Tweaking Yesterday's Jacket Muslin or "I'm Going on a Safari..."

Friends, I've spent most of today tweaking my latest jacket muslin, Simplicity 8823 from 1970.  I think you'll agree it looks very different than it did yesterday.  Hopefully better.

The fifth -- and final -- men's jacket muslin: Simplicity 8823

So I lied: yesterday was not the last jacket muslin post.  Today is.  And that's no lie.

Fourth time's the charm: Another Men's Jacket Muslin!

Don't hate me, readers -- or worse -- unlike me on Facebook.

A THIRD Jacket Muslin - Stretch & Sew 1794

So how do you feel about raglan sleeves?  Anything at all?

Peter's Wardrobe Makeover or The Virtues of Sewing With a Plan

Friends, I don't know how many of you will remember this, but three years ago to the day, Cathy gave me a complete wardrobe makeover.  (It started here, and you can see the highly successful results here.)

And the Mystery Sewist is....

Would you believe the Brazilian Bombshell, Carmen Miranda?

Well don't, because it's not Carmen Miranda -- but that would have been a pretty good guess.

Can You Identify This Celebrity Sewist?

Friends, I stumbled on this vintage original 8x10 glossy photo of an "unidentified seamstress" and her Singer sewing machine on eBay last week and I knew right away I had to have it, especially for $2.95.

TWO Jacket Muslins: 1980's Simplicity vs. Today's Burda

Readers, I forgot.  It's been twenty-five years since the Eighties, and I failed to remember how BIG everything fit back then.  Blame Gianni Versace, Rei Kawakubo, Claude Montana, Madonna, I don't know.  

Fit Issues and Self-Esteem

Friends, I'm not sure if I ever said this explicitly, but one of the reasons I was excited about being able to sew my own clothes was that I no longer had to deal with ready-to-wear clothing that almost never fit right.

Revisiting the Official MPB Shirt + My Cathy Nightmare

OMG, what horror I experienced last night, friends.  I dreamed I ran into Cathy on the street thirty years from now and...

FINISHED SHIRT + Name That Clutter!

Whoopee -- I finished my shirt, Vogue 8889!

V8889 Final Version -- Looking Good So Far!

I'm almost finished with my first real version of V8889 -- Vogue's latest men's shirt pattern -- and after tracing the original and adding my changes, I think I've come up with a version that fits me well.

Final Vogue Muslin + How I Gained More Than Twenty Pounds

Friends, I've tweaked and tweaked and tweaked some more.  I now think I have a muslin of Vogue 8889 that's good enough for me to transfer the changes to my pattern.  But first -- about that weight gain:

Vogue 8889 Shirt Muslin: a Critique

Readers, I want to open with part of a comment that design expert Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion Incubator once left on my blog, the context being an entry I wrote two years ago about some (very ill-fitting) Marc Jacobs shirts I tried on at Barney's Co-op:

Woo Hoo -- a New Vogue Men's Shirt Pattern!

Readers, I was pleasantly surprised to discover recently that Vogue has expanded its men's pattern offerings.  They currently have fifteen men's patterns for sale and none of them are pajamas or scrubs!

Unnatural Hair Color's Senior Moment

In typical MPB ripped-from-the-headlines fashion, I present Helen Mirren at last night's BAFTA's ceremony in London.  Can this sexagenarian (not sextagenarian, I looked it up) rock pink hair or what?

MPB EXCLUSIVE! -- Cathy Goes Rogue + Simplicity's First Snow!

Readers, I have a very special treat for you today -- an exclusive MPB post-blizzard Cathy photo shoot!

Yesterday baby Simplicity got her very first taste of snow and Cathy debuted a daring new look.  I so wanted to share these special moments with you.  

Look What I Just Got in the Mail-- or "Debi Declutters"

Friends, this has been a very good week for me, sewing-wise.  Or rather, sewing stuff-wise.

First, the Singer featherweight.  Then, the fabulous vintage sewing book.  Finally today -- well, you'll see!

Fabulous Vintage Sewing Book ALERT!

Are you a dyed-in-the-wool-crepe vintage lover?

Be nice to your neighbors. (They may have an old sewing machine they don't want.)

Friends, I'm almost embarrassed to share what just happened to me today but my hunch is you can already guess.

Sewing and the Creative Process

Readers, do you ever sit down and think about how you go about choosing and carrying out your sewing projects?

Silk Chiffon LOVE + Vogue Winner!

Readers, do you ever wonder what the neighbors are thinking when they look into your windows or do you generally draw the shades?

Oh, the joys of silk chiffon.  But wait: first, our Vogue Patterns Magazine Giveaway winner is....

Sunday in the House with Chihuahuas

Friends, when the weather's below freezing, as it is today, we rarely take the dogs outside.  It's just too cold.

Thankfully we've trained them to do what they need to do indoors, in the bathtub to be exact, and most of the time Willy remembers the part about jumping up over the side.

I will not buy more fabric at the flea market. I will not buy more fabric at the flea market. I will not buy more fabric at the flea market. I will not buy...

What fun I had you-know-where this morning, readers!

For starters, fabric, glorious fabric.  The print above feels like rayon and I adore the colors and drape.  This fabric is saying to me, Forties cocktail dress, Forties cocktail dress...  Actually, that's the same thing I hear when I put a conch shell to my ear.  Or a Dixie cup.

Vogue Patterns Magazine GIVEAWAY + another special announcement!

I'm a little late with this, friends, but I'm excited to be giving away a copy of the December 2012/January 2013 copy of Vogue Patterns with my most recent article in it, all about my favorite vintage sewing machine models!