Hot August Special - Save 50% on Make it Sew DVD series

www.surefitdesigns.com

I thought you might be interested to know that our special for the month of August is offering you 50% off the Make it Sew DVD series when you purchase any Sure-Fit Designs Combo. As an example, one of more popular Combos is the Dress Kit Combo however you can choose any Combo from the Discounted Combo page and you'll still qualify for the 50% saving on the Make it Sew DVD set.

https://surefitdesigns.com/collections/discounted-combos

If you'd like to know more about the lessons that are taught in the Make It Sew series, please click here - https://surefitdesigns.com/collections/dvd-courses-tutorials/products/make-it-sew-4-dvd-series

There's a short video on this page detailing the content of the lessons. Both beginner's and intermediate seamstresses will improve their skills and learn easy techniques to enhance your sewing ability.

It's easy to take advantage of this discount - just follow these steps:
Go to Discounted Combos - Click Here
Add your desired Combo to your Cart
Then click the 'Continue Shopping' link
Go to the Make It Sew DVD series - Click Here
Add the Make It Sew 4-DVD (28 Lessons) to your Cart.
Use Discount Code MIS50 during checkout - you will save $19.90.

Any SFD Kit Combo + Make It Sew 4-DVD set




OR...if you already have your Kits and would simply like to add the Make It Sew DVD series, click here to order MIS set and
save 25% on an individual purchase of the Make It Sew DVD series.
Enter Discount Code MIS25 at checkout. Our existing Sure-Fit Designs customers may want to take advantage of purchasing just the Make It Sew series - you'll find great tutorials to enhance your sewing skills.



This August special is good from now through Friday August 17, 2018.

Happy Sewing!

July 2018 Fit & Sew Retreat

The mid-summer Sure-Fit Designs Fit & Sew Retreat was held July 28 through August 2.  Yes...it was an intense learning and whirlwind experience for the 6 ladies that attended. 

This Retreat saw students come from far and wide - Holland, Canada, New York, Alaska, Washington and California.

And, yes of course, we had all types of body shapes to fit...and Sure-Fit Designs came to the rescue.

We make modifications to the patterns where necessary for their individual body configurations.

Pressing is an important part of the final outcome.  I am so fortunate to be able to use a local sewing studio that has all the equipment needed particularly for students who can't bring their own.

We have a specialized area just for sewing.  Everyone is busy with their projects.

3 of the 6 students chose to add princess seams in the back of their pants pattern.  That center back leg seam does wonders for the shape of the leg as it allows personal shaping right underneath the buttocks.  The ladies loved this option.

After the test pants was refined where necessary and completed, the pants project was the 'Yoga' pants from the designing book Pants that Mix n Multiply.  What a treat to have all 6 students (almost) complete their project.  All that remained was the hemming.  Great work ladies!

Then we went on to 3 days of bodice fitting - sorry I didn't get many photos during those days but I did capture the progress of these tank tops.  Sure they need some finishing work, but a lot was accomplished by all the students.  The objective was to learn to size down when sewing with knits and to design a dart transfer.  2 ladies chose the lower side seam dart location and one chose to move the gathers to the center front neckline.  Well done!

Our farewell event was held on Wednesday afternoon...so much had been accomplished by each student.  You all achieved well-deserved congratulations!  And many thanks to Jayna, my invaluable assistant!

The October 2018 Fit Retreat is full.  In the fall, I will be planning the 2019 Retreat event dates.  To see Retreat Details, please Click Here.  Details for 2019 will be similar.  If you want to be on the 2019 Short List - meaning you'll get first right of refusal - please email directly to (Glenda) at info@surefitdesigns.com. I hope to meet many of you next year.

Glenda the Good Stitch!

Basic Jacket Design Along - new streaming video course

Basic Jacket Design Along by Sure-Fit Designs

The newest design along in our SewFitAcademyOnline is the Basic Lapel Jacket Design Along.  This classic lapel jacket is a timeless and classic design worn so comfortably with pants, skirts or over a dress - it really is a wardrobe staple.

Please note that this is a 'Design Along' rather than a 'Sew Along'.  What's the difference?  In a Design Along, I show you how to use your body blueprint to create a specific design, but there will not be any sewing demonstration.  That being said, I will be giving you PDF file for the General Sewing Construction Steps so that you will have a sewing guide taking you through the sequential construction steps. It looks like this:

In this Jacket Design Along, you'll see how to take your basic bodice and skirt patterns and use them as the basis for our newest streaming video designing lessons.

And as an Introductory Savings Special, you'll save 20% from now through midnight July 24, 2018.  At checkout, simply enter Coupon Code JDA20 prior to clicking the 'Pay' button.  Just CLICK HERE to watch the free introductory lesson.

You'll receive 11 detailed video lessons and the PDF Sewing Construction Steps file.  The first lesson is free for you to preview prior to purchasing, plus you'll know the required supplies.  Once purchased, you'll be able to watch these lessons at your convenience - there is no 'end' date - you'll be able to view your dashboard when suits you best.

 

It's simply one more design for utilizing your Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit patterns.  I hope you enjoy another great Design Along by Sure-Fit Designs!

Take advantage of the Introductory Special - save 20% (regularly $14.95) through mid-night July 24, 2018  - Click Here.

Happy designing! 

Glenda the Good Stitch,

 

Clarifying the SFD Websites & Account Details

During our recent Customer Appreciation Gift event, many customers were significantly confused between the different Sure-Fit Designs websites and whether their login details for one of the sites would work for the other. Hence this explanation.

Were you confused?  Sure-Fit Designs websites explained...

When some of you went to access the recent Customer Appreciation Gift for the High Cowl Neck/Split Sleeve digital Fashion Leaflet, many of you got your email and login information confused with the SewFitAcademyOnline.com site.

Let me explain...

There seems to be a fair bit of customer confusion with my sites.

There are 3 websites:

1. www.surefitdesigns.com - where you purchase your SFD Kits & Tools and where you previously were not required to set up an account - however this was recently changed and now anyone who purchases anything or even in the case of this free gift, will need to set up an account. Previously, when you ordered from this site you were not required to have an account. You could also sign up for the SFD newsletter from this site, but the newsletter has nothing to do with setting up a purchasing account.

2. www.sfdlearningcenter.com - houses all our free videos and articles - it's our resource center and is free to everyone. From there you could also sign up for the newsletter - which is the same newsletter you've always received and has nothing to do with your (new) account at the Sure-Fit Designs store.

3. www.sewfitacademyonline.com – this site houses all our streaming video, Sew Alongs and Design Alongs. If you have previously used this site, you were required to set up an account therefore you will have a pre-existing account with username and password. Many customers thought their username/password from this site would log them in to www.surefitdesigns.com - this is not the case.

The Benefits of having an account with the Sure-Fit Designs store:

Checkout Faster:



Pay with credit cards saved to your profile or choose your PayPal account. Auto-fill address details.



Manage Orders:


See what you've previously ordered (as of your most current order). Easily track your orders. Quickly re-order past purchases.



Auto-Remember:

If you choose 'remember login & password' details - you'll never struggle with login again. Future easy access is now available.


I do hope this explanation sheds some light on the different sites that Sure-Fit Designs offers you for your learning experiences.

Happy Fitting & Sewing with Sure-Fit Designs!
Glenda the Good Stitch

Customer Appreciation Gift - High Neck Cowl Fashion Leaflet

www.surefitdesigns.com

It's kind of a 'cold-shoulder' look and fashioned so easily from your SFD Dress Kit Bodice blueprint.

You'll love this new digital Fashion Leaflet detailing how to draw and sew this high cowl neck, add a simple split sleeve that's 3/4 length and shirr above the elbow if you want.  You'll be ready for summer fun!  You'll have 2 different styles of front treatments: one with a high hip band and one with asymmetrical shirring on the left side seam.  Both are great alternatives and easy to design and sew.

And the best part is - it's our Customer Appreciation Gift - totally free for 3 days (July 10, 11, 12, 2018) so Click Here to get yours now.  No strings attached - completely free.

I hope you enjoy and have fun designing and sewing our latest Fashion Leaflet.

Happy Sewing!
Glenda the Good Stitch

Jacket Designing Retreat

What a success!  The recent Sure-Fit Designs Designing Retreat was fun, enjoyable and totally rewarding for those in attendance.  I couldn't have asked for a lovelier group of ladies in attendance.

Ladies came from far and wide (to Eugene OR) to attend this designing retreat - from N.Y., Wisconsin, California, southern Oregon and the UK.  We were so fortunate to have Judith Johnson, the Sure-Fit Designs UK/Ireland distributor participate in this workshop.  And for all you UK/Ireland customers, Judith will be offering a Jacket Designing Retreat most likely in October this year.

I'll keep my comments brief and simply show you some highlights in a photo story of the 4 day event.  One of the students chose to design and sew a princess line blouse rather than a jacket.  But all was good and everyone almost completed their projects - in fact two of the ladies did indeed finish.

It was a great retreat.  I hope you enjoy seeing the daily progression.

 

Day 1 - gathering for the opening 'welcome'

 

 How to design the princess line

 Add a lapel if you want to

Drawing the 2-part sleeve

Students drawing their patterns

Students enjoying the sewing process

Students showing off their makes!

Well done ladies!  It was totally my pleasure to have you attend.

For those of you who think you might want to attend in 2019, please send an email to info@surefitdesigns.com and put 'Design Retreat Wait List' in the subject line.  And though I'm not sure of the dates, my best guess is that early March 2019 will be the next designing retreat.  As soon as possible there will be a dedicated website page with all the required details, but in the meantime email me if you are interested.  You will have first right of refusal.

Glenda the Good Stitch!

Sewing Instructions Provided by Sure-Fit Designs

I'm often asked if Sure-Fit Designs provides sewing instruction steps.  Beginners are particularly worried that they might not know how to sew the pieces together and what should happen first.

Even though Sure-Fit Designs is primarily a fitting and designing system, there are sewing construction steps provided for specific designs in all the Dress, Pants, Shirt, Children's kits and in the Men's Instructional Package.  Here's where you'll find the information and though construction illustrations are not always provided, the instructions tell you what to do and in what order.

Sure-Fit Designs Pants Kit:  

• How to sew basic pants together is provided on page 11 of the Pans Kit Instruction book. 
• Sewing jeans is provided on page 23.
• Sewing an elastic waist is on page 24.
• Inserting a pocket opening (eliminates the need for a zipper and is extremely comfortable) is on page 25.
• Inserting an inseam pocket is on page 25. 
• Sewing a zipper fly front is on page 27.                                                                                                                                                                              

     Sure-Fit Designs Dress Kit:

• Bodice sewing construction steps are found on the following video tutorials:       
  D.8.a Pt. 1-Fabric Choice/Layout/Cutting                                                         
  D.8.b Pt. 2-How to Sew and Press Darts                                                        
  D.8.c Pt. 3-Sewing Shoulder & Side Seams                                                  
  D.8.d Pt. 4-How to Set in the Sleeve                                                                
  D.8.e Pt. 5-Staystitching/Pressing/Fit Evaluation  
• Sewing a V-Neck (Dress or Shirt pattern)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  Sure-Fit Designs Shirt Kit:          

• General Instructions for sewing the shirt are on page 13 of the Shirt Kit Instruction book. 
• Sewing robes are found on page 17.  
• Easy technique for stitching a Shirt Collar and Collar Stand. 
• Stitching a traditional Shirt Placket 
• Stitching a continuous lap Shirt Placket                 
  
   

   



    Sure-Fit Designs Children's Kit:

• General instructions for sewing elastic back pants are found on page 16 of the Children's Kit Instruction book.
• How to insert a zipper fly front is on page 17.
• How to attach a bib to a waist edge is on page 18.
• General instructions for sewing a shirt/blouse are on page 20.
• Sewing a child's cross-over shoulder T-shirt is on page 21.
• Sewing a hood on to a neck edge is found on page 22.
• How to sew a tab neckline treatment is on page 26.
• General skirt sewing instructions are on page 27.
• How to sew a tab front is found on page 29. 
• How to sew children's robes are on pages 30 & 31.
• How to sew a girl's party dress is on page 32.                                                                                                                                                                                        

 Sure-Fit Designs Men's Instructional Package:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

•   General sewing construction steps for men's pants is on page 12.              

   

Sure-Fit Designs Newest downloadable Fashion Leaflets (Digital Sewing Patterns:                                                                                                  

•  Go to https://surefitdesigns.com/collections/digital-e-goods                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
  Sure-Fit Designs designing book/DVD combinations:                                                                                                                                                            All new designs - each with complete step-by-step sewing construction instructions.  (Each book/DVD is designed specifically to go hand-in-hand with the Pants Kit, shirt Kit and Dress Kit.) In an effort to give you sewing guidance, first analyze your current resources.  Did you know all of these how-to sewing instructions existed in the Sure-Fit Designs kits, patterns, books and leaflets?  Use this information as a handy guide to find what you might be looking for. Second, so you have a stockpile of existing commercial patterns?  The sewing steps provided on the accompanying guide sheets provide an excellent source of instruction.  Their pattern may not be exactly what you are wanting to sew, but if there is any similarity in design to what you are creating, their instructions can be a great resource. Third, do you have any general sewing construction resource books?  There are a number of comprehensive books available that not only provide construction techniques, but will also provide step-by-step procedures.  My favorite is the Vogue Sewing Book.  It's a thick resource guide and well worth the investment.  For more information on how to sew the garment together read this article Part 1: Sewing Construction Guidelines
                              
  
                                                                                   
•  Pants that Mix 'n' Multiply  
• Sew Sensational Shirts 
• Beyond Bodice Basics   
• As you can see (and read) there are truly lots and lots of sewing tutorials and sewing construction steps given with the Sure-Fit Designs fitting and sewing system.
  
   
• Happy Sewing! Glenda the Good Stitch!