So. Much. Piping! This crisp cotton blouse is adorned with hand-made mini piping tucked into most of its seams and edges. We adore this petite cording because of how subtly it lies, and also its flexibility: seams can move freely instead of sitting stiffly as they would with chunkier cording. When choosing a pattern, it was a must to play up the stripes by using them in a variety of directions. Sam's...
Most things 70s-inspired grab our attention! The re-issue of this vintage McCall's pattern was certainly the impetus for creating this blouse. Now to find just the right fabric and trim combination! We found this lovely cloth on a shopping trip to Illumination Fine Fabrics in Fort Worth, Texas. Cross-weave linen is usually a fine choice, but especially so when woven into this delicious shade of mauve-purple. Matching it up...
The granny square obsession lives on! You've likely seen them adorn things from sweaters, t-shirt sleeves, handbags to even shoes. Now, they're even printed on fabrics! When Fabric Godmother's shop offered this cotton lawn in not one, but two sizes of print, we zeroed in on the "Kika" dress pattern from Fibre Mood to showcase them both. If you purchase Fibre Mood's pattern magazine, twelve different patterns are included. What a cool deal! But, wait:...
100% wool trim is a rare bird. The character it carries through its ever-so-slightly fuzzy appearance and three-dimensional loft make it quite unique. We scooped up the woven wool cloth at one of our favorite fabric shops, Textile Fabrics (Nashville). It was the natural choice for this jacket. Waiting quietly in the wings was a few-year-old Anne Klein/Vogue pattern with just the right amount of curves and lapel interest. We modified the lower front hemline to...
A Southwestern trim trio in descending sizes brings some warmth to this swingy denim tunic! For easy attachment of the ribbons, the sleeve seams of this ready-to-wear shirt were opened up before stitching. This opening made for a nicer finish when the sleeve was sewn back, instead of lumpy ribbon turned under and stitched. The hems of each sleeve were also taken out to incorporate the frayed, faded edges into the design. Rather...
This chunky, wool-blend sweater knit had us smitten from the moment we laid eyes on it. Rolled onto a bolt about a mile thick, it leaned up against the wall at the Silhouette Pattern fabric shop in Dallas. This fabric begged to have its plaid pattern showcased both horizontally and on the bias. The Sewing Workshop's "Flatiron Coat and Jacket" pattern would allow for just this. The oversized patch pockets...
We aren't really sure if this is a cape, a wrap, a poncho, or a big oversized shawl, but any way you describe it, there needed to be an interesting way to finish off the yards of outer edges. The idea of something unconstructed struck our fancy while we searched for an interesting outerwear garment to utilize one of our absolute favorite trims: the much appreciated fold-over...
When we spotted this loosely-knit fabric at the fabric shop, it was the color that really spoke to us. The warm peacock blue intertwines with black yarn for a layered effect. Itch-to-Stitch's Cape Cod Capelet pattern fit perfectly with its loose, flowy form and minimal seams. Our suspicions about the persnickety nature of this knit, though, were quickly confirmed. Yikes! What a messy project this turned out to be. When cutting, pinning, sewing, or even just...
The Pauline pattern from Closet Core had been floating around in the back of our minds for some time! This project began with a Japanese knit jacquard fabric by Kokka, procured from Craft South in Nashville. Japanese fabric are known for their quality and lovely prints, but this knit was an exciting departure from the more common woven. Moreover, it would pair perfectly with our Aegean Blue...
All sorts of special treatments contributed to this flowy, butterfly-sleeve top. It began with the Named Ansa pattern, whose uniquely-curved bodice pined for the insertion of a tiny piping. We gathered the essentials for the project: neutral striped cotton/linen fabric with a hint of metallic gold; the Ansa pattern; tiny cording to create the piping; and perfectly-matched trim with its own hint of metallic gold. A few yards of the custom petite piping...
"I like your sleeves. They're real big." - Napoleon Dynamite The big sleeves of Vogue 1798 started the wheels turning on this mashup of fabrics, colors, trim, and a modified style. We discovered the cotton unexpectedly at a local quilt shop, and knew right away which trim would fit it. Using all three colors in which the floral was offered adds to the amusement! We inserted the Oat...
The Gemma sweatshirt pattern from Named Clothing had been resting in the pattern basket for some time. We had been patiently waiting until just the right knit made its appearance. As soon as this knit popped up at Silhouette Patterns, we knew it would be the perfect companion for the Gemma. Earth-tone flecks and gold lurex counterpoint a minty-green shade on a uniquely-varied texture. Flip the chunky side to...
So, there was this Vogue pattern that caught my attention, and at the same time there were all sorts of ribbon pieces rolled up on spools on the shelves of my sewing room. Marry the two, and this is what sprang forth. The pattern is a Vogue Koos van den Akkar jacket, number 1493. It has the coolest sleeves which cross and fold over themselves to...
Among our top three favorite embellishments is the unassuming and humble piping. Rounding out the standings are fold-over trims, and, depending on the season, a fun crochet lace; a sparkly mesh trim; or a vintage-style ribbon. This dress began with a tropical print whose adventurous color combination called us to consider the corded piping in green. As much as we enjoy a good Indie pattern, we ran across the not-so-recent...
This point d'esprit sat on a big bolt in a small, dimly-lit warehouse fabric store in Dallas. Its soft, weighty drape was too much to let lie. After sifting through patterns, we decided on McCall's 7742 and its many gathers to highlight the mesh. With this mesh-type fabric not being so stable, the search began for a companion piece...or two. To our delight, there was a plaid silk dupioni from "the stash" which coordinated nicely and added variety in...
Linen pants are always a must-have for summertime. We prefer them in all their natural wrinkled and lived-in-look glory. This particular pant was created from a soft glen plaid linen picked up at Textile Fabrics, a favorite fabric store in Nashville, TN. We knew this special fabric needed to be something soft and breezy, so decided to use a Vogue Marci Tilton pattern to create these run-around pants. It is always...
A Saturday afternoon shopping adventure found this double-gauze pheasant blouse. Though it was fine as-is, we are obsessed with embellishing all things, and knew we could make it more. Enter the "Loops Lace," which was stitched quickly around the bottom hem by machine with a small zig-zag stitch. And yes, our favorite notion, the stiletto, helped us in this process. After perusing our shelves for just one more...
Who says you need to use the same lace throughout on a garment? There is always something to be said about continuity, but flip that, and remember there is also something to be said about novelty as well. If you take a look at this flounce sleeve top you will see four different laces were used in its creation. An absolute favorite trim/treatment of Embellish is a...
Ideas come in a variety of sequences. Sometimes it starts with a fabric, other times with a pattern, and, oftentimes for us, it starts with a trim. The latter was the case here. The colors charmed us at first sight. After searching far and near to find the perfect fabric, we encountered the ideal fuzzy knit at one of our favorite haunts: Textile Fabrics in Nashville,...
There are those times. Those times when you have a purchased garment you want to add a little somethin'-somethin' to. Such is the case with this blouse. As it hung on the rack, the fun shape and interesting, puffy sleeves were apparent, but something was indeed missing. Enter multiple pieces of black trim, lace, and a few sparkly stone bees. The soft black entredeux lace around...
