Conquering One Yard of Fabric; Part 2

By |2019-06-17T06:44:11-04:00June 17th, 2019|1950s Style Fashion|

Warning, these one yard – almost zero waste garments, are not in the order I made them. Naturally, I chose the hardest first, which was a big mistake. I don’t want that to happen to you. I am releasing them in the order of easiest construction to the most challenging, pants. Part one last week was […]

The Pattern Hack – Slash and Spread

By |2019-05-06T06:46:07-04:00May 6th, 2019|1950s Style Fashion, Today's Fashion, Tracy Designs Dresses, Uncategorized|

Every time I teach my pattern reading and layout class I demo how to cut out another dress. As you may imagine they are starting to add up. Because I do not need the same dress style over and over I also show how easy it is to hack or alter a pattern using the […]

The Challenge of Smoking Jackets

By |2019-03-18T06:36:35-04:00March 18th, 2019|1950s Style Fashion|

Today, I happily share one of my more challenging projects that really got me outside of my comfort zone. The most troublesome projects can sometimes feel like a cloud hanging over your head. They are usually rooted in a lack of experience, and yet, the only way to get the experience is to do the […]

A Valentine’s Day Science Experiment

By |2019-02-04T06:41:46-05:00February 4th, 2019|1950s Style Fashion|

This science project started because of yet another epic fail. While packing fabric for a Valentine’s Day dress to make in my Rosewood Art Centre studio I grabbed what I thought was dark scuba knit but it turned out to be grey wool. At work, I found that I had a pile of donated vintage […]

Vogueing is the Fancy Side of Sewing

By |2018-12-03T07:42:19-05:00December 3rd, 2018|1950s Style Fashion|

I’m the girl that has everything in my purse, in my bag and in my closet. Since I make my own clothes it is hard not to go bonkers and want to make everything I see. Sometimes, I ask myself “what do I actually need in my closet” or “how could I enhance my handmade […]

Men’s Wear Sewing

By |2018-10-08T06:57:11-04:00October 8th, 2018|1940s Style Fashion, 1950s Style Fashion|

Why is men’s wear so hard to make? I can answer this, but first let me tell you why it’s so easy! The basic construction is pretty straightforward. It can be made in 2-3 hours and it is made out of easy to sew cotton and cotton blends. So what’s up?

It’s the fit that is […]

Matching Stripes for Swimwear

By |2019-04-30T12:41:34-04:00September 3rd, 2018|1950s Style Fashion, Swimwear|

Summer is not over, yet! I made another swimsuit with stripes that match up and look really cool and professional.

Matching stripes is not as hard as it may look. I will walk you through a few simple tips for successful stripe matching. Please remember that learning is a process and failures lead to success. I know […]

Say it Big with Fashion Appliqué

By |2018-08-20T06:51:43-04:00August 20th, 2018|1950s Style Fashion, Makes of 2016, Uncategorized|

Have you ever wished you could make something cute and quick to add to your garment just to take everything up a notch? With appliqué you can! Appliqué is basically making your own patches. Fabric stores will carry ready made appliqués or patches also.

I created a patch for a dress with carrots as the […]

From Dior to Ready to Wear Score

By |2018-07-09T06:21:40-04:00July 9th, 2018|1950s Style Fashion, Uncategorized|

What most people are not aware of is that a lot of dress styles are not new but instead reflect vintage styles. If you can find the right silhouette most of the time you can alter the pattern just enough to make the dress look like its inspiration. I was honored to be asked to make […]

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