Super Sensible

On my list of 'possible blog topics' for this week, I've got a note to talk about Shannon Gifford's Sensible Sewing Newsletter, which comes out quarterly. The most recent edition arrived in my inbox over the weekend, and it is *so* timely for what I've been thinking about it's almost scary. You'll have to take my word for that at the moment; I meant to write a post about 'Top Ten' lists before I jumped into this one, but, well, it didn't happen, so unless you check the link to the discussion on Stitcher's Guild the little box on the front of Sew Sensible about Top Ten garments won't jump out as 'oh, wow, that's what Lisa was thinking about' to you. But it sure smacked me upside the head.

But what makes this edition so pertinent isn't just the Top Ten list, it's the approach to wardrobing...which is kinda my take on Top Ten at the moment (see above link). Shannon is writing about developing Tried 'N' True (AKA "TNT") patterns, with emphasis on fitting and using a basic button front shirt pattern. She shows a dart finishing technique that I had to read twice, because it sounded so, um, different; but once I 'got' it I realized 'I've got to try this!' And then she shows examples of how to alter that basic pattern into different styles...even how to use it to fit a different pattern. Lots of good information here!

And that was all I intended to write. But, in cleaning up Wednesday's explosion of books (dangerous task, rearranging books. You can find an old friend and get lost for an unmeasured amount of time...over and over.... No, I didn't get it cleaned up quickly :rolleyes:) I found one of the Sensible Sewing newsletters from December 2006. It was somehow separated from the rest of the printouts, and so at first I thought it was the current issue. But I did a double take at the photo on the front and realized it wasn't the current edition...it was about sewing coats. With a long detailed tutorial on sewing a trench coat w/a button-out insulation layer. Talk about timing!

I'll be referencing that newsletter quite a bit once I get the Queue sewn down to the 'pink thread' and I can cut my trench coat. I might even try that button-out layer....

NAYY, just someone who's gotten some real benefit from Shannon's expertise!