Christine Haynes's Blog, page 12

The Sewtionary Blog Tour

I am so honored to be the next stop on The Sewtionary Blog Tour! Written by the lovely Tasia of the pattern company Sewaholic, this book is an absolute must in your stash. I don't say that lightly and I don't agree to review books from friends if I don't honestly believe what I'm saying.

What is a Border Print
Inseam Pockets vs. Slash Pockets
I love reference books and they are the ones I go back to over and over again. I have a ton of vintage ones, and of course my own book, but from doing a similarly styled book, I know A) how hard they are to do, and B) how hard it is to include everything. No book will fill every need, so having a few to refer to is really a lifesaver.

How to sew a Godet - How to sew a Narrow Hem How to sew a Bound Buttonhole - What is Hair Canvas
You might remember that I actually got Tasia's book back in Pittsburgh during Quilt Market, when I was lucky enough to meet her in real life and get it signed before it was even widely available. Tasia is so nice in real life and I am really happy for her and how great her book turned out.

How to sew Belt Loops - How to sew a Blanket Stitch How to make Piping - How to sew with Knit Fabric
What will you find inside? Conveniently organized alphabetically, you will learn all about basic things like how to finish seams, to far more advanced topics like pad stitching and transforming a bodice with darts to a bodice with princess seams. Really helpful!

How to change Darts into Princess Seams - How to change the Seam Allowance on a pattern How to make a Tailor's Ham - How to Understitch a facing
All the photos are very clear and give you tremendous details, making each step really easy to follow. The book itself is large and hard cover, but with a helpful spiral ring hidden on the inside, so the pages lay nice and flat when you are using the book.

How to sew Bias Tape - How to sew Exposed Elastic to an opening
I cannot suggest this book enough and recommend you get it to learn all the A to Z's of sewing! Want to know even more about the book and have a chance to win one? Check out all the other stops on The Sewtionary Blog Tour at these blogs below:

Wednesday, September 10: Thread Theory BlogThursday, September 11: Miss Crayola CreepyFriday, September 12: ColetterieMonday, September 15: City Stitching with Christine HaynesTuesday, September 16: Tilly and the ButtonsWednesday, September 17: MadalynneThursday, September 18: Closet Case FilesFriday, September 19: By Gum, By GollyMonday, September 22: LladybirdTuesday, September 23: True BiasWednesday, September 24: Four Square WallsThursday, September 25: Ada SpraggFriday, September 26: Did You Make That?

Moving Slowly

It's been a bit quiet here lately, and that's partly due to the upcoming pattern and all the other things I'm working on behind the scenes, but it's also due to a bit of emotional strain as of late. I don't get too personal here on the blog; I try to reveal just enough to give you all a taste of who I really am and what my life is like, without steering too far from the topic at hand, which is sewing.

But I do feel like an explanation is in order, as if you see me lately, I might seem a bit off of my usual self. The reason is that earlier this week I went home to be with my family as we put my late father's ashes to rest. He's been gone since 2006 but we never did anything with the ashes until now. It has been a wonderful moment to bond even closer to my family and to remember a man we all loved, but it has brought out a lot of sadness and emotion and I'm finding it hard to hide, so I thought it best to openly talk about it.

My dad was a man of the water, a former Navy man that loved the lake and boats, and so it is fitting that he is now a permanent part of Lake Michigan, where we spent many family hours when I was growing up and where he and my mom continued to go even after my brother and I had moved away to distant shores.

So needless to say I am moving at a slower pace right now. The Marianne Dress pattern is ready to go, I just need to finalize a few last touches before sending it to print to make sure I've caught every mistake so it is perfect. I'm not rushing myself and had wanted it to be out by now, but I'm moving along and allowing myself to live beyond my work.

Thanks everyone for your understanding <3

September Class Reminders! (Including the Last Emery Class!)

Happy fall everyone! If you're looking to take some of my fall classes, this is a reminder that there are some goodies starting up this coming weekend!


Starting Saturday, September 13 is the last Emery Dress class I'm teaching in the foreseeable future! It's time to move onto other patterns in my collection, so jump on it! The class is four Saturdays from 11am-2pm and costs $155. Sign up here with Sew L.A. directly.


Starting the following week on Saturday, September 20, I'm teaching the great staple Belcarra Top from Sewaholic! This is the second time I am teaching it, and the first class was a huge success! This class is 3 weeks long and is perfect for an advanced beginner that has put together a basic garment or two and is looking to do something with a wee bit more precision. The cost is $125 and you can sign up here. (Photos above from Sewaholic, Sew Well, and Guthrie & Ghani)

I hope to see you in class!

Blog Silence = Busy Studio!

Sorry for the quiet blog of late, as I've been busy sewing, shooting, laying out the booklet, and all the other goodies it takes to release a new pattern, the Marianne Dress! She's going to print next week, which means she'll be here and in the studio in a couple of weeks and ready for your fall and winter sewing!

I have other pattern surprises in store this fall as well, so I hope you're all ready for a whole mess of stuff coming your way in the next few months!

Also, I am headed home to the Midwest for a few days next week, so the silence will continue here on my blog. But as a reminder for those of you not following me, I am pretty active on Instagram, so for daily updates, find me there!

In the meantime, there are loads of other things out there on the web to keep you inspired and occupied. Here are a few of my favorite things on the indie pattern scene to check out:


Sarai and team Colette Patterns have declared this month to be Sept-hem-ber and are posting all things hems all month long, and they are in the middle of making a free Colette Hem Guide booklet. I'm sure we are all going to pick up some helpful tips!Anna from Noodlehead is by far my favorite non-garment person in the indie sewing scene, and I am thrilled that she has announced her upcoming book! And the cover says that it includes things to wear too...!!! The fabulous ladies at By Hand London have released the new Holly Jumpsuit pattern! Okay, this is not for me, but there are some fantastic versions out there, and after meeting two of the three BHL ladies when I was at Ray-Stitch in June, I can vouch that these ladies can rock a jumpsuit!Sew L.A., the lovely shop I teach at here in Los Angeles, is turning eight! And as any eight year old would do, they are throwing a big bash, complete with rainbows and unicorns. Join in the fun on September 20th and wear your most fantastic handmade outfit to win great prizes! Learn all about it on this blog post. I will be there too, so come say hi!Papercut Patterns has teamed up with Australian fashion designer Brooke Tyson and released a new pattern, the Clover Dress. I will admit that I bought it, downloaded it, printed it, taped it together, and cut out my size all on one Sunday evening the day it was launched. I have made up a muslin and it fits like a dream. Once things calm down I am going to use some fabulous rayon in my stash to make up a real version! I love it. I met the very sweet Charlie from This Blog is Not For You at my party in London and I am excited for her and her new patterns! She released a dress and a skirt variation under the name Audrey & Me. Deer & Doe has released a new pattern for the fall as well, a super cute long button-down shirt that would look great over leggings and boots for the cooler months ahead. It has an equestrian feel that I really like.Want to see the most adorable Emery Dress? Check out the big beautiful stripes on Dixie's dress over at her Dixie DIY blog. I die. Both Fiona and Heather do regular updates from the indie sewing scene, so for even more news from all things indie sewing, check out there recent posts at Heather's Closet Case Files and Fiona's Diary of a Chain Stitcher blogs. Are you in the London area? If so, you should totally check out Tilly's classes at her new studio! Not only is she teaching, but Zoe and Lauren are teaching there as well! 

And as a reminder, you can always check out my posts for Craftsy here!
Happy weekend to you all!
xoxo

New Bombshell Winner!

Well, it's been a week since I announced the winner of the Bombshell Swimsuit giveaway here on the blog, and I haven't heard anything from the randomly chosen commenter, so it's time to pick an alternate winner!

I again randomly sorted all the comments and we have have a new winner! (if you don't know from previous giveaways on my blog, I don't use the Random.org winner selector site like a lot of other people, since it never picks the first or last person and I think that's unfair!)

And the winner is:
Karen! Yay! You're our new winner!

Karen JacksonAugust 18, 2014 at 10:36 AMThis would be a great pattern for me as it is completely out of my comfort zone. I'd love to work with stretchy materials and get to grips with elastic. If all else fails, I'll whip up a quilt weight cotton version and sit on a picnic blanket, away from water!
I know this might not suit an English fall and winter climate, but this gives you all winter to make it up, or if you do it quickly, there might still be time to bust it out this season!

 Congratulations Karen!

Fall and Winter Sewing Plans

It's no secret that I'm a dresses girl, but now that I'm working from home most days, my desire to get into a woven fit and flare dress is diminishing more and more everyday. I still wear them when I leave the house, but I need to address this huge hole in my closet: attractive casual wear.

I'm sure I'm not alone when it comes to this issue. You have super cute dresses, and you have workout wear, and you have pajamas, but there isn't much in between. That is the huge and glaring hole in my wardrobe. So since it's getting more and more embarrassing to answer the door when then FedEx guy comes by on a Wednesday at noon and I'm still in what looks like pj's, I seriously need to address it!

I have gone through a very similar fabric overhaul as my pal Devon and I've really stocked up on basic and classic fabrics in my stash and am setting my more novelty prints aside for quilts, and for a future stash sale. So I have fabrics ready to go and now it's a matter of making plans.

For the at-home work wardrobe, I'm thinking about casual outfits that feel like pajamas but that are actually real garments. Of course, one of the garments on my to do list is my upcoming Marianne pattern, but we're not going to talk about that quite yet! So, moving on to those that I'm thinking about...

Pictured above at the top is one of the latest Named Patterns, the

I'm in the midst of teaching the Deer & Doe Aubépine Dress right now and am loving it so far. My version is done (and will be blogged when the class is done) and it totally fits the bill to be as comfy as jammies but is a real dress. 
Of course I jumped at Jen's Alder Dress the second it was released. I need to make a muslin to confirm the fit, but then this is again another perfect dress for wearing around the house that is still out-on-the-town acceptable as well. Jen is a great patternmaker and I know it's going to go together super well.

Did you all see the new Papercut Pattern Clover Dress that was released yesterday? The power of the PDF is strong and I bought it, printed it, taped it together, and cut out my size last night after dinner before going to bed. Yeah, this fits my "casual and comfy but chic" requirements perfectly. Muslin coming right up! And, there's a top version that I can wear with pants!


More coziness from Grainline Studios, though actually listed as pajamas so it might be a harder crossover outfit, are the Lakeside Pajama set. I think this is a great at-home outfit for those insanely hot LA days when I can't stand to have anything touching me.
I am not really a button-down shirt kind of girl, but I do have a vintage 1970's button-down shirt that some of you might have seen in real life and it's cozy and lovely to wear. I'm thinking the Archer Shirt could be all kinds of coziness this fall and winter. Can you tell that I'm really trying to embrace separates? 

Of course, if we're going to talk comfy, the Moneta Dress from Colette Patterns needs to be mentioned. I made a muslin of the top bodice and love it, so these are coming stat. In related news, I made a wearable muslin of the Mabel Skirt and it is not for me. The pattern went together in a flash and fits great, but not for my body type. So I gave it to Haley who I knew would rock it, and she does! Yay!

Also on my to do list is the Amina Pants from Papercut Patterns. I've mentioned making these before and wholeheartedly blame Devon for this turn to jammy pants. Whatever, I'm rolling with this...


Lastly, in the not-work-at-home category of clothing, I'm still thinking of making the Flora Dress from By Hand London as well as the Cami Dress from Pauline Alice. I love both of these and want to try the Flora this time with the tab top. You might remember I made up the cross-front version bodice with no success at all, due to my recent loss of bust with my new weight loss. Great problem to have, but I can see that the tab version is likely more suited for me.

The Cami is just so classic and adorable that I need to add it to my closet for sure. Did you see that Pauline has made her patterns available in print form by the way? Super awesome!

That all looks rather ambitious, but I must say that I am ready for a complete closet overhaul. I hardly wear many of the items in my closet and I think it's time to totally empty the whole thing and start over. Literally. I am ready to have a total do-over!

How about you all? What plans have you made for this fall and winter? Are there patterns that fit the comfy-work-at-home category that I'm not considering? Do tell!

Bombshell Pattern Winner!

And we have a winner! Congrats to Berlinswhimsy who left the comment below:

BerlinswhimsyAugust 18, 2014 at 9:12 AMI have been considering this pattern for so long & your tutorial is just what I need to tackle it! The part I appreciated the most is your clear & concise photos!!
Please shoot me an email with your email address so your PDF pattern can be sent to you! Yay!

Even if you didn't win, I hope my Bombshell Swimsuit sewalong on the Craftsy blog is helpful for those of you that are going to give the pattern a try! It truly is great!

Thanks to everyone who entered and happy weekend!

Bombshell Giveaway Ends Today!

Just a friendly reminder that I will be choosing a winner for the Closet Case Files Bombshell Swimsuit pattern tomorrow morning!

Your last chance to enter is by midnight tonight so pop on over to the post and comment to win! It's truly a great pattern and I can't wait to make another one! It's true what they say, you do feel pretty spectacular in this gem!

Good luck!

September Classes (Including an Emery Class!)

If you're in the Los Angeles area, how about joining me for a class? I teach everything from Machine Intro, where you've never touched a machine before, to advanced dresses, like my upcoming Emery Dress workshop. Read below for all the details and then sign up today! Spaces are limited and most of my classes sell out! So don't wait! 
All my classes are taught at Sew L.A. in Atwater Village. Click on the link for the class you're interested in and sign up directly with the shop. 

Emery Dress Workshop
The Emery Dress has been more popular than my wildest dreams! Want to make your own? This is my last Emery workshop for the year so if you're interested in learning how to make the Emery with me, this is your chance! Learn set-in sleeves, lined bodice, gathering, darts, and so much more!
Limited to 6 students
4-part class starts September 13
11am-2pm
$155
(Photos above from Sew L.A. and me)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Belcarra Top by Sewaholic
Everyone needs some good staples in their closet and the Belcarra Blouse from Sewaholic Patterns is exactly that! Idea for dressing up or dressing down, this simple shape can be worn with everything from summer shorts to fancy skirts. In this 3-part class, we will learn to make view A, a simple shell that has raglan sleeves, bias-bound neckline, and no fussy details, making it a great choice for new sewers and beyond.
Limited to 8 students
3-part class starts September 20
3-6pm
$125
(Photos above from Sewaholic, Sew Well, and Guthrie & Ghani)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Stand Up Zipper Bags by Noodlehead
These handy bags are amazingly useful to have around for on the spot organizing! They also make fantastic crafty gifts for friends & family. Bags are lined and have boxed corners, and they stand on their own so your stuff is easy to get to. The end of the exposed zipper is covered with the cutest little tab. Great for makeup, travel, school supplies, or anything you need to corral inside your purse. Once you make one you’ll be addicted [trust us], and you’ll be whipping up a whole set in no time.
Limited to 8 students
1-part class on September 6
11am-2pm
$65
(Photos above from Noodlehead, Sew L.A., and Noodlehead)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Easiest Skirt by Sew L.A.
You've seen me in this skirt many times, and though it's super duper easy (which makes it perfect for beginner sewers) it's also really cute and great for these hot summer days with a tank or t-shirt. The Easiest Skirt has a yoke with elastic in a casing at the waist, so it’s comfortable but not too bunchy under an un-tucked top. Learn about using a commercial pattern, pinning & cutting accurately, gathering, hems & casings – and get more practice sewing straight and zig-zag stitches.You can choose to make the shorter or longer length in class. 
Limited to 8 students
2-part class starts September 14
11am-2pm
$95
(Photos above by me & Sew L.A.)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


Machine Intro
The most basic class at Sew L.A.! This one’s for you if you just purchased a machine and you have no idea how to get it started, or if you’d like to become familiar with a machine before getting one of your own. Also good for general knowledge if it’s been awhile since you have used a machine! Following a brief discussion about sewing tools & supplies, you’ll learn how to prepare the machine for sewing: threading the top thread, winding a bobbin and installing it, and inserting a needle. Also, you’ll learn how to change stitches along with their length and width. Practice sewing some seams and finishing the edges, and voila! You have a cute tote bag to carry your sewing supplies in!
Limited to 8 students
1-part class on the following dates and times:
September 13, 3-6pm
September 21, 3-6pm
(Photos above by me)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bombshell Swimsuit Pattern Giveaway!

Over the weekend my two-part Bombshell Swimsuit sewalong published on the Craftsy site! It was a big undertaking but I'm so happy to help guide others through this adorable pattern. My version was nearly a perfect fit and I look forward to making another one with some small changes. I already have some new swimsuit fabric from a recent stop at The Fabric Store.

So, are you ready to make your own suit? Let me tell you, it's daunting at first, but honestly, it is a lot easier than you think it's going to be. So if you want to give it a try but don't yet have the pattern, today is your lucky day! The lovely Heather from Closet Case Files, who designed the Bombshell Swimsuit, agreed to give one of you lucky readers a copy of the pattern!

Here's how you can win:

Visit either Part One or Part Two of my Craftsy blog postsReturn here to my blogLeave a comment on my blog about the part of the sewalong you found to be most challenging, helpful, or the part that you are most excited about
That's it!

Giveaway is open to anyone anywhere and the winner will receive the PDF pattern for the Closet Case Files Bombshell Swimsuit PDF pattern. Giveaway is open until Thursday at midnight, PST. Winner will be announced Friday right here on my blog!

Good luck!!!