The Swing Variation pattern for the Tabula Rasa Jacket is one of my favorite designs, so comfortable and perfect for using soft and drapey fabrics in my stash. I guess that so many of my swing tops have a dressy appearance because they are made with luscious fabric. Intentionally Plan your…
Category: Fabric
Online Fabric Sources
Rae and I are frequently asked where we buy our beautiful fabrics. Like many of you, over the last several years we have relied on online fabric sources more often. To promote Rae’s upcoming Feb. 13 class, The Best Fabrics for Fashion, Function and Fit, we share a list of…
A Soft Purple Wardrobe
In fall of 2022 we welcomed a new friend, Sue, to our Sew Successfully Retreat. She brought along a luscious pile of dusty purple stash fabrics and immediately got started making fitting mock-ups of our Core Wardrobe Patterns. Later in the weekend we sat with her and helped in planning how…
Vests in Soft Corduroy
Vests for kids made with the Tabby Jacket Pattern and for grown-ups using the Tabula Rasa Jacket Pattern are great for the times of year when the seasons change. This pair of vests were made as spring was approaching but they are still perfect for our current move into fall.…
Flat Piping Defines a Knit
Adding detail to a knit top is a fun way to keep tees made from the same pattern like the Tabula Rasa Knit Tee and Tunic, looking fresh and interesting. Flat piping is a great detail that is not difficult, but does require a bit more “seaming” attention than is…
Pastel-dyed Carpe Diem Blouse
A few weeks ago I was looking for a sewing project for my mom and remembered the fabric she had dyed last year on our annual France Retreat. It was time to make it into a pastel-dyed Carpe Diem blouse! Regular readers may recall the pastel dyeing day, reported in…
Get a Feel for Knit Fabrics
Knits are essential in a DIY wardrobe. Our Tabula Rasa Knit Tee and Tunic Pattern is a great starter project. If mastering knit sewing is on your to-do list, or you simply want to up your game, join in the virtual fun by signing up for our May Knit Sew-Along…
Sew Baltimore-Sew Collaborative
As Fit for Art gears up to launch a brand-new pattern, we are busy sewing samples to test every element of the directions and fit. Each of these samples leaves a pile of colorful scraps in its wake and some of those scraps have made their way into a new…
Seawool Jean Jacket
Before winter gets away from us entirely, I want to share the Seawool Jean Jacket I am enjoying for our transitional weather. The fabric has been languishing in my to-do pile for at least a year, originally conceived as a “shacket” or hybrid shirt-jacket. As we’ve been focusing on sustainable…
Sewing with Plaids and Checks
While we love the square armhole construction of the Tabula Rasa Jacket and its progeny, it can be a challenge when working with fabric that has plaids or checks, or some other strong directional motif. The square armhole method creates four side seams around the body of the garment that…