at Five Eighth Seams with Megan Nichols of CityStitches

We are excited to introduce our first Block of the Month Club. By signing up you will receive a kit including the fabric and instructions for 2 blocks per month for 10 months. At the end of the 2014 Modern Solids Block of the Month , you will will have a finished 76" x 91" quilt! The block of the month is designed to incorporate many of the basic piecing techniques of quilting to give you an excellent foundation to become a confident quilter! The facebook group, Five Eighth Seams BOM  has been created and will be available for you to ask questions and get tips from the designer. Only registered BOM members may join the facebook group.  The entire quilt will be made from Kona and Art Gallery Solids.

The cost includes a $20 registration fee upon sign up and $20 each month for the kits.

Need a class?There will be an optional monthly class for an additional $20 if needed.

12 days of Holiday Savings 2013

More Ice Cream Please

Ice Cream Dress by Oliver + S

I love this dress!!! The details and the design are different than anything else I have ever made for my daughter. Most dresses are so similar that I get a little bored making them, but this dress surprised me. And, although it was different, it was easy. 

Halloween Staple Dress

This year, I decided not to make my daughters Halloween costumes. I made this decision after my husband, who has never participated in Halloween, asked if Braelyn, 22 months, could be a crab and Mackenzie, 7 months, could be a shrimp. I, of course, love that he is actually excited about Halloween, so I agreed. The thought of spending time making a pattern for these two costumes did not excite me at all. In fact, it annoyed me.

Playtime Dress by Oliver + S Now Princess Dress

We went to Disney on Ice last week,  and the girls had more fun than I expected! Braelyn, although being almost 2, absolutely loved it, and Fabiana loved, in her words, "all of them". When Daniela and I bought tickets a few weeks ago, we knew we wanted to make the girls special princess dresses to wear.

Anouk Tunic by Victory : Pattern Review

My first Victory pattern is complete, and I love the result. Victory is a company from Canada that makes women's patterns. I chose this pattern because it was labeled intermediate, and I wanted to be able to tell customers and students what "intermediate" means to Victory. I would say this pattern is more advanced not because of the fit or the technique but because of all of the stitching in the ditch that must be done. I barely had to serge because there were so many seams covered by a lining. If I was not good at stitching in the ditch before, I am now!

Halloween Dressses - Apron Knot Dress

Halloween Seasonal Dresses

These patterns had just arrived at the store, but I was far away in South America.  I really wanted to get my hands on them and start making some nice new outfits.  So, the best I could do was brainstorm some color and pattern combinations in anticipation of returning home.

Whitney Pleated Trousers Pattern Review

Whitney Pleated Trouser

Sorry I couldn't decide on a cover photo so I used two :)

Easy Peazy Pleats Pattern Review

Most people see the cover of this pattern and do not realize it is a pleated dress. The dress on the cover is made with dots and it is hard to tell. When Mollie from my Tuesday night class made it I was so jealous. I loved how her daughter twirled in it and I love the fabric she picked. 

Seashore Sundress by Oliver + S pattern review

I could not be happier with this pattern, the Seashore Sundress by Oliver + S. I bought it about a year and a half ago because I just loved the look, but I never could decide on the fabric. I usually have the opposite problem: love the fabric but can’t find the pattern.

Pleated Playsuit by E & E Pattern Review

Warning: This pattern has been my summer obsession

Peony Sew A Long - Timeline

The Peony dress is a great beginner pattern.

Daphne Knickers Pattern Review

This project has been on my mind for a long time.  Ever since the pattern for the “Daphne” knickers from Violette Field Threads arrived at the store, I have been planning how to make them.  If I had known how easy this project was going to be, I would have done this one sooner.  For this project, I picked a fabric from the Amy Butler: Belle Collection called ‘French Wallpaper” (Of course, we carry this fabric at Five Eighth Seams :)).

Kaylee by Bonnie Blue Designs Pattern Review

I absolutely love how this dress turned out. The Kaylee is sized correctly and fits really well.  Misty loved it so much she decided to make it too. We used Jenean Morrison's new Beechwood Park fabric. 

Butterscotch by OAD pattern review

Stella by Violette Field Threads - Pattern Review

I absolute love Violette Field Patterns. I have made so many of them and I am excit,ed that they are releasing even more of their patterns in print this summer. I have been wanting to use Jennifer Paganelli's Claudia.

KwikSew K3870 Tunics Pattern Review

I’m finally back in the saddle! I am so excited to be sewing again. Before I had Mackenzie a month ago, I was very good at using nap time as get-stuff-done time. Although it has only been a month, I feel like my life has been dedicated to feeding her, leaving nap time open for cleaning and trying to catch up on sleep. Mackenzie (1 month) and Braelyn (16 months) both slept well last night, so I decided I needed to sew—not only so I would have something to wear to church this Sunday but for my sanity! Sewing and creating is my passion, and going one month without was very hard.

Hazel by Colette Pattern Review

Recently, I finished a very pretty dress named the “Hazel” dress by Colette Patterns.  My past few creations have been for children, so, this time, I made something that I would enjoy.  In a good way, this dress was challenging because it required learning a few new techniques.  As I sew more and more, I discover new lessons each time.

Swim Cover-up Pattern Review Sewing Modkids Style

Swim Cover-Up Pattern Review

Summer is just around the corner, and I have been dying to make some beach clothes.  I saw a pretty pattern called Swim Cover-Up in the Sewing Modkid Style book by Patty Young and thought it was perfect for my little girl.  For this creation, I could not resist purchasing some bright-colored chevron knit fabric that we carry at Five Eights Seams.

Eider Tunic Pattern Review by Clever Charlotte

Today, I am writing to you about another great dress for kids: The Eider Tunic by Clever Charlotte.  This dress takes its most prominent characteristic from its namesake, the Eider duck.  Look up this bird, and you will understand perfectly what I am talking about.

Quick and Easy Adjustable Pleated Crib Skirt

A lot of customers ask me if it is worth it to make a crib skirt. I always answer that it depends on the crib.  For Braelyn's crib, I made a skirt, and it looked great for the first 5 months of her life when the mattress was raised to its highest position. As soon as we lowered her mattress, you could no longer see it. Her crib has a thick wood panel on the front where the skirt lays, so the skirt became pointless. Mackenzie's crib is a Jenny Lind style crib and is very open; you will be able to see the skirt at all levels.

Sunki Pocket Dress by Figgy's - Pattern Review

On to my latest creation, the Sunki Pocket Dress by Figgy’s Patterns.  For this pattern, Brooke and I picked two tones of blue corduroy, 

Maternity Hospital Gown Tutorial Review

Hospital Gown Tutorial from The Crafty Cupboard Review

Being pregnant a second time so close to my first pregnancy, I remember how awful I look in all of my hospital pictures! I hated how large the regular hospital gowns were on me, and when I was nursing, I felt very exposed because the gown would practically fall off of my small frame. Through Pinterest and Etsy, I have seen so many specialty hospital gowns for sale that I started to investigate. I was surprised to see that they range from $40 to $80 in price. I remembered seeing a DIY maternity hospital gown tutorial on one of my favorite sites, the Crafty Cupboard.

The Shift Dress

The Shift Dress by Favorite Things
Meet Daniela our newest Blogger by clicking here

It’s Friday night, and I am finally finding a chance to sew.  I’m working on my first store project, “The Shift Dress,” by Favorite Things.  For anyone concerned about the timing, I have already completed my layout work and cut all of the fabric the day before.  It should probably take you about 15 minutes or less. I know now that this pattern runs a little large so you may want to go down a size or if you are between sizes pick the smaller one. 

Fabric pens, pencils, markers, highlighers...oh my.

One of the most popular questions we get here at the store is, "Which marking tool is best?" And, with the vast array of options that we have available, it's often far too difficult to explain quickly. The short answer is it depends on what you're making. And, the long answer is what inspired this blog post.

Chloe Dress Violette Field Threads [Part Two]

Wow... I do not even know where to start. It took me awhile to write this post because I wanted her to 1. wear the dress first and 2. it took me awhile to think about what to say.

If you would like to see how I started and why I started this project check out my first post by clicking here.

Investing in notions and tools: What's worth it?

When you first learn to sew there a few things that you must have to get started. We sell these things together in a goody bag of sorts for our customers. Each bag includes Fiskar Scissors, a hem gauge, magnetic seam guide, fabric pen, pins, a seam ripper, and a measuring tape. But, after you get your first project or so under your belt, you're ready to branch out from basic projects and explore more

What resolution should be on every seamstresses list this year

It's that time of year when we're all taking a more critical look at ourselves, our lives, and our habits. For many of us, that includes being healthier, doing greater good, trying new things and kicking bad habits. But, what about introducing new habits?