Mirroring Suzy Bee Sews - Life So Strange It Should Be Fiction

I got a lovely package of patterns in the mail last week, this top and 3 pants patterns (Becky yoga, Wendy pant and the Tori pant). I like buying from StyleArc, makes me feel all good supporting Australian pattern makers plus I really like their patterns! Riva Tops: I got this in a sz20 (about a size up from what I would normally order), it has zero ease and I wanted it to skim not fit too tightly. The only alterations I had to do was remove about 1cm from the front bodice shoulder seams and lengthen the sleeves and lower the neckline, otherwise this fit is straight out of the packet! It fits very similar to RTW on me, a bit of excess at the lower back and at the front of the armholes but nothing too major. The grey material is Supplex from a recent fabric.com order, its a surprisingly thick knit and sewed up beautifully, the black is a pique from Lincraft that I've had in my stash for ages. The pique isn't quite stretchy enough so tends to ride up at the neck a bit but t...

I read in the paper about a new local non-profit thrift store with a unique focus:  it's a thrift store exclusively for craft supplies.  Well, I had to check this out for myself!  I am totally spoiled because it's a 10 minute walk from my house.  By metro, it's accessible from the New York Ave. metro stop on the Red line.  I live at Shaw/Howard U on the Green line and found the walk easy and safe. ScrapDC  was sparked by the original Scrap in Portland.  Co-Directors Karen and Heather were so inspired that they had to bring the concept to DC!  That's Heather at left, playing in...I mean organizing...the pretty paper collection.  The organization is 100% volunteer run. As you approach the store--a ground level unit in an artists' building--you are greeted by a colorful bulletin board. The door opens to reveal the RE-Boutique in front of you, where local artists have gorgeous pieces for sale (at great prices).  I love the detail on this wo...

  I feel like I'm just using the same patterns over and over again lately! My daughters best friend came and stayed and fell in love with the Banksia top so they both plotted to have matching tops for their upcoming school camp.   They picked out yet another cutesy fabric, little yellow duckies this time around. I still think they look like pajama tops but got outvoted! My daughters top is a Small, with a sloping shoulder adjustment and the darts raised by 1". Her besties is a sz XS with the darts also raised by 1" and a 1/2"SBA. The placket is a lot easier to sew this time around, I know it has to be really well marked and measured for it to turn out evenly. I like the inside finish, I used self fabric bias binding to finish the armholes and collar and serged the shoulder and side seams. It makes a nice neat and hardy finish. Now these are done I have a pile of new StyleArc patterns that are calling my name :)

I cut out this version straight after finishing the last one, I love this pattern! I've had this fabric in my stash for a while, it was one of those preshirred fabrics that are hemmed on one end and shirred on the other, I suppose its so you could make a really quick strapless dress out of it. I chopped off the shirred bit and just used the bottom half. I had plans for this to be a teal knit on the top and the stripes on the bottom to break it up a bit, but the teal ended up too tight and got chucked aside. Luckily I had enough to cut out the bodice from the leftover stripes! I always seem to struggle with knits being either too stretchy or not stretchy enough! Same sizing as last time , I did add about 1cm to the bodice front though and it sits nicely underbust now. I love the stripe layout, the pattern makes it really easy, I cut everything in a single layout using this technique . It means the stripes are identical and makes it so much easier to sew. I read a  blog post  th...

  I made this using a great tutorial here . I've used it before I started blogging and was really happy with how well it works. I've had this fabric in my stash for ages, I got it thinking to make a dress out of it but its way too bright for me! Great for a dressing gown too, and being cotton its so much nicer in all this hot weather we've been having than the current polyester one I've been using! ' Because its such simple shapes and no fitting I spent a bit more time on the seams finish. I flat felled all the seams, including the side seams which are on a right angle under the arms. Not sure what the proper method is in dealing with it so I cut them on a 45degree angle and then satin stitched over the raw edges.   I'm not really sure what the seam finish is called that I used on the neck and hem bands, its the same way that you sew the placket on the banksia blouse, and the same as sewing the waistband onto the Jalie jeans, makes a really nice neat finish and ...

Here is a recent project using my TNT t-shirt pattern (I just extended it from the lower edge); the pattern started life as a Burda, but has been extensively altered to fit me.  I bought this wonderful striped wool jersey in NYC a couple years ago for $10/yd.  I bought it to become a sweater, because I am perpetually undersupplied on winter tops.  But the problem is I like dresses more than separates!  So when I realized that I could get a dress out of this 1 1/2 yards (the fabric was incredibly wide), well there went the sweater idea. Source: farfetch.com via Trena on Pinterest I put myself in Rossio in Lisbon (the backdrop is a picture I took on my trip ).  A much more exotic location than my bedroom where the photos were actually taken. Stripes have been in style for several seasons now, so I am actually trendy for once.  This wool sweaterdress by Rag and Bone is $350.  It makes my semi-splurgey $10/yd wool ($15 for the 1.5 yard dress, plus a neg...

About a year ago this Oscar de la Renta boucle jacquard dress, which was $1890 at Saks (it's sold out, but for the moment is  still on the website  if you'd like to zoom into the details), caught my eye.   The fabric content of the original is poly/acrylic/polyamide, with a silk lining.  I looked forever for the perfect fabric.  It's tough to find a boucle that is lightweight enough to be pleated, so in the end I went a different direction with the fabric. My starting point for this was Butterick 5558 , which has the perfect collar/neckline and the empire waist.  This pattern has only two reviews, which surprises me as I think it is rather cute and purchased it before I ran across the inspiration piece.  Having made it, I am impressed with the drafting of the collar/neckline and recommend it. B5558 is drafted with a peaked center front skirt, while the inspiration's bodice is straight across.  I prefer the straight across look.  The bust shap...