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 ...

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!

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.

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. In this photo I’m with Andrea (@duchessofcloth), in pink, and Peggy Mead from @sewhouse7, a Portland indie pattern company. I will share with you a few ...

Using our McCall’s pattern M6901, I recently made two pairs of pants that look totally different from each other. McCall’s 6901 is the Palmer/Pletsch pant pattern that we use in teaching Pant Fit and Sewing workshops. It has narrow legs. I’ve made it as a dressier trouser using a washable rayon, polyester, and ...

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.

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.

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. We were also able to sew on ...

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.

Sewing McCall's 7760 Retro Drape Front Blouse & Jacket I was amazed to find I had a coordinating group of purple fabrics in my stash—a jersey knit, a 3-ply silk, and a poly/rayon/spandex bottom weight for pants. This Melissa Watson blouse pattern, McCall’s Palmer/Pletsch M7760, can also be a drapey jacket (jersey ...