Free Shipping - Holiday Extravaganza!

Sure-Fit Designs Blog

Join in the Holiday Extravaganza Nov. 28-29-30, 2016 for the Sure-Fit Designs Free Shipping event. Your minimum purchase needs to be at least $49.95...and shipping will be FREE to all USA destinations.

As long as your purchase adds up to $49.95 or more, the shipping is on us (for USA customers)!
It all begins at 12:01 AM EST on Monday November 28 and goes through midnight Wed. November 30, 2016.
We'll definitely get your order to you before Christmas!

International Customers - PLEASE READ 
International customers will pay 1/2 price for shipping their order.  **However, due to the Shopping Cart software limitations, you will need to add the FULL amount of shipping to your order as you normally would.  When we receive email notification of your order, I will immediately issue you a 50% refund on the amount you paid in shipping and handling..

Domestic (USA) Customers-
No coupon or discount code is required.  Just choose $0.00 shipping when checking out of the Shopping Cart.

Ready...Set...Shop

Just go to www.surefitdesigns.com for your shopping extravaganza!

Happy Holidays,

Identify Center Back - How Clever!

Sure-Fit Designs Blog
If you're new to Sure-Fit Designs, then this post may be new to you.  Here I'll show you how to sew a quick and decorative way to identify the center back of any pull on elastic waistband.  I have primarily used this technique on my yoga pants, but you could apply this to any pull-on skirt or pants.

You'll use one of the decorative embroidery stitch patterns that your sewing machine offers (if you have this capability on your machine).

In order to stitch this without letting the knit fabric stretch, make sure to stabilize with a small rectangle of interfacing.

Here's a short video showing you the entire process.

The beige example above is part of my latest rendition of the Yoga/Travel/Comfort Pants, which you'll find directions for from the designing book 'Pants that Mix 'n Multiply'.  This particular style is the Bonus Style given on pages 14 & 15.

Here is the waistband attached to the pants.

And since my photographer wasn't available at the time I needed this photo, I'm showing the finished garment to you on the mannequin.

These are the most comfortable pants.  Sewn from a knit fabric (I often use bottom weight Ponte Roma) with this elastic waist application comfort is definitely #1.  This is the 8th pair I've made...I wear them so many places, not just to the gym.  I know you'll love them if you give them a try.

Happy Sewing!

Highlighter Tape & Marking Patterns

Another little tip was passed on to me by one of our SFD customers (Michele).  She found this great Higlighter Tape at the likes of a Walmart.  Hers looks like this.

It comes on a regular tape dispenser and she found it in pink, green and yellow.  It's great for:

• Marking right and wrong sides of fabric.

• It's easy to write on the top of the tape with a regular pen, where markers could smear unless the writing is totally dry.

• You can tape over notes or identifying marks on your tracing vellum patterns.

• Because of the colors, it stands out, is transparent and easy to read.

• And, is easily removable without leaving a sticky residue.

Now, when I went to buy mine, I couldn't find this product so I ended up with a Bic variety which looks like this.

 I used it for highlighting pattern information on a recent shirt pattern.

The package says its easily erasable (rather than lifting off).  So I gave that a try and sure enough it erases like a charm and because the tracing vellum is so durable it withstood the erasing process.

One or the other should work well for you if you're looking for a colorful way to help identify your pattern pieces once you've drawn them.

Thanks for the suggestion Michele - great tip!

Happy Drafting!

Oh My! Leggings Again!

"A Legging to Stand On - Often dismissed as a faux pas, the body-hugging not-quite-pants are being recast (and embraced) by the high-fashion set"-  so says, Nandini D'Souza Wolfe in the Saturday/Sunday, August 20-21, 2016 Style and Fashion article of the Wall Street Journal.

With big names like Valentino, Victoria Beckham and Celine sporting leggings on the runway, its easy to see that leggings are not just part of the fitness craze, but a bold fashion statement that can be worn anywhere from in the gym, to a night on the town.

Velvet, faux leather and stretchy nylon are just a few types of fabrics being used to transform everyday workout leggings into fancy pants. Add some zippers at the ankles, some sequins if that's your thing, don your favorite blazer and you're good to go. I absolutely love the leggings I made from Nicole Miller Scuba Knit fabric, see this previous blog.

Notice the title - TIGHT DONE RIGHT - Consider these outfits for fashion inspiration with leggings:

And...notice the prices of these ready-to-wear leggings.  Aren't we lucky we know how to sew?

If you missed the leggings video on designing the no-side seam leggings, you can watch it now.

It looks like love 'em, or hate 'em leggings are here to stay. And why not? They are comfortable, allow for plenty of movement, flattering on a variety of body shapes and depending on the fabric and the rest of the chosen attire, can be worn most anywhere for almost any occasion and for any season of the year. Once you've made your body blueprint with the Sure-Fit Designs Pants Master Pattern, you can have a pair of leggings sewn up in no time. And for the actual leggings instructions, you can find this Fashion Leaflet as a digital download on this page.  They fold or roll up so nicely in a drawer, you'll have plenty of room to make 3, 4 or even ten pair!

Happy Fitting & Sewing!

Holiday Happy Top - SFD Sew Along

 Sure-Fit Designs Blog

Many of you have asked for our SFD videos/DVD courses and lessons to be made available on an easy-to-access platform where once your purchase is made, you'd be able to access the information forever.  Thanks to the assistance of an SFD customer who pointed me in the right direction, I'm now testing out CourseCraft software (similar to Craftsy) where I can upload videos, lessons in the form of text, photos, downloadable files and a platform that you can interact with me during the lessons.

My first project using this platform is a Sew Along for this fun blouse sewn from your Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit and I call it the Holiday Happy Top.  I've been madly working on the project, photographing the steps (sorry no video with this particular project - the camera man is still recovering), writing directions, learning new software all in time for you to design and sew this top before your holiday festivities begin.

You need to begin with your personal bodice blueprint from the SFD Dress Kit.  Then the sew along lessons will give you detailed descriptions of how to change the basic pattern to include a Dolman sleeve, which is finished with an 'angel wing' and you'll see an interesting way to include your bust dart where the contrasting fabrics are sewn together.

You need 2 contrasting/coordinating fabrics.  The black sparkly knit is decked out with tiny sequins and even though it is a knit fabric, I coordinated a drapable woven poly in the solid black as the contrasting fabric.

Join the Sew Along.  Design and sew your new top before holiday festivities begin.  Sew at your own speed.  Progress with the lessons as your time permits.  Course access is forever.  Join now and save 10% by using Promo Code HHT10 during checkout.  To read more about the Holiday Happy Top course, Click Here to read the FAQ's.



I'd love to have you join us.