Sewing Books

13 Nov Pattern and Book Giveaway Winner!

Thank you, Dear Readers for making my  b i r t h d a y so wonderful! The shirtdress stories were delightful gifts and made my day!  From touching  and warm to funny, I was fascinated to read how this garment evoked such vivid memories from ages past to present.  Try to read the comments if you can! Also, a very Happy Birthday to readers Cathy Larson, Ruta Edel and  Anne Maresh who share my birthday! It was  Grace Kelly's birthday too ;) ___________________________________________________ Book Supply Update You might expect us to have boxes of our books. We do not -  but we've learned our advance copies...

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18 Oct Pink October – Closet Case Carolyn PJs

Thank you, Dear Readers for your warm, encouraging and thoughtful responses. Katie and I have read them all, and we felt your love in each message. We are sincere in our gratitude and please know how much your thoughts and prayers mean to our families through Katie's cancer journey. Tis the month for pink...

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13 Mar Creating Couture Embellishment Giveaway for All Readers!

While the last four weeks have been quite exciting and enjoyable, I've had little time to sew, or even blog. I've just returned from Nashville where I presented a talk+trunkshow, and a Tunic Bible workshop to the lovely ladies of the ASG Nashville Chapter, combined with a two-day visit and training session at the Pfaff Headquarters. The workshop was held in a Nashville Police Precinct and I couldn't resist having my photo made with a policeman who likes to sew! Prior to Nashville I had the pleasure of taping three episodes for the PBS sewing show, It's Sew Easy in Cleveland which I...

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28 Jan Blackwood x2

Discovering a pattern that is just your style is pure gold. I have a few and have just added a new one to the collection. Winter just got a whole lot better 😉 After browsing through a stack of Christmas catalogs during the holidays, I was convinced I needed a pair of patterned leggings and ordered Mood Fabric's ultra soft black wool knit with orchid pink medallions. Opening the box of fabric long after the catalogs were thrown away brought me back to reality and I reassessed. The leggings would be cute if I was 10 or on a Scandinavian vacation...

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01 Jul New Lilly Inspired Dress and Contest Winner!

Lilly Pulitzer introduced a fabulous collection of navy dresses this season, and I wanted one too. The Lilly dresses are available in every fabric imaginable bringing about many possibilities. My decision was based on the piece of  Theory Navy Cotton Rib Knit  I ordered from Mood Fabrics in March. (Now sold out but I highly recommend the navy stretch pique.) While Lilly refers to many of its dresses as 'shift dresses', they look like tunics to me, and so I made a tunic from The Tunic Bible. Since this is at least the 40th tunic I've made during the last two years, I...

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05 Mar 3 Dresses 3 Fits 3 Looks

Maybe you go through color phases like I do.  I don't know where they come. Two years ago I was all about orange but lately I've been partial to blue and green. Recently, the delightful fabric designer Jennifer Paganelli sent Julie and me selections from her Hotel Frederiksted collection. We each made a tunic for one of our book signings at Quiltcon in Savannah last week.  The fabrics are quilting cotton which isn't always recognized as garment friendly, but one can have fun with the great prints found in quilting cotton, and create cute casual garments! Here's mine. I decided to make a...

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11 Feb A Contest and A Giveaway!

Actually the header should read a contest and two giveaways! Last month several of the Mood Sewing Network members sewed projects from African Waxed Cotton. The store liked the results so much it decided to host a Facebook Contest. The winner receives two $50.00 gift certificates. One to keep and one to share with YOU! Click HERE to vote for your favorite! The contest runs through February 15th, and obviously, I hope I receive the certificate to share with you ;) ______________________________________ In the meantime Beth Byrge, from 110 Creations and author of A Sewist's Notebook has written a new book entitled A Sewist's Swatchbook designed to help...

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17 Sep New Website and Giveaway!

It is with great excitement that Julie and I announce a companion website to our upcoming book, The Tunic Bible, thetunicbible.com.  Not only is the website designed to enhance your tunic sewing experience, thetunicbible.com will allow me to post far less tunic material on goodbyevalentino.com. So you might say this is one of my last tunic posts on Goodbye Valentino ;) Julie and I have sewn over 60 tunics during the last 16 months, and became intrigued with several tunic designers. In the beginning it was Sail to Sable, followed by Tory Burch , then Gretchen Scott and others. We accumulated a...

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10 Aug The New Forty – Garments 22 and 23

Greetings from the amazing Chautauqua Institution! Situated on 750 acres beside the Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, it is one of my favorite summer destinations for culture and enlightenment. Although clothes and fashion are hardly on the minds of the learned souls who inhabit this lofty sight, I found the trip a perfect opportunity to sew two very different casual pieces both from The Tunic Bible. Above is a simple tunic made from a sarong purchased at the Roberta Roller Rabbit at Kiawah Island ~ sometimes you just have to think outside the bolt!       I embellished the neckline with piping cut from the...

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