Sewing SewBatik Rayon into Fit for Art designs is a favorite pastime. When Diane, SewBatik’s co-owner agreed to let me make her a Carpe Diem, I worked hard to organize the long tunic she requested using the border print to its best advantage. Had to get it done to bring…
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Carpe Diem Holiday Velvet
Sewing velvet seems just right for holiday attire. It is so pretty the way it softly reflects the light that I forget how challenging it is to stitch into a garment. So, for my holiday Carpe Diem Tunic top a fun art deco printed panne velvet was pulled out of…
Flannel Tunic for Cold Days
With the weather turning colder here in Baltimore, my thoughts turned to a Carpe Diem Tunic for winter wear. I feel warmer with my neck surrounded, so I started imagining ways to add a collar to the Carpe Diem Dress & Tunic pattern. Here is how I did it… My…
Whose Hands Made These Quilts?
Indulge me in some musings about the quilts I recently cut apart and stitched into a Tabula Rasa Jacket. This was my second such project in the last 6 months, but these two quilts set my mind to wondering about the materials and the maker whose hands crafted these bed…
Retro Home Dec Jacket
Let’s head back to the basics today, inspired by our pattern cover, and make a Tabula Rasa Jacket from some retro Home Dec fabric. I have been wanting to make a Tabula Rasa Jacket from a unique home decorator fabric, so when this retro print from 1981 fell into my…
Grid Pellon Pattern Particulars
Have you created a tru-grid pellon pattern to aid in your design and sewing process? We have sold a lot of gridded pellon fabric during the pandemic as we have shared our design and piecing ideas with many new sewing friends online. Because I talk about it so much, I…
Selvage Edge Sleeve Cuffs
Finishing the edge of a sleeve can involve hems, decorative stitches, elaborate cuffs or selvage edges, just to name a few. I love to add detail to the edges of my sleeves. It provides an opportunity to repeat a fabric that is used but not featured in the garment, and…
Quilted Jacket Musings
How do you get started on a new sewing project like a quilted or layered jacket? If you have been sewing complex projects for years, this might be second nature, but for a rookie or returning sewist, a multi layered project can seem daunting. I am already thinking about sewing…
Summer Tees – Finished and Enjoyed
In March and June posts we teased you with plans to sew a couple of Tabula Rasa Knit Tees in fun SewBatik jersey. Finishing sewing projects takes more than planning, as you well know. We proudly featured the finished tops in our OSQE booth last weekend and in the Knits…
Summer Re-styling
During my brief spurts of isolation organization, two garment restyling projects were unearthed. Each was a pre-Fit for Art top that needed a DIY sewing wardrobe update. It was a fun challenge. Project #1 The beige linen print top featured an extended shoulder style. I loved the fabric and the…