Introducing a new project!

I have an exciting new project to announce this week. But first I'll start with a little background. I started Sew DIY 10 years ago and while I still love designing patterns, I've been feeling disenchanted and uninspired. I've been spending a lot of time thinking about what kind of project I would be excited to work on and share about. And when the idea finally came to me it was half "ah-ha!" and half "oh, of course it's you, old friend".

The thing that gets me really excited is math. Well, math plus sewing and pattern drafting. I feel like I've done every sewing construction tutorial I can do but what I'm really excited to work on is solving math and design challenges. I earned my degrees in math and design so it's delightful that I still find these topics interesting. (I hope you do too!)

Anyway, drumroll please. I am starting a new Substack newsletter all about math, sewing and pattern drafting. My goal is to simplify and explain the pattern drafting process using math and show you how fun, useful and empowering math can be. 

The new Substack is called Sewing With Numbers and I will feature a different drafting project every 6 to 8 weeks. There will be a newsletter about once a week with topics such as drafting exercises and design variations.

My plan is to keep things straightforward and uncomplicated. After all, when projects go well, we're more likely to keep trying new things and to eventually try more challenging ideas. There are so many fun things that you can make and design when you embrace math. I'm excited to explore these design challenges with you.

You can learn more in my Welcome post on Substack or enter your email address below to subscribe.

As always thank you so much for supporting me! (If you have a friend who wants to learn pattern drafting, please send them my way!)

 

DIY Cropped Long-Sleeved Boxy Top — Lou Box Dress 2 Pattern Hack

DIY Cropped Long-Sleeved Boxy Top — Lou Box Dress 2 Pattern Hack

Today, I have a super cute, casual and easy hack of my Lou Box Dress 2 pattern. As a bonus, it's also a great stash busting project. I made this long-sleeved boxy top out of a fabric remnant that was just under 1 yard long! I'll share cutting layouts, pattern adjustments and tips for how I hacked the layout to make it work. This DIY boxy top is a great cozy, oversized top and I've been loving wearing it. Use a lighter weight knit fabric for a boxy top or a medium-weight loop-back fabric for a true sweatshirt style.

25 Sewing Aspirations for 2024

25 Sewing Aspirations for 2024

Hello sew-friends! It's that time of year (again! already!) when everyone is setting goals and resolutions to make this year the BEST year ever. And while in some ways I think that's great, part of me also feels like it's a lot of pressure. And that it's a way of saying that our past experiences and our past-selves were not good enough.

So, instead of giving life advice on how to make goals that makeover your life. This little post is just a light hearted look at ways that we can approach our sewing practice. Above all, I believe that sewing should make you happy. I want you to find joy during the process of sewing as much as from the use of the things you make.