My Tutorial on Fabric Mart + Discount!

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Pattern: My Peplum Top Tutorial on the Fabric Mart blog
Fabric: Ponte knit from Fabric Mart, 40% off now
Made in partnership with the Fabric Mart Fabricistas


Over the weekend, my tutorial for how to make an easy peplum top went live on the Fabric Mart blog! And what's better than a free tutorial? Discount fabric! Head on over to the shop and get yourself 40% off on all their knits! But hurry! Their fabric is going fast!

Here is a sneak peak of the tutorial:
If you are looking for another great pattern to use with your knit fabric, the GIVEAWAY for the Men's Newcastle Cardigan closes on Wednesday!

What's the Weirdest Thing You've Ever Made?

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If you had asked me that question last week, I probably would have said a rock climbing chalk bag. But oh! How the times have changed!

As many of you sewing buddies know, when you sew you get weird requests. I have said it before. But this is beyond my imagination. The other day, my friend asked if I'd make him a high-fashion adult diaper. A HIGH FASHION DIAPER?!

I asked why. Apparently he was to take part in a very San Francisco fashion show wearing a sweater made out of baby socks. He was allowed to style it however he wanted, and wanted to style it with a high fashion diaper.

I asked to see examples of this designer's work. Here you go. 

I asked for some inspiration pics: 





What's a girl to do? Even though I was super busy that week, I had him deliver some fabric (stripes?!) and traced off an exaggerated bikini bottom.Adjusted. Cut. Sewed. He said he wanted the stripes to be vertical to elongate the legs...

And here it is! The weirdest thing I have ever made:


front view
back view

runway view
On the plus side, as my new sewing buddy put it, I can now say I've shown my work in a fashion show!

Does this happen to anybody else, or is this just a San Francisco sewist's dilemma??

In other news, if you're looking to make something a bit more normal for your man, make sure to check out my GIVEAWAY!

Blog Celebration and Giveaway!

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A sewing/blogging goal of mine for this year has been to get more involved in the online sewing community - getting to know some more people and taking advantage of what you all have to offer. This week, I reached a milestone with 200 followers! More than a vanity thing (200 people like me? Maybe? Sorta?), having followers and following other people's blogs helps create that strong community where people comment with advice, support, and inspiration! It has been so much fun watching that activity grow on my little blog, and am so grateful for all the love and input I've received from this amazing community.

So, to celebrate this growing network, today I am doing a pattern giveaway from a company that is brand new to the community: one lucky winner will receive a free pdf copy of Thread Theory's inaugural pattern, the Newcastle Cardigan! The pattern just became available for sale today, so if you don't win the pattern here, all you have to do is hop on over to their pattern store and get one for yourself! Here's my version, below:


To enter to win the Newcastle Cardigan Pattern:

If you already follow my blog, just leave a comment below telling me what you'd like to sew for the men in your life! Bonus entry if you tell me if you start to follow, or already do follow, the Thread Theory blog!

If you're new to the blog, please follow me on the reader of your choice (I recommend Bloglovin!) to help my sewing community grow! Comment to let me know you're a new follower, and tell me what you'd like to sew for the men in your life. Bonus entry if you tell me if start to follow, or already do follow, the Thread Theory blog!

The contest will close in one week on Wednesday at 10am PST. As it is a printable pdf pattern, this contest is open to anyone in the world!

Good luck, and happy sewing! 

Meg Made May!

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Wow! Me(g) Made May is almost halfway over and I feel like it has just begun! This first half of the month has seen me through many challenges already, including TWO trips - one to Vegas for fun and one to Detroit for work. I also hadn't done laundry yet, so I think there are some goodies spinning in the dry cycle downstairs ready for next week!

Many people talk about rushing to do some mid-MMM sewing, but I like to see just where the past year of sewing has taken me - lying in the bed that I've made, so to speak. Compared to last year, my first MMM, I have a lot more pants but a smaller selection of blouses as I've culled a fair amount from my collection that just didn't fit right. I have been focusing on more purposeful sewing this past year, and I'm hoping that this will be a chance to reflect on the holes in my wardrobe as well as celebrate the succeses and things I reach for everyday!

That said, I'm off to make a blouse that I've been thinking about for a while now, and I'm hoping to finish it before the craziness of the rest of the month kicks in: one more trip, a friend in town, and maybe some painting for a new place...

Here's the roundup for the first half of the month:

*The Work Week*
Wednesday, May 1: Striped Dress - not yet blogged

*Vegas*
Thursday, May 2: Flower Pants for my flight to Vegas!
Friday, May 3: Cutout Dress - Vegas night 1
Saturday, May 4: Vegas Billie Jean
Sunday, May 5: Flare Drape Dress for travel home

*The Work Week*
Monday, May 6: Work week - Striped Shirt (made from too-short dress)
Tuesday, May 7: Red Pants in the office :)

*Detroit Site Visit*
Wednesday, May 8: Winter Swing Jacket for travel to Detroit
Thursday, May 9: Tie-Front Blouse for work meetings
Friday, May 10: Camel Pants - also not blogged yet, yikes!
Saturday, May 11: Striped Skirt for a fieldwork event

*The Weekend*

Sunday, May 12: Finally home! Refashioned Men's Shirt for a lazy Sunday

Vegas Billie Jean

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Pattern: Bluegingerdoll's Billie Jean, now available for pre-sale
Fabric: shantung, cotton lining
Cost: $75


Do you recognize this pattern?? It's Bluegingerdoll's brand new Billie Jean! The debut vintage-inspired pattern by the lovely Abby is now available for pre-sale until the official release on May 15, and in the meantime she was gracious enough to let me try it out!

What I think is most exciting about the Billie Jean pattern is how versatile it is, and that's exactly what I wanted to show you with my version. While Abby rocks her 1950s Billie Jean samples, my dress was destined for Vegas! With its classic princess-seamed bodice, two skirt options, and an almost limitless choice of fabric, the Billie Jean is perfect for dressing up however you choose.






For my version, I chose a shiny raw silk shantung and a daring black and white striped lining, loosely based on this inspiration. You'll also notice I swapped out the skirt for a circle skirt, as the gathered look just wasn't working with my thick, thick fabric. But the real pattern also gives you the options for a beautiful full skirt and a sexy wiggle dress, so there are plenty of choices! I could see this pattern getting a lot of use in a lot of different styles (check out Abby's for more inspiration).

Billie Jean with a circle skirt

In terms of sewing this up, both Abby and I would recommend you make a muslin first, because this is one sexy, slim-fitting pattern. If you're a little impatient to get to your Billie Jean (like I was), you should at least try Lara's technique of fitting the lining first, making your adjustments, and then cutting the bodice. 

The pattern pieces go together quite easily, but this pattern is also a chance to practice some new techniques. Along with fitting, you will be making a lapped zipper, doing lining, and gathering a skirt or making a skirt vent (depending on your version). Look for her sew-along, coming soon!


If you buy one and make it up, Abby and I would love to see it!

Lastly, I leave you with a public service announcement: Kids, don't do Vegas. ;)

Faces of Vegas

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