A Quiet Afternoon in the Sewing Room...

Well we all know we just can't keep Laura Casey from sewing, creating and dreaming! Here's her latest fun project: Perennial Pajama Pants!!! Inspired by the new fantastic flannels that we are receiving for winter, she couldn't help but take an old favorite pattern and give it a twist.

Flannel:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HEIRLOOM-12757&Category_Code=NewProd

Sign up for her Perennial Pant Class to receive one on one help and fantastic ideas about how to make this pattern sing for you. Tuesday October 13th 10-2.

In the mean time - enjoy these photos and some Laura Casey sewin' comments:

"After seeing the great flannel's Waechter's got in - I NEEDED some... so 2 & 1/2 yds -cut washed and thrown in the dryer - and it didn't shrink and inch - not one!"
"We all know this is my favorite pattern - so after using it to bits -I've done myself the favor of copying it onto tracing paper ... nice and sturdy."

"I love using pattern weights - I can lay out all the pieces and make sure they fit without pinning and re-pinning - it saves so much time - just move and go!"

"I always use 1 1/4" elastic -for every pant garment - and I don't care what color it is either - no one sees it once it's in. Also I like to put my elastic in as Lois Hinse patterns show - it's neat and gives a more professional look."


This is a detail of the Perennial Pant Darts - I love the look in flannel!

Beautiful September

I think of September as one of those perfect months - and not just because it happens to be my birthday month. Nope - I just love September because of the gorgeous bright blue skies, cool mornings and nights and fantastic stylish outfit possibilities that go with it!

I caught Ms. Joyce wearing a simply decadent cowl shift dress and walking her dog into the village to hand deliver a potted orchid. Now I ask you, can it get any better? I just had to steal her picture...

Then there's our display queen - Ms. Laura - who hit the nail on the head when she put together this collection of jackets - just in time for jacket season:

What's that, you want to see the details up close?

I can't wait to get my hands on the silk velvet I bought and make a fantastic fall jacket. If velvet's not your style - how about our brand new faux Persian lamb? It's soft and will keep you stylish and warm throughout the winds of autumn...

Happy September,

-Sarahbeth and the Waechterettes

Paper Doll Wonderland Part 2!

You've waited - you've watched - and been oh so patient! Here's part 2 of the Paper Doll Wonderland.

So we've got our great dolls all ready and we've got our great paperdoll clothes fabric:

http://www.fabricsandbuttons.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WSS&Product_Code=FINE-COT-12003&Product_Count=&Category_Code=

Now what?

Loosely cut out the clothing you'll want. Leave the tabs on or cut them off - we did some of both. We choose not to make the shoes but you easily can following these same steps:

Now give your dresses a little backing - with some woven fusible interfacing (fusible only on one side this time). Use your iron and fuse it to the wrong side of your dress:

Then back your dresses with a lightweight fabric - use something that doesn't have a print so that it doesn't show through - Joyce used a cotton/lurex shimmery number. Her theory is - if you're going to give that little girl in your life some fun, fabulous frivolity - might as well make it shimmer and shine!

Okay - now get out your thin elastic and tack it with a few stitches on either side of the middle of your clothes - do the same to the shoes if you have chosen to make them too.

So it will look like this:

Here are the finished fronts of our dresses - I love the look of the tabs:

And here are the backs of our dollies with their dresses on:

And of-course - what you've really been waiting for - here are the girls in their pretty dresses from the front!!!

Enjoy! Be sure to check out our next Sew WOW issue where the dollie dress -complete with hidden pocket and dolls makes its debut!!!

From all of us here at Waechters - happy sewing!