New Spring Collection: Meet Sally!

The second reveal of the new spring collection is the Sally Shirtdress. I love how this design came out! It was just as I had pictured it in my head and that is always a good thing. This is a classic shirtdress with a few twists here and there. The front and back are from one long piece, so there is no seam between the bodice and skirt portions. I love this because a lovely border print can be fully utilized in this design without breaking it up. You can see how this works perfectly with the Echino Japanese linen pictured here.

Another great thing about this design? There are only FOUR pattern pieces! I incorporated the facing to be part of the front dress pattern piece, so all you have to do is fold it back. There is no neck facing, either.....which makes this dress super easy to sew together. The pleats at the waist are totally customized to fit when you make the dress, so you take them up as much or little as you want. You can also make them as tall or short as you want, too. Because of this design element, your waist can be a bit out of proportion to the rest of your body on the size chart and still work easily....less is taken in the waist without having to alter the pattern pieces. I think that element alone makes this pattern a real winner!

I offer three different cutting lines for the length of the skirt and two lengths for the sleeves. You can choose to wear the dress belted or not. I do include the instructions for the tie belts as well as the fabric covered buckled one. This is a great place to drag out your vintage buttons. All of the dresses featured have vintage buttons. I just love the throw-back look you can get with vintage stuff!

A few details about the fabrics: the gray chevron is Riley Blake, the red dot is Moda, the blue floral is Westminster (trimmed with a dot from Michael Miller), and the long floral border print is Echino Japanese linen.

Again, this pattern is still at the printer. We anticipate the arrival of stock in about a week now!

Enjoy this sneak peek....there will be another reveal on Thursday!

Happy Sewing.....

New Spring Collection: Meet Bebe!

Wow! It has been a while since the last post. Things have been super crazy around here! Once I finished the third book manuscript at the end of February, I had to start right up on the spring collection and it seems that March and just about all of April just disappeared before my eyes! I did get a lot accomplished, so I am feeling good about that. You may also notice that the blog got a bit of a facelift, courtesy of my friend, Bari J! She did a lovely job making my new header and sidebar items. We will be attacking the website for a facelift there also....just as soon as we can carve out a bit of time to do it.
Here is the first reveal of the spring collection, the Bebe Dress! This sweet little dress was so much fun to design. It is my take on a baby doll dress with a snug bodice and flowy skirt. This design has so many options! Since so many of you ask for sleeves on a sleeveless design, this one actually started with sleeves and then I tried out some facings to see if it was feasible...and it was! So now you will have the option to add two different sleeves or no sleeves at all.

I have offered the skirt two different ways: pleated or gathered. I especially like the large inverted pleat. It has a lovely drape and because the pleat is deep, it creates a touch of definition in the waistline, giving it a flattering presentation.

You will also have the option to choose two different lengths for the skirt. You can wear it short and sassy or longer and more subdued if that is better suited for your style.

This dress zips up the back and this is where my tuturial for the invisible zipper comes in so handy. The zipper is such a snap to install this way. You can find it on the sidebar under Tutorials. Just read all of the great comments readers have left about how this tutorial has converted them! That just makes my heart happy.

You can make this dress from a variety of fabrics. I mainly stick to quilting weight cottons, but this dress sews up wonderfully in cotton lawn for the gathered skirt variation. It would also do well in lightweight linen or a heavy silk. You might even be able to make it from a very lightweight twill or sateen.

You will see that there are lots of options for adding different hems and trims to make the look uniquely your own. That's where I get to have fun with the design once the fit details have been hammered out.
This and ALL new designs will be available as soon as we receive the stock from our printer, which should be in about TWO weeks or so. In the meantime, check out this eye candy and start gathering your fabrics!

Happy Sewing!!

Getting the Perfect Fit

I am finally back! I have been knee deep in book writing, project sewing, and illustrating. I sent a big box off to my editor on Monday, so I am feeling good about meeting a deadline a whole month early! I had to though, since I really needed to get on top of the spring collection. Market will be here before I know it! It has this nasty little habit of creeping up on me!!

I thought I would post today about a resource that is just the best. I have been working on a new dress design this week and tweaking the fit here and there. I often refer to a book called Fit for Real People. This is an EXCELLENT resource for getting the best fit from a tissue pattern. You can literally become your own master tailor for your clothing.

I know what you are thinking.....why don't patterns just FIT? Well, it is because you can take two people who wear the same size and they won't be able to wear each other's clothes necessarily. As humans, all bodies are certainly not created equal, and I bet you know where you have trouble.....long or short arms/legs? large waist, bust, or hips? maybe a sway back, forward shoulders, or a flat rear end? The list goes on and on and it is the essence of why it can be a challenge to get the right fit straight out of a pattern envelope.

A lot of people think that altering is a big deal....IT ISN'T, as long as you have good resources and are willing to spend a little time working through the kinks. Fit for Real People is a great guide because they break down adjustments to a tissue pattern step by step. You can literally use any tissue pattern and make it work for your body....so what are you waiting for??

You can purchase the book here on Amazon for a very reasonable price, and I am sure it is available other places as well. Every time I mention it, someone I know says that they have the book and that they use it to alter the fit of a pattern. It really works. The best part is that you can take bits from it here and there and alter as you want, or you can go all in and draw an outline of your body to do a whole body custom fit by making various muslins, all with expert guidance.

Best of all, you will be learning about pattern alteration as you go and will gain confidence to make changes whenever you need to. I can't recommend this book enough! Be sure to check it out!

I would love to know if some of you out there have used it and what kind of results you had, so feel free to leave a comment.

Happy Craft Month and Happy Sewing!

Book Winner AND a Very Special Offer!!

Thanks to all of you who posted a comment to the blog. I so enjoyed reading each and every one! Thanks for the lovely words about my home and work. It made my day!

To answer just a few of the questions that were asked:
The white china cabinet really isn't one at all, it is actually a bookcase that is bought by the piece at Ethan Allen. I wanted something that looked more like a built-in cabinet that was more shallow than a regular china cabinet, plus I wanted to feel like I could add books and other items to it without it looking weird. It still has glass shelves and lighting, so it is especially pretty at night.

The Halloween spider dress is indeed the Betty June, just dressed up for the occasion! I wore a buckram slip underneath to give it a bit of extra pouf. It was great fun to wear and I am glad that so many of you liked it. It just shows you how adaptable the patterns are....don't be afraid to extend the limits of your imagination!!

And now for the book winner.....according to random.org, #151 is the winner! Congratulations!!

All Things Beautiful said...

I enjoyed your post with all the pictures. I would love to win your book.

January 9, 2012 12:20 PM

 Please contact me with your mailing address and I will get your book right out the door!

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New Year, Fresh Start, and a Giveaway!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATED!

Hey Everyone!

It has been exactly 3 months to the day that I have posted here at the blog. I am sorry for my absence. I really didn't mean to be away for so long! It has been eventful around here, to say the least. Since the last time I have written, another market has come and gone, as well as the whole holiday season.
I can't believe that it is 2012 already...where did 2011 go? It is also hard to believe that this is the start of our 11th year with Serendipity. I feel so grateful for all the blessings in my life, especially for the opportunity to do something I dearly love for a living...I highly recommend it!

2011 brought many changes here at Casa de Whitt...we did some work on the house starting in September after we got a new front door put into the house. Of course, that happened during the HOTTEST week of the summer, and if you live anywhere in the southern US, you know how hot it was. Here's a photo of the new front door. It really changes the look of our home and we love it!

Once that work was finished, we had already decided that we would get rid of carpet in most of the house and add hardwood floors. BUT before that could happen, it was best to get walls painted and get rid of some older furniture for a fresh new look in the house. I spent most of the late summer and into the fall designing and writing the fall patterns, looking for new furniture and ordering sewing new pillows and window treatments, and generally overseeing the work on the house. To say that it was hectic is an understatement!

The work finally finished up mid-October and then market was upon us. The new furniture arrived and basically sat in the house without much else being done decoration-wise. For those of you who know me well, this is just the sort of thing that makes me nuts! I just didn't have the time to devote to decorating that I wanted so I put it on hold until we had market behind us. Once November was here, I was able to slow down a little and get everything back in its place. In hindsight, it was the best way to go but in October it seemed like it would never get here. Here are a few shots from market:

The "girls" got a change of clothes for each day of market again!

On Halloween, just two spidery girls!

My interview for Pat Sloan's radio show!

The rest of the year flew in the blink of an eye! Once I thought I was finished decorating, it was time to ramp up the Christmas decorating. I am a Christmas decorating fiend so I have to start before Thanksgiving. 8 trees and various decorations throughout the house makes for a big mess, but it is glorious when finished! I bought an artificial flocked tree this year. I have ALWAYS wanted one...and I love it!

During the Day

During the Evening

We had a restful Christmas with our family and rang in the New Year with cherished friends....now it is time for that FRESH START!!

I will be working on the Spring collection shortly (coming in May) as well as my THIRD BOOK! I know...it sounds hectic, but I think I am ready to take it on and I do love to keep my hands busy. As I get a little further along, I will give you a few hints about the new book...we are hopeful that it will be available by the close of 2012. That seems like a long time from now, but I know the time will fly as it always does.
I am not much for new year resolutions, but I will say that I will try not to be absent from the blog for 3 months again! It seems like when I have a lot to do, the blog is last on the list. It isn't that the writing is a problem, it is getting all the photos ready that seems to drag me down and I talk myself out of posting because I think I don't have enough time. I promise to try and do better this year!

NOW, if you are still with me here, it is time for that giveaway! Sew Serendipity Bags came out in late September so I know a lot of you already have had an opportunity to get a copy, but if you haven't, here's your chance! I will be giving away ONE copy to a lucky winner starting right now and going until 11:59 CST on Monday evening. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, January 10th. PLEASE leave ONLY ONE comment to enter. That makes it fair for everyone. Thanks so much!

Happy Sewing!!

New Fall Collection: Meet Savannah!

The last new design in the fall collection is the Savannah Swing Jacket. Featured in two lengths (hip or fingertip), this jacket has a slight flare that floats away from the body for great and stylish swing! The sleeves are 3/4-bracelet length with many options for finishing out the cuff. You can choose a contrast turned cuff, ruffle, narrow band, or plain band with an optional button trim. The bodice has variations for double or single pleats as well as a squared or rounded front. The collar has a few options too. You can make it from the same fabric, contrasting fabric, or ruche it for great added textural interest.

For those of you who have been wanting a lined jacket, here it is! I have included full instructions for lining the jacket as well as an option to leave it unlined for those of you who would like a lighter weight jacket or maybe you just aren't ready to tackle the whole "lining thing" just yet!

This jacket is just fabulous made up in lovely textured heavy silk, wool, home decorating weight twill or sateen, and linen. It is best to stay with a heavier weight fabric for the jacket so that it hangs appropriately. This is one of the few times that I would recommend that you NOT use quilting weight cottons. There are so many wonderful heavier fabrics available that I am sure you will find something fabulous to make your jacket from.

You will notice that I also chose to mix it up a bit with my buttons. I have placed covered buttons on several, varying the size based on my whim at the time of making the jacket. Sometimes the buttons match, covered in the same fabric as the jacket, and sometimes they are made from contrasting fabrics. I also found some great accent buttons too, so don't be afraid to mix two different styles of buttons or more on your jacket. Let this design speak for your personal style!

It looks like we will be able to get these patterns listed very soon, so watch for next week when they will be available for purchase!
Happy Sewing!!

New Fall Collection: Fashion Formula Skirts, Volume 2!

The Fashion Formula Skirts booklet that I released last fall was so popular, I decided to see if I could come up with another volume of easy to sew skirts. I had so much fun coming up with new ways to get a cute skirt from just strips and rectangles! If you are familiar with the first booklet, there are NO pattern pieces required as all of the skirt pieces are cut with a rotary cutter, ruler and mat, based on your hip measurements. There are four designs in the new booklet and all of them feature a yoke and the option of an elastic or drawstring waistband.

First up is the Jolie Pouf Skirt. This is a double layer skirt with simple pleating along the lower edge of the overskirt to create the scalloped edge. I love to use high contrast fabrics for this skirt. I think that it would be fabulous in cotton voile. Little covered buttons or fabric flowers at each scallop would be a lovely added touch as well.

Next is the Gabrielle Godet Skirt. This one is made from tapered panels with the insertion triangular godets between along the lower edge. The black version has eyelet fabric for the godets and lower edge ruffle trim. It is fun to mix textures of fabric with this one. I think a beautiful skirt could be made from a lovely heavy silk with lighter silk (maybe dupioni) godets. It would also be great made from linen or a lightweight wool or twill for a wonderful fall look. I also included covered button accents above each godet on one of the skirts just to add a little more detail.

The Corinne Pleated Skirt is made from pre-cut 2 1/2" strips, or you can cut your own. This is a great way to use a pre-cut strip roll, if you have any lying around. You get to enjoy the whole collection of fabric all in one skirt! I have included options for a contrasting hemband, frayed seams for a shabby look, and one skirt that I cut the strips from two fabrics to get a great alternating pattern.

The Adrienne Pieced Skirt is the last in the group. This design uses the technique of paper piecing. Don't be afraid if you have never done this before, as it is a snap to do! I chose a diagonal pattern for my panels so the skirt would have a chevron pattern when sewn together (reminiscent of the Missoni craze going on right now). I just used my extensive stash of black and white fabrics and put a pop of color in each panel as I went along. I love the result! I think it would also be fabulous done in bright colors with a pop of black here and there. This is a fun skirt to make with endless possibilities on the piecing aspect. It is a great way to use up that stash of little scraps you have!

We should have the booklet in stock very soon....will let you know as soon as it arrives!

Happy Sewing!