A few weeks ago we had a brief spurt of warm weather which got me to thinking about my summer tops. I really like to wear a “camp shirt” in warm weather, which I think of as having short sleeves and collar on a relaxed fitting shirt that falls open…
Category: Design
Stitch and Flip Jacket Engineering
Every time I approach a group of fabrics destined to be a Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ), I consider both the design and the engineering. It is easy to dream up a pieced front and back for a jacket, but it is quite another thing to stitch it together into a…
Sewing Basic Knit Tees
You know we love to share our mixed fabric knit tops to inspire you to have fun mixing knits into tees and tunics. But don’t lose sight of the fact that the Tabula Rasa Knit (TRK) pattern makes great solid color basic tops that will complete an ensemble or support…
Wrap It Up with an Obi Belt or Sash
A few months ago we posted a blog with directions on how to alter your Tabula Rasa Jacket pattern to give it a trimmer fit. Today we are presenting an alternative method for pulling the jacket in to define your waist by adding an obi belt or attached sash! Detailed directions…
Japanese Double Faced Jacket – Part One
Our black and tan double-faced cotton jacquard is perfect for crafting a reversible Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ). It is interesting, but subtle and it is a dream to sew and wear. Reversible jackets made from double-faced fabric do require careful planning with regards to the seams and the edge finishes. …
Spring Celebration Jackets
We love to celebrate spring with fresh Tabula Rasa Jackets (TRJs) in colors and fabrics that chase away the winter blues. I am lucky to have a variety of spring jackets in my closet that have this very effect. It makes getting dressed for Easter Sunday easier, even though here…
Cozy for Spring – Flower Garden Reversible Quilted Jacket
Quilted Tabula Rasa Jackets are great fun to make and wear. We have made it even easier with some new direction booklets that walk you through the steps to recreate two of our favorite quilted jackets. I am thinking about this now because Spring in the mid-Atlantic is the perfect…
Challenge to Self!
“A little challenge goes a long way when you want to take your sewing up a notch.” This is the opening sentence of the description for a new class I am teaching at the Original Sewing & Quilt Expos (OSQE) this spring. It also captures my philosophy of sewing. I…
Boiled Wool Sweater Jacket
While in Minneapolis last fall for the ASDP conference, I purchased a lovely piece of peacock blue boiled wool from a local fabric store, Treadle Yard Goods. I’m guessing it is a boiled wool jersey because it is softer and drapier than the boiled wool that I associate with…
Sweater Quandry – Redesign or Recycle
With good intentions, I often visit my closets and drawers each January for a little cleaning out. some things are easy to part with because they are worn or ill-fitting. Other items, that should be disposed of, prove more challenging. I seem to have an irrational attachment to them. One…