On the Go 2.0 – Patterns byAnnie

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

#patternsbyannie, #bag, #handbag, #onthegopattern, #rubystarsociety

I have been enjoying all things strawberry this summer. I purchased a fat quarter bundle of strawberry fabrics by Kimberly Kight for Ruby Star Society while I was traveling through Delaware for the recent Mid Atlantic Shop Hop. I love these fabrics so much! I paired a few of the fat quarters with this pattern:

I’ve sewn up a number of patterns from byAnnie in the past, and I was never disappointed with the end result. The instructions are easy to follow; they offer free add-on videos for a number of their patterns; and the supplies are easy to find.

The pattern calls for 1/2 yard cuts of main, lining, and binding fabrics. Since I only had fat quarters, I used several different prints for my bag. It is a bit scrappy, but all the fabrics are from the same line, so they coordinate nicely.

I have quite a bit of bag hardware left from when I closed my Etsy shop in 2023. I did not want to buy supplies for my bag, so I used what I had on hand. The strap slider and the triangle rings are iridescent rainbow by Emmaline Bags, and the swivel hooks are nickel finish designer profile by Emmaline Bags.

The zippers are handbag zippers from byAnnie.

The front flap has a hidden magnetic closure. I did not have any magnetic closures from byAnnie or from Emmaline Bags. All I had on hand was an invisible magnet by Dritz. Trust me, don’t use that one. It is not strong enough to penetrate all those layers of fabric and foam. My completed bag would not stay closed *sigh* I ended up purchasing one of the the oh so powerful Emmaline Bags bar magnets from my local quilt shop. I had to perform tedious surgery on the inside of my bag and replace the Dritz magnet with the new bar magnet. It wasn’t pretty, but I patched it up and nobody will see it, but me. The flap on my bag now stays in place.

The flashy little berry charm is by Kate Spade. It was on a bag that my daughter gifted to me.

The back exterior features a nice size slip pocket, and the front flap exterior includes a smaller size slip pocket along with a large zipper pocket.

Underneath the flap, on the front exterior is a vinyl ID pocket.

The only interior pockets are three card slots. If I make another On the Go 2.0, I will add a narrow pen slip pocket. My pens fall to the bottom of the bag and I have to remove my wallet and sunnies to get to them.

All in all, this is a handy little bag to add to my handbag wardrobe. It can be worn as a cross body bag when you need your hands free; or it can be worn over the shoulder for everyday activities. If you are in the market for a new bag, I would encourage you to give this one a sew. I’m thinking of stitching up a lovely version using Tilda fabrics.

Let me know in the comments if you have sewn any byAnnie patterns.

A Year of Spools – Sew Sunny

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

#sewsunnyblock, #quilting, #sunflowerquiltblock, #shabbyfabrics

The local sunflowers are in full bloom and they are absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately, I did not plant sunflowers this year and I’m not sure why. LOL So I will enjoy my sunflowers indoors. This is my make from the Shabby Fabrics block of the month, A Year of Spools. The pattern suggests flipping the direction of each sunflower spool, but I chose to have both of my sunflowers in an upright position:

These kits contain all the fabric needed to cut and assemble the block. So I just rolled with it and stitched mine with the provided fabrics. There is a hanging sleeve on the back, and I also added one of my Sweetwater quilt labels:

The hanging sleeve is convenient if you are using a hanger such as an Ackfeld wire hanger. I keep mine on the wall in my sewing room.

But since this is actually sunflower season, I want to display my wall hanging in my dining area where I have a permanent quilt hanger mounted on the wall. This is an Amish quilt hanger that I purchased at a local quilt shop:

Whenever I walk through the dining room and see my new quilt block, I am reminded of what a great time of year this is. The mornings are noticeably cooler and the daytime temps are not skyrocketing.

Thank you for reading my blog and please leave a comment** if you are so inclined. I enjoy talking to you all.

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Sew House Seven – Remy Raglan

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

As I was out Shop Hopping, I visited a new store in Hagerstown, MD. Pink Peony Creations opened their brick and mortar store this past spring. They carry fabric that I don’t see at most of the shops around me. In addition to 100% cotton, they also stock some knits and linen. I purchased this Merchant and Mills organic cotton fabric because I’ve been wanting to sew a Remy Raglan by Sew House Seven and I thought the weight of this fabric would be a great match with the pattern. The fabric is 61″ wide, so I knew I would have plenty for pattern matching the plaid.

I sewed View #2 with short sleeves, which has a seam running down the front of the top, so I meticulously cut the pattern pieces so that seam would match up. Since it is front and center, I did not want the check pattern to be misaligned. I also matched the side seams while I was at it. Honestly, it took me longer to think about the pattern layout and overcome the fear of cutting into my fabric than it did to actually sew the top. LOL

The seam down the front of the top allows for an easy way to add this keyhole with button and loop closure. The pattern instructions are clear and easy to follow. The pattern rating is for confident beginner, and I would say that is an accurate rating (just don’t use a plaid fabric). The pattern also guides you through terrific finishing techniques so you do not have any exposed edges on the inside of the garment.

A bias binding strip is sewn to the neck edge, then the seam is clipped, the folded edge of the bias strip is brought to the inside, and it is sewn down. That bias strip will also finish off the loop seam on the inside of the garment. Here is a picture of that:

The interior of the top is just as lovely as the exterior:

The sleeve and side seams are finished with French seams.

I added a cute strawberry label by Sarah Hearts. The color match was pretty much spot on. It was as if the label was made to specifically coordinate with this fabric. I love that.

I just hemmed the sleeves and turned them up twice and tacked them down to keep the cuff in place.

I will use this top year round. The fabric is cool and comfortable for summer wear, and it is also lightweight enough that it does not add a lot of bulk under a sweater or jacket for fall and winter wear. All and all, IMHO, my new Remy Raglan is a winner.

Have you used Sew House Seven patterns? If so, please share with us which one(s) you have sewn and what your experience was. I have also sewn the Toaster Sweater (4 different times), and I love that pattern as well.

Thank you for reading and sharing. Have a great sewing week, dear readers.

Summer Shorts – Simplicity 9337

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 3 Comments

#simplicitypatterns #summersewing #memade #simplicity9337

This is a new to me pattern for unisex tops, shorts, and joggers. I purchased the red French terry fabric from University of Sewing. It is 95% cotton and 5% spandex. The recommended fabrics are knits such as cotton Lycra, jersey, and bamboo knits. Those knits are lighter weight than my French terry, but I went for it anyway. I will say that if you are planning to sew up this pattern, use a knit with similar weight to the recommended fabrics. Here is why:

See how the lower edge scoops up at the side and is a slightly longer length in back? That hem edge is completed by using front and back leg facing pieces. The written description on the pattern does not indicate this type of hem on the shorts. None of the line drawings show this type of hem on the shorts. And the actual photo on the pattern envelope does not show this hem. That said, I did notice the curve hem and the facing pieces when I was cutting the pattern. I went ahead and cut the pattern as it was printed on the tissue. When I sew a pattern for the first time, I like to sew the look that the designer intended for the pattern. As you can see from the above photo, my chosen fabric was waaaay too thick for this type of finish, but the length was also an issue. It finished just above my knee, which I knew it would, but being the glutton for punishment that I am, I figured I would just see how it looked for grins. I was NOT grinning. That’s not a flattering length on me at all. That, coupled with the thick fabric, made for a very ‘homemade’ looking pair of shorts. So here is what I did:

I sliced off almost 3 inches so I could serge the edge, turn up a 1 inch hem, and do two rows of topstitching to finish it off. So much better!

I eliminated the drawstring at the waist because I just don’t like the bulge from the drawstring to show under my top. I prefer a flat waist finish.

One of my favorite ways to wear my new shorts, is with my red and white striped tee that I made several years ago (it is the same Simplicity pattern that I shared in last week’s blog post). I liked these shorts so much, that I quickly sewed a second pair, but this time with a lighter weight knit fabric in blue.

Much to my dismay, the second time I wore them, I caught the leg on a rough piece of wood and ‘pulled’ the fabric. I thought about trying a fabric shaver to smooth off some of the roughness from the pulling. Have any of you ever used a fabric shaver on knit fabric? Please let me know your results. I really love this pair of shorts and I wear them quite often.

Here is a close up of the flat waistband in the front. The shorts have elastic inserted into a casing, but I like to put most of the bulk from the elastic in the back. I put less elastic at the front and I stitch in the ditch at the waistband side seams to catch the elastic between the layers and keep it in place.

I had some of the red French terry fabric left after sewing my red shorts, so I made the View B top. I like the length a lot. This top is a little warm to wear for the hot summer months, but it will be very comfortable for fall weather.

It has drop shoulders and features a loose fit. In a lighter weight fabric, it would drape very nicely. My version is close to the feel of wearing a sweatshirt.

Okay, dear readers, thanks for hanging with me through this lengthy review. I appreciate the time you spend with me and I enjoy reading your comments. Please let me know if you have any recommendations about the fabric shaver.

Two Summer Tees

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 6 Comments

First up is the Scout Tee by Grainline Studio. No, this is not a new sewing pattern. It has been around for some time, but this is one of my TNT patterns. I’ve sewn three other Scout Tees in the past several years and I find that I turn to them regularly throughout the summer months.

This green viscose fabric was on sale at Silhouette Patterns, and I knew I needed it. 🙂 Unfortunately, there was only one yard of this woven print left, but I purchased it anyway. When I bought it, I wasn’t certain what I would use it for, but once I received it I decided a Scout Tee was the perfect match for the fabric.

IMHO, tees are a perfect basic. They can be worn out like I am wearing it with my jean shorts, or it can be tucked in as I like to wear it with these black shorts. I like to use a rolled hem on my serger (overlocker) to finish off the sleeve hems on lightweight fabric such as this viscose. The rolled hem is also an easy, casual finish for a casual top.

I did a basic four thread overlock along the bottom hem, and then turned it under and top stitched with my sewing machine.

I’ve already worn this tee several times in the last couple weeks. It washes up nicely and does not need to be ironed when it comes out of the wash. That’s a bonus!

#simplicitypatterns, #silhouettepatterns

Next up is another TNT pattern. It is Simplicity 8376. This is a nothing special, run of the mill, quick to sew, knit tee pattern. But it is one that I turn to time and time again because I wear so many t-shirts in the summer.

I wanted to share this version with you for two reasons. Number one, I think the fabric is just so much fun. I also purchased it from Silhouette Patterns. It is a lightweight viscose knit fabric. And number two, I changed up the style of the t-shirt ever so slightly by adding lace to the back hem.

I’ve had this lovely lace in my stash for many, many years. I don’t even remember where I purchased it, but it is so very soft and pretty. I only had a small amount of it, so I just added it to the back hem of my t-shirt. I had originally planned to make a softly gathered ruffle hem along the back, but there was not enough lace to do that, so I simply laid it flat and straight stitched it down. In hindsight, that was probably a better choice anyway because the last thing I need to add across my backside is a full ruffle! Hee, Hee.

These two patterns make up my favorite choices for summer time tops. Next week, I will share a new shorts pattern with you. Do you have a favorite summer shorts or tee (or other style of top) pattern that you like to sew? I would love for you to share the pattern in the comment section. Who knows, you may inspire me to expand my summer sewing selection next year!

Stay in from the heat, dear readers, and I will meet you back here next Friday.

Sunflower Slope – On Wander Lane

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

This week I am sharing my most recent make for the On Wander Lane Mini Quilt Club through Shabby Fabrics. It is a nod to summer’s end with the orange-yellow of the lovely flowers. I’m leaving those flowers to your interpretation. They could be sunflowers, dahlias, marigolds, or whatever you see in them.

Since this is a pre-cut and pre-fused applique kit, my finished mini quilt does look like the photo. Go figure. Hee Hee

However, I decided to use a background quilting file (Wavy-1) from Kimberbell and I “quilted” this little design with my embroidery machine. I used the Kimberbell Project Batting and Glide thread #15315 (Smoke). It was a quick and efficient way to get this little project completed. I plan to finish out the other 10 club shipments in the same manner.

The back has a hanging sleeve and one of my labels from my subscription with Sweetwater.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today, sewing friends. If you are so inclined, please leave a comment**. I enjoy hearing from the sewing community.

Next week begins a couple weeks of sharing some quick, summer tops that I have stitched up recently. Enjoy what is left of July and I will meet you back here in August.

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Sewing Up Some Magical Make Believe

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 7 Comments

#booksleeve, #bookish, #sewing, #anotiontosew

Yep, it’s time for some Christmas prep. But before we get to the sewing dear readers, I want to share a story with you.

When I was a little girl growing up in Wyoming, our local library was located downtown. We lived in a subdivision toward the outer edge of town. Although my dad was an avid reader, he preferred to buy his books, so my parents were not ones to frequent the library,. Therefore, my trips to the library were few and far between, and I only received books as gifts for Christmas. I was a fan of the library because I could check out several books at one time to keep me busy reading for several weeks. The bookmobile would make a stop in our neighborhood once a month. It was an imaginary world at my fingertips every month. I like fiction. It takes me away from reality and gives my imagination encouragement to run. So when our local news reported that a new Barnes and Noble recently opened in a nearby town, I was all on board to travel over there to check it out.

IMHO, it is one of the nicest Barnes and Noble stores I’ve ever visited. It is updated with a modern mid-century vibe. The book sections are not lined up in rows, but rather they are organized in groups, with seating in each section. And the cafe is equipped with plentiful seating. While there, we picked up several books for our youngest granddaughter for Christmas. That purchase started me down my sewing rabbit hole (or unicorn flight, as the case may be). And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I purchased a couple books for myself as well. I am into the cozy mysteries.

I’ve been noticing book sleeves all over social media lately. My granddaughter is all about unicorns right now. So I stitched up a couple book sleeves for her new books. The cotton poplin fabric is from Spoonflower. It was pretty much a perfect weight fabric for this project. I used Kona cotton for the purple lining and I sandwiched By Annie Soft and Stable Foam between the outer fabric and the lining. I quilted straight lines on the smaller (8″ x 10″) book sleeve; and I left the larger (10″ x 12″) book sleeve plain, without quilting.

To add another item to her bookish Christmas gift, I made a small boxy bag with some of the leftover fabric.

I again used foam between the outer fabric and the lining, but the lining is PLU food safe fabric.

I will buy some fun, little goodies such as crayons, markers, colored pencils, erasers, bookmarks, etc. to fill her bag. But since the lining is food safe PLU, she can have mom help her wipe down the inside with warm soapy water and she can carry snacks inside her boxy bag.

The inside does not have any raw edges and is easy to clean.

The ends of the bag have a small pull tab to make it easier for her to zip and unzip her bag.

Remember, sewing friends, if you are gifting handmade items this Christmas, it is not too early to start sewing those gifts! Let me know what you are planning to sew for the special people in your life.

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Hiding in Plain Sight – A Civil War Era Inspired Quilt

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

#quilting, #anotiontosew, #quilts

I learned a lot in making this quilt. The pattern is from the book Beyond the Battlefield, 14 Scrappy Civil War Quilts. Each quilt pattern is accompanied by the story of a heroic woman who played a role in America’s Civil War.

I participated in a class at one of my local quilt stores. We learned to use our Accuquilt Dies to cut all the pieces for the blocks. The class was designed for the 8″ Cube, but I own the 9″ Cube, so my quilt ended up just a bit larger than the others in the class. The finished dimensions of my quilt are 90″ x 90″.

I quilted it with free motion quilting. I’m not sure what the design is called, but I just call it wonky figure eights. I used nice, large quilting motions so the stitching would not be too dense. I was going for a soft, drapeable feel.

I used various fabrics from a curated fat quarter bundle. The fabrics are from various artists and various manufacturers.

I wanted a small coordinating throw to fold and display on top of my new quilt at the foot of my bed, so I made this soft, cuddly little blanket. I used Luxe Cuddle Paws fabric from Shannon Fabrics. And for the reverse side, I used flannel.

My little friend, Wolfgang, gave it a big paws up!!!

As always, I am very appreciative of the time you take to read my blog. Please leave a comment**. I enjoy hearing from sewing and quilting friends and I value your thoughts.

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Happy Independence Day, America!

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July 4th is upon us, and here in the U.S. we celebrate Independence Day. Red, white, and blue are the colors of the season. I’ve been sorely lacking in handmade items to display around my home in celebration of the season. So this year, I sewed up three new home dec pieces. This first one is from A Year in Spools block of the month from Shabby Fabrics.

About four years ago (while we still lived in Utah), I purchased a kit for this Kimberbell Sweet Land of Liberty pillow. I decided it was time to get it embroidered and displayed in my home. I love it!

And my final new make for the season is this mini quilt from the Shabby Fabrics On Wander Lane Mini Quilt Block of the Month. So cute!

If you are in the United States, I pray you have a safe and enjoyable Independence Day. If you are not in the United States, I pray your July 4th is safe and enjoyable as well.

Thank you for stopping by to take a peek at some of my summer makes. I appreciate the time you take to read my blog. I leave you with a gorgeous Hydrangea from my garden. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you celebrate any national holidays, and share with me what you have made to add a festive touch to your home.

Scrappy Sunshine Quilt

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

I sewed this quilt in 2024 as a free sew along with Sew Very Easy on YouTube. It was a mystery block of the month. If you want to stitch up this quilt, the sew along is still on the Sew Very Easy channel.

I used mostly fabrics by Lori Holt, but the white (with teeny tiny yellow circles) background fabric is Basin Feedsacks by Stacy West. The red is a Kona Solid.

I believe the quilt finished up around 72″ square. I used a Lori Holt wide back and did some basic freemotion quilting with my Block Rockit. My new quilt is at home in our guest room.

Thank you for stopping by. Happy Sewing!

What’s Sewing On – March 2024

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 3 Comments

Happy Resurrection Day (Matthew 28:1-10), Sewers!

My kitchen needed a Spring refresh, so I added a couple new pot holders to my cooking supplies. These sweet little chicken hot pads are stitched from some Lori Holt fabric.

I used elements from the Lori Holt Cookbook Panel to sew up these quick hot pads. The panel is perfect for pot holders because it is lightweight canvas and is a bit heavier that quilting fabric. When I closed my Etsy shop last year, I had some inventory left. If you are interested in one of the Cook Book kitchen panels, send me an email and I will send you info about the panel along with a great price.

I wanted to experiment a bit with my Ditto Pattern Projector, so rather than following the square pot holder cut lines on the panel, I downloaded the rounded corner pot holder pattern from Ditto. The pattern has two pieces, which I arranged to fit over the chicken for the front of the pot holder, and over the mustard color print for the back of the pot holder. I used my rotary cutter to cut the two pieces.

Then I projected the pattern pieces on my batting and insul fleece to cut those pieces as well.

After straight line quilting the front, back, batting, and insul fleece layers together, I finished off the pot holders with some Lori Holt 1/2″ Bias Tape. This was a quick, easy, and useful project.

I also quilted my wall hanging/table topper that I talked about in my February blog post.

I chose a combination of stippling and circles free motion quilting for the background. And to make the chicks stand out a little, I used a simple floral stencil for their bodies. Since they are not quilted as densely as the rest of the wall hanging, they show up as a bit ‘puffier’ than the rest of the project.

The backing fabric is by Lori Holt and the quilt label is from my Sweetwater Tagged monthly quilt label subscription.

The last project I completed this month was the next set of blocks for the Sew Very Easy – 2024 Block of the Month, Scrappy Sunshine. We made twenty four 6 1/2″ quarter snowball blocks.

I also chose to stitch the leftover corners into twenty four 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ blocks for the extra project that Laura will be showing at the end of the sew along.

As some of you already know, we moved to the east coast from Utah last summer. My husband gifted this great barn quilt to me a few years ago. It was hanging on my cute little she shed in Utah. I do not have a cute shed at my new home, so I chose to hang it on this corner of our side deck where it would be visible from the street. I love the homey feel it gives to our yard.

We are traveling for one week in April and I also have garden tasks to accomplish, but I have so many grand sewing plans! I am excited to see what April holds. 🙂

Have a Happy Easter and keep sewing!!!

What’s Sewing On – February 2024

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Happy Almost Spring, Sewers! February was not an overly productive sewing month for me. But I do have a couple little items to share with you.

I sewed up the four patch blocks for the Sew Very Easy – 2024 Block of the Month, Scrappy Sunshine. We started with 288 two and a half inch squares (144 white and 144 multi color). That gave us a total of 72 four and a half inch blocks.

It’s not too late to join the Scrappy Sunshine block of the month. Click here for a link to the introduction video. The best part of the block of the month is that it is free and it helps use up scraps. If you are also participating in the Scrappy Sunshine block of the month, please leave me a comment and let me know what colors you are using.

I purchased the Cupid Box 2024 Limited Edition Mystery Quilting Box from Fat Quarter Shop. It had several fun little items in it. It featured the project instructions and fabric for this sweet table topper.

The sampler box also included a small bag of pink, white, and red buttons of various sizes. For the little bird beaks, I added a couple of heart buttons that were included.

I used some Lori Holt fabric that I had on hand for the backing. I do not have my table topper quilted yet, but I plan to quilt it this month.

I am earnestly trying to not purchase more kits because I have so many in my stash, but I have absolutely no self control!!! I picked up the new Kimberbell Ladder Quilt Machine Embroidery book and CD, the embellishment kit, and the fabric kit from Sew n Sweep in Westminster, MD. I am hoping to start this one soon because I really would like to have it done before the end of the year.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and to comment. I appreciate all of you very much. Until next month, Happy Sewing.

What’s Sewing On – January 2024

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 6 Comments

Hello Sewers! I bid farewell to 2023 and ushered in 2024 with this last-minute machine embroidery, small table runner. I needed a small table runner in Christmas-themed colors for my entryway table, so I used the December Kimberbell ME Time monthly embroidery shipment to put together this little table runner. I did not follow the instructions for any of the included projects because I had to make this one to fit my entry table. I embroidered 12 of the small (4″) blocks to assemble three 8″ blocks for my table runner. I added sashing and borders to finish it off, and I am quite pleased with it. It is the perfect size.

To machine quilt all the layers together, I outlined the blocks and borders with a straight stitch, and then I used this scallop stitch on top of the borders.

All of the fabric is from the December kit. I completed this little runner on Christmas Eve.

Michaels had a great sale on these storage cases that I like to use to organize the fabric that I have cut to prep for my quilt making projects. They were $2.99 each, so I picked up several to add to my supply.

This is how I like to use the storage containers. I cut all the pieces for my quilty project and then stack them in the container so they are ready to go when I have a chance to sit down and sew.

These are the pieces I need for a YouTube sew along in which I am participating this year. It is hosted by Laura at Sew Very Easy. The quilt is a mystery. We do not know as we sew each month what it looks like. I am making the scrappy version using fabrics that I already had in my stash. All of the fabric is by Lori Holt except the solid red (which is Kona cotton) and the white background fabric (which is Basin Feedsacks by Stacy West).

After cutting and labeling (Laura was kind enough to include cut apart labels with the instructions) all my fabric pieces, I add the instruction sheet on top so I know which project is in this container. Laura will post a new section of the mystery quilt each month. If you want to sew up your scraps, come join the fun on the Sew Very Easy YT channel. It is free and it is not too late to start.

I started a quilt from Charm School this month. It will be a WIP for a couple months, I only have 12 of the 42 blocks made so far.

Again, I store all my cut pieces in this handy container from Michaels.

My final quilty start this month is a small mini quilt by Sandy Gervais. I just received my 2024 Limited Edition Cupid Box from Fat Quarter Shop. This is the project included in the box. I am hoping to complete it before Valentine’s Day, but that will remain to be seen. I am still busy painting and making our new (pre-owned) home ours, so that is occupying a lot of my time.

I did manage to stitch up one piece of clothing this month. It is the Toaster Sweater by Sew House Seven. I am not going to do a review of the pattern because I have already done one on my blog. I needed another long sleeve top for winter, and this is one of my favorite patterns.

The fluffy, pink fabric is from Joann Fabrics. It is actually called Pink Fluffy Knit Fabric by POP! At first glance it looks like a bath towel or robe. LOL I believe it is marketed for young girls, but c’mon, who can resist that lovely bubblegum pink color and the softness of this great fabric? It is very fluffy (as the name indicates). I used my rotary cutter to cut the pieces, just as I do for most knits.

I find my serger/overlocker to be invaluable when sewing knits. If you choose to sew something in this fabric, I would recommend you use the extra presser foot lift on your serger to get the fabric up under the presser foot and to get a nice start to your seam to avoid the fabric bunching up as it tries to fit itself up under the presser foot. Other than that, I did not experience any problems sewing this fabric. It can be done with a domestic machine, but it would be beneficial to finish off the seams with a zig zag stitch because this fabric ‘sheds’ little bits of fiber everywhere. I have worn and washed my Toaster Sweater several times since making it, and it does not shed.

Okay, friends, that’s all I have for this month. Are you sewing any seasonal items? If so, I would love to hear what you are sewing right now. Please share with all of us in the comment section. Until next month, Happy Sewing!

Christmas Decorating with Machine Embroidery

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 3 Comments

Merry Christmas Sewers! Pour your favorite beverage and sit back and enjoy the photos of my machine embroidery decorated Christmas home. For most of the projects, I used machine embroidery designs from Kimberbell (they’re just sew darn cute and easy). This is one of the table toppers from Kimberbell Cuties Seasonal Table Toppers Vol. 1

The little snowman head is a sewing pattern by Nancy Halvorsen.

This oldie but goodie wall hanging was a quilt along on Lori Holt’s blog back in 2014. It is not machine embroidery. It uses pieced blocks.

To add a handmade touch to my fireplace mantel, I used a vinyl phrase and a woodland-style garland.

The cute little critter garland is from the Kimberbell Heart-Felt Friends collection.

For the “wonderful winter” phrase, I cut removable vinyl with my Cricut maker. The phrase is from Cricut Design space.

Another removable vinyl design that I added to my winter decor is this sweet snowman. It was difficult to get a nice photo because my refrigerator reflects the images in the room.

My Jingle All the Way quilt hangs in the entryway to greet guests at the front door.

I appreciate all the details that Kimberbell adds to their machine embroidery designs.

This 3 tier tray is a favorite of mine from last Christmas (2022). It sits here on my dining table on top of a small pieced and quilted topper that I sewed up for my mom in 2010. The memory of sewing that table topper and gifting it to her, makes it feel like she is present here with me at Christmas.

These Kimberbell embroidery hoop frame designs give my prim style tree a touch of modern Christmas whimsy

Thank you all for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed the handmade decoration tour. If you celebrate the birth of our Lord, I pray that you have a blessed, Merry Christmas. And to all of my readers, you are in my thoughts often.

What’s Sewing On . . .December 2023

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 6 Comments

Hello Sewers! It has been a whirlwind year here at A Notion to Sew. In a nutshell: my hubby retired in April, we traveled back east to look at possibly moving across country, our daughter offered to buy our house in Utah after her house sold, her house sold very quickly and we kicked into high gear to vacate our house, we were in our new home in the eastern U.S. by early July, and the rest of this year has been spent updating, upgrading, and changing parts of our new home to make it our own. After 23 years in one place, I thought our roots were in Utah, but I was wrong. 🙂

I closed my Etsy shop in mid June. I still have some inventory from the shop, so if you are in the market for bag making hardware, patterns, or Riley Blake fabric, send me a message and I will rummage through the boxes to see what I have in stock (all items are new and in unopened original packaging). You will receive a discounted price on your purchase as well.

Needless to say, I have not accomplished much sewing this year. But I do have a few life photos to share with you:

October was a gorgeous month to spend apple picking and pumpkin patch visiting in lovely Harford County Maryland. Above photo – our granddaughter is the navigator as her grandpa provides her wagon transportation to the pumpkin patch.

One of my most favorite sights is the barn quilts in this area of the country.

We live in a small town, but we are blessed with a great Bernina dealer nearby. I did manage to take a rope bowl class and I sewed up this beauty for a gift. Of course, after I filled it, wrapped it, and shipped it, I realized I forgot to snap a photo of the entire bowl! This is a close up of the exterior and the upper braided rim.

Here is a shot looking down inside the rope bowl. . .

I also managed to embroider the table runner from the Kimberbell October ME Time kit.

There are several quilting/sewing machine/fabric stores within an hour of our location. This is a quilt store between Gettysburg, PA and Chambersburg, PA. Why would you not want to stop at a store with that huge, colorful barn quilt on the side of the building!

Here are a couple photos of President and Mrs. Eisenhower’s home at Gettysburg:

Thank you for hanging with me in my social media absence. I appreciate all of you.

Cottage Shirt by The Sewing Workshop

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

Hello Sewing Friends!

The colorful shirt I am wearing is the Cottage Shirt from The Sewing Workshop. The pattern is available in printed format, or in digital format.

Back in early June, Sewing expert Linda Lee made a video detailing this pattern and fabric. The Sewing Workshop was offering the fabric, buttons, and thread as a kit, so I thought I would give it a try. It reminds me of a camp shirt and I used to wear a lot of camp shirts in the late 1980’s. 😉

It sews up into a very full, boxy shirt. That is how the pattern is intended to finish. So don’t expect a fitted, body con button up.

The shirt features a six-button closure, collar with a stand, arm bands, a yoke and an extra deep bottom hem with side vents..

For a video review, lots of chatter about color analysis, and more views of the shirt, head to my You Tube channel:

Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate my readers very much. If you are so led, please leave a comment.

Simplicity 9471 – Cropped Pants

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

Hello Sewers! I am back today with a review of Simplicity Pattern #9471. The pattern description is: Cropped pants with front zipper and elasticized back waistband, belt carriers and yokes and three pocket variations. Pant hems are wide or pegged with back hem darts.

I made View C which has the pegged hem and ALL the details. Every time I wear these pants, my husband comments about how much he likes them. He says they remind him of a pair that I had when I was in high school. That was in the very early 1980’s!

You can get a better idea of the shape, style, and details of this pattern from Simplicity’s Website

Personally, I like these pants with a bit shorter top. Not a crop top, but definitely shorter than a tunic or tee. The top I am wearing is the Cielo Top by Closet Core Patterns and the fabric I used is from Needle Sharp.

I used a 7 oz. denim fabric from Joann Fabrics. Since the fabric is 100% cotton, I prewashed it in warm water and dried it on high heat before I cut the pattern pieces. After I finished the pants, they seemed just a bit baggy in the waist and hips, but after a couple more washings, the fit is spot on.

The opening of the front pockets falls right about the crease of my leg. They are definitely lower than a standard pair of pants. The front pockets are nice and large, and they are actually at a convenient location.

There are two back pockets and a side leg pocket (kind of like a pair of painter’s pants).

There is a fly front closure. I used a jeans hardware kit for my zipper and button.

The back features an elastic waistband and there are belt carriers around the waistband.

I posted a video review of this pattern on my YouTube channel:

Thank you so much for spending time with me, my friends. Please let me know if you have sewn this pattern, or if you have a favorite crop pant pattern.

What’s Sewing On . . .July 2022

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 5 Comments

Hello Sewers! I set aside my personal sewing plans this month so I could focus on stitching up some inventory for my handmade shop. I’ve been busy sewing these oh so useful snack bags.

The outside of each bag features a lovely cotton print fabric and a beautiful solid vinyl. These sweet bags are lined with food safe PUL fabric so they are easy to clean. You can feel comfortable using them for veggies, fruit, chips, or yes, candy. LOL Simply pull the lining out through the top of the bag and wipe it down with a dish cloth and dish soap. Dry with a dish towel and then also allow to air dry overnight. Your bag will be all clean and dry and ready to re pack in the morning.

While snack bags are something we think about using with children or grandchildren, they are not the only ones who benefit from a handy snack. These snack bags are terrific to take to quilting or sewing classes, to accompany you on a road trip, or to toss in your beach bag or in with your ski gear if you are heading into the great outdoors for the day. They are also perfect to fill with treats for Fido.

The handmade shop will be restocked with these and other goodies in September. What would you stash in your snack bag?

Thank you for sharing some of your time with me today.

What’s Sewing On . . .June 2022

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

Happy Summer, Sewing Friends!

Do you find you create more in the summer than in the winter? Or, do you create less in the summer than in the winter? I find my create time slows down in the summer because I spend a lot of time in the yard and the garden during the summer months. That said, I do still have a bit of progress on several items that I would like to share with you. So come on in and look around for a bit. You are welcome here.

First up is this machine embroidery quilt that I finally started – I’ve had the kit for about two years! This is the Vintage Boardwalk quilt by Kimberbell. I am not even half done with all the cute blocks that go into this quilt, but I’ll keep plugging along and by golly I will complete it in the future (hopefully this year).

Before I do any embroidery for the applique blocks, I back the fabric with fusible SF101. I like to use my heat press to adhere the SF101 to the fabric. By using my heat press, I can fuse several pieces of fabric at one time. I find that interfacing applied this way does not peel up at the corners like it does when I use my household iron. It’s also a great time saver.

I’m also embroidering the background quilting before embroidering the applique. This way it becomes a quilt as you go project. The background quilting designs are from Kimberbell and they are sized to fit their various applique block sizes. Yet another time saver! I love that.

Second, I actually completed a cross stitch design. Now all I have to do is mount it to foam board and frame it. I should have the completed project to show you in my July update. The pattern is Stitchy Stars by Lori Holt.

Third, I completed all the little tiny blocks for a small wall hanging. The pattern is Heritage by Betsy Chutchian. I just need to arrange the blocks in a way that is to my liking, then I will quilt it, bind it, and hang it on the wall.

My fourth, and final sewing update this month is a pair of pants from this new Simplicity pattern.

Here is a peek at what my test muslin looks like. I will discuss my thoughts about this pattern in my next blog post. Suffice it to say, I really like the pattern. I will tweak it just a bit before I sew up another pair. Stay tuned for my review.

That’s it for my June edition of What’s Sewing On . . . I must head back to my sewing machine as I am busy sewing up some items to add to my summer wardrobe. Do you sew for the seasons?

Until next time – thank you so much for visiting today.

The Miranda Tote

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 6 Comments

The Miranda Tote is a quick, satisfying sew. The instructions are well written, and as a bonus, Sallie Tomato has a sewing tutorial on You Tube. So if you are fairly new to bag making, this might be a good option for you.

The finished dimensions are 11.5″ wide x 12″ high x 5″ deep. That’s a good size tote! Here I have it loaded up with some orders from my shop. Time to head to the post office!

The bag features a recessed zipper top closure to keep your contents secure. I used a Sallie Tomato zipper by the yard in white with rose gold zipper teeth.

I added a rose gold sewing machine zipper pull for a cute touch.

And a copper zipper end gives a polished finish to the zipper as well as stability when pulling the zipper closed.

After inserting the lining and turning the bag right side out, I added a plexiglass insert into the bottom of the bag between the lining and the outer bag. This gives lots of stability when the bag is full. No saggy bottom!!!

I simply purchase a small piece of plexiglass at my local Home Depot and my husband uses his table saw to cut it to the size I need. He then rounds the corners with his sander so they don’t poke through the fabric in my bag. I insert it through the opening that I left in the lining, then I hand stitch the lining closed.

There are four rose gold, bucket style bag feet on the bottom of my bag. I used a small piece of foam stabilizer on the wrong side of the cork. Once I inserted the prongs of the bag feet through the cork and foam, I added some Gutermann Creativ glue to the prongs and foam for extra security.

I sewed up the bag just as the instructions indicated with a single pocket on one side of the lining and a double pocket on the opposite side of the lining. One thing I would change in my next bag, is that I would add SF101 (or similar) interfacing to the inner pockets. The pattern does not call for interfacing on these pattern pieces (piece M and piece N), but I would highly recommend interfacing them. Without interfacing, the pockets are somewhat ‘floopy’.

The outside front of the bag has two large slip pockets. Those pockets don’t seem to need interfacing. They keep their shape just fine. I used Soft and Stable from byAnnie to give structure to the body of the bag. I used rose gold rivets to give added security to the stitched on handles. The handles are only 1/2″ wide. I find that size handle to be just a bit narrow for this size bag. My next one will have about 3/4″ to 7/8″ wide handles.

I used turquoise cork for my main fabric; quilting cotton from Minki Kim’s Hidden Cottage line for the outer pockets; and quilting cotton from Minki Kim’s Someday line for the lining. My Baby Lock Destiny II does not like to sew through cork, foam, and cotton, so I used my old Viking Mega Quilter to stitch my bag together.

All in all, this is a terrific tote. I highly recommend this pattern for confident beginner sewers to experienced sewers.

Thank you for spending some of your day with me today, sewing friends. Please leave me a hello in the comment section.

A Masculine Quilt

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

When my uncle flew out for a visit last fall, we took an RV trip to Idaho. Of course, any good RV trip involves some shopping – namely, fabric shopping! We came upon a lovely local quilt shop in Rupert, Idaho. Not only was the quilt shop lovely, but the little town was just as lovely. In the window of the quilt shop was a simple but attractive masculine style quilt.

My uncle was drawn to those muted primary colors and the basic style of the blocks. I had my husband distract him while I quickly purchased the fabric – two layer cakes in “Branded” by Sweetwater. This was to be a secret Christmas present for my favorite uncle.

The quilt top went together quickly as I just stitched together 10 rows of 8 squares each. Then I added a 4 inch border around the entire quilt. I made the border using a jelly roll of Wilmington Fabrics Essential Gems in Cookie Dough.

I quilted it with a quick all over stipple stitch and I added straight line quilting on the borders.

Thank you for reading my blog and please leave a comment.

Happy Sewing, Friends!

Silhouette Patterns #820 – Brenda’s Hoodie

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 1 Comment

Like all the clothing that I have sewn from Silhouette patterns, this hoodie pattern has a good fit. For sizing, I cut a size 3 in the shoulders, bust, and waist, but I graded out to a size 4 at the hips. In hindsight, it was not necessary to grade up. Next time I will cut a straight size 3 because the sizing is not closely fitted. It is not a loose or boxy fit either. I would say it is semi-fitted.

I have shopped on QVC for years and years and years. They use four descriptive representations for style of fit: performance fit, slim fit, fitted, and semi-fitted. Their definition for semi-fitted is “follows the lines of the body with added wearing ease”. That is an accurate description of this hoodie style.

There are supposed to be pockets on the hoodie, but alas, my pockets are still on my sewing machine table! If you decide to sew one of these fantastic hoodies for yourself, please be aware that the pattern instructions left out the step to add the pockets. (I explain in greater detail in my video below)

The fabric I used is Soft Gauze Texture Sweater Knit in Petal from Stylemaker Fabrics. It is no longer available in the Petal color, but they do have other colors still in stock. The fabric is just slightly sheer. If you take a look at my dress form photos, you can see the dark bra that I put underneath my hoodie.

You can pretty much choose how long you want to make the zipper. My zipper ends just shy of the bottom band of my bra. The pattern features knit bands at the wrists and two knit bands to finish off the bottom length. The back band is a bit longer than the front band giving your hoodie nice backside coverage.

In addition to wearing a tee underneath my hoodie, I have a couple other styling options to share with you:

For a day of running errands, grocery shopping, etc. I will pair it with my black Paola turtleneck and a pair of skinny jeans.

When I want to dress it up a bit, I will wear it over my RTW lace hem tank and a pair of black leggings.

All in all, I consider this a successful make and it will see a lot of use in my wardrobe this fall and winter.

Here’s my video review:

Thank you stopping by my little corner of the sewing blog world. As always, I enjoy reading your comments. Please let me know you are out there sewing with me.

New Look #6683 – Sweater Dress

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 1 Comment

Baby it’s cold outside! Time for sweater dresses. This is one of the new Fall 2020 releases from New Look patterns. It features dropped shoulders and ribbed cuffs on the sleeves. There are two views from which to choose: View A – short stand up neck and patch pockets OR View B – cowl neck and side seam pockets. I chose to sew View A.

The neckline on my dress doesn’t stand up as straight as the pattern photo shows, but that is because my fabric has a substantial drape. If I were to sew this again with this same fabric, I would interface the neck piece so it would have more stability. That said, it still looks good and does not affect the wearability of the dress.

The neckline from View A allows for bold jewelry or scarves to be added without interfering with your accessories:

I chose the size 16, but I wish I would have gone with the 14. My dress fits great in the hips, but it is big in the bust/armhole area. If I sew another dress from this pattern, I will go down a size in the shoulder and bust area and just grade up a size toward the hips. I will also add bust darts, which would give the upper body some nice shaping.

The fabric is a boucle sweater knit from Stylemaker Fabrics (from last season).

All in all, I consider this a successful make and I plan to wear it throughout the winter.

If you are interested, I posted a video on my YT channel:

I would love to hear your thoughts on sewing with sweater knits. Please leave a comment.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Silhouette Patterns #719 – DVF’s Blouse & A Giveaway

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Here is what I sewed with the fabric from my #sewhayleyjane subscription box. I needed a blouse to coordinate with my RTW skirt and jacket. I’ve been wearing a simple white tee with this outfit, but I wanted to step it up a notch. This blouse does the trick.

Believe it or not, this is a pullover style blouse! No snap, no zips, no buttons. I sewed the bust darts and the vertical waist darts on the front, but I chose to eliminate the vertical waist darts on the back.

Since the fabric is 100% cotton, I prewashed it in warm water and dried it on medium heat. After I cut all the pattern pieces, I used a three thread narrow overlock to finish the edges of all the except the neck seam and the sleeve edge where the cuff is attached.

The pattern has good instructions and the fit is spot on. This was a satisfying sew and I am so glad to add this blouse to my wardrobe.

Here’s my video with an additional review of this pattern. I am also doing a giveaway. The instructions on how you can enter the drawing are in the video.

Thank you for reading my blog and be sure to enter the giveaway.

Happy Sewing!

#SewHayleyJane Box and A New Quilt

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

Do you subscribe to any sewing or quilting boxes? For my first dive into the subscription sewing box world, I tried the Sew Hayley Jane box. It offers a smattering of goodies for both garment sewing and for quilting.

Here is a video of the unboxing:

If I am honest, my first impression was “okay”. Those were not fabrics I would have chosen, but the whole premise is that the contents are a surprise.

Ater I had time to ponder uses for the fabric, I shared my thoughts (and a new quilt) in a follow up video:

The quilt pattern is from the book titled Charm School by Vanessa Goertzen. It is called “Rock Star” and is 69″ x 81″. I used fabric by Cyndi Walker called Serenade. I still have a few of those fabrics available in my shop, if you are interested.

Thank you for reading my blog today, I appreciate that you take time out of your busy day to take a peek at what I’ve been sewing. I am a bit of an eclectic sewer – I sew a myriad of items depending on what I have A Notion to Sew at any given time. Do you stick to a plan for sewing? Do you generally have one sewing focus (i.e. garments, quilts, toys, home dec, etc)? Or, are you like me, all over the place? LOL

Please drop a note to say hello. I enjoy reading your comments.

Sewing Workshop Noto Tee

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The Sewing Workshop offers a year-long series titled Sew Confident. With the series commitment, you receive a monthly digital magazine, 4 exclusive digital patterns, and access to a private Sew Confident Facebook community along with several additional perks. If you are interested in checking out the Sew Confident Tutorial Series, you can find it here.

The digital magazine is worth the price of admission! 🙂 It includes gorgeous photography, helpful sewing and style articles, and the current pattern instructions, changes, and helpful tips.

The Noto Tee is one of the four digital patterns for Series 9. The patterns are added to your account once every three months. The digital magazine give you style and fabric inspiration along with sewing instructions for your pattern. Then, each month between pattern releases, you will get instructions on how to change up the original pattern. The original Noto Tee is a shorter length, no side slits, and it has a crew neckline.

The version I am showing you today is a twist on the original pattern. It has a V neck, is a longer length, and has a slightly modified side seam. I am so very happy with this version of the Noto Tee.

I unashamedly copied the exact fabrics from The Sewing Workshop’s digital magazine. I love them so much!

The side seam is adjusted to gradually come forward as it approaches the stomach and hip area. I added an extra inch to the length on the back of my tee.

And can I just say, I love a good V neck style.

For a closer look at both versions (the original and this new V neck style) head on over to my YouTube channel:

I would really enjoy hearing your thoughts. Please leave a comment below and let me know what you are sewing.

Patterns by Annie Project Bags 2.0

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

In addition to sewing and crochet, I also enjoy cross stitch. I usually toss my current cross stitch project in a basket or plastic zipper bag. Somehow those methods of storage seem to bother me. Perphaps it is because I can sew and I feel a bit guilty about using such conventional means for storage solutions!

When Patterns by Annie released their new, updated version of the Project Bags pattern, I ordered it immediately to stock in my Etsy shop.

I started a sweet little fall cross stitch project a few weeks ago, and whilst listing this pattern in my shop and holding it in my hand, I had an epiphany! Make one of these in which to carry my cross stitch supplies! (I bet you already knew that’s where I was going with this story)

Here it is housing my fall stitchery:

The pattern includes instruction for four sizes. I stitched up the size large and I explain my reasoning in the below video. The background (mermaid fabric) is from a previous project. Oh, and I made that cute tassel with my granddaughter.

For a closer look at this handy project bag, click on the video below:

Thank you for stopping in for a visit, my sewing friends. I would really enjoy hearing from you so please leave a comment.

Until next time, Happy Sewing!!!

Silhouette Patterns #120: Patty’s Princess Seam Top

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

Here’s my test version of this princess seam top. Overall I’m quite pleased with the outcome. The color washes me out a bit, but that has nothing to do with the pattern and everything to do with the fabric. 🙂 BTW, the fabric is a medium weight, stable knit from Joann Fabrics.

I sewed a size 3, and the pattern calls for 2 yards of 60″ wide fabric. This is how I laid out my pieces. I did not measure the length of fabric, but I know it did not use 2 yards. I’m guessing it was about 1 1/3 yards of fabric.

I always use my quilting ruler to measure from the straight of grain pattern line to the fold of my fabric so I don’t get any garments that hand with a skewed drape.

These odd little marks are on the side back pattern piece along the princess seam edge. I’m not sure for what they are to be used. There is no indication on the instruction sheet and this is the only pattern piece on which they showed up. I just ignored them!

The sleeve pattern has a dart, which was an interesting addition that I’ve not come across until now. Here is what it looks like when finished:

I discuss the arm dart more in my YT video. There is a link at the end of this post.

The neckband is attached in a continuous loop, then the “V” is made by sewing a small dart into the band. Here is a look at the inside of the neckband where that dart is sewn:

When you sew the dart, be careful to sew ONLY the neckband being careful to not catch any of the garment under neath your presser foot (do not go past the seam line or you will have a pucker at the point of the “V” – trust me, I speak from experience.

Thread sinks into knit fabric and it is a real challenge to pick out stitches without making a hole in the fabric (see example above) *sigh*.

This is an easy top to sew and I like the little bell sleeve.

Here is my YT video:

Thank you for spending a few minutes of your day with me. 💜

If you have questions or comments, please leave them in the comment section below. I really enjoy feedback from my readers. Until next time, happy sewing!!!

Experimenting with Longarm Quilting

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Over the years, I have dabbled in piecing and quilting. I completed several small projects (wall hangings, table runners, etc. on my domestic machine) before deciding to invest in a small longarm. I purchased a BlockRockit 15″ machine several years ago. I used it on a Bernina 5′ frame and it worked nicely to again complete small projects (wall hangings, table runners, etc.). I also used it to quilt fabric and foam for bags and totes. You can see a video of that process here:

That set up was great for small projects, but I was limited in the size of quilt I could manage on that frame. So a few months ago I invested in this 10′ Continuum frame from Grace Company:

I purchased the frame through Leah Day’s Website. I live about 40 miles from the Grace Company, but it was less expensive for me to purchase it through Leah Day and have it shipped to my home, that it would have been to purchase it locally and pick it up at the warehouse. I ordered the frame on a Friday and it was delivered the following Tuesday!

I love not being so limited in the size of quilt I can sew. But first, to familiarize myself with the new set up and to practice using my new frame, I quilted this small wall hanging. It is a printed quilt panel, so no piecing (other than the borders) was involved.

I still consider myself a beginning quilter, so please don’t judge me too harshly. 😊 I stitched an all over swirl on the background, I outlined the truck then added vertical straight line quilting to the body of the truck, and I added jagged line quilting to the tree to mimic pine needles. It was a great learning process.

I used white batting because that is what I had on hand and it worked out okay, except there was a bit of batting show through on the back where the needle pierced the fabric:

I’m okay with the batting show through, since this will be hanging on a wall, and it was, after all, a practice project. But in the future, I will be certain to use dark batting with dark fabrics.

I have since completed a queen size quilt top and plan to load it onto the machine later this month.

I would love to hear your quilting experiences (domestic and longarm). Please leave me a comment below.

Until next time, keep sewing my friends!

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Silhouette Patterns #600: Classic Blouse

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 4 Comments

**Please Note** Links to the pattern, fabric, interfacing, etc. are listed on YouTube below my video *(video link at the end of this post)*

I don’t own a lot of blouses, therefore, I don’t wear a lot of blouses. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it is because RTW button up blouses seem a bit stiff – the collar stands up too high and rubs my chin line, so I end up with makeup all over the collar of my blouse – the bodice area is too snug, so all my rolls show – if I purchase a blouse that is not so snug in the bodice area, then the shoulders are too wide and droop down my arm! This blouse pattern addresses all those issues. I shall be wearing more blouses in the future!

I sewed this blouse with a cotton/rayon blend voile shirting that I purchased from Stylemaker fabrics. It is so lovely and soft, no stiffness at all.

The collar is attached to the blouse body. No collar stand so it does not stand up high enough to rub my jaw line.

The bodice features front and back waist darts that can be sewn into the garment, or left off completely. I sewed the waist darts (front and back) because I like the little bit of added shaping that they give. The blouse has shape without being too snug and the shoulders still fit nicely.

To give a little stability to the under collar and the placket, I used Pro Tricot Deluxe Knit Fusible interfacing from Fashion Sewing Supply. The pattern suggests fusible knit interfacing, but Peggy Sagers discourages using interfacing on her sew along video on YouTube. In my video, which I link below, I address this discrepancy and why I chose to interface the collar and the placket.

The pattern notions listed on the back of the envelope, indicate you will need 8 buttons – 6 for the blouse and 2 for the cuffs. I used 10 buttons – 8 for the blouse and 2 for the cuffs. That was a personal preference choice.

The sleeve does not have an actual cuff such as one thinks of a traditional sew-on cuff. But rather, the sleeve has extra circumference that is folded over at the wrist to create a sort of psuedo-cuff effect.

This is what the sleeve looks like when it is not buttoned.

Here’s a photo of the placket/yoke on the inside of the blouse.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.

If you are interested, here’s a video of my review:

Closet Case Patterns Cielo Top & Dress

Featured ~ Pamela Klingensmith ~ 2 Comments

Hello Sewers! Here is a look at my muslin-testing process to bring me to the point of stitching up my version of the Cielo Dress.

I used a cotton/linen blend fabric from Hobby Lobby to make my muslins. I used the same fabric to make two muslins. For the first one I sewed a size 12 straight from the envelope with no adjustments and no design changes. On the second muslin I used my Silhouette Pattern Armhole Templates to change up the fit in the armhole area. Take a look at my video at the end of this post to see which version I prefer. 🙂

When I stitched the sleeves to the armholes (both versions), I used the Silhouette Patterns method of stitching with the sleeve on the bottom and the bodice on the top, which is opposite of how I was taught to insert sleeves. Sewing with the sleeve on the bottom makes it so I don’t have to stitch two rows of basting stitches and pull up the threads to fit the sleeve into the armhole area. It just naturally eases into the area beautifully.

*If you are inserting your sleeve with this method, be certain to check underneath periodically to make certain you are not getting any of the actual sleeve caught up in the seam.*

Sewing with my left hand between the bodice and the sleeve helps me feel any wrinkles or rogue fabric that might be working its way into the seam

A unique dart in this dress is the bust dart that comes in from the armhole. I’ve never seen a pattern with a dart placed at that position.

I like the design details such as the sewn down cuff and the insert in the back yoke area.

The pattern piece for the bottom half of the dress and the in-seam pockets is rather odd shaped. I have to be honest, even after reading the instructions, I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to go together!

Per the pattern instruction, I marked three sewing lines on my pattern piece (you can see them in white). I sewed the three lines with the pattern piece right side together with the bodice pattern piece. Then the fabric above those lines is folded down (so it is right side up) over those two U-shaped portions of the pattern (those are the pockets). The sewn lines form the front seam and where it is not sewn – those are the openings to the pockets. Clever..

I used my serger to sew this dress together, so all the seams are nicely finished.

Here is a video review of my Cielo Top & Dress:

Thank you for stopping by today, I appreciate the time you take to read my blog posts.

Silhouette Patterns #196: 4-Way Cardy

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For such a simple sew, this was a complicated journey!

My original plan was to use this really pretty dimensional cotton knit:

My First Obstacle: The knit is only 30″ wide. Ugh!!!

I had two yards of this knit, but because it was so narrow, there was not enough to cut the long sleeves. So, I improvised and cut them shorter. I had to get creative because after cutting the bodice pieces, this is all that was left for the sleeves:

After stitching the cardy together, I was sooo excited to put it on and admire the result of my efforts – what a disappointment!!! (See video link below)

So I shifted gears, searched my stash, and pulled out a polyester knit with lots of beautiful drape. The green was not my first choice for my new cardy, but it is still a lovely garment. Here is a look at the back of it. It shows off the drape:

The cardy has french darts for shaping.

I like to use Hug Snug to stabilize the shoulder seams in my knit garments:

Here is a video review of my experience with this pattern: