"The Knot that's Not a Knot, Cowl Collar", Tutorial Revisited

 Click Here to learn how to make

 the Knotted Cowl.

I am revisiting one of my most popular tutorials because....

a  not-fun-at-all  thing happened on my way to writing the
"ShirtMaker's Secret" Collar Tutorial that I promised to show you.   

Being busy at work is the only good thing in an otherwise pitiful scenario. What follows is the "idiocy/pitiful" part.  

I have not had a spare moment to even step into my Studio for several days, and because I tend to be absentminded about these kinds of things...I left 2 large dehumidifiers running full-blast in my Sewing Studio for almost 6 full days days!  Now my sewing machines and even my computer in that room are "dead".  My repairman said that the hot dry air could have gotten so dry as to gum-up the grease (???)...but whatever, all I know is that (OMG) I now have 4 sewing machines that no longer work...at all.  They can be rescued, but it will take some time at the repair shop. I am choosing not to think about what all that hyper-dry air might have done to all of my thread.  But I will oil up my vintage machines (thankfully being kept in a different place), and get that Shirt-Collar tutorial to you as soon as I possibly can. 

In the meantime you have my apology, and hopefully you will enjoy the revisit of this tutorial about how to make one of my favorite designs, The Knotted Cowl....click here for the tutorial.

Priority #1, Sewing for Two Sweet Little Girls

Yes, I did promise you a collar tutorial...and you will get it sometime next week.  My life has been very hectic lately....including some health challenges and preparing the house for my Stepdaughter's upcoming visit. "Preparing the house" included a total overhaul of my fabric stash. Throughout that ordeal, I kept saying to myself, "I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder....."    The upside is that I found some really great fabric I had totally forgotten about!

But aside from filling your interfacing orders, and sewing shirts for my clients, my priority has been fulfilling my promise to sew a wardrobe of pretty new clothes for my two "adopted-through-friendship" grandchildren...Julianna age 5, and Brooklyn age 3.

This is the newest set for Julianna.  The pattern, Pierrot Tunic Top is from  www.made-by-rae.com  made in a soft cotton fabric. The Leggings pattern is one of the many by www.OttobreDesign.com made in a Cotton/Lycra knit. The Child's dress display stand is from www.ellieinspired.com

Now while I have about an hour of free time, I am going to have some fun sewing another set for Julianna :)

Pink and Black for Julianna

I made this Tunic and Flared Leggings set for Julianna (age 5). She will be starting the first grade soon! The next time I see Julianna and her little sister, I'll take some pics of them modeling their new outfits. The patterns for this outfit are redesigned drafts of *Ottobre Design* styles.