My trip to the west coast was fantastic. It was just the tonic that this winter-worn man needed. Birds singing, flowers blooming, sunshine, PLUS the chance to hang out with my amazingly talented and beautiful daughter. My coat proved to be very travel worthy. I wore it on the plane both coming and going, and [...]

Sorry, no photo shoot of the new jacket yet. I'm headed to the west coast in a couple of days to meet up with the fabulously talented headmistress of the Foster Monster's Orphanage. While she's not busy disciplining her unruly gang of monsters, I'm hoping she'll agree to be my photographer. Plus it will actually [...]

Perhaps you live in the boonies like me.  Don't get me wrong, I love where I live, but I'm at a real disadvantage when it comes to buying fabric.  Basically I have two choices ; Wal-mart (ick) and JoAnn's (gag), both of which are about a 16 mile drive.  Sorry, but it's just not worth [...]

Wouldn't you know it, today I get a huge shout-out from Sunni at a Fashionable Stitch and my blog is at a dead standstill.   Arrrgh!  Well, I may not be doing any sewing lately, but I've sure been looking at lots of clothes.  Namely, I've been looking at the SS2013 menswear collections that are [...]

I don't have that many followers, but some of you may be wondering what the hell happened to the tuxedo shirt.  Talk about being close, but ever so far away.  I really had not been feeling well since mid June.  Nothing specific, just that vague feeling that one's not 100% right.  Around the time of [...]

Oh, Pierre Cardin, I remember you well! Your cute little curly-cue logo was everywhereIt was almost impossible to buy a necktie without your logo on it!And you had a great fragrance in a very phallic bottle.  Shocking for 1972!  And there was also THIS!!!!  I came across this pattern quite by accident on Etsy and just [...]

This is my pattern for the safari project.  I purchased it from Sassy Cotton on Etsy.  I highly suggest her Etsy shop for anyone interested in vintage patterns.  She has some amazing designs to choose from.  This one, as you can see, is "virgin"!  Straight from the Pixie Shop in Grant City, Missouri and still [...]

So here is the finished oxford cloth buttondown.  There's really not much to say.  I see so many creative projects out there from incredibly talented sewists.  This is just a man's shirt (yawn).  It doesn't get much more basic.  Still, this is a shirt that I could easily wear to my Mom's for Easter dinner [...]

Things are progressing nicely on the spring-y shirt.  Cutting out the various pieces takes some thought and a fair amount of care, especially when working with stripes.  It took me awhile to wrap my head around the whole front placket matching, so hopefully this post can help some of you who may be contemplating a [...]

Forget robins and bulbs poking up out of the ground.  Here's the surest sign of Spring anywhere!  These guys hatched the day after Valentine's Day. I have to admit that I totally love all the pastel candy colors that emerge this time of year.  It's interesting that what could be considered the most feminine of colors, [...]