They messed with the wrong city -

I haven't many words to share in light of the horrific events here in Boston this week. A fellow blogger posted some very succinct words regarding the way we Bostonians feel and behave toward those who come to live in our city, so I don't think I need to say much more. It's very surreal to think this happened in my own back yard. We're far enough outside the city proper to not be affected physically by the lockdown/stay safe indoors order, other than having a son who needed to figure out how he was supposed to go to work in one of the towns that is in the lockdown area, when he's not supposed to drive in that town - the restaurant wound up sending him to another of their outlets where the servers couldn't come from their homes in Boston. I'll still worry until he's home safe tonight. And in response to this, all I have to say is we're Boston, we're strong, and thanks to all who are thinking of and supporting us.

Still talking about inexpensive garments and fit

Mindreading: a fitting lament of good, cheap and fast.

Quick post this morning. A friend shared the blog post above, from the Fashion Incubator blog. This explanation of how subjective fit can be, with its graphic photo of the same gown on two very different bodies, is alone worth visiting the blog. This is so a propos to my last post about the inexpensive prom gown, and my earlier post on cheap fashion. Kathleen says it so well, with this product engineering icon: You can't have all three. Choose good and cheap, fast and good, or fast and cheap. 'Nuff said.

Getting what you paid for - it's prom season!

 This started out as a quick response to a newspaper article, but turned into a pretty long post. Just a warning!

Sunday mornings are very quiet in my house, a lazy time spent reading the paper (Boston Globe for me and Metrowest Daily News for my dh) and consuming way too much coffee. My husband broke the silence today with an outburst of "Aha! This is just begging for a response!" as he handed me an article from his paper.

Paying it Forward

I've been busy, lately, too busy to post anything. Between sewing for clients, travelling for a 4-day board meeting in Seattle, and my part time job, there has barely been time to breathe, let alone write. But I have to let you in on my latest new role, because it's making my heart beat faster and giving me a great sense that all's well with the world - the role of mentor.

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.