Dec 28, 2016

Modeling My New Summer Outfit!


Baby, it's cold outside but that doesn't matter.

You can see my just-completed summer pants and shirt ensemble here.

Dec 26, 2016

Last Outfit of 2016


Readers, having completed my tailoring and draping classes, this week I opted for a palate cleanser.

Dec 22, 2016

The Demise of Wolf Dress Forms


Sad news to report, friends.

The Wolfform Company, manufacturer of dress forms for more than 100 years, is out of business.

Dec 21, 2016

Ladies Tailoring III @ FIT: My Final Jacket


I think it's safe to say that of the seven classes I've taken so far at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Ladies Tailoring III has been the most technically challenging.

Dec 17, 2016

Draping II @ FIT: My Final Project!


Friends, my current draping class at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), which began at the end of August, ended this morning -- in a snowstorm.  It's been a long semester!

Nov 25, 2016

Peter Models the Bias-Plaid Cape


I did it, friends -- my bias-plaid cape is finished!

You can see more of my completed garment in all it's red, white, and blue glory HERE.

Nov 21, 2016

My Manscape Adventures


CORRECTION: The title of today's post should read My Man's Cape Adventures -- darn Autocorrect!

Nov 17, 2016

When Patterns Look (Exactly) Alike


I think I mentioned that we are creating a lot of cowl neck variations in my current draping class at FIT.

Oct 31, 2016

Oct 27, 2016

A Little of This, a Little of That


Readers, this is not a Halloween costume, nor have I joined the Marine Corps -- I'm a couple of decades too old for that.

Oct 23, 2016

A Pretty Pair of Pockets


I spent most of the weekend catching up on my tailoring work.

Oct 20, 2016

Tailoring Progress, Slow and Steady


I haven't discussed my Ladies Tailoring class much lately because we had a three week break and my focus shifted.

Oct 15, 2016

Draping Drama + My Charm Bracelet!


Sometimes I forget where I originally raised a style-related question, here or on Instagram.

Oct 11, 2016

NAME THAT PATTERN -- The Farewell Tour


Readers, it's a show business truism that you should leave them wanting more.

Oct 8, 2016

Which Blazer Muslin Looks Better On Me?


One of my goals before the end of the year is to complete a wool suit jacket for myself.

Oct 5, 2016

Peter Models the Completed Chalayan Knockoff!


Readers, my Hussein Chalayan cotton poplin knockoff is finished!

Check out the entire photo shoot here!

Oct 2, 2016

Just Knock It Off, Okay?

Readers, even if I could afford it, I'd have a hard time forking over $520 for a white cotton shirt.

Sep 29, 2016

Draping and Tailoring Class UPDATES


This fall I'm taking two classes at Fashion Institute of Technology: Ladies Tailoring III and Draping II.

Sep 26, 2016

Marimekko Pants -- FINISHED!


Friends, the pants are finished!  Below are a few shots Michael took of me in them.

Sep 22, 2016

My Marimekko Pants Project


Last December I bought this intriguing Marimekko panel print at the Chelsea flea market.

Sep 19, 2016

Red Cotton Work Jacket REVEALED!


Readers, not even last Saturday night's bomb explosion (which took place just three blocks from my apartment) could keep me from sharing my new red cotton work jacket with you today.

Please check out the entire photo shoot here.

Sep 17, 2016

You Say Tomato, I Say Cranberry: What Color IS My Jacket?

Friends, did you know that red, specifically aurora red (18-1550), is one of the ten colors featured in Pantone's Fall 2016 Color Report?

Sep 14, 2016

Japanese Pattern Book Project #1 -- The Work Jacket


My next project is going to be the jacket featured on the cover of Men's Clothes For All Seasons, a Japanese pattern book with roughly 22 different men's patterns featured in it.

I hope eventually to try them all.

Sep 11, 2016

Fabulous Flea Market Finds


Could a man wear a charm bracelet?

Should he?

Sep 8, 2016

Another NYC Fabric Store Bites the Dust


These are tough times for small independent fabric stores in New York City.

Sep 5, 2016

Hats, Hats, Hurray for Hats!


Friends, the balder older I get, the more I love hats.

Sep 1, 2016

Culling My Fabric Stash for National Sewing Month!


Readers, you probably have heard that September is National Sewing Month.

To celebrate, I decided to spend a few hours doing an inventory of my fabric stash and getting rid of stuff I'm unlikely to ever sew with.  As you can see up top, I had four bags' worth of discards.  Off to the thrift store they went; we kept the dog.

Aug 29, 2016

Home Again + Back to School


I'm home again, readers.

All over Provincetown, where we were on vacation last week, I saw these medallions embedded in the streets (up top), which I interpreted as welcome signs to us creative types. What else could they be?

Aug 18, 2016

Peter at the Manus x Machina Exhibit + New Pattern Book + More Jacket Pics!




Readers, today I finally got my a** over to the Manus x Machina exhibit at the Met Museum Costume Institute.

Aug 16, 2016

Peter Models the Wool Camo Jacket!


Friends, I know what you're thinking:

Peter is sewing camouflage?  This from the person who eschewed G.I. Joe dolls for Barbies?

Well it's true.  And you can see the results right this very minute by clicking HERE.

Aug 14, 2016

MPB Day 2016 -- HEAT, HUMIDITY, HULA HOOPS!


Readers, yesterday's sixth annual MPB Day summer event was a hot hit!

Aug 12, 2016

'Twas the Night Before MPB Day + Camo Jacket UPDATE!


Friends, tomorrow's the big day: our sixth annual MPB Day celebration, seventh if you count last March's Winter Frolic.

Aug 10, 2016

And the Cold Weather Sewing Begins!


Sure, the weather outside is hot and unbearably humid, but inside, I'm thinking November!

Aug 7, 2016

NAME THAT PATTERN: Billie Burke Birthday Edition!




You know her as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz, but before that, Billie Burke (b. Aug 7, 1884) was the famous Ziegfeld beauty who married her boss, Florenz Ziegfeld himself!  She then went on to play ditzy matrons in countless golden era Hollywood films, including such classics as Dinner at Eight and Father of the Bride.

Aug 4, 2016

Eat Your Heart Out, Ralph Lauren! Peter's Original Polo Union Suit


Readers, ever since I wrote about a 1920's union suit I bought on eBay two years ago, I've gotten frequent inquiries about where one might find a pair just like it, or whether I'd made a pattern to make one.

Aug 1, 2016

New Month, New Fabric, New Projects!



No, you're not seeing double.

Michael and I wore our matching shirts to a workshop this weekend and this happened: pure serendipity.  These are our friends Ralf and Arne from Germany and we were excited to coordinate so well with them, especially since the workshop was all about creativity.

Jul 27, 2016

My Final Class Project (and a few others)



Yesterday was my last day of patternmaking class: we presented our final projects and received our reviews.

You can see my jacket in motion here.

Jul 24, 2016

Drafting My First Notched Collar



You probably know what a notched collar is, but if you don't, the illustration above should make it clear.

Jul 21, 2016

Michael Models My Swiss Dot Creation!



Friends, today's the day!

You can see Michael model the new summer outfit I made him here.

Jul 15, 2016

Patternmaking Class Project #2: Shawl-Collar Jacket



Friends, this week I drafted my own pattern for a double-breasted, shawl-collared, raglan-sleeved, princess-seamed ladies jacket.

Say that ten times fast!

Jul 12, 2016

Vintage 70's Men's Pullover Shirt in Patchwork!



This weekend I decided to use some patchwork fabric I've had in my stash for a few years now, which I purchased at Metro Textiles (the end of a bolt) for a song.

Jul 9, 2016

First Patternmaking Class Project: Hit or Miss?



Readers, my first formal flat patternmaking class project was to create a (structured) drop shoulder hip-length top.

Jul 5, 2016

A Second Summer FIT Class: Flat Patternmaking II



Last week I decided to take another summer class at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

Jul 2, 2016

A SECOND tractor shirt? YES!



Friends, I know it was odd enough that I would sew even one tractor print shirt, why would I make a second one?

Jun 30, 2016

Sewing On the Wrong Side: My Reverse-Print Tractor Shirt!



Readers, did you know this was even a thing?

Apparently Aloha shirts -- also known as Hawaiian shirts -- are often made with the printed side (what we sewers call the right side) on the inside.  More muted in appearance, they are often worn for business wear.  (You can read more about reverse-print Aloha shirts here).

Jun 28, 2016

New Summer Separates: Geometric Print Shirt + Linen Shorts!



Isn't that the coolest print shirting you've ever seen?

Readers, you can see me modeling my new summer outfit right this very minute by simply clicking here!

Jun 17, 2016

Beginning of the End: Draping Class Week 4 (of 5)



Readers, it's hard to believe it but I have only one more week (and a day) of draping class!