I had recently been part of a pattern tester team for a beautiful barn jacket that a designer friend of mine put out. I live in Florida, and we only see truly cold temps every few years, so my opportunity for wearing more than a light jacket paired with a sweater doesn’t happen often. At…
Sewing Stories: Sewing a Jacket, Learning a Lesson
Fieldman was born from a desire to reclaim material, story, and possibility. The name itself carries weight: it honors my great-grandfather, who was forced to pick cotton, and now, generations later, I use that same fiber to build something entirely my own. Fieldman is both tribute and transformation—a love letter to those who came before…
If you’ve already read Part 1 of this tutorial, you will hopefully have a good understanding of when blending between sizes on a sewing pattern can come in handy. Let’s get into how to actually do it. In this Part 2, I will walk you through the basic process using a few different examples. I’ll…
My dear Janome 6125 ‘Quilters Companion’ and I have been side by side, since my 12th birthday. I can remember this birthday like it was yesterday. The absolute thrill of realizing that I was the proud new owner of this secondhand Janome machine is something I’ll never forget. Little did I know, 13 years later,…
Bold, vibrant colours are a defining feature in the art of British abstract painter Sir Howard Hodgkin (1932-2017), a powerful means of conveying his innermost memories and emotions. “Don’t paint the thing itself,” he wrote, “paint the effect it produces.” He often brought dazzling shades of red like Firecracker Red into his paintings, laid liberally…
Let’s be honest—finding a sewing pattern that perfectly matches your measurements is pretty rare. And that makes sense! Every body is unique, fit preferences vary, and each pattern brand uses its own sizing system. If you find yourself falling between sizes, you’re not alone. But the beauty of sewing is that in these situations, you…
What if you could challenge the expectations and societal structures permeating all aspects of life, big and small? Examine, question, and reconstruct your interactions and experience with the world and community around you? These, and questions alike, are the foundation of what author and serial entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid sets out to help women resolve through…
The Riva Trousers are such a classic cut. They are a straight leg design with a mid-rise height. I have made them before exclusively in linen, both the shorts style and full length style. I’ve even sewn them for commissioned projects for dear friends. So this FS Premium Pattern has gotten its use for sure….
Born and raised in Scotland, I grew up surrounded by tartan, a pattern associated as much with kitsch Scots traditions and nationalist tartanry as punk rebellion and goth subculture. Despite this complicated duality, there’s no denying that tartan is interwoven with the history of Scotland and Scottish identity. Yet it is also a worldwide phenomenon…
One of the most empowering choices I make in my sewing and adjacent crafts practice is to track and analyze data. Every year I keep a robust spreadsheet that contains detailed information about each project. At the year’s end, I ask myself, What stories are here? What do I want to know? I then use…
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do. Hi, I’m Courtney—sewing pattern designer, wife, and mom to two little ones. I’ve loved creating ever since I was a little girl, and that passion has only grown over the years. Why do you sew? Sewing was modeled to me by my mom growing…
Tell us a bit about yourself. I grew up in the south with a father in finance and a mother who was a chemist so how I ended up in fashion is still kind of a mystery. I did grow up around multiple generations of women who sewed, crochet and quilted, like most of us…
Since launching her eponymous fashion label in 2009, French designer Olympia Le-Tan has earned a cult following for her whimsical, playful and artisanal approach to making accessories. From the outset she has been producing stylised ‘storybook bags,’ hand-woven clutch bags in the same size and shape as limited-edition books, featuring ‘covers’ with references to pop…
Starting a new sewing project is always exciting. But there is nothing more frustrating than running out of fabric halfway through… or ending up with scraps that aren’t quite big enough for anything useful (trust me, I’ve been there! I have a whole drawer full of pieces like this). If you’re working with a commercial…
One might say that tartan runs through my veins! I’ve always had a deep and personal connection to the Scottish Arts. Growing up with a bass drumming dad, I was surrounded by kilts, bagpipes and Highland Games. From a very young age, I was completely mesmerized and hooked. Since the age of three, being fitted…
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