SewBaby News

I hope that you are having a great summer!  Here in the northern hemisphere, our summers can get really hot and humid, so everyday clothing that is lightweight and loose fitting is ideal.  I really needed some new tops and shorts that I could wear while doing housework, running errands, and just day to day stuff.  After picking out fabrics from Fabric Mart's awesome cotton selection, the first thing I did was to search for the perfect shorts pattern. 

Summer is flying by so fast!  I can't believe that it is mid July already.  I have accomplished a couple of major things sewing wise- I bought a coverstitch machine, and after letting it sit in a box for 3 months, I finally got up the nerve to open it up and figure it out.  I don't know why I waited so long!  It was really pretty easy, and I've been sewing up a storm since.  The second thing was that I replaced my leaky iron.  Another thing that I don't know why I lived with it for so long, but now that it has been replaced, I feel like I am sewing in luxury and am sewing in peak condition.  Kind of like an athlete with new shoes getting a burst of confidence! But, this particular project was the last one that I made before the coverstitch box was opened.  After my first foray into the cold shoulder look with a knit in my last post, I decided to dip my toes even further, this time with a pattern designed for a woven fabric, Butterick 6462 . ...

When the cold shoulder trend started, I laughed and thought, I will never, ever get on that bandwagon.  Hahaha!  Never, say never!  As I kept seeing more and more bloggers making cute versions, I finally decided to try it out for myself. And the verdict is.....I love it!  I used a animal print rayon knit, and Butterick 6425 . This has lots of views, and mine is a hybrid between the dress body of View B, and the sleeves of View C.  I also angled out the bottom of my dress a couple of inches to make it more like a swing dress.   Rayon knits have a horrendous tendency to show all of your lumps and bumps, and I thought this might help reduce that.

What could be better on a June day than having breakfast outside in your favorite pajamas and robe?  Enjoying the sounds of the birds and the wind in the trees.  Ahh... bliss.  When I think about how much time I spend in my pajamas and robe, I realize that I get more wear out of them, than any other items in my wardrobe!  I made these  summer pajamas  two years ago, and have worn them out, so it's time to make a new set!  I wanted something super light and airy, and all natural fibers, so I chose an  embroidered cotton voile  for the robe and shorts, and a  dusty pink linen knit  for the top. For the pattern, I used  McCalls 5769 , a now out of print pattern, but a good one if you can find it. Let's start with the robe. This is a really basic pattern with dropped shoulders, a tie, pockets and a band. Super simple, and even a beginner could make this. I used a narrow double fold bias tape in light blue all ar...

I love maxi-skirts!  They let you really show off a beautiful fabric.  Although there are lots of patterns available for maxi-skirts, you'll notice that many do not have pockets.  I don't know why that is, as pockets are so essential!  When I got my March issue of Burda Style magazine, I couldn't help but notice this skirt in the plus section: The line drawing showed that it was a simple design but with a few features that I find desirable: pockets, a combination drawstring and elastic waist, and long side slits.  I find that a combining a drawstring with elastic helps you to cinch the waist to just the right snugness.  And side slits help you to move freely and provide extra ventilation on warm days.  So, even though these are small details, they can really make the difference between whether you end up wearing an item or not! I made this pattern three times out of different fabrics from Fabric Mart for their Summer Skirt Ch...

My daughter lives in Chicago, about 3 hours away from me, and sewing for her long distance has been a challenge because I've really needed her to be present for fitting.  Of course, everyone dreams of finding a pattern that will fit perfectly right out of the envelope, but that becomes even more important when you are making something for someone when that person can't be there in person! In my quest to find such a pattern, I decided to try out Cashmerette patterns.   These patterns are designed for sizes 12-28 and have three cup size options for C/D, E/F, and G/H- one of the only companies that caters to larger sizes and includes variations for cup sizes!  I was very excited to see if this could be the "one" that I've been searching for! I started out with The Upton Dress - a fit and flare dress with neckline and skirt variations.  We decided to go with a black and white color scheme, and I had this fantastic graphic cotton print with big bl...