Home – Palmer Pletsch Sewing Blog

FIT YOUR BASIC PANT PATTERN ONCE. USE IT FOR EASY DESIGN MODIFICATIONS.

Use our basic Butterick pant pattern B6845 to create several different looks. Each had a simple, no-detail basic pant, easy for learning to fit, but not too exciting to some students.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

THE MAGIC KNIT DRESS

This dress is from the new Butterick patterns B6940 and B6941. Sewing this dress is like magic. The bodice is lined to the edge, which finishes the neckline.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

THE PERFECTLY FASHIONABLE CAMP SHIRT BUTTERICK 6924

THIS CAMP SHIRT PATTERN IS DESIGNED TO HELP YOU FIT/SEW. Pati designed 32 shirt patterns for McCall’s beginning in 1980, and the camp shirts have been unisex but our new shirt, B6924, is designed and sized for women.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

FIT AND SEW CONTOUR WAISTBANDS

For this blog I am focusing on fitting and sewing a contour (curved) waistband. For tips on a fly front…

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

FIT AND SEW TROUSERS WITH PALMER/PLETSCH BUTTERICK PATTERN B6878

Trousers are back! They are comfortable to wear. The pleats give you ease as well as style.For a few years…

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Fitting / Sewing Lessons

THE PRINCESS DOLMAN BLOUSE B6898

By Pati Palmer and Helen Bartley PHOTO PARTY! Raise those arms to show the dolman sleeves! Carol Stalvey, a Palmer/Pletsch…

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

WATCH & LEARN ONLINE

There's a whole new layout for the learning pages for 2023! In this video we explore the new player's features from top to bottom.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Fitting / Sewing Lessons

FIT JEANS FOR CURVY PLUS SIZES

By Helen Bartley with Pati PalmerSeattle resident Jaimie attended our 5-day Fit and Sew Custom Jeans Workshop in Portland, OR.…

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Fitting / Sewing Lessons

NEW PALMER/PLETSCH JEANS PATTERN FOR BUTTERICK

By Pati Palmer with Helen BartleyI created 10 jeans patterns for men and women for McCall’s since 1980. So how…

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

FLIPBOOKS! AT PALMER/PLETSCH DIGITAL

Flipbooks are COMING SOON to Palmer/Pletsch and we couldn't be more excited! Popular titles now available for online viewing with some great features...

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

PATI SEWS HER NEW BLAZER BUTTERICK B6862

This blazer made the cover of the Butterick catalog. Helen Bartley, author of Fit and Sew Custom Jeans, decided we should both sew the new Palmer/Pletsch blazer Butterick B6862 and photograph our masterpieces for a blog post.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

FIRST PALMER/PLETSCH BUTTERICK PATTERN B6856

After designing over 350 McCall’s patterns, Pati was invited to design for Butterick. Pati Palmer's first new Butterick design is B6856, a very wearable blouse with many interchangeable details. You can find it on the Palmer/Pletsch website or online at Butterick.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

TOPS, TOPS, TOPS!

Winter is a great time to sew simple tops that can be worn into spring. I got the idea for this one from one Marilyn made in sewing camp last July. She had a fabric that she strategically cut to get the print placement where she wanted on her body. She also shortened the pattern.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons / Style

COMFY, EASY-TO-SEW, EASY-TO-HACK TOP

In this blog, Helen Bartley, our workshop instructor, and I introduce you to our newest pattern. We liked it so much, we hacked it! See how we tweaked the pattern to give us several options!

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons / Style

EVIDENCE OF EFFORT

Don’t you love two-sided fabrics? They give us instant coordinating fabrics! When my client Anna Brannen brought this wonderful piece of cotton/wool to me, we knew we had to incorporate both sides into the garment. We decided on a jacket, McCalls M7665.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

MORE SEWING FOR FROCKTAILS

Here’s more about that outfit I wore to Frocktails, the Portland, Oregon, event that brings together sewists to show off their skills and exchange Instagram handles. I will share with you a few things I learned making this jacket.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

TWO LOOKS FROM A BASIC PANT PATTERN

McCall’s 6901 is the Palmer/Pletsch pant pattern that we use in teaching Palmer/Pletsch Pant Fit and Sewing workshops. It has narrow legs. I’ve made it as a dressier trouser using a washable rayon, polyester, and spandex fabric called Downtown, from Telio. It molds and drapes beautifully.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

THE CLASSIC (OR BOYFRIEND) BLAZER

I had so much fun sewing this jacket, McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch M7818. It had been a long time since I’d made a blazer jacket and I’ve missed sewing one. This classic style is back in fashion now. For the newest look, wear it with a tee.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT MY SEWING SPACE

The past year plus has proved challenging when it comes to finding places to sew. As I mentioned in a previous blog, my husband and I sold our house of 30 years last year, June 2018, and I gave up an enormous sewing studio.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

SUMMER WORKSHOP WRAP-UP

July in Portland, Oregon, is a major workshop month at Palmer/Pletsch. The Fitting Fashion Patterns 4-day workshop and our Sewing Camp 5-day workshop were held in Lake Oswego at Montavilla Sewing Center, using the back of the store and a classroom for sewing and lectures.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

A SWEATER KNIT VEST FOR COOL SUMMER EVENINGS

McCall's Palmer/Pletsch M7695 Vest/Jacket -- While many of us around the country are wishing for cool summer evenings, the time we're spending indoors where it is, hopefully, comfortably cool, creates an opportunity to sew this vest to wear when they finally return.

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

WHEN A BLOUSE CAN BE A JACKET

Sew McCall's 7760 Retro Drape Front Blouse & Jacket. This Melissa Watson blouse pattern, McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch M7760, can also be a drapey jacket (jersey knit) ...

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Fitting / Sewing Lessons / Style

TAKING A FAVORITE PATTERN TO A NEW SEASON

McCall's Palmer/Pletsch M7092 Empire-Waist Top for Knits McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch M7092 is one of my favorite tops. It is very flattering. The contrast inset adds interest by framing the face, or it can be made in the same fabric as the body of the top. The original croquie shows all the front options and the ...

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

EASY & FUN SHIRT OR ARTIST’S SMOCK

McCall's Palmer/Pletsch Pattern M7842 - Creative Shirt Mix colors and fabrics to show your creative genius with McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch pattern M7842. Mix solid colors with prints. Mix quality quilting cottons from entire collections designed to go together. For a softer drape, use woven rayon fabrics in both solids and prints. I love this shirt!

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

SEWING BEYOND THE PATTERN ENVELOPE—MCCALL’S 6750 BLOUSE

You met Helen Bartley in our previous blog, The Magical Blouse. She is one of our workshop instructors and also teaches sewing at her home studio Seam Divas Sewing Lounge. Now I'll let her tell us more about what else she's doing with the pattern M6750—our "Three-hour Perfect Shirt." ~ Pati

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons / Style

THE MAGICAL BLOUSE, MCCALL’S 6750

FIRST, A NOTE: It's been a long time since you've seen a new blog from us. We got caught up in creating our newest book, The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting. Melissa designed it with a whole new look, which we love. (See the cover at the bottom of this post.) Now we're ...

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons

PATI’S SUMMER SEWING

My mom, Pati Palmer, has been making some great outfits this summer that are a must share on the Palmer/Pletsch blog. I'll let her tell you about them below. Happy Sewing X Melissa EASY, LOOSE, COLD SHOULDER TOP McCall’s 7596

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE

Sewing Lessons / Style

MELISSA WATSON FOR MCCALL’S M7445 SILK VELVET PANTS!

A prominent trend this spring and something that I personally love are my silk velvet pants. Being a more flowey style of pant McCall's (M7445), they are easily worn into summer and the silk is surprisingly breathable. I did encounter a few grievances along the way and I had to even scrap one ...

VIEW BLOG ARTICLE