Why Do I Have So Many Summer Fabrics In My Stash?

Why do I have so many summer fabrics in my stash?

I started thinking about what I wanted to sew for this summer (dresses, please), and I noticed that my stash is heavy on lightweight summery fabrics. They’re beautiful. So why haven’t I made them into something? Some of these fabrics have been in my stash for five years.

Here’s what I discovered. When it’s cold out, I have no desire to whip up some gossamer thing. Even the thought of trying on something lacking in warming properties when it’s 25 degrees out is abhorrent. And I don’t sew much in the summer. My sewing room is on the west side of the house which is hot in the afternoons. And my A/C doesn’t seem to penetrate into this room. Ah hah! Mystery solved. I always have great intentions of making summer clothes, but in central Ohio, it’s either freezing or center of the sun hot. We have our traditional one week of warm spring weather before it’s blazing hot and humid for three months.

This year I made a conscious effort to sew summer things during March and April. Brilliant. I made myself three new dresses all out of the lovely but aging fabrics on my fabric shelves. I’m teaching classes using two of the patterns: The Closet Core Cielo Dress and Top and the Love Notions Laundry Day tee. I’ve made many tops and a dress out of the Cielo pattern over several years and love it. The Laundry Day tee is a new pattern, but it is fabulous! It is fitted through the bust but swishy through the hips. Who doesn’t love a T-shirt dress in the summer?

Our studio has lovely air conditioning, so you can sew on hot days in comfort. Please join me for either or both of these classes.

by Martha West

Gift Guide For Mothers' Day

You can sew plenty of heartfelt and practical gifts for Mother's Day. Here are some ideas:

Does your mom garden or love to cook?

Sew a personalized apron with her favorite colors or patterns. Check out this one from recycled jeans!

Is she into shopping?

Make her a set of bags, including a boxy tote and drawstring bags of various sizes with fun designs or appliques.

Is mom proud of her hair?

Why not make her more comfortable with a satin pillowcase to help eliminate hair tangles, breakage, and frizz? If you already sew, book an hour to make one or take Intro To Machine Sewing and bring a yard of satin fabric because that’s just what we make in that class!

Does she go for hikes in the woods or out in the sun?

You could make her a bucket hat. It will keep the sunburn away and help keep woodland bugs out of her hair.

Is she earth-friendly?

Make her pack of non-paper towels in fun-themed fabrics to brighten her day.

Does she love to have her sewing kit with her?

Create a fabric sewing kit to keep all the sewing tools for emergency repairs or do some hand sewing while visiting.

Maybe you haven’t sewn yet, and she would love to take a class with you to learn how to sew, fit a pattern, or make a summer garment. How about a Sewing Hive Gift Card for her or both of you?
Order, print, and stick it in a Mother’s Day card!

She'll appreciate the thoughtfulness behind the handmade gift.

A New Sewer’s Journey!

Meet our most determined, joyful client, Linda! She truly is one of the funniest, happiest people I have met.
Linda is finishing her FIFTH coat/jacket to be started and completed in the last 18 months. To flesh out the picture, I met Linda about two years ago when she took a pants class at a fabric store, and I was the instructor. She came with the pants already cut out, and I thought maybe a raccoon had nibbled the fabric away. (Sorry, raccoons; yes, Linda had already read this before I published it.) After a few hours, I asked if she was left-handed, which explained the tortured fabric and her tortured left hand using right-handed scissors.

One of our very first customers…

Not one to be happy just to stick her toe into the water, Linda plunged right in to learn everything she could about sewing outstanding garments. Recently retired, she had a beautiful white wool fabric, purchased many years ago while she was working, and she wanted to make a jacket. After seeing the beautiful fabric, we talked about maybe working on some linen first.

The very next project was the Kelly Anorak trench with lining.

Never one to shy away from a tough fabric if that was the correct fabric, Linda sourced a water resistant material from Seattle Fabrics, and the lining from Liberty of London. Zippers, snaps, grommets….she gamely tackled it all. She has a beautiful light weight trench she wears proudly.

The next project

…was a white wool winter coat, belted, with fake fur buttons that add flair and Linda’s distinctive style.

Linda is a shirt-and-jeans kind of laid-back girl, so Project Five was a shirt. We believe a woven shirt is a great skill builder: topstitching, buttonholes, fitted shoulders, plackets, collars, and cuffs. The results are pretty great, with rounded pearlized buttons. Along with three other ladies, Linda is finishing her French couture jacket. Up next, pants!

Here is what working with Linda has taught us…..it is a great idea to take a basic sewing course if you are a beginner, but never be afraid to dive right in and learn by just SEWING.

Whisper Boyshorts Will Make You Shout "Hooray!"

Martha West, one of our seasoned instructors, gives a shout-out about “Whisper Boyshorts” by Sinclair Patterns.

“I’ve had a few students ask me if I would teach a boyshort class, but I never found a pattern I liked until now. A few months ago, Sinclair Patterns released the Whisper Boyshort pattern, and it is a winner!
It’s a pattern with so many options: Low/Medium/High rise and leg lengths of briefs, 3”, 5”, and 7.5”. It also allows many finishing options such as bands, elastic lace, or picot elastic at the waist and/or legs. This pattern is true to size, and it comes in a huge size range from 34” -63” hip.
As far as styling options, I’ve mostly made the brief version and 5” leg. The briefs are great for everyday wear. These have become popular in my family as sleep shorts! I’ve made several pairs for my sister and myself with the 5” leg as sleep shorts– both of us are sleep short fans, and our Whispers have become our faves.
I sew mine completely on my regular sewing machine using a narrow zigzag stitch. You can use a serger if you prefer. Personally, I find serged seams a bit scratchy, so I prefer using a regular machine.
This pattern is designed for fabrics with a 4-way stretch. This means the fabric must stretch on both the straight grain and the cross grain. Look for fabrics with spandex, such as cotton/spandex or rayon/bamboo with spandex. (NOTE: I have made these with 2-way stretch 100% cotton fabric, but I sized up two sizes).
The pattern comes with the layers feature, which I highly recommend. You can print out the size (or sizes) corresponding to your measurements. I started by printing all sizes, and it’s pretty much impossible to distinguish between all the overlapping lines. But, with layers printing, you only have a couple of sizes on one pattern piece, and it is all very clear and accurate.
Lastly, the instructions that come with the pattern are VERY thorough! There’s even a lot of good information about how to alter the pattern to fit your particular shape.
I’ve added this pattern as an option for the “Sew Your Own Underwear” class we offer at The Sewing Hive. Register for private or semi-private with your friends! We’ll set up a date and time that works for you and the instructor.

Just Five Pieces

As you may know, The Sewing Hive just hired Ashleigh, to teach coat and jacket making, plus other fun garments. Here’s a little blurb she wrote about the Jill Cardigan by Seamwork Patterns:

Introducing the Jill Cardigan, created by Seamwork.

“I found it in my closet & remembered how much I loved sewing it (and have been wearing it since our meeting!). I am including in case you'd like me to offer this as well. The photos are the best I have - the Seamwork website's photos are much nicer & clearer than mine!”
~Ashleigh Sochor

This is a great pattern for the sewist wanting to try their hand at outerwear - or for an advanced sewist looking for a classic, quick addition to their wardrobe! This unlined coat features angled patch pockets, a kick pleat, and a classy shawl collar. The pattern is only five pieces and uses simple construction techniques, such as sewing the sleeves in a flat. Choose from heavy-knit sweater or thick woven fabrics to achieve your desired look. This class is two 2.5-hour sessions—search #seamworkjill on Instagram for more ideas and reviews of this pattern.
Check out the class link she’s offering and register so you can start planning class times with Ashleigh.

Say "Oui" To French Seams!

Bonjour, fellow sewing enthusiasts! Let’s learn how to sew French seams – those magical stitches that turn ordinary seams into masterpieces and bid farewell to frayed edges. So grab your spools, don your imaginary beret, and let’s journey together into sewing finesse!

Prepare Your Fabric:
You’ll want to do this on thinner fabrics, such as a lawn, voile, gauze or similar weight. This one is a lovely fabric by Art Gallery Place the fabric's wrong sides together. This is the opposite of traditional sewing, where you sew with the right sides together.

The backs of the fabrics are facing each other.

Sew the First Seam:
Pin the seam you want to sew with a French seam, ensuring the fabric is aligned.
Sew a straight seam with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. This is smaller than your final seam allowance.

Trim and Press:
Trim the seam allowance to about 1/8 inch (3mm) to remove excess bulk.
Press the seam open with an iron.

Fold and Press:
Fold the fabric along the seam line so the right sides face each other.
Press along the folded line to create a neat crease.

Sew the Second Seam:
Sew another seam with a 3/8-inch seam allowance (or your desired seam allowance). This will encase the raw edges from the first seam within the fold.
The first seam you sewed will now be hidden within this second seam.

The fronts of the fabric are now facing each other.

Press and Finish:
Press the seam to one side. The raw edges are now encased, creating a clean and finished look on the right side of the fabric.
Your French seam is complete! This method prevents fraying and creates a clean and polished finish on both sides of the fabric. It's particularly useful for delicate fabrics like chiffon, silk, and lightweight cotton.

Remember that French seams work best on fabrics that aren't too thick, as they can become bulky with multiple layers. Consider other seam finishing techniques like flat-felled seams or serged finishes if you're working with heavier fabrics.