This year , I was the hostess on Christmas eve for my husbands family and Christmas day for my family. I made 8 recipes of Kathy buns so everyone could take some home.

A tradition since 1967. Here is the history and recipe for this very popular family food item. Click here

Brody did it Again! Ate the crotch in my expensive Yoga pants! Learn to fix with common household items! Click Here

Sign up to take this class with Kathy at the Original Sewing and Quilt Exp in Chantilly, VA on Thursday 10/4/2012 9:00 AM-10:00 AM

Lisa took a class with Kathy in GA and won a door prize.

The hardest part of sewing clothing is getting the fit just right. A garment made from a pattern fitted just for you can make you appear 10 to 20 pounds slimmer, and fabrics with give make sewing and fitting easier still.

See construction techniques including set-in sleeves for knits, sewing corners, stabilizing hemlines and necklines and more. Learn to sew a twist-free pant leg, stabilize a crotch seam and finish the waist with elastic, when and how to finish edges plus an easy fusible hemline.

click here to find out more and to sign up for class.

It’s easy and fast. A great way to still get into your favorite jeans after the holiday season.

Elastic Waist Insert Kit comes with elastic insert instructions that beginners can follow and accomplish successfully. You get the look of tailored pants but the comfort of elastic-waist pants.  Step-by-step illustrated instructions show how to stitch into finished slacks or alter a favorite pattern to add inserts.

I just finished a new project as a promise to update my jacket wardrobe with less shoulder pads for a more contemporary look. Encouraged by my two adult daughters and  most important, Marlene Ingraham, director of education for the Original Sewing & Quilt shows, I agreed to cut the thickness of my shoulder pads in half and narrow the shoulder width a bit.

My genetics give me ski slope shoulders that cause horrible drag lines under my arms in any garment with sleeves, especially  jackets. This fit issue makes you look tired and your bust, waist and hips look bigger. So I fill the missing space between my shoulder angle and patterns with stuffing. I am so sensitive about this issue that I used to even wear foam shoulder pads under my T-Shirt when I went out jogging until one day I came home missing one of my favorite pads.

I just finished a brand new 3 Ways To Learn CD called Copper Ruffle Jacket.  I saw this jacket in a boutique in Kansas City last fall. It has wonderful Sew To Look slimmer design lines and best of all, I teach you how to take one of your favorite jacket patterns, add vertical seamlines and move the shaping darts into the new seam lines. The more you learn about pattern manipulation the more you can sew exactly what you see and want with out trying to find that perfect pattern that probably does not exist.

Other new things to learn are how to create bias ruffles and three tier single layer cuffs plus a zipper tab front closing that you could use on any pattern.
All of these changes emphasize the vertical that takes pounds off of your visual appearance. The ruffle and zipper tab finishes are not only fun to sew but make you look wonderful. Now you can buy this “new” Copper Ruffle Jacket CD and attend my lecture class this spring at a Sewing show near you. Here is the info for the class.

Streamlined Construction for Contemporary Jackets
A well-shaped jacket using the proper interfacing, underlining and/or lining provides camouflage, confidence and comfort. And, they’re faster to make than ever! Learn shortcuts for notched collars, application of interfacing and underlining, shoulder shaping, sleeve installation, lining and hemming for great-looking jackets to wear everyday everywhere.
Check my travel schedule and the show website for dates locations & times.
I hope to see you soon!
Happy Sewing Kathy Ruddy

Learn how to make the elements of this project on a new 3 Ways to learn CD

Granddaughters Annual PJ photo with Santa

Happy Holidays to Everyone

Kathy Ruddy

Kathy Ruddy films Lorraine Henry fitting a crotch curve to make your own custom pants. Lorraine demonstrates how to use a flex curve crotch pattern to a pants pattern.

When your clothes fit perfectly “couture” and the fabric flows and you picked what is the best for you, you will automatically look slimmer in what you are wearing.