Sharon Sews

The BALA Wrap Top and TREMBLANT Pleated Pants are both PDF patterns included in the Sew News Capsule Studio: Plush.  The capsule studio collection includes tips for sewing cozy fabrics, like Minky, as well as information on sewing with faux fur.  There are also tips for matching plaids included with the instructions for the pants.  There are six PDF patterns in this collection, each available in sizes XS (bust 33", waist 24-1/2", hip 35") to 7X (bust 58", waist 49-1/2", hip 60").   I sewed five of the six: BALA Wrap Top, TREMBLANT Pleated Pants, BANFF Dolman Sweater, MOONSTONE Jumpsuit, and KAWARTHA Cardi Jacket. I didn't have the supplies on hand to sew the WHISTLER Bucket Bag. That's a sewing project for another day. Make note that the seam allowances vary per project, so be sure to double check if you need to use 3/8", 1/2", or 5/8".  I'd also suggest you print, tile, and trace your pattern pieces before purchasing fabric. ...

After months of casual at-home attire I was ready for a comfy, yet cute look! When a testing call went out for the new Celeste Dress by Itch to Stitch I applied.  I liked the design lines and knew this would be something I could wear in place of my current at-home attire. Okay, let's get real. My casual at-home look had gotten rather sloppy.  On a daily basis I was donning cut-off jean shorts, tees and skipping the hair and makeup.  I mean with no reason to leave the house it was easy for me to slide into a sloppy look under the pretext of being comfy.  Yes, it was incredibly comfortable. But so is this dress.  Plus wearing a dress makes me want to fix my hair and add some makeup.  The dress is described as " a relaxed-fit dress with flattering lines. It features a pleasing V neck, feminine princess seams, high-waisted center-front gathers, ample pockets and breezy short sleeves."  Here is the line drawing. I was a bit concerned about the...

I didn't know I needed a wardrobe full of summer knit skirts until I sewed the new Itch to Stitch Balboa skirt!  I've sewn three so far and love them all.   The Balboa Skirt , which was released June 1, is designed for medium weight knits. There are 13 skirt variations included in the pattern! I do like a pattern that provides me with a lot of options.  It is only available as a PDF pattern so you do need to print it out and tape/glue it together. My tie dye skirt is the a-line version.  I don't usually like a-line skirts on me, but I do like this one.  I used a double brushed knit.  The fabric was gifted to me from Fabrics by the Yard. - www.fabricsyard.com - I also sewed a dress out of the fabric which I'll review soon.  The fabric is TDP1177, and I plan on purchasing more in another colorway. I sewed another a-line version in a floral knit. It is also a double brushed knit that I had sewn into a dress previously. I never wore the dr...

Nope this is not a tiered maxi skirt - it's a fabulous pair of pants with a boho vibe.  The pattern is the #SimoneMcCalls - better known as McCall's 8098 .  It was a spring 2020 release, and a pattern I purchased online, on sale for $3.99, right before the warehouse shut down. That sale may have been the last of the $3.99 pattern sales from the McCall's website , as the "sale" they had over the Memorial weekend was buy two get one free. I love these pants, but if I had taken advantage of that last "sale", this pattern would have cost me about $9.  No thanks.  I think after years of offering $3.99 ($6.99 for Vogue) pattern sales it will take a long time to retrain people (in the U.S. anyway) to think that buy two get one is a good deal. Fortunately I have a lot of patterns, after all I've been sewing for many, many years. And yes, I could have figured out how to make these pants from an elastic waist pants pattern. Which is something I may need...

I think it's appropriate that there was rain while I tried to get photos of my rainbow maxi dress. After all, without the rain we wouldn't have rainbows. As soon as I saw this rainbow stripe fabric I knew I was going to use it to sew myself a maxi dress. I found the fabric at Fabrictopia while vacationing with friends in San Antonio, Texas. That vacation feels like a lifetime ago, but it was only six weeks ago!  We had visited Waco (hello Magnolia Market Silos! ) and San Antonio the first week of March, when we were just beginning to hear a lot of talk about Covid-19. By the time we had all returned our homes, the talk was more intense and soon we were all working from home and staying put. Since one-half of the couple traveling with us also loves to sew, it was easy to convince our hubby's to make a stop at Fabrictopia before we hit the road for our return trip home. I didn't take any pics of the fabric store, but did post a fabric haul video, with a peek i...

"Leave a little sparkle wherever you go" - Anonymous Just doing my part to leave a little sparkle behind - along with some stray sequins - with my new pink sequin jacket. I started sewing the jacket the end of February but took a break when we had friends visiting.  We took a mini vacation to Waco (Magnolia Silos!) and San Antonio. Within days of our friends leaving to return home, everyone in the country was being asked to practice "social distancing".  With my slightly suppressed immune system we took the advise to heart. I choose to stop my weekly volunteer activities, and to not go to the gym to workout. Here we are just two weeks later. My gym is closed, the place where I volunteer is closed, my church is having services online, and my hubby is working from home. It feels surreal and I suspect you can relate. It's odd because when I want to stay home and sew I'm incredibly productive. But now knowing that I have to stay home I feel unmotivate...