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03 Jul Perfection Starts Here – My New Machine

Posted at 06:51h in Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 61 Comments

I am elated to be a new Pfaff Ambassador :) I cannot think of another word that describes my joy to represent this outstanding company, and truly look forward to showcasing its state of the art machines. To familiarize me with the Pfaff products, I received the Pfaff Creative 4.5, a Sewing and Embroidery Machine introduced to the market in 2014. I am an absolute novice to embroidery. While working on The Tunic Bible, Julie and I discovered the missing link to our efforts was the ability to embroider as seen in the Tory Burch tunics below. Now my imagination runneth over...

01 Jul New Lilly Inspired Dress and Contest Winner!

Posted at 06:12h in C&T Publishing, Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Tunics, The Tunic Bible, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 32 Comments

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...

25 Jun Bucket Hat Mania and Double Giveaway!

Posted at 06:53h in Goodbye Valentino Giveaway, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 421 Comments

It is a great pleasure to showcase the quality products of Coats & Clark. Headquartered in the Carolinas with a distribution center 30 minutes from my home, I was delighted to say yes to this long-established company, and will be writing a series of posts for its redesigned blog beginning on June 29. Coats and Clark manufactures not only thread, but zippers and knitting accessories. It is also the parent company to Free Spirit Fabrics. The company contacted me because I sew garments...

17 Jun Don’t forget to cover up!

Posted at 07:35h in DIY Clothes, Mood Fabrics, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 33 Comments

No reason to keep this Cover-Up under wraps! I'm a believer in sharing fun sewing projects, and making this cover-up was divine joy :) After taking a close look at the Cover-Up Mimi is wearing, I thought sewing a knockoff would be a cinch. It's one of these 'Why didn't I think of that?' kind of things...

12 Jun Tunic x Nine !

Posted at 07:36h in Sewing Tunics, The Tunic Bible, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 25 Comments

Greetings! I'd like to introduce you to a reader who made my day. Meet Marion, a fellow tunic lover from Germany. Marion bought The Tunic Bible in February and has showcased our concept of one pattern unlimited possibilities so beautifully that I must share. After reading Marion's initial email, I requested photos of her tunics. She surprised me with not one or two or three….. but nine tunics she’s created this Spring using the master pattern! Let's look...

03 Jun Scalloped Edge Shorts

Posted at 05:59h in Simplicity Patterns, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 40 Comments

I learned something on this project that you may already know; scalloped hems look best on solids and pinstripes. Having said that here's my latest...

29 May Seersucker Beach Pants – Vogue 7912

Posted at 06:33h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, sewing blogs, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 48 Comments

For some reason, my husband and I have not been to the beach together in almost one year! Greetings from Edisto and Happy Memorial Day! I didn't know I wanted a pair of wide-leg beach pants until the Blue and White Bengal Cotton Seersucker arrived from Mood Fabrics. Seriously, I was planning a dress with a ruffle collar, but a new vision appeared once I opened the package. This is no pinstripe seersucker, but a lovely light and airy fabric featuring 1/4" stripes. It is slightly puckered with a wonderful drape making it suitable for several garments. As one who almost always prefers a slim silhouette, I was...

26 Apr Carolina Herrera Stretch Silk

Posted at 07:00h in Mood Fabrics, Mood Sewing Network, Sewing Dresses, silk, Uncategorized, Vogue Sewing Patterns by goodbyevalentino 73 Comments

I scored big time finding this beautiful Carolina Herrera Leopard Printed Stretch Silk Twill from Mood Fabrics. I ordered the fabric with a wrap dress in mind, but after the fabric arrived I came across a photograph of the Carolina Herrera original and decided to follow the style of the designer with a close fitting dress. I reached for a favorite pattern I have made twice before - Vogue 9047. (Version one is here and version two is here.) The pattern is now out of print but still available on the website, Etsy and other online sources.While the 'original' dress is a sheath with...

09 Apr Almost Cocktail Attire

Posted at 18:48h in New Look Sewing Patterns, Refashioning Clothes, sewing blogs, Sewing Skirts, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 54 Comments

In my next life I'd like to live in a historic house in Charleston with a decorative gate and creeping fig wall. Perhaps you follow Teggy French, one of my favorite fashion bloggers. Last fall her social media led me to Shein, a website of inexpensive clothing where I purchased a ruffled bell sleeve top. When it arrived I hated everything about it...

18 Mar Birdie and Me

Posted at 09:38h in Ruffles, Simplicity Patterns, skirt pattern, Uncategorized by goodbyevalentino 56 Comments

Greetings from the desert! A beautiful baby and gorgeous warm weather greeted us upon our arrival to Scottsdale. Can life get better than this? I've been asked countless times if I plan to sew for Birdie (now 6 months). The answer is YES, but I have decided not to smock again. It's been a long time since I've attempted to sew baby clothes, and while times have changed, baby patterns have not! After a 25 year break, I was led back to The Children's Corner patterns and discovered many of the cute patterns I sewed for Katie and Mimi are now online waiting to be...