In my last post, I said that I spend 90% of my time in stretchy loungewear. Well, we have a wedding to attend coming up at the end next month and I don't think my t-shirt and joggers wardrobe is going to cut it for that type of event. I also didn't want to wait until the last minute to make a dress because I cannot predict how much my ...
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As summer approaches, I knew I needed a new batch of t-shirts. I'm forever on the quest to find the perfect fabric for those slouchy tees I love so much. I grabbed six different knit substrates from the site and got to work! I debated on which pattern to use for this comparison and settled on the Love Notions Classic Tee. It is full of options, comes in sizes XS-XXXL, and ...
Read MoreHi Readers! I'm happy to share my latest historical costume with you. This one takes us back to about 1895, complete with huge puffed sleeves, ribbons and rosettes. This isn't my first foray into Late Victorian sewing, but it is the first time that I went with bold sleeves and a historically accurate flat lining and bodice boning. To start with, I used Laughing Moon #103, an 1890's waist with four bodice ...
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Summertime... and the sewin' is easy! Take a bold print knit and a tried'n'true pattern, and a few hours later, you too could have a sassy sundress! For this project, I used 2 yards of the Blue Watercolor Bohemian Stripe Liverpool knit - the colour jumped out at me and I just had to have it! Liverpool is a stable polyester knit, so it's perfect in slim dresses if you don't ...
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Hi Readers! Have you ever dreamed about a dress and then found that it turned out exactly as you imagined it would once you've sewn it? That's me with dress. Since last summer I thought that this 1940 dress pattern (Vogue 8811) would look wonderful with a big gingham print. Once I saw this 1" Kaufman Carolina Gingham pop up on the Cali site, I knew it was going to be ...
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Full Disclosure: I still feel some type of way writing this post, or even admitting such a thing happened, and even though I have MAJOR FEELS about it, I can't deny that is has indeed happened ...my daughter turned SIX! And with 6 came a new sense of self awareness, independence and strong opinions. Admittedly, I'm not surprised that her already strong spirit has intensified, I just wasn't quite ready ...
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Hello readers! There's a bit of a change today as I'm sharing a project that I made for someone else! I usually sew for myself, but as my husband and I were headed to a Victorian Fancy Dress afternoon tea with our costumers' guild, I made him not only a coat, but also a vest and an ascot. That, along with sewing my own outfit (some of which I will be ...
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Hi Readers! I absolutely LOVE using heirloom techniques to add interesting details to everyday clothing. Yes, they take extra time, but they really add that extra little bit of casual couture that makes your clothing stand out. For this dress, I used my TNT pattern -- the Decades of Style ESP Dress and some lovely cotton eyelet (or broderie anglaise). The fabric for this dress started out white. I chose this lovely ...
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When I was a teenager, I went through that grunge/punk/emo phase where all I wanted to wear was black or camo... you know, to match my mood ("I'm so goth it hurts"). Since then, my style has evolved - into what, I'm not sure - but I still have nostalgia about my style of the past. As a 34-year-old, I don't think I can get away with baggy black t-shirts and ...
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I’ve been lusting after the gorgeous jumpsuits and rompers everyone has been wearing for the past year, but after trying on a few ready-to-wear versions I got discouraged. My top and bottom halves are completely different sizes – okay for separates but terrible for jumpsuits. I put my jumpsuit dreams on the shelf for a while until one day about a month ago I had a revelation – I sew! I ...
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Hi Readers! I don't know about you, but I've been on the hunt for the Holy Grail of shirtdresses for a long time! I've been searching for something classic, comfortable, well fitting with a myriad of options to customize and I think I've found it with the Cashmerette Lenox. This pattern certainly went together easily and I had no alterations to make. A great fit out of the envelope is always ...
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Hello Califabrics blog readers (and anyone else who's stumbled upon this blog)! How are you doing today? I'm back with a post about underthings. Woo hoo! I have a lot of me-made items in my closet, in fact, I pretty much wear exclusively me-mades now, but one thing I am lacking in, is underthings. I've made a few bras here and there, and I have a couple of pairs of undies, but ...
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Hey Everybody! What brings you over to these parts? Fabric shopping? Or maybe fabric stalking? I stalk online fabric stores fairly regularly on a daily basis, and I could easily waste away hours just browsing fabrics and dreaming up sewing projects. But I will admit that sometimes I feel overwhelmed with choice, and my to sew list gets so long, that I have a hard time staying on track. I'd like ...
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Well, hello there again! I’ve missed you! You may have noticed (or not, ha!) I’ve been absent for a while. Long story short, I injured my right leg and it is taking far too long to recover, which has kept me out of my sewing room. So frustrating! It’s also meant far too much time stuck on the couch. Well, if you’ve followed along with what I tend to make, ...
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Hello, readers! I've been steadily working on filling out holes in my wardrobe and a denim jacket was at the top of my list. It's such a steady workhorse for casual looks and gives you that needed warmth for crisp spring days. This was a fun project that looks much more difficult than it is. If you can set a sleeve and make buttonholes, you can make this denim jacket. I used Butterick ...
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As I mentioned in my last post, I have decided to focus on sewing some more me-made basics. In my mind, there is nothing more basic than a striped tshirt so that is what I set out to make! My style tends toward the vintage; I prefer longer skirts, cinched in waists, and 50s silhouettes. All of this meant that finding a tshirt pattern I liked was a challenge. I considered ...
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I don't know about you but I really enjoy sewing for special occasions. Give me a dress pattern, a complicated pants pattern - I'm there! Unfortunately, sewing only fancy outfits leaves me all dressed up with no place to go. I decided it was time to sew some practical outfits, starting with some loungewear. For my top, I made the Sew House Seven Toaster Sweater much loved around these parts (check ...
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Hey Califabrics blogreaders! How are you? How's the New Year going so far? For me, it's been coooooooolllldddd! I'm not sure where in the world you are, but I'm in Calgary, which is in the Western-ish part of Canada, and we are having a very snowy and cold winter this year. No outdoor pictures for me! Ha! So the cold weather means I want to sew all the cozy things! I ...
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One thing I love about being a Cali & Co contributor is I am introduced to and use new fabrics I normally wouldn't think about twice. I have to admit my knowledge of fabric is fairly limited, but I'm slowly learning more and more each year that I sew. I usually rely on my sense of touch to determine if a fabric will work for a certain project, but that ...
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Hello again friends! I'm so excited to share this new shirt with you! It feels like it's been ages since I've sewn with cotton, but for all the silk tops I've made recently, a classic oxford cloth button-down is still one of the items that feels the most 'me'. Maybe because they've been a staple in my closet for so long. They feel a bit like old friends. I wear them ...
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