Yes! Another Duster

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Yes! 

I've made another duster!  This one is made of a lightweight, flowy poly charmeuse.  And ohhhh, the colors!  I'm not one who adheres to the colors of  the seasons...so this one is bright colors!  

And this one has pockets!

I demoed the making of this duster for AllBrands.com on their Facebook Live shows. Part 1 was demoed on Aug 19th and Part 2 was demoed on Aug 26th. Both segments are posted in my FaceBook Group as well as on the AllBrands.com facebook page.

This was an easy, quick make.  I used my Juki sewing machine and my Juki serger.  The pattern I used was Simplicity 8553. 

We started with the shoulders, then attached the pockets (yes...it has hidden inseam pockets). After that we installed the sleeves and stitched the side seams.

As you can see, we also added the front band.  This picture shows the "almost" finished garment.  

After the show, I tried it on and decided to shorten the sleeves and add bands to them.  It gave the sleeves a bit of weight and thus some additional body, which made the hang better.  I then hemmed the bottom with a 1 inch topstitch hem.  

And Tada...it was done!

I styled it with jeans and heels, then dressed it down with athletic shoes!

  So many choices!

What do you think of this bright colored print?  How would you style it?

Join my Facebook Sewing and Craft Group

Follow me on TikTok

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Floral Blazer

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This lovely stretch cotton twill that was gifted to me by Minerva was perfect for this blazer!

I used view C of Simplicity 1421.  Of course I made a few hacks! 😊

I added a border to the pockets to coordinate with the black facings and collar using black stretch twill. 

I also eliminated  the buttons on the sleeves.  Been there, done that!  LOL!

I made my own bias tape for the Hong Kong finish - using a pretty print from my stash.

I love princess seams and these didn't disappoint.

  I love the shaping on this jacket!

 This is my 2nd time using this pattern, so it has become one of my TNTs! 

I always use my buttonhole kit after stitching buttonholes.  I makes for a nice, clean cut! 

I will be wearing this jacket year round...with jeans and skirts.

Of course I added my label - to the facing!

Do you have a favorite jacket pattern...or two? 

Do you love princess seams?

Do you have a favorite jacket pattern...or two? Do you love princess seams? 

Let me know in the comments!

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Sewing and Craft Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Check out my Minerva.com Posts

 

Sew Let's Sew!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Sew! Let's Sew!

I am SEW excited to announce that my 3rd, Yes 3rd 

Online Sewing Course is up and running on the website!

My classes are offered as either stand-alone courses or 6 month memberships courses!  You can register for classes at any time and will have lifetime access to any course you purchase.  

For those who purchase the 6 month membership course, you will also have access to a private group where you can post pictures and ask questions!

Click here for pricing and registration!

In this course I teach how to make a knit cardigan!  Cardigans are perfect all year round!

Below are some of the topics presented in this course!

• How to preserve fabric
• When, where and why to use interfacing
• How to make the pockets
• Top stitching
• How to choose the correct stitch lengths
• Serger tips
• Top-stitch finishes
• When and why to press
• Final finishes of your knit cardigan

Check out my promotional video!  

And while you're there, check out the rest of my YouTube Channel!

You will be using a combination of your sewing machine and serger (if you have one).

Pattern layout is a tedious, but necessary and fun part off the process!

Let's get those pieces together!

Use your sewing machine and serger in tandem to create beautiful, professional looking garments!

 Celebrate your success!

Happy Endless Sewing!

Online Class Registration

Join my Facebook Group

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.  

Grandma Made It! Hi-Low Skirt!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase from these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Hi/Low Skirt!  Grandma Made It!

My daughter is usually the one sending me pics of garments to make for her, but this time it was her oldest who sent me a photo and said, "Grandma, can you make this for me, please"!

How could I resist!  So many of us Grandparents don't get to see our older Grandchildren as often as we'd like - because their busy lives get in the way!

But I am blessed to have Grandchildren who call me often and invite me to various events! I also feel blessed that they actually want to wear something that I've made!

These pics were taken at her recent senior photo shoot!

Yes, she's a budding model!  

I made her hi-low skirt using an Ankara Kente print that I purchased from LLD720 African Fabrics. 

It is a self drafted skirt - using half circles as my template.  I added an invisible zipper in the back and in-seam side pockets.  

Pockets!  We all need pockets! 

I just completed a bonus pocket class for those who have purchased the 6 month membership program for my online classes.  

Memberships and stand-alone courses are still available!  

The 3rd class will be posted in January!

She and I mulled over adding horsehair braid to the hem, but in the end we decided against it.  The hem is a narrow hem...oh the circle hemming!  LOL!

Once I saw these photos, I knew we'd made the right decision!

The top is a RTW.

 This was her Instagram post after she received the skirt!

 Gotta love the expressions of thanks...especially when it's posted for all to see! 💗

            I'm quite pleased with how this turned out!  We did measurements only...no fittings!

                 I finished it and shipped it to her!  She called and said it was a perfect fit!

 You might remember this 2 piece dress I made for her prom!  Yep!  Another Ankara print!  

And yes!  It has pockets, too!

I'm happy with the skirt, but more importantly, I'm very proud of this young lady! 💓

Happy Endless Sewing!

Online Class Registration

Join my Facebook Group

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website

Email:

Don't want to miss a blog post? Sign up for email notices.

Ending 2017 with a Bang!

End of 2017

As always, I was quite busy the last few weeks of the year!

I entered yet one more challenge...a coat challenge! It was sponsored by Alethia Hudson and the Admins in the Sew Much Talent Group! It started as an Admin Challenge and was then extended to the entire group!  And boy did we respond!  There were sew many entries! At the time of this post, there is about 1 hour left to complete a coat and enter it.  Mine was completed last week, but I didn't enter it until yesterday when my photos were taken by my Granddaughter, Charly.

MY CHALLENGE COAT

I used McCall's 9576 - which is now an OOP (out of print) pattern.  Both sides of this reversible coat were made with fleece.  The solid is from my stash, the print is from Joann's Fabrics. It is so, so warm and cozy!

This coat was an easy make and has in-seam pockets on both sides...which I absolutely love! I used a white with silver dotted fat quarter from my stash for the pockets.  And...if you can believe it, I did not hack this pattern at all!  LOL!  It is perfect just the way it was designed.

  I love both sides of this coat!

 I also made a fringed scarf - gotta use up all those scraps, right? 😃

Surprise!  I also made a reversible hoodie scarf!

SEWING WITH MY GRANDDAUGHTER 

HER DUSTER

I started teaching my Granddaughter, Charly  to sew when she was 8 years old.  Since then, even though she lives out of state, we have sewn together whenever possible.  She recently told me that she wants to make several outfits, so I invited her to visit for a week or so before school resumes so that we could start working on them.  What a blast it has been sewing with her these past few days.  I now consider her to be an intermediate beginner.  I'm a proud Grandma!

Her 1st choice was to make a duster.  We used Vogue 9123 and an Ankara print fabric purchased from my friend, Femi's website.

We did some hacking of this pattern. We eliminated the lining and buttons, added darts in the front and back for additional shaping, shortened the sleeves and lengthened the coat by 4 inches.

Charly learned several new skills while making this duster...grading patterns, serging without fear, sewing curves, adding facings, understitching and proper pressing.

Look at that smile!

We had a blast...we sewed, laughed, took and posted pictures, uploaded videos to her YouTube channel: Charly with a Y, my FaceBook Business page and FaceBook Group page as well as my Instagram page.

HER PANTS

She designed and finished her pants today (Dec 31st)! We used a previous pattern that I'd drafted for her.

We hacked it a bit...by eliminating the side seams as we didn't want to distort this pretty Ankara print! And we tapered the legs and added elastic to the ankles (Charly's design).

Happy girl!

We have a few more outfits to get done, but only one more day together...so we will make one more piece before she heads home. And I will complete the rest for her.  She has a ton of pictures for me! Watch for them as I attempt to bring her vision to life!

 LOL!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This year has been quite eventful for me in many ways! I look forward to new adventures in 2018!

My sincere thanks to each of you for your support, encouragement and prayers!

I hope the New Year brings love and joy to each of you!

Follow my Facebook Business Page

Join my Facebook Sewing Group

Follow me on Instagram

Check out my Website