos were no exception. Such a character, and he […]

DIY Street Fair Kimono and a Cold Shoulder Tee

August 26, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

Summer is winding down, but there are still plenty of opportunities to attend street fairs, farmer’s markets and wine festivals. Since Street Fairs are great places to get your inner bo-ho on, I’ve taken to wearing kimonos over my standard jeans and tees on my excursions. A kimono is such a great wardrobe soldier. When you […]

Easy, breezy – – the Kalle Shirt Dress

August 19, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

I didn’t set out to become a fan girl of Closet Case Patterns, but that’s what seems to have happened! After making Closet Case’s Charlie Caftan twice (here and here) and loving it, I decided I had to give Heather’s other patterns a try. I chose the Kalle, although at first glance, it didn’t seem […]

Charlie Caftan #2

August 10, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

This new Charlie might be my favorite! When I made this version of the Charlie Caftan, I thought to myself, Hey, I might as well get rid of the rest of my clothes because is the only piece of clothing I will ever wear. This dress is so well designed (Heather of Closet Case Patterns), […]

The Indie Royalty challenge: I’m a finalist….

August 4, 2017.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Hi all! Indie Pattern Month has been so fun, and now, as the festivities come to an end, I am a finalist for the mini wardrobe challenge, Indie Royalty. All of the entries are so gorgeous and I’m honored to be one of the group! I would love to have your vote. For more about […]

My Mini Wardrobe with Indie Patterns

July 31, 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

Hi All! Indie Pattern month is winding down over at the Monthly Stitch. The last challenge was to create a mini wardrobe from Indie patterns and I decided it was the perfect motivation to pull out the lovely Indie patterns I’ve been meaning to try, but haven’t. After looking at my patterns and my fabric stash, […]

A New Top and A New Rule

July 28, 2017.Reading time 3 minutes.

I have a new rule for separates. When I add a new make to my wardrobe, it must coordinate with two or more of my other me-mades. Ha! Take that, all you orphans in my closet! I have too many tops and bottoms in my closet that have no friends. When you live in […]

It’s going to be a Charlie Caftan Summer!

July 21, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you’d asked me, ‘are Caftan’s your thing? I probably would have said, no. But I’m such a fan of this pattern by Closet Case Patterns. I was inspired to try it by Indie Pattern Month over at the Monthly Stitch. After making a muslin version, I decided it was the perfect pattern to hack […]

New to Me: a Colette Moneta

July 19, 2017.Reading time 2 minutes.

It’s Indie Pattern Month over at the Monthly Stitch, a fun month of challenges designed to acquaint us with the wonderful world of Indie pattern designers. Last week’s challenge was to make a pattern from a company that was ‘New To Me’. I picked Colette patterns, a company based in my home town, Portland, and […]