I wanted to share this awesome dress I made for a fun Party. Things has been super crazy at my house, and happy to announce I made time to sew :) . This is Burda 138 - a vintage piece in the 11/2012 Magazine.

The fabric is from Hancock, it's an ottoman with glitzy silver splashes. I can't remember ever sewing with this fabric, but I love it. It has a little…

Here's the fabric I made back in November....

Not having any…

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To keep up with orders on the world’s largest marketplace of handmade stuff, Kelly Engel starts sewing shortly after her four-month-old son wakes up at 4 a.m., and works until her husband, a school counselor, leaves at 7:30 a.m. She squeezes in a couple of hours while her two boys (her oldest is two and a half) nap in the afternoon. In the evenings, Engel returns to the sewing table until midnight, making the organic cotton baby…

I've created 2 vests:  1 for my grandson, and a matching one for the groom for the upcoming wedding... and as I did so, it occurred to me that perhaps this lining technique would be one some newer to sewing haven't learned.  Here's my 'version'.

Before I start, let me say that I drafted facings for the fronts and back neck area so that the lining would not come to the very edges along the neck and center front.  Those facings were interfaced on the boy's vest, and in addition to…

Rolled Hems - on a serger.  These are my 'tricks' for success.....  Learned from my years both selling sergers and teaching how to use them AND my own dressmaking…

This is always tricky - but successfully done - shows you really know how to 'boss the fabric' around!

The location of what you see is a pointed band under the bust on this apron I was making for my daughter.  Where the top of the point of the band meets the bust portion of the apron, is this 'Inside to Outside' Corner.

1.  Stitch right along the stitching line (5/8" in this case) on the uppermost portion of this 'corner, pivoting exactly at the corner'.  Clip right to the spot…

This is kinda basic, but something that I actually didn't really understand for years...until it was made clear to me by Claire Shaeffer when I had her to my shop years ago.  On this apron 'tie', the piece is folded, right sides together.  The fold is along the left hand side.  I stitched across one end, then up the long raw edge side.  Then it is turned right side out .....

BUT, you have to 'picture' the seam allowances once the piece is turned right side out.  The corners are NOT…

As I was making my dear daughter a new apron for Christmas - and the directions called for a 'narrow hem'.  Directions - if any more are given, usually say to "press under 1/4" then turn and press under 1/4" again and topstitch. 

Long ago - when making many silky type blouses in my custom dressmaking years, I came up with 'my way' of doing this - which I feel is MUCH easier - especially since you won't burn your fingers. 

1.  Fold the right side to the wrong side a generous…