http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com Sewing, Design, Fashion Tue, 13 May 2008 20:38:30 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en On my latest wrap dress I wanted to do something different with the sleeve that was interesting but not too fussy. As I was trying to go to sleep one night, it hit me: taking the scarf sleeve and turning it around into a split sleeve! Still covered, ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/reverse-scarf-sleeve/ As promised, here is a quickie tutorial for adding a band to the neckline of a surplice top as I did on my Cosmopolitan Dress. I love this type of finish because it is so easy and neat. STEP 1: Once you determine the finished width of your band ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/banded-surplice-neckline/ So, here is the completed HP Cosmopolitan dress! I am currently looking for a job and this dress will work nicely in a professional environment. South Florida is very casual - even my best friend who is a senior partner in a law firm only wears suits for ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/hp-cosmopolitan-dress-with-scarf-sleeves/ I just adore the Hot Patterns Deco Vibe Cosmopolitan Dress and have made it several times. The scarf-style shorter sleeve is especially nice because it is covered up yet still cool enough for our steamy South Florida weather. To achieve a really nice, neat finish on this type of sleeve ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/30/mitered-hem-hp-cosmopolitan-dress/ My mother came for a visit last week, and she brought two suitcases of patterns that belonged to my grandmother Della Vestcyk.  What a treasure trove!  Most of them will end up on Ebay, although I did keep a handful.  So for the next few days I'll share with you the ones I kept, and ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/vintage-bonanza-part-1/ Today's Boston Globe has a very amusing story about the Birkin, a handbag whose legendary exclusiveness is firmly quashed in the story. And if you like Posh's Roland Mouret dress Burda WOF did a pretty good knock-off.  Erica's version is really hot! http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/the-illusive-birkin-not-so-much/ I was on a sewing forum this week and read a post from a woman very frustrated because she needed to buy clothes for a job interview, and couldn’t find anything appropriate for her age and in her size. Why do we have so much choice yet it is so hard ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/shopping-not-childs-play/ Today I was meeeting a friend for lunch and wore my Hot Patterns Geisha Girl Jacket. http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/spring-is-here/ Man, sewing blogs and forums are on fire over the two Chado Ralph Rucci patterns added by Vogue last week! I got mine yesterday, and the instruction sheet reveals this pattern to be even more interesting than I imagined. The embellishment is beautiful, and it's typical Rucci; he has often used self-fabric ... http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/vogue-1048-chado-ralph-rucci-embellishment/ Oprah looks incredible in each of these photos. http://thesewingdivas.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/overstating-the-obvious/