This jacket from Coldwater Creek is in a color I adore and the details on it are unique. It is collarless, has invisible zippers in the sleeves and pockets and has princess lines. I even like the buttons! Another unique detail is the grosgrain ribbon down the placket. I think I’ll use this as inspiration!

There are many different types of princess seams and this one goes just above the sleeves, almost to the shoulders. I can’t find a pattern that mimics this detail but I did find this one from Vogue 7975:

It’s not exactly the same but it’s close. The outer lines could be made the same although the princess seams are different. It’s an older pattern and I worry about the shoulder line. How far does it extend? Time for a toile!

Popular on Pattern Review

I bought this pattern at Walmart the other day hoping it would be a good “go to” pattern. Then I was browsing through Pattern Review and found it was very popular a few years ago. What relief! Perhaps I should do that the other way around next time!

Some of the people who had sewn it are shaped like I am. Providing I choose the right fabric mine should look similiar.

One of my earliest memories of the sewing machine was my Mom sewing my dress for my brother’s wedding. She let me pick out the fabric and pattern and everyone sure paid attention to me! It was an afternoon wedding and quite somber but I had the prettiest bright pink slip dress with a lace overdress. I can remember all 12 years of me insisting on that pattern. Doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Not until you picture a chubby little girl in it! It was a sight to see, I’ll tell ya!

That was the beginning of my interest of sewing tho. I remember her stitching that up really fast and I asked her where she learned to sew like that. She told me about working in a sewing factory when she was young.

I think the first thing I made was a pillowcase in school and followed it with a dirndryl skirt. Then I started sewing at home while I was in high school. One time I had quite a heated discussion with my Mom about technique. I also remember I had to eat crow and ask for her help too. She patiently demonstrated how it went together. She was a good teacher and could show me just about anything I needed to know. It was a Singer treadle machine and I remember when  my father put a motor on it – we were soooo excited!

Then I sewed for my kids. Little one piece jumpsuits that I tried to make cute because there wasn’t cute clothes for boys at that time. I also sewed for myself.

Years later I made my daughter-in-law’s wedding gown. We copied a $5,000 gown from Bride’s Magazine and the first one took me nine months. It turned out to be a muslin (who smokes around satin?) and the final one took a week. The zipper split just before the nuptials and I had to sew her up in the bathroom. Lesson learned – use a good zip. It was quite the day! :O)

A few years later I taught two of my granddaughters how to make skirts. It was kinda fun but I don’t know if I’m a good teacher or not! They’d have to tell ya!

So I guess my brain has engaged now. Can you understand how excited I am about all the attachments that go with my machine? I doubt I’ll use half of them but I love having them!

Dresses: Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, Burda, Kwik-Sew, Simplicity.

Jackets: Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, Burda, Kwik-Sew, Simplicity.

Separates: Vogue, Butterick, McCalls, Burda, Kwik-Sew, Simplicity.

Peony by Colette Patterns

I was just surfing and ran across the Peony by Colette Patterns. She must be an indie pattern maker – I’ve never heard of her but this is exactly the dress I had in mind for my Cour Four. I have beige and camel crepe that will sew up beautifully!

My initial plan is to go through my closets – both of them. All two of them! Needless to say, downsizing to live here was difficult. I’m moving this summer to be closer to my children so I don’t want to purge too much but it has to be workable in the meantime. Hopefully that will give me a little more space to stash stuff!

My kitchen is very small and I’m using every square foot already. My only other option is the bedroom – which currently houses a bookcase, my desk and printer stand, a big dresser and a queen sized bed with a nightstand. Cozy and comfortable but I have to work to keep it organized because clutter makes it look, and me feel disorganized.

My future plan is to give my son my desk, (I bought a laptop stand from Walmart for $15), and change my bed from a queen to a twin size. What do I need a queen size bed for? This will give me enough room to set up a small sewing area. In the meantime I’ll have to use the living room for my sewing machine, ironing board, fabric and notions. Can anyone say cluttered?

The best web resources I could find on organizing small sewing spaces have been: French Onion Find’s Organizing Small Sewing Spaces, Whipstitch Modern Sewing Organizing Your Sewing Space: Small Spaces, and eHow’s How to Organize for Sewing in 9 Square Feet.

Sewingsupport.com also has numerous free patterns for organizers on their website.

I didn’t press as often as I should have. To be honest, I doubt that I pressed much because I couldn’t figure out how to control the length of fabric. Now because of the internet, I can find tips to help with situations.

I’ve bought a few patterns, a few lengths of fabric and even bought a new sewing machine and promptly took it back to Walmart. I have two at home now – what was I thinking? Besides, the two I have are better made!

Now I need to refresh my memory about techniques. Through reading the Threads website and the ones mentioned above, I feel almost ready to start actually sewing.

My budget for sewing is almost nonexistent, hence the fabric from Walmart, the Euro Pro sewing machine, an old Kenmore cam and patterns that are inexpensive such as New Look and Simplicity It’s So Easy.

Regardless of the lack of money involved, I want the best results I can achieve through technique and wise fabric and pattern choices. I hesitate to spend more because at this point, I think quite a few will end up as wadders!

Why am I so reluctant to begin? I began sewing garments just as I turned a teenager. I sewed for my children and I. I sewed the wedding gown.

I think I’ll start with badly needed alterations of RTW!

Needless to say, it didn’t come with a manual and I’ve used a few sewing machines in my time. The accessories alone gave me nightmares when I tried to figure them out.

Simple to download a manual from the website, right? WRONG. As much as I searched, I couldn’t find one. Euro-Pro doesn’t even have a website any longer. Evidently it was taken over by Shark. At the bottom of their homepage, you’ll find a service/manuals link and a real time chat comes up. They emailed me this link (well, sort of…..the last part of the link anyway and I added the first part).

Voilla! After a few hours of searching for this manual and almost giving up – they sent me this: http://www.sharkclean.com/manual/6131A-_021E4G0102_E-S-F.pdf

I’m sure they would be happy to send you other manuals if you ask.

Happy Sewing