A few months ago I had to stop in the fabric shop to pick up a few notions and I spotted this lovely fabric. If you know me, you know that I love navy, flowers and prints, so... even though it was a sheer polyester chiffon, I gave in to temptation and brought this lovely fabric home with me. I did wonder if I should have my head examined. Polyester Chiffon isn't a fabric I would normally choose to sew with, but sometimes we just need to challenge ourselves! I LOVE how my blou

Last week my good friend Julie was on the blog to share her tips and tricks for stitching the gathered version of July Flowers. Today she is back to show you her smocked version and offer some additional tips and tricks for making the skirt including adding ric rac! So here is Julie... Once I had the bodice made, the next step is to make the back placket, which I did following the directions, but using a technique I have learned, which is as you stitch the ‘V’ on the main fab

Today I am welcoming to the blog my good friend Julie Stilwell. Julie is an amazing seamstress, an embroiderer and smocker extraordinaire, and the editor of SAGANews and the SAGANews Blog. She was the pattern tester, and the reason July Flowers exists in the first place, and she is here to share her wonderful construction tips and ideas for stitching July Flowers! So here is Julie: I was more than happy to help Lisa and test the July Flowers pattern for her, after all I sor