Oh hai! I just fell off the map there, didn’t I? I’ve been hit with my old friend, chronic pain, again for the last few weeks, which means my hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders always hurt… and I just stopped blogging. Not sure if it’s the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome from last year (pinched nerves in … More Top 5 Reflections, Non-Sewing Highlights, and Goals for 2020!
My sewing projects always start with fabric – and if I can’t find the perfect fabric, I’ll buy something that seems good enough. However, that leads me to a wardrobe filled with a few gems and too many “good enough” outfits. In 2020, I want to make sure that I sew more wardrobe heroes, and … More Sewing a Special Wardrobe in 2020
As I write my Top 5 round-ups, I’m realising that I have mixed feelings about pattern testing – sometimes it is a joy, and sometimes a challenge. I wanted to know what other people thought, so I took to Instagram to ask! What is pattern testing? First, let’s define what we are talking about! In … More Let's talk about pattern testing!
Let’s call a spade a spade: these are fails! They’ve all be given away or donated. I don’t mind having some misses though, because it means I’ve had fun experimenting. 1. Scroop Mahinga Cardigan I’ve known for years that I don’t like curved hem cardigans on myself… but I wanted to see the mechanics of … More My #SewingTop5 Misses for 2019!
Welcome to the #SewingTop5 for 2019! After hosting it here for 7 years, I decided it was time to shift the series over to the Sewcialists. I’m blogging less than I used to (gone are the years where I did two posts a week religiously) and with what time and energy I have these days, … More My #SewingTop5 Hits for 2019!
I got this delightfully rainbow boucle (?) woven at Fabricland in Ottawa. It’s the stuff that Oonabaloona dreams are made of! It’s black and nubbley pink, with eyelash yarn woven through in green, yellow and white. It’s hard to capture on film, but the eyelash yarn is quite shiny and catches the light in motion! … More This fabric is not shy
A few weeks ago i showed you my colour–blocked Wiksten Shift top, which I promptly gave away to my mom… well, I’m fighting hard not to give this one to my sister just yet! It’s not that I don’t like it (I do!) but it would suit her even better. The thing is, my teacher … More Wiksten Shift Dress
I test a lot of patterns, and it’s not often that I’m so confident that a pattern will be a huge hit! But this Jalie Rachel Tie Front Dress is a banger, and it’s got everything going for it: fast, knit, forgiving fit, sexy but also casual, and lots of options! Plus it’s Jalie, so … More Jalie Rachel Dress – it’s going to be a SMASH HIT!
Hello and welcome to fall! I was tickled pink (or mauvey-purple like my sweater?) to be invited to join the Style Makers Fabric Fall Style Tour this year! I’ve admired Michelle’s store for years – she finds the most beautiful colour stories for each season, and I’m a sucker for stores organized by colour. For … More Style Maker Fabrics Fall Style Tour 2019!
I sewed a surprising amount of wovens this summer, and ended up with a beautiful pile of leftovers. These three colours of linen-rayon blends seemed destined to be patchworked together, and the Wiksten Shift top was the perfect pattern for it! I sewed a size 20 and didn’t adjust the length. Everything else I’ve ever … More Colour-Blocked Wiksten
