StraightJacket Muse

As I was starting the above title, I was naturally reminded of an old Communist era joke, what's black and white and red all over?  Pravda (the official  newspaper of the Soviet juggernaut).  ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2016/03/black-and-white-and-um-pink-yellow.html

I was so pleased with the results of my most recent sewing-related woodworking effort , that I decided to complete my collection of sewing related items while the woodworking tools were all out. ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2016/01/more-sewing-aids-sleeve-and-tailors.html

It all started about six weeks ago - a kind of Advent plan for the New Year.  As I was carrying my instruments to a rehearsal gig, I realized that I really need to streamline the experience.  B...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2016/01/sidetracked-how-i-wound-up-making.html

The moment I acquired the Pendleton Wool from Ann, I began pondering its ultimate shape:  a short(ish) coat - and collecting materials for it. As I'd mentioned, the wool fabric is very soft, v...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2016/01/pendleton-coat-inner-workings.html

Whenever I can, I try to use a fun patterned silk to line my coats and jackets.  But for this one, I didn't have any silk charmeuse in the right colour way.  So I grabbed a light-medium  warm ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-pendleton-coats-lining-dare-to-be.html

We all do it:  sewing that isn't  "pour moi" - isn't "couture" - and typically, isn't (and isn't supposed to be) visible to the world at large.  Stuff that's too pedestrian - quotidien - even ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/12/invisible-sewing.html

AA? Sure! except in this instance it refers not to the evil brew, but 'Murrican Apparel. A jumpsuit isn't the sort of thing I'd ever think of for myself.  And yet.... The backstory here is th...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-aa-jumpsuit-successful-knockoff.html

Aaaaahhhhh!  Late fall.... my garden is rapidly going underground, the outdoor temps maxing out at barely-there double digits, time for winter tires and Christmas prep rapidly abeckonin', and fi...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/11/musings-on-new-coat-project.html

Every now and again, there comes along a pattern that catches fire and takes everyone's fancy.  This is one of them.  Seemingly a very simple shift knit dress, it's made unique by those ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/10/my-version-of-shingle-dress-vogue-8904.html

Since I make lots of sleeveless tops that are loose, lightweight and non-clingy (think silk crepe de chine) this body-hugging wrap blouse pattern - and its intriguing description - was something ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/10/gil-brandao-wrap-blouse.html

Now that the summer season is well and truly over and our thoughts begin to run to wools and coats, I want to close the loop on this layered top design .  Here's my second, more whimsical versio...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/10/layered-top-knockoff-two-finished.html

This is the story of a nice little two-piece dress that just happened! I'd meant to grab a skirt's length of this intriguing shirred cotton-rayon jacquard from EmmaOneSock, but before I go...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/10/purple-passion-peplum-two-piece-dress.html

 Those of you in eastern North America that follow the media have perhaps taken note that today - the 27th of September 2015 - we'll have the very rare treat of a supermoon total eclipse.  A su...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/09/shooting-moon.html

Sleeveless tops, anyone? They're my go-to summertime wear.  I've developed my own top pattern, both with and without a side bust dart, and frequently tinker with it to make the end produc...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/09/layered-tank-top-knockoff-initial.html

My guys have few sartorial needs, and I'm very seldom called upon to sew for them.  Here's one pyjama outfit I've made for both of them several times - and once already blogged about, albei...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/09/one-seam-unisex-pj-with-pattern.html

Not a whole lot of sewing has been going on chez Straightjacket recently, but I did make this little jacket early this summer, from fabric I'd had in stash for a year or so - I seem to recal...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/09/lovely-lovely-linen.html

Kay the Sewing Lawyer and I enjoyed an afternoon together this week chez elle (thank you, Kay), and I came away just blown away by her new toy, the Passat knitting machine. Being a total ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/kay-and-her-amazing-knitting-machine.html

I'm trying to shift my sewing to a more adventurous, more exploratory  mode.  I've plenty of jackets now, so it's time. For a long time now I've been interested in draping.  My first sel...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/experiment-triangle-drape-dress-take-one.html

Back to regular programming!  Whew - those itty bitty little booties really took me out of my comfort zone. My black wool matelasse (wool-nylon blend from Mood), outfit is done, done, and d...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/black-matelasse-skirt-suit-its-bomb.html

The last few times I tried to wear my red bouclé Chanel jacket, I had to abandon the inclination.  I shrunk a little in the last few years, and was simply swimming in it. So recently I took ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/revisions-1-red-boucle-jacket.html

Wow I can't believe I actually made these.  This utterly charming pattern is by Misusu , a lovely and generous person whose work typically focuses on the youngest amongst us, but who has a...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/booties-for-baby.html

Yessss!!! Laugh at me, do.  Of course I'll not be the one to give birth. I'll be the wicked step-grandmother; I've been practicing for the role for well over half of my SD's lives, as their wick...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/02/were-having-baby.html

When I was young, my mother was a children's fashion designer in a big textile firm in my home city, which, btw, has a history of textile production of over 150 years.  She practiced her skills ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/01/humour-in-style.html

Normally, I decide on a garment first, find a likely pattern, and only then seek the fabric for it.  In this instance, though, I looked at the fabric and thought, this can be made interesting...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/01/floral-blouse-or-when-fabric-determines.html

Today I'd like to highlight what is unquestionably the oldest article of clothing I possess. It's called a "KOŻUSZEK GÓRALSKI", and is a natural sheepskin shearling short coat, decorated ...

http://straightjacketmuse.blogspot.com/2015/01/tradition-appreciation-of-personal.html