Deep thoughts about creative living.
Read more
The Seamwork Manila leggings were the tipping point. The leggings wrapped uncomfortably around my calves. The print on the fabric, stripes and flowers, distorted comically. Worst of all, the seams threatened to tear. It was the pattern; it wasn’t anything I did as a sewist. The subpar outcome was on Seamwork, not me. I cropped the leggings and canceled my Seamwork magazine subscription. […]
Read more
Colorful, classic, washable, lean, and playful. These words describe my core style, and they’re my touchstone for sewing a capsule wardrobe — the final piece of the Wardrobe Architect process. Keep reading to discover tips for identifying favorite outfits, my plans for sewing a capsule wardrobe, and what I liked (and disliked) about Wardrobe Architect. […]
Read more
In Part 1 of my Wardrobe Architect series, I explored my style story — personal history, values, lifestyle, and core style. Part 2 is fashion-y part of planning a wardrobe — exploring specific silhouettes, colors, and beauty. This is the window shopping, where I gawk at pretty things and imagine how they’d work in my life. Price is no object as I kick around reasoned hypotheticals. This is thought-exercise time for me as a wardrobe curator. […]
Read more
One of my sewing goals for 2017 is to complete Colette’s Wardrobe Architect. Too often I look in my closet and say, “Uuuuhhhh…. Question mark.” I literally say, “Question mark.” Some days picking my clothes feels like pop quiz I’m not prepared for. As someone who sews many of her clothes, you’d think I’d have a consistent […]
Read more
I don’t know about you, but publicly declaring goals helps me GSD. That’s why I’m sharing my 2017 sewing goals. It’ll light a fire under my keister, because I hate not following through on something I’ve said I’ll do. I’ve ID’d seven sewing goals I want to crush in 2017. […]
Read more
This year was exceptionally hard for me. My mom was diagnosed with cancer. I left a job that was, in spite of how hard I tried, a poor fit. My favorite artist, David Bowie, died. But there were many bright spots, too. I became a stay-at-home parent and had a fun summer with my […]
Read more
This post is not for people who sew. It’s for people who want to understand people who sew. A garment sewist can be a tough nut to crack. She’d rather buy the raw materials to make a dress and pull all-nighters to sew it than take a hour-long field trip to the mall. Why? Well, even if […]
Read more
This May, my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. She’s only 60, and she’s never smoked. Needless to say, our family was shocked. Mom’s always taken good care of herself and followed doctor’s orders — and made sure we did the same. Her lifestyle is active. Her dad is in his 90s, and […]
Read more
Follow my blog with Bloglovin Sewing machines, quilt patterns, and fabric, oh my! It’s the 2016 Original Sewing and Quilt Expo. The Original Sewing and Quilt Expo is a three-day event that offers workshops, demos, a shoppable trade show, and more. The expo delivers creative inspiration and skill-building classes to sewists in eight U.S. cities. […]
Read more
It’s time for a serious conversation about Our Lady of Creative Freedom: Beyoncé. I sewed my retro swimsuit while listening to “Lemonade” nonstop (heads up, that’s an affiliate link). If you’re not familiar with Queen Bey’s latest opus, it’s a concept album about infidelity. Husband gave me some side eye for my sewing soundtrack. I […]