Sharon Sews

Vogue 1261 , the Alice + Olivia knit tunic I shared with you on my last post , is designed to be fairly close fitting at the bustline.  For me that meant I would need do an full bust adjustment (FBA) to achieve the intended look.  On patterns that do not have a dart, like this one, I like to use the pivot and slide method to increase the bustline. Here's how I do a pivot and slide FBA pattern alteration. Cut the pattern out along the cut lines for the size needed. For this tunic I cut a small for the neck/shoulder and tapered to a medium from the bust to the hip. Place a large sheet of tracing paper on a pinable surface.  I use a cardboard cutting board and tracing paper from Dick Blick. Lay the pattern piece on top of the paper. Trace around the pattern piece. Be sure to trace the center front also and mark the waistline at the center front on the tracing paper. This will be an important mark later when you're pivoting the patter p  At the underarm area, m

Did I ever show you this top?  It's the top from the photo shoot that happened a few weeks ago. The one the dogs kept interrupting to play Frisbee.  I sewed it the end of October thinking I could pair it with a pair of skinny jeans and boots.  More about that later. Let's talk about the top first. It's Vogue 1261 , an Alice + Olivia knit tunic top.  Can I just stop for a moment and tell you that the pattern is rated easy - and it is - provided you do not follow the recommended construction. Huh?  I know. That doesn't make much sense does it?  What I didn't realize until I purchased the pattern is that the seams are supposed to be folded under, butted together and then sewn together. Ignore that. Unless you want that design feature. I admit it could be a fun detail, but I was going to quick and easy so I ignored it. I noticed when I pulled the pattern pieces out of the envelope was how tiny the width of the sleeve appeared to be.  I could tell just by eye

Many of you are quite familiar with PattenReview.com - in fact I would guess some of you were there when it first began in November 2001.   I didn't discover PatternReview.com until August 2002 and joined immediately. It was such a joy to find an online community of folks who sewed....and sewed clothing! In my day-to-day it was rare for me to run into someone who sewed. And when I did and they discovered I sewed my own clothing the response was usually "oh, I used to do that. but now I just quilt." Reading their reviews were fun and I couldn't wait to do my own review.  I still remember being so envious of those that had digital cameras and were able to *actually post photos* to go along with their pattern review! Wow, how times have changed in 10 years. On Saturday, Nov. 19, Pattern Review will have a worldwide 10th Anniversary celebration.  And if you sew and live in or near the Twin Cities you're invited to join us. Friday, Nov. 18 For those who