When I was learning to sew, the word “Tailoring” put the fear of God in me. It represented sewing on a higher level than I ever imagined for myself. The thought of stitching up jackets with lapels, hair canvas interfacing and bound button holes seemed impossible. My mother, who had…
Knit Sewing Semantics
Since January, it seems we have been very knit happy. We have been busy testing and developing a new knit variation for the Tabula Rasa Knits pattern which we hope to have ready this summer. And, 2 weeks ago, Carrie and I each carved out some time to make a…
Wow! Wearable Art
Every time I am asked to speak on the topic of wearable art or art to wear, I reflect on the relationship between art and clothing. My background as a custom dressmaker leads me to prefer the phrase artful wearables. Clothing needs to be functional and well-fitting first. Then if…
Quilted Jacket Journeys
Sewing quilted jackets was the topic of conversation this weekend when we had a booth at the Baltimore Heritage Quilters’ Guild 2017 Quilt Expo. This was the first time in Fit for Art’s history that the biennial show was held on a weekend we were home and could support our local…
Jeans – The Defining Details
I am teaching a class titled “Jeans – the Defining Details” at the Original Sewing and Quilt Expos (OSQE) this Spring. In order to prepare kits for this class in Atlanta, I used the templates and patterns in our Sporty Details pattern to adapt the Eureka! Pants that Fit front…
Knock-out Knits
We are in the throes of getting ready to head out tomorrow to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Atlanta, GA. Our heads are totally immersed in planning classes and presentations, picking jacket, knit and pants samples to take, and packing the van with merchandise and booth display equipment.…
Hoods and Seams – The Final Spectacle
A detachable hood is the perfect accent for a spring coat like the It’s a Spectacle Jacket we have been considering for the last two weeks. (Week one was about designing the jacket, week two took a close look at the zipper and collar details.) It’s easy to see the…
It’s a Spectacle Construction Tips
Let’s continue our close look at the multi-fabric Spectacle Jacket. Last week we reviewed the design process. This week we will consider a few construction tips that make this Rain or Shine Variation (RSV) of the Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ) a winner. The Rain or Shine direction book has plenty…
Imagining a “Spectacle” Jacket
A colorful bundle of Echino fat quarters came to me as a gift from my daughter several years ago, and I immediately wanted to make them into a Tabula Rasa Jacket (TRJ). But, fat quarters (18” by 22 1/2 “) are challenging when designing garments, especially if you want to…
Draped Front Tee
This week we are going to illustrate how to make a draped front tee using the pattern in Wide Neckline Variations for Tabula Rasa Knits. This style is flattering to many body types and looks great worn alone or under a jacket or blazer. It is especially well suited to soft…