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This is the "just-about-exactly-a-year-in-the-making" offside placket tutorial. This is definitely more of an intermediate to advanced modification.  I have tried to streamline and simplify the process as much as possible. Do not combine this with the sleeveless mod; This requires the full sleeve attacmhent to work. 

The pattern piece for this mod is up on Facebook in the files section of the Sew and Chat group.

Anyone who submits a picture of this placket mod will be entered to win TWO free patterns!

If you are interested in how to make the offside raglan (or any raglan, really) into a sleeveless tank, here is a video showing you how! If you need help with the curve of the arm opening, feel free to use any set in sleeve bodice as a template; you can layer it over the sleeve, align the armpit points and the neckline, and just copy the curve! This mod is rated intermediate since it includes a little more guesswork and intuition in attaching the sleeve to the attachment. Confident beginners should be able to pull this off, as well.

Welcome to the DBD Offside Raglan Sew Along!

One of the marks of a professional seam is a perfectly balanced stitch. 

When you are working with a sewing machine, there is really only one tension you have to worry about: the top thread (although some machines allow the user to adjust bobbin tension as well). Sergers, however, are a different story. With up to three wo needle threads and up to two looper threads, many first time users throw up their hands in frustration. How does one make sure that each of the upwards of five threads works together to make the perfectly balanced stitch?

What even IS a balanced stitch? 

This is the third part in our beginner blog series. If you haven't read them yet, see Part I here and Part II here

Everyone who sews approaches the task with a different attitude. Some people are extremely precice, others more relaxed. Where do you fall?

Answer a few questions on this quiz and find out! Take it HERE.

Preview Image: 

We interrupt our regularly scheduled "Beginning Sewist" series to bring you...

A BEAUTIFUL version of the latest DBD pattern: the COOKIE PANTS (and short. especially shorts.) With a huge thanks to Amy Kushner Wilson, who always makes making beautiful things look easy. Many customers were interested in making a version of the Cookie Pants without the center panel, but unfortunately due to the construction and the side pockets, it's impossible as drafted. That being said, here is a tutorial on how to take it in a different direction. 

Read part 1 HERE.

If you have spent some time on the DBD facebook group, you have have stopped more than a few times thinking "WHAT are they talking about?!" Here are some terms and slang that comes up a lot in discussion.

Armscye - The curve where the sleeve attaches. 

Applique -  An embellishment by layering cut fabric on the foundation fabric and stitching down to secure.

Sewing opens up a world of possibilities when it comes to your family's wardrobe, allows your creative vision to come to life, and is a great way to spend all that extra money you have lying around. (Kidding! You can get started with very little.) These posts contain affiliate links.

Before you go all in, decide on a budget for your inital purchases. Once you decide sewing is definitely for you, then you can decide whether you would like to invest more. There are couple of items that are MUST haves for sewing, and many more that are helpful but not absolutely necessary.

For some reason, my kids keep growing. It would seem that peanut butter (sometimes the only thing they will eat) is their Miracle Grow. So this year, when the weather turned too warm for their oversized winter coats but not yet warm enough for tee shirts, we found that none of their lightweight jackets fit. Sure, I could make them new ones (and I will, but my poor kids' projects sometimes take forever to get done), but while browsing consignment one day I found the PERFECT jacket for my five year old.