SewBaby News

I wanted to make a unstructured jacket out of this gorgeous boucle to go with my Plum Tencel dress.  The problem I've had with boucle in the past though is that it that the more seams the garment has, the more likely the boucle will unravel, so I wanted a pattern that had a minimum of seams.  I found Vogue 8522 in my pattern stash, that I thought looked like it could fit the bill.  I decided to make View B which is cropped with a shawl collar. The jacket was super easy to make.  The button in the front is just for show.  It really closes with a snap.  It is lined edge to edge, so you there is no fussing with hemming both the lining and the outer layers. It's really comfy, but alas, it doesn't do ANYTHING for my figure type.  I think you need a waspy waist to show off this short jacket.  It just looks kind of big and baggy and makes my shoulders just slope.    But lesson learned.  If I had ONLY made View C- the longer one...

Pattern Description: Simplicity 2305 includes Misses Dresses and Skirts in two lengths and purse by Cynthia Rowley. I made the dress which includes a waistband and a side zipper that you can't really see in the picture. Pattern Sizing: Misses sizes 4-20. Did it look like the photo/drawing on the pattern envelope once you were done sewing with it? I made view A with the higher neckline, and it does look like the illustration. The one on the model has a much more open neckline, and I wish that I had made that view instead. Were the instructions easy to follow? Yes, this is a really easy pattern to make. The neckline is bound with a self bias binding. What did you particularly like or dislike about the pattern? I was intrigued by the quilted sleeves. The sleeve band has a layer of flannel in the middle that you machine quilt to give it more dimension. This sleeve hits me right where the elbow bends. I thought that it might be uncomfortable, but it isn...

One of our most popular patterns at SewBaby is our Double Duty Bag .  When designing this pattern, we wanted a pattern that could function as a diaper bag, but still be usable later on for any reason.  It is completely reversible, has pockets, and is very easy to sew.  One of our customers, Cathy from Washington State, shared these photos of her Double Duty bags and said this: I have also attached some photos of the Double Duty Bags that I made. I love that they squish into just about anywhere, unlike the hard-sided kind. Everybody I have given one to just loves them. I have made them for all kinds of gifts, not just as diaper bags. Thanks for such great patterns. Keep them coming!  The bags with the school/alphabet theme went to the staff at my daughter's auditory therapy unit as a "ThankYou" for all of their hard work. These also work great as a tote for groceries. Grandma uses hers for her laptop and my sister fills it up with all of her knitting. ...

I started running last May using the Couch Potato to 5K plan .  If you have any desire at all to run, try this plan- it works!  I really look forward to running, and I never, EVER thought I would say that! But going into my first winter running has me a bit scared about staying warm. I live on the edge of town, and the winds can get pretty strong.  Ready to wear running jackets for winter are really pricey if you get high tech fabrics.  So, when I saw this hooded jacket (named Ginger) in the latest Ottobre Pattern magazine I thought that with the right fabric choice, this could be a great running jacket for winter. Then, with luck, I found some high tech wind block fleece for $2/yard.  This fabric was light blue on one side and plum on the other.  Kind of a weird color combo, but I was only planning on using one side on the outside, so it didn't matter.  You also need 4 zippers, and a lightweight poplin fabric for the inside pocket. The jacket h...

Wow, it's been almost a month since my last blog post!  I have been sewing, just not posting, so I'll have lots of posts coming up.  I've had a couple of sheer knits in my stash for a few years, and never knew what to do with them, so when I saw this double layer top pattern from McCalls, I couldn't wait to sew it up with my sheer knits!  This is McCalls 6244 , and it includes 4 different tops and two vests that you can mix and match to wear however you want.  I really want to make the vest too, but I haven't decided on a fabric for it. My first try was a dark brown matte jersey for the underlayer long sleeve top, with a snakeskin sheer layer tank over it.  I made the medium straight from the envelope and only lengthened the sleeves by about an inch.  Otherwise, no changes to the pattern, and it fits great.  The tops are finished by narrow hemming all of the raw edges.  This sounds simple, but you really do need a couple of things to make it...

I'm not quite sure what style to call this jacket.  With all of the tabs and buttons, it seems to have a military feel to it, but add in the pleated collar and sleeves, and it suddenly becomes very feminine!  I made this jacket for my daughter's 22nd birthday present.  She loves green and she loves corduroy, and I found a gorgeous hunter green knit backed corduroy in my stash.  I'm pretty sure that it is all polyester, and it's the only time I've ever seen this type of fabric!  It should be warmer than a cotton corduroy and less likely to stretch out of shape.  She picked out the pattern Simplicity 2313, View C . This pattern has some really cute features, such as the pleated collar and sleeves, the curved in-seam pockets, and the zippered front with overlaid button tabs.  I think all of the other options in this pattern are cute, so I might make another view of it as well. The hardest part of this was the curved pockets.   You have ...

After my venture into sewing leather with a basic purse, I tackled sewing an actual jacket!  This one is a Sandra Betzina pattern, Vogue 1198 .  I love sewing with Sandra's patterns, as they fit me so well. Sandra writes great directions, and I always learn something new whenever I make one of her patterns.  This time I learned her technique for inserting a sleeve lining that was different than I've ever seen before  I used copper metallic goatskins that I bought years ago at a very good price.  It wouldn't be my first choice, but I think if I wear this at night, it won't be quite as loud! I made a scarf to go with it from a length of  chiffon that I had.  I just cut a rectangle 2-1/2 yd long by 14 inches wide, and then narrow hemmed the unfinished edges.  Do you think the leopard is too much with this?    This jacket went together very well.  I used binder clips instead of pins to hold the pieces together. ...