From Oscar de la Renta suiting to IKEA upholstery fabric

You know those competitions where you use one pattern for different looks? I’ve got a great example to show you. This is BurdaStyle 11/2014 #110 The shorter version of BurdaStyle 11/2014 #111 Why do I make a shorter version of this same pattern? Don’t I have lots of other perfectly good patterns? Well, I had

Coat muslin, IKEA style

I’ve listened to you and worked hard this weekend on my coat. I know you are expecting something like Burda’s vision of elegance for this pattern (BurdaStyle 11/2014 #111) But, I’ve made a muslin and it’s not an elegant coat in any way. IKEA upholstery fabric. So much more fun to make muslins from than,

The tale of two “muslins”

Are you a muslin (toile) maker? Or do you get straight into the pattern with your fabric and fit as you go (or, like me, hope for the best)? Felicity’s Big Winter Coat, 2011 I have made muslins in the past, but not very many (like, all of two or three in the last six

Coat muslin #1

This is boring sewing with ugly fabric. But it’s all good, because, I have made some progress towards Felicity’s winter coat (keep saying that..keep saying that..). The muslin is now complete (well, no facings, but I think that would be going too far). Photos of it are now up on the RTW sew-a-long flickr site

Slowly sewing-a-long

Oh dear. Sherry is instructing us on block fusing. I haven’t even bought all the supplies… But, today, some progress was made. I traced off the pattern, adding in the extra steps that Sherry recommended. Then I cut the pattern cut out in heavy calico and it’s ready to be sewn into a muslin (test

The Jacket that took forever

I don’t make a lot of jackets. Now I remember why. So much time.. too many tailoring details. Double the work if you are lining the jacket. Do it all at least three times if you make a muslin first! This jacket was planned soon after a skirt (The Vintage Skirt!) was made back in