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04 Jun A Lizard, Newspaper, Craftsy and Silk

Posted at 19:18h in Craftsy.com, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Tops, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 55 Comments

Maybe you read Pamela Druckerman's New York Times Op Ed on Sunday. It's a synopsis of the commencement speech she gave to students graduating from the Paris College of Art, an American art and design school in France. By the time I reached the end of the column I felt it was written just for sewists and sewing bloggers - especially the paragraph that states it's ok to be obsessive. Druckerman quotes comedian Louis C.K. who says "Anything you do should be better than anything you did before." That statement might have been a joke, but ...

14 Mar Giveaway and a New Sewing Interest!

Posted at 09:40h in Craftsy.com, Goodbye Valentino Giveaway, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 338 Comments

My obsession with sewing has led me to a new place – pattern drafting. I’ve become so interested in achieving the perfect fit attainable only through sewing (or having a personal tailor) that I enrolled in Patternmaking Basics: The Bodice Sloper with Suzy Furrer The end result of the class will be a bodice sloper adaptable for many uses. Suzy Furrer a most competent, serious, professional and well-spoken instructor explains how fashion designers work from a single sloper to create dozens of designs. I often attempt to customize a purchased pattern without understanding how ONE little change affects the entire fit. Additionally,...

31 Oct Scuby Dooby Doo & Giveaway Winner!

Posted at 08:15h in Craftsy.com, Goodbye Valentino Giveaway, McCall's Sewing Pattern, Mood Fabrics, Sewing Books, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 78 Comments

Although sewing Halloween costumes are but fond memories these days, I could not resist the vivid holiday colors in this Scuba Knit ordered from B & J Fabrics. What does the dress really look like under the 20-year old Eileen Fisher cardigan, you wonder? Here is the front, and here is the back ;) What a fun dress this was to sew! If you have never sewn with Scuba Knit I encourage you to try it. Many scuba knits feature high-resolution digital printing almost resembling photographs. It is nearly impossible to make a garment too tight when sewing with this fabric - scuba knit is...

26 Oct Save the Silk!

Posted at 20:45h in Craftsy.com, Sewing Tops, Tunic, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 67 Comments

Shame, Shame, Shame! The only thing that saved my latest from being a wadder is the beautiful crepe de chine from Mood Fabrics. It's all I can do to smile. The search for the perfect tunic pattern is taking a hiatus. I outsmarted myself by combining pattern pieces from my favorite tunic patterns, including Butterick 4856 Simplicity 4149 and Simplicity 1461. I liked the bodice of Butterick 4856, the two-piece back of Simplicity 1461 and the placket of Simplicity 4149. After coordinating the measurements from the different patterns I assumed all was safe but I met near disaster at almost every juncture :( Saving the...

08 Oct Vogue 9017 and Butterick 4856

Posted at 07:09h in Craftsy, Craftsy.com, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Ready-to-Wear Fast 2014, Sewing Dresses, sewing with knits, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 118 Comments

Greetings from Talbots ;) Hmmm...

14 Sep Oscar de la Renta Poppy Floral Taffeta & Vogue 1303

Posted at 09:30h in Craftsy.com, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 96 Comments

What do you get when you cross an Oscar de la Renta Taffeta with a Kay Unger pattern and a left-handed seamstress? It’s not the first time I’ve sewn the mirror image of an asymmetrical pattern and I doubt it will be my last :) I a m s o h a p p y to be sewing whatever strikes my fancy again at the Mood Sewing Network! As soon as I wrapped up the final post-wedding details, I retrieved this Oscar de la Renta Poppy Red Floral Silk Taffeta from my Mood Fabrics stash. The bright colors and cheerful design were just what...

24 Dec Vogue 8532

Posted at 07:20h in Craftsy.com, Mood Fabrics, Sewing Dresses, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 158 Comments

Santa Baby, Leave a sable underneath the tree for me…… :) While waiting for Santa, I sewed one more holiday dress, this one for a January wedding. I have never seen a Carolina Herrera I didn’t love which includes this cobalt blue paisley silk brocade from Mood Fabrics. Yum……. I was sold on the color alone until the fabric arrived. The quality of this brocade is unlike any I have seen or touched. It’s that good, and once again I found myself scared to cut my fabric. What would Carolina do? Santa baby……. give me an answer! I made a muslin from an old Vogue pattern - 8532, now...