Sew the look: Patchwork Cape

February 16, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

Hi all – If you follow sewing blogs, you’ve probably heard that February is UFO month, unfinished objects, as in projects that have languished on your sewing table and need to be completed. True confessions. I have PLENTY of those. This cape is a perfect example, a stash busting project I started a year ago, […]

Vogue 8346: A coat just in time for Spring

February 10, 2016.Reading time 6 minutes.

It’s sunny and warm in Portland today. Yet, I’m posting about a heavy winter coat! Yes, timing is everything, and mine isn’t impeccable, but here goes. I started this coat before Christmas, and just finished it because I worked on it in sporadically. So, here I am, wearing a wool coat when it’s sixty degrees […]

McCall’s 6708: An animal print cardigan

January 27, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

Yes, it’s a jungle out there! A bit of a cliche’ perhaps, but what better way is there to describe what’s happening in the sewing blog world these days? Everywhere, fabulous makes are being crafted from jungle worthy fabrics as part of #Jungle January, a month long walk on the wild side. This […]

Vogue 8831: A sweater knit top with zippers

January 19, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

Since I don’t knit, I’ve become a huge fan of sweater knits. With only a few yards of the cozy stuff, you can cut and sew almost any style sweater you want. Here, in rainy Oregon, a person can NEVER have too many sweaters. For this top, I used two coordinating sweater knits from my […]

Vogue 8828: If Karl can, why can’t I?

January 11, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

I rarely leave the house in anything other than pants and sweaters at this time of year, as the weather makes layering and covering up a matter of survival. But it gets old fast, don’t you think? Pants, jeans, blah! I long to wear a dress, but how? I don’t want to freeze to death. […]

A DIY vintage ornament

December 15, 2015.Reading time 3 minutes.

In these days of responsible consumption, it’s always great to find a project that uses things we’d otherwise discard. This project uses Christmas cast-offs. When you make these ornaments, not only are you ‘reusing’ and recycling, you’re adding a bit of nostalgia to the season too. The best part of this project? These vintage-inspired ornaments […]