A basic shirt, not your average pattern

One of the best reasons for seeking the services of a custom dressmaker is discovering that literally nothing in ready-to-wear comes in proportions to fit the elderly body. My client Claire could not find a shirt that would close around her hips without being giant-sized through the neck and shoulders. At 88, she also has difficulty handling buttons and zippers, so her daughters thought I might be able to help by making a shirt and some pants for her.

Not all weddings are white

In the wake of Nemo, the blizzard of 2013, which dumped almost 30 inches of snow in my neighborhood last Friday thru Saturday, I'm thinking of summer weather, and weddings. A while back (almost two years ago, now) I had the great pleasure of making a young bride's dream come true, when she and her groom planned a wedding they could truly enjoy.

The Best Laid Plans...

I started the year with a plan to schedule sewing for myself as well as my customers in the time I have in the studio, by "earning" 10 minutes for me for each hour I spend on them.

Jeans that fit!

One of the greatest pleasures I can get from my sewing is creating a garment for my daughter, especially one she has despaired of ever finding to fit. Erin's posture is nearly impeccable, she stands tall as my mother always commanded us, shoulders back, head level.

End of the year already?

After a very busy Christmas week, not to mention the month or so leading up to it, I've been taking the last few days to consciously slow down and take stock - literally. I'm working at reorganizing

Serious Sensitivity

Yesterday's appointment schedule included a consultation with a client who has very particular needs that must be addressed in her garments. She has reactions to any kind of dye in the fabric, and can only wear natural fibers in the colors as they are grown.

Today's news: I am now the mother of a doctor!

Some days the best news in my life comes from family, and this post has absolutely nothing to do with sewing. I am immensely proud of my daughter, Erin, for today she successfully defended her doctoral dissertation! She's an MD/PhD student at Washington University in St. Louis, and with this portion of the program behind her, will be reentering the Medical School in January to finish her studies there. Her Facebook post following her thesis defense reads "Time for celebration, sleep and dance!" Dance joyfully, my daughter!