Why not make a Hand Crafted Holiday Gift for those you Love (and yourself too!)

We're spreading holiday cheer with up to 50% off on ALL Online Craftsy Classes with my affiliate link!!! Shop NOW and cozy up to your impressive new skills :-)



Here's a link for you: http://www.craftsy.com/ext/PamHoward_holiday
Don't delay, the sale starts Monday December 21, 2015 and runs through Saturday December 26, 2015.
I hope that you ALL have a wonderful Holiday season!

Thanks so much,
Pam

A Tutorial For You!!

This is my first tutorial, so I hope you like it! This is a video showing the step by step techniques in creating the Tower Placket for the Classic Tailored Shirt.   Long awaited, now you've got it.  This is being brought to you by me and my little sis Pat....thank you Pat!! 

Tower Placket Tutorial

Quilted Jacket: Eye Candy!

I wanted you to see Lorraine M.'s beautifully made jacket. It is the same jacket she made in Tailoring Boot Camp (Nancy Erickson's #1945). However, this time she used Mary Ray's channel quilting techniques. The fabrics she used were: soft, brushed polyester (from her stash), Posh (polyester) lining from JoAnn's Fabrics, Thai Silk for the collar and lapels. As you can see, there are some great quality polyester fabrics around! She used Hobbs Heirloom batting (100% wool) between the layers and then channel quilted the sections. The end result is a tailored jacket that is soft, crushable, and packable (as Lorraine describes it). No worries of wrinkles when you get to your final destination!

Thanks, Lorraine for providing these pictures, so that I can share them with all of you.

Please contact my friend Mary Ray for info on her workshops, so that you can learn her wonderful techniques. Mary is a contributing editor for Threads, Craft Stylish, and teaches in the Fashion Design Program at Allegheny State College in Boone, NC. Her website is: www.maryraydesigns.com

Donna Karan 1263 Jacket front

Here is  a picture of the front of the jacket!

Can you believe it...I've been Sewing Jackets!!!

Rarely do I get a chance to make anything for myself. This year I've been determined to make time between projects for business, to make some jackets (my favorite things to sew!!)

The Donna Karan Vogue jacket #1263, has been one that I've admired for some time now. I happened to attend one of the City-Wide Couture meetings (one of the Neighborhood groups with ASG-Atlanta). Some of us got a chance to visit Gail K Fabrics in Atlanta after the meeting (Ginny, Martha, and me!). As I went through the store, I spotted a beautiful Wool Damask Knit and fell in LOVE :-))
I also saw another lovely piece, and since I could not make a final decision, I left it in the store.

Of course, I dreamed about the first piece, so the next day I went back to get it.
This is the same pattern that comes with the Alabama Chanin Class on Craftsy, and will look great on  everyone.

Here are pictures of the jacket I made...Front and back view. Also, a close up of the fabric. The picture doesn't do it justice.

Announcing My new Class on Craftsy: "Jacket Fitting Techniques"

Join me to learn more about how to custom fit a jacket pattern for yourself and others! I will show you the Art of Drape Fitting for a more customized fit. You will learn about proper measuring, accurate marking, lay out/cut out, and construction of your muslin. I'll guide you through pattern adjustments, the fit process and much more. Please visit me at Craftsy, and use this link to sign up for my new class: www.craftsy.com/ext/jacketfitting  for a discount from me :-)

Share the Gift of "Making" with Others

It's that time of year again! What better way to show how much you care, than to give the gift of knowledge. It's a powerful thing to be able to create a garment with your own hands. It's very satisfying to know that you did that because you could, because you improved upon your skill, or that you learned something new.

I encourage all of you to gift a Craftsy class to yourself or someone else.
Here is a link to my class: "The Classic Tailored Shirt"
http://www.craftsy.com/ext/PamHoward_GiftMyClass

Don't forget, there are many other classes to choose from as a gift as well :-))
Happy Holidays!

Join the September Flirt Skirt Sew Along!

Hello!
Just a note to announce the first Craftsy "Sew Along"! Join your fellow sewists, and make my
Pamela's Closet, Inc. "Flirt Skirt". This pattern was designed for everyone to have a great fitting skirt with a graceful fish-tail back for "Dramatic and Memorable Exits". For the "Sew Along", the skirt will be made in your choice of two beautiful linens from Robert Kaufman Fabrics. This Essex yarn dyed linen is available in Natural or Denim colors. Either one will be a great addition to your wardrobe!
Click on this link, and it will take you there to sign up. Hurry, the course starts soon!

http://www.craftsy.com/ext/PamHoward_SAL_Sept

This "Sew Along" has lots of photos and written instructions to assist you while making the "Flirt Skirt", and I will be available to answer any questions you may have along the way.
So, go ahead and sign up...Hope to see you there!

Join your fellow Shirtmakers for the Craftsy Fabric Sale!

Hello!,
Here is a link for you to get fabric at 20% off at Craftsy.
http://www.craftsy.com/ext/PamHoward_holiday

You will find great deals on fabric for you to create beautiful shirts, or anything else you may want to sew.
Go ahead...take a look, you just might find something you NEED :-))

Variations on a Theme

Now that many of you have made "The Classic Tailored Shirt", why not try to make a variation of a Classic.

Here are some pictures of shirts from "The Vault". One is made in Silk Charmeuse, and if you look closely enough, you will see that the print is: "Lions and Tigers and Bears" (Oh My!!). When I saw this piece of fabric in the store, I couldn't resist -it was calling my name! One of my favorite movies is "The Wizard of Oz", so this beautiful silk had to come home with me.

Another is a rare Byron Lars Vogue pattern #1420. It is quite complicated to make, but I enjoyed every minute of it! I took a picture of the front and back for you to see.

 

This one is a Vogue 2396 that is discontinued, but is a great shirt if you can find it. I added about 2 inches to lengthen it. You may remember this pattern, it was styled for the model to look like Audrey Hepburn. This is the white shirt on the pattern cover. I made it in Lt. Blue cotton Broadcloth.

 

As you can probably see, I tend to like clothes that do "tricks". All of these have a tie, and/or wrap in some way.
This last one is a Burda Magazine pattern, included with the line drawing from the magazine. It was made in Brown herringbone weave linen. It is cross dyed linen, because it has black threads in the weave.

All of these shirts were fun to make and are fun to wear. Let's see your "Variations". Join me at Craftsy.com and post some of the shirts you've made. I can't wait to "meet" you" in my class, "The Classic Tailored Shirt"!

A new word: Jacketeers!

Hello!
I received a picture from Lorraine the other day of her Denim Jacket made from Nancy Erickson's pattern #1945. We did the jacket fitting in Tailoring Boot Camp, and she has been making beautiful, well fitted jackets ever since!
To sew the lining in the jacket, she used Shannon Gifford's "Stitch and Flip" technique featured in a Thread's article some time ago. Even though Shannon is sadly no longer with us, her technique still lives on.
Lorraine described herself as one of my Jacketeers. I LOVE that word!!!
So...from now on, everyone who makes a jacket with me in Tailoring Boot Camp will become a Jacketeer!

She also used a binding method from Mary Ray (www.MaryRayDesigns.com) to bind the collar and lapels of her denim jacket, so that as it wears it will start to fray. How neat!
So, here are the pictures she sent me:

Announcing: "The Classic Tailored Shirt" @ Craftsy.com

In September, I went to Denver, CO to film a class for Craftsy! It is "The Classic Tailored Shirt".
In this class you will learn to use classic tailoring techniques to make a shirt for women and men.
I will cover: front bands, collars and collar stands, cuffs. plackets, button placement, shirt tail hems,
flat felled seam finish, and much more!
One of the great things about Craftsy is that when you sign up for a class, you can watch it as many
times as you want, whenever you want. Your access NEVER expires!
So, come on over to: www.craftsy.com and join me on a Classic Shirtmaking Journey!

Announcing a new class at CRAFTSY!!

Ginny's Shirt- Fini !

Here is the picture of Ginny's shirt, complete with buttonholes and beautiful Mother of Pearl buttons.

ASG Shirtmaking Class- Feb.3 & 4 2012 Pictures!

It's been awhile since I've been able to post, but here are (finally!) some pictures from my ASG Atlanta Shirtmaking Class held here in Atlanta on Feb. 3 & 4, 2012. The event was held at SEFA (Southeast Fiber Arts Association). It is a great location for sewing classes, etc., because the lighting and size of the room is perfect! There were 20 + students there, and the talent/skill level in our Atlanta group is unmatched (in my opinion). Everyone had a great time and hopefully learned more precision sewing techniques.
Here is a picture of Ginny in her beautiful blue shirt. It is a Vogue pattern and she made a muslin prior to the class for a perfect fit! Martha also sent some pictures of her Shirtmaking adventures. The first 2 are of a Vogue Ralph Rucci design and the last 3 are of a pattern by Louise Cutting.

Also, here are a couple of pictures from the class. The shirt I'm wearing is a discontinued Vogue pattern by designer, Byron Lars. Enjoy!!

Upcoming ASG Atlanta event: Shirtmaking Techniques

I wanted you to know about an upcoming ASG Atlanta educational event. I am teaching a class on Shirtmaking Techniques. It will be held on Friday and Saturday, February 4th & 5th.
Many of the techniques being taught were shown on a segment of "Sew Much More" that I taped with host Susan Khalje on the DIY network.
Please check out asgatlanta.org for more info on this and many other events.

SWAP Knits Wardrobe- Class with ASG Atlanta

As you can tell, it's been a busy year! Here are some pictures from the October 2011 SWAP Knits Wardrobe class sponsored by ASG Atlanta. Everyone had a great time, and hopefully learned lots of great techniques for sewing with knit fabrics.

Thanks to Martha M. for sharing these pictures!

Tailoring Boot Camp

FYI...You can also schedule a Tailoring Boot Camp as your "Sew-Cation" It will require one more day to do this....if you're brave enough!! This would be a four day class, just you and me. Contact me for more information: pamelasclosetinc@yahoo.com

Have You had a "SEW" - cation?

I call it a "Sew"-cation because it is just that!

Sewing projects require planning as well as the time it takes to make and complete them. In today's hectic world, time is a precious commodity. Why not schedule that special sewing time with Pam Howard? She can guide you with the correct fit as well as the proper sewing techniques to make garments you'll be proud to wear.

Each "Sew"-cation is "Custom made" for your needs. Plan one, two or three days. It can be a Muslin fitting or Intermediate/Advanced garment construction - or a combination of the two.
Your choice!

The classes are held in my home, and information for area hotels will be given. Pamela's Closet, Inc. is located 24 miles south of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport. The hotels are one exit from the class location.

Pam Howard, Pamela's Closet, Inc. will teach you the techniques that give you more confidence to tackle any garment sewing project. Plan your "Sew"-cation today!

Contact me: pamelasclosetinc@yahoo.com

Beautifully Tailored Jackets

Here are two more pictures of the beautiful jackets made last January in the Boot Camp class.

Lorraine is wearing the stunning rust colored double faced wool jacket, and Ginny is wearing her jacket made in a beautiful shade of green...accesorized with a belt. Lots of hard work was put into these jackets, but worth every minute of it.

Ginny chose to have hand made buttonholes sewn into her jacket. They will do them for you, too, at the Alteration shop at Ansley Mall in Atlanta. Enjoy!