A blue tee with pops of white for Spring

I always feel as though Spring begins the first day after Easter because that’s when my sewing mood begins to shift. I put away the wools and sweater knits as I dream of sunshine and linen and silk. But it’s been so cold and rainy here, it feels as though the sun has deserted us. […]

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Vogue 9166: A sleek and sporty basic

When I saw the new Vogue patterns for Spring, I could hardly believe my luck. Those lovely designers read my mind!!  I’ve been looking for a dress pattern with two-piece sleeves since the sporty trend began last Spring. Even though no one has ever described me as athletic, I sure like to look like I […]

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Sweater Knits Rule

  I wear a lot of separates. This fact became obvious to me when I rearranged my closet this week to make room for Spring clothes. There’s nothing wrong with a good separate, and we all need them,  but OMG.  My closet is crammed with mix and match items. It’s a bit overwhelming when it […]

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Sew the look: Patchwork Cape

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, […]

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Vogue 8346: A coat just in time for Spring

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 […]

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Thursday Top: Vogue 8815

Well, here we are in February, the month that straddles the seasons.  The fabric stores are flaunting new lightweight cottons and linens. Yet, I’m still working through my stash of sweater knits. At this point, it’s probably ridiculous to state the obvious – I am a fan of sweater knits. As I’ve confessed before, it’s […]

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McCall’s 6708: An animal print cardigan

    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 […]

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Vogue 8831: A sweater knit top with zippers

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 […]

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Vogue 8828: If Karl can, why can’t I?

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. […]

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McCall’s 7194: Velvet and Satin for the New Year

  I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday! Santa was quite good to us and he did his best to please, showering me with lovely treats; jewels, gold…You can imagine his surprise when I revealed which gift was my favorite. My June Tailor thread rack!!! I could hardly wait to take my new friend to […]

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