Cheerfully Observing Thread

I made this camel colored wool coat as an alternative to the usual black one I gravitate to in the  winter. I used Vogue pattern #8884, since I really wanted a double-breasted winter coat. I am very happy with the look and the fit of this pattern, and below are some notes about how I did it and things I added to make it as top quality as possible.  The pattern recommended “nylon fusible knit” interfacing, so I used French Fuse interfacing on this coat, and I really like the amount of stability it gave it. On coats I made in the past, I often used horsehair canvas, but wasn’t always happy with the stiffness it added. French Fuse added body to the wool without restricting my ability to move around.  The entire coat and belt are top stitched and edge stitched. Doing all of that was a pretty big time commitment, but it gives it an incredibly polished look.  I made the belt loops with a double needle. This gave me an even row of stitching on the front and finished off the...

Skirt Burda 6928 Cozy Set New Look 6142 Skirt Burda 6147 Skirt Simplicity 2154  Skirt Burda 6147 Simpicity 8815 Skirt Burda 6928 Headband  Pants Vogue 1741 Pants Simplicity 3104 and Self-Drafted Top Shirt Modified from Butterick 6848 Long Flannel Scarf  Armistice Blouse Folkwear 210 2024 has been quite the year! There were more changes and frustrations (mostly work related) than I expected, but also so many wonderful things (like fulfilling a lifelong dream of going on a hot air balloon ride!) that definitely make the challenges seem more minor in the grand scheme of things. As my first year of blogging and social media wrap up, I look back at the posts, and I think that I have learned a lot (especially about photography - I’d like to think my skills have improved...), and I’m glad for the experience and knowledge I’ve gained, the creative opportunities, and the fun of seeing how many people out there are still creating and sewing. I look forward to seeing what’s ahead in...

    I usually make knit pajamas because they are so comfortable, but I fell in love with this holiday themed flannel by Northcott (“Warm and Cozy” collection) and couldn’t resist it. I used Simplicity pattern #3041, which I’ve made before, but this is actually my first time ever having holiday pajamas! My mom was never into that when I was growing up (probably because she was too busy making us matching Christmas outfits for church to have time for it!), but if I was going to have them, I wanted seasonal wear, not just for a month, and this fabric should be perfect for all winter long.  The top I am especially pleased with, because I came up with the pattern myself. I made it earlier this summer (see  this blog post ) and wanted to try it again. I’m quite pleased with it, since drafting patterns is not usually my forte. The fabric is a bamboo rayon spandex blend, and is really soft and comfortable. I did make sure to prewash it, as that combination has a tendenc...

This plaid flannel is by Marcus Fabrics, and I love how it has tiny chevrons mixed in it! Long scarves seem to be in this season, but I just wanted a simple design to showcase this fabric. I purchased one yard of the flannel, and another yard of a heather grey flannel to pair it with. After sewing it together (mine is 13” wide and 72” long), I cut and pulled threads from each end to make the fringe, which I tied into knots to keep it from tangling. I'm pretty sure I spent more time pulling the threads than I did sewing it!  But what I really wanted to do in today’s post is share a recipe has been in my family for over thirty years, since Christmas is coming and this is my all-time favorite Christmas cookie! Not only do I remember making it with my mom as I was growing up, but I specifically remember her bringing two of them to me on a plate one Sunday as a surprise while I was coloring in my bedroom at about three years old. The original copy of the recipe is one she cut out of a m...

I made this cozy grey set (the fabric is sooo soft!) for snuggling in this winter when I get home from work, and I just love it. I initially made the jacket, and then realized that the fabric was so comfortable that I had to have pants from it too. I used New look pattern #6142 (you might recognize it from this post ), but I took the collar from another pattern, since I don’t need a hood for indoors. Keep in mind that it runs a little big since it’s a unisex pattern…  Anyway, here are a few of my favorite holiday movies…   Miracle on 34th Street (original 1947 version in black and white) - Maybe it’s because I work in retail, but not only is this a great Christmas movie, it is the ultimate retail movie! The moral is that if you help someone out, even if it seems contrary to what you should be doing to get ahead, they will remember your kindness and repay the favor tenfold. I’m not a huge Santa Claus person (I was terrified of him growing up - my parents gave up after two ...