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!!