My Jacket Express and Pattern Review

I know you want this class now if you missed it last week. The Craftsy class includes the physical pattern mailed to you which makes it a great value. Here is an affiliate link that gets you a 25% discount.

 Being able to sew along with the video classes was wonderful. I could put my brain on cruise control and just follow Janet. I love her teaching style. She is a very sweet and helpful person. I think the pattern is very clever. As you can see, I LOVE that it has 19 pattern pieces - all the better to mix fabrics, my dear.

I used the finished garment measurements to choose a size, and I made the size small. It was supposed to be 43.125" at the bust (and hip) but mine came out about 42" when closed. My snaps are set in .75" from the front edges. The button hole markings are probably a little closer than that which would account for the difference.

I loved learning how to use the pressing tools properly.  I recently purchased the point presser from Janet's website and I used the bottom of it as a clapper. I already had a point turner and a sleeve roll. Janet uses a seam stick instead of a sleeve roll. I am going to have to get that too, it works better than a sleeve roll for pressing seams.  Here is a link to Janet's pressing tools for sale.
Changes I made to the pattern:
1. I needed the breast pockets on the outside for my design - the original pattern has them on the inside and a very clever opening and top stitching. To accomplish my contrasting pockets, I used the pocket pieces as facing pieces but instead of stitching them to the outside and turning in, I stitched to the inside and turned out.  I kept the shape of the pocket opening by making the top edge of the pocket match what the facing would have been, and added muslin pockets behind the facing (fake) pockets.
2. I lengthened the sleeves by an inch and a half. It is a 3 part sleeve so that was a little tricky to get the shape just right after lengthening and I don't think I did a great job of it. I want to revisit the sleeve next time and redraft a sleeve using Suzie Furrer's class.
3. When installing the cuffs, I completely sandwiched the sleeve edges and mostly burrito'ed the sides and ends of cuff, leaving about 3" open to turn. I liked the way this came out better than the way she shows in the class. (I did one her way and one my way)
4. I made the collar pointed instead of curved.
5. I took 2" out of the length of the center back, tapering it out to meet the side seam. The jacket was hitting me right on the bum and it was keeping the jacket from hanging properly. (All that hiking and stair climbing is paying off!)  The hem still looks straight when I am wearing it. This change means you have to change the shape of the back facing piece to match.
6. I used snaps instead of buttons and button holes.  My spacing is different too. I used 5 snaps on the front instead of 4.
Additional changes I will make next time:
1. I will cut the front facing slightly longer than the pattern at the top end where the facing meets the shoulder seam. Having only 1/4" seam allowance is not enough for me, I ended up short on one side. I can always cut it off later if I don't need it.
2. I really do not like the notches at the shoulder and the final closure of the collar. I would like to try leaving the upper collar and under collar unconstructed until the end. Maybe the upper collar could attach to the facing and the under collar attach to the jacket, then they all come together along the outside edges. That might work better for me without the 1/4" deep notches. The other option would be to simply stop and start sewing again at the notches rather than making them long enough to flip out of the way.
3. Sleeve vent I will make and/or finish differently. Maybe take a look at doing a different sleeve. I need to make a whole sleeve at the correct length and then break it into 3 pieces. Adjusting the length of 3 sleeve pieces just did not work. Wearing it's great, but I know it could have been drafted better. The original is great but just not long enough for me.
I hope you'll take advantage of this class and pattern. I think you will love it like I do. Connect with me and show me your jackets. I would love to see them.  I posted some of my process photos on Instagram. I am @StudioCherie_sewing on Instagram. If you follow me there, you will see the TripsterShirts as I make them. I'll be making more of these jackets with the TripsterShirts label. One of my friends commented that it had a '70's vibe. Next photo shoot, I will stick my front leg way out for the "keep on truckin" pose.

A New Kind of Sew Along

I had a fabulous idea today and I hope some of you will join me. Some of you have seen the fun TripsterShirts I have been making. I know all of you have seen the duffles. I was thinking about that last batch of fabric I used to make duffles and that it is on sale right now at Hawthorne Threads. Time to pick up that line if you like it. I was thinking about how those fabrics would be perfect for the jackets Janet Pray makes in her Craftsy class, "Sew Better, Sew Faster." The photos above show several of her students' work. I got the class for myself, and I hope some of you will sign up for it too - it's only $19.99 through Monday and includes the pattern. If we all take the class and sew jackets together, it will make for the best kind of sew along. I took Janet's moto jacket class and loved it. I am pretty excited about getting the pattern and getting started on this. I may even mix up fabrics a bit.  Let's do it! Here is my affiliate link for the class.  Order 3.5 yards of fabric, use one of the home dec sateens like the ones in the HawthorneThreads link above.

Better Sewing in 2016 Part 2

Sew clothing for yourself. Not only is this a great way to improve your sewing, it will hone other valuable skills.

Sewing has given me a deeper appreciation for what works for me. If I am spending the time to make something it better look great. There is a gal I found on Facebook who does workshops that really help to find your own personal style. I just did the free version of dressing your truth and discovered a lot about myself and why I feel better in certain fabrics, colors and patterns. I recommend you get very clear about your own style before spending money on fabric and patterns.

Once you know what to make, there is lots of help to be had at my favorite educational website, Craftsy, where I am an affiliate.  For the moto jacket I am wearing above, you need this class. It comes with the pattern. Janet Pray walks you though making a gorgeous lined jacket. I felt like I was in an in person class one-on-one with her. I am going to do her jeans jacket class too. She makes the cutest jackets! There are classes for just about everything you can think to sew. The dress I am wearing above is a hacked version of a Vogue vintage pattern 8728. I did a very short blog post about it with a couple more photos. If you want to know the details of the pattern hack, I can share that on my pattern hackers facebook page. 

If you have been out of the loop for a while and you want to start sewing again with something quick and easy, check this out. Craftsy has kits. You get the fabric and the pattern. Right now the prices are amazing. You won't believe it. I love the fabric quality, and there are lots of styles to choose from. Check it out.

Better Sewing in 2016 Part 1

To get better at anything, you have to do it more, you have to practice. If one of your resolutions is to learn to sew or to improve your sewing skills this year, there are a couple of things I would recommend. First, quilting.  I am talking about cutting fabric apart and putting it back together: measuring, cutting, and sewing - you need to get good at these things if you want to make great things of any kind with your sewing machine. The skills you will improve by piecing quilts are accurate measuring, accurate cutting, sewing with accurate seam allowances, pressing, and overall attention to detail.  After the quilt top is pieced, you get to quilt it. The skills you will gain by quilting the quilt yourself are the ability to handle layers of fabrics and batting, planning, and patience. Please feel free to chime in if you feel I have left out one of the skills you have gained through quilting. I cannot recommend quilting highly enough as a way to get back into sewing if you have been out of it. I even asked the affiliate folks at Craftsy to create a link for me to promote their quilting kits. There are some amazing deals to get you back in the swing of things without having to go to the fabric store. I am talking under $30 to make a quilt! Check them out. http://www.craftsy.com/ext/CherieKillilea_quiltkits And if you have fabrics already but need a class to help you improve those skills, here is a great one to get you going:
Easy Piecing - Amazing Design. I have a pieced quilt top that I haven't quilted yet, so I will be pouring over the many machine quilting classes to inspire me for that project. Here is one I am excited about, featuring 5 of the top quilting instructors in the country: Top Techniques for Big Quilts.
Keep in touch. I would love to see a picture of you, happily lounging on a quilt you made.

Learn How to Upholster Win a Free Craftsy Class

Learn how to use the tools and materials that you need to professionally cover your own furniture.

See all the information you need in the best video format ever devised for learning. Access whenever you want, forever. Take notes and ask questions while you watch.

It is like being inside an expert's workshop and getting hands on with them. 

Cynthia Bleskachek

is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher. Click on her name to read her bio. I think you will fall in love with her as I have. She has a real heart for her work and true talent. I can't think of anyone better to learn from. I won't lie, doing upholstery is hard work. But there is something so satisfying about being able to restore a well built piece of furniture to it's former glory and maybe even make it better than ever with fabric you love. To win her wonderful class, just post a comment here or email me. I will pick a winner on Wednesday the 21st and put you in touch with Cynthia to collect your free class. If you want to purchase her class, this is my affiliate link.  I think you'll also enjoy keeping up with her Facebook page, she posts lots of photos of the great furniture she is working on.

Learning from people, a richer, more personal experience

In a way, I am one of those people who long for the way things used to be. When you wanted to learn something, you had to find someone who knew what they were doing and was willing to teach you. My mom was a great sewing teacher, and she was probably a great cooking teacher too, judging from my sister's prowess in the kitchen. Unfortunately, I was not her best culinary student.  You could always tell when I made the salad, they said, because every tomato, every cucumber, every onion was a different size and shape.  This is why I am so head-over-heels in love with Craftsy cooking classes. They literally bring me into the kitchen to spend time with people who love to cook and who love to teach all of the little tricks and secrets that make perfect results. (I can even cut veges into uniform sizes and shapes now - my mom will be so proud.)  If you are like me, and you feel like you have a pretty good handle on sewing, but your kitchen skills could use some honing. Here are some free Craftsy cooking classes for you to try. If you haven't experienced Craftsy yet, I think you will find it takes you back to a time when we all learned from people in a richer way than you can on you tube.

I took the Asian Wrap and Roll class on Wednesday night, and Thursday night we had an amazing, hands-on, everyone helps, feast. The Vietnamese salad wraps are my favorite, and the peanut sauce recipe (which Gabrielle made) is the best I have ever tasted.  Caleb is happy we know how to make our own sushi now too. I truly enjoyed spending time with the instructor, Jaden Hair, in the kitchen. To be able to turn around and teach all of this to my own kids the next evening was priceless.

If the kitchen is your area of strength, and you really need more help with the sewing, I have some fun freebies for you too. A free pillow sewing guide - you will find the link for free sewing classes there too. The classes really do give you that experience of being in the studio with the instructor and getting to know them as you learn.  I love that you can ask questions and interact with the instructors.
Craftsy's motto is, Learn it, Make it!  I am happy to be a part of that. I hope you will be too.

Wingback Slipcovering Class on Video

There is nothing more elegant than a slipcovered wingback chair. Traditionally, you will see these in linen which is gorgeous. For this class, we chose to use Mattelasse, which is super thick and cozy, like you will want for your couch. We did it this way to give you all the skills you need to do all of the slipcovering projects you have. Here is how we make a Craftsy class:
1. (Usually a couple months before the actual shoot) At my studio, I prepare the lessons and talk on the phone with my producer a lot. Meanwhile in Denver, my producer envisions every camera angle and necessary detail, making copious notes.
2. (Usually the week before the shoot) I send all of the teaching materials to Denver, so they will be there for me when I arrive.
In the case of this class, I flew to Denver a couple of days early and made 2 and a half slip covers for the Craigslist chair shown in the class. One complete cover and one with lots of extra pieces for teaching.
3. We spend 3 days shooting the class with a professional producer, professional photographer, and professional switcher, not to mention the always helpful and professional production assistant. Needless to say, production values are very high and we take the time to capture every relevant detail.
4. After I have gone home, Craftsy does their post production magic to make the class work seamlessly in the amazing platform they have created. You can ask me questions as you go along and watch the class as many times as you like whenever you like. You can send me photos and we can talk through the particulars of your project.
This class is so good, you are guaranteed to love it! For my blog readers, here is the half price link:
Wingback Slipcover Class.
Big thanks and much love to my amazing professional crew: Lorie Hirose, Brandon Cox, Caleb Shives, and Katie (not pictured)

As Thanksgiving Approaches

I think more about food in the Fall and Winter. As a family we gather with friends more around food at the Holidays. I just took a look over at Craftsy to see what was cooking. Oh my goodness! I did not realize how many amazing cooking classes they have going over there. I found several I am going to try to cram in before Christmas - before Thanksgiving if I can. I have copied the class descriptions for you here, and posted my affiliate links for your convienience.
I am going to have to do this one, Love Your Vegetables, first. Read the description and you will see why:
Transform nutritious vegetables into crave-worthy meals your family will love with essential techniques for cooking seasonal vegetables year-round. Cooking Light executive chef Anna Bullett will share her expert tips for cutting and roasting winter squash with ease, incorporating hearty greens such as kale into mouthwatering pastas and even caramelizing Brussels sprouts and pairing them with crispy pancetta for a dish that will please your pickiest eater. Enjoy more than 20 recipes included with this class, from a tomato ricotta tart to grilled eggplant sandwiches with creamy aioli. Plus, get a bonus lesson on refrigerator pickling and preserve your favorite vegetables at the peak of their season.
I will use this one a lot: Building Flavorful Soups.  Transform everyday ingredients into an endless variety of soups to please every palate! Learn secrets for developing flavor from James Beard Award-winner Peter Berley, and discover recipes for more than twenty soups and broths --plus an array of creative garnishes! Quickly make small-batch broths instead of spending hours simmering, and learn to use chicken, ham and pork to create hearty, homey favorites. Roast vegetables for maximum flavor, then purée for creamy, silky-smooth soups. Delve into the flavors of the sea to make briny broths from roasted shrimp shells and clams, and explore exotic ingredients like kelp and wakame to build savory umami flavor. You’ll even learn how to create your favorite miso soup and four Japanese dashis!
My mom makes the most amazing pie crusts, but she lives 300 miles away. It's about time a grew up and made pies for my own family.
There is so much more. I will get started with these though, and let you know how it goes.

Sewing Manifesto - Bust that Stash!

Are you finding it hard to tackle the next project? Are you afraid you might be burned out? Sometimes, when you have completed a big project (or 5) you need a boost to get you sewing again. A motivator. A mantra. Words to magically make sense of your mounds of fabric. A reminder of how much and why you love sewing. Start brainstorming. I am talking about building a personal sewing manifesto. Jot down the ideas that inspire you, and post them on the wall. I used GIMP to make mine fun (In my studio, if it's not fun, it doesn't get done) with different sizes and fonts. Feel free to print mine and use it, or find what speaks to you, and make your own. A manifesto may be the encouragement you need to reinvigorate your work.

My latest projects include 3 new sewing patterns for Simplicity, watch for them in upcoming catalogs:

Simplicity #1335 A furniture pattern with 8 projects included.  Shipping June 13th.
Simplicity  #1241 An apron pattern with 3 style options and mother, daughter, doll sizing for each. Shipping October 10th.
Simplicity #1236 A casserole carrier pattern that includes gift baskets and bowl covers. Shipping October 10th.

And an exciting new Slipcovering Class at Craftsy. The class will be available next week.  Enter here for a chance to win the slipcovering class for free. Winner will be announced on the 18th of June.

I hope you will use my sewing manifesto or write your own. If you are looking to bust your stash like I am, check out this amazing quilting class that is available now over at Craftsy.

Big class sale at Craftsy

You know I love Craftsy classes. This is your chance to give them a try at incredibly low prices.

Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale: Save Up to 50% on ALL Online Classes! Want to learn a new skill or brush up on an old one? Now is your chance! You can save up to 50% off on ALL online classes at Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale! Cooking, cake decorating, sewing, gardening and so much more... all up to 50% off, with some classes starting at just $9.99! This is a sale not to be missed, so make sure you hurry because it ends at 11:59pm MT on Monday, June 9th. **This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Sell your own patterns

I have personally encouraged many of you to sell your own ideas as patterns. Craftsy makes it easy. It is worth the time it takes you to figure out how to teach your process because once it's done, you can move on to the next thing. If you knit, crochet, sew, quilt, paper craft, embroider, or make jewelry, you can be a Craftsy designer! You should be making money from your awesome designs and not worrying about someone else copying you. That is what I think.

How to Add & Sell a Pattern on Craftsy
(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)

In addition to wonderful online courses and craft supplies, Craftsy also has an independent online pattern store that lets anyone upload and sell downloadable e-patterns with no fee!

How do you add a pattern to Craftsy and start your pattern store? It’s easy!

1. Make sure you have a Paypal account. All pattern transactions happen through Paypal, and Craftsy requires that you have a Student, Premier, or Business account in order to sell patterns.
2. Put your pattern in .pdf format. You can’t upload any patterns to the online pattern store unless they’re a .pdf file format, so if they’re currently saved as a Word doc, .jpg, or other file format, you must convert it to a .pdf before you upload it to Craftsy.
3. Include a photo. All patterns must have at least one photo to accompany them, but you can add up to five photos. Colorful, interesting photos tend to work the best for catching our members’ eyes!
4. Fill out the pattern description. We will ask you some basic questions around your pattern making it easier for Craftsy folk to find your pattern and know what your pattern is for. Make sure you have info about your pattern handy for this step.

For more information on how to sell a pattern through Craftsy, or to get started, visitCraftsy today!

Gift giving and making

I know a lot of you are like me and love to make handmade gifts whenever possible. I have broken my patterns down into categories here so you can find just the right gift to make for your loved ones. Sometimes what I have on hand dictates if I am on a budget or making something for a gift exchange. These are my go-to patterns for that. Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

When it is someone special who likes to travel, these are my most appreciated gifts. Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

For hostess Gifts, I have these- you will be taking orders at the party too Visit StudioCherie's Craftsy Pattern Store »

I will do another post with more categories. I have to run to yoga right now. I hope this helps. I thought you might see something here you have never noticed before.

Jean-ius, really

Video classes on Craftsy are awesome! This one is Kenneth D. King walking you through taking all of the information off of your favorite pair of jeans and transferring it onto a pattern you can use again and again to make perfect jeans in every color. I love it. He is fun to watch. The set up is brilliant: you can ask questions and see questions and answers from other students, make your own notes that stay with the video so you can refer to them later - like marking a place you want to come back to, and you can watch the lessons any time, forever.
I have purchased almost a dozen classes on Craftsy.com - crochet and cake decorating for my daughter:


For myself, various sewing things and, and this one, a class on how to teach a craft class. I would highly recommend it if you want to teach your craft. I am hoping to film a craftsy class myself one day. Of all of the things I do, from furniture to little wallets, what would you like to see me teach on video? Visit me on Facebook, and let's talk about it.
From time to time, Craftsy has a sale on classes. I think there is one going on now. You will love it. Oh, and that is guaranteed.

2 New Patterns and a New Fabric

I created a custom bag for a customer and I thought it would be one you might like too. Here is the new pattern. It's the duffle, re sized with some changes and improvements. The new size makes it a lot easier to sew. As you can see, I even quilted it more. For those of you who like to quilt, the more manageable size makes the quilting more fun too. The end pocket on the right holds a magazine perfectly.  I found a better way to explain the pleated zippered pocket and a new way to put it on that is a lot easier - that pocket is still on the other end. The ends are rectangular - taller than they are wide, so it sits atop your rolling luggage better. There is a sleeve on the back side that slides over the luggage handle to attach the duffle to the other luggage. Since this bag is a couple of inches shorter than the original duffle, I was able to use 2" wide webbing instead of the jute. This is going to give you some fun design options with color, and it makes the bag machine washable. I wrote it up with a new, faster way to attach the straps. (One of the benefits of making more than a hundred of something.)

Most of you probably know that the zip around wallet pattern is out. I have it on Etsy and Craftsy. Craftsy is actually better for me as a shop than Etsy, but whichever you like to use is great.  I decided to size it down as small as possible for the first version. I think it works great and have great feedback from those using it. Of course, my first custom order for one on Etsy is for someone with the iPhone5, and I researched just to make sure it will fit - and it won't. If you are making this pattern for the iPhone5, you will have to make it 1/2" taller. So you will split the base pattern in half at the center and add a 1/2" there. Also add the same to the interior and exterior pockets. The spine will need to be 1/2" longer and the zipper 1/2" longer. I will have to adjust the pattern pieces and release it again with both options. It is an advanced pattern though, so those of you who have it should be able to make all of the adjustments with no problem.

Just because I am not blogging, don't assume I am not creating anything. I drew those bears the other night. For my son's graduation, I am making him a special quilt from fabric I have designed. My daughter and I drew the vans, and I have a friend in Seattle who colorized the drawings. The vans fabric is available on Spoonflower. It has 6 different colorful vans on a fat quarter. They are great for a quilt sized project like mine. I will have to scale it down if I want to use it for Kindle Fire cases and smaller stuff. As soon as I decide on the size and layout for the bumper sticker bears "Cher Bears," I will get that uploaded as a fabric too. 

Mail Chimp makes me feel like a chump. I have a list of people who have signed up for pattern and product updates, but I haven't used it. I am hoping you all are reading the blog too.

Maybe someday I will be one of those sewing bloggers who learns how to post a picture and some words everyday. Or maybe even one of those who has a schedule: Mondays WIP, Tuesdays a recipe, Wednesdays something I drew, Thursdays Pinterest, Fridays Flickr, or something like that. Doesn't sound too hard, right? I don't think I could do the same thing every week. Maybe I need something more like a list of things to cover monthly, and I check them off as I do them. It's on my to-do list to blog better. Making the stuff is more important though.