This yellow and white Garnet top has moved to the top of my pile as my favorite Garnet to wear, but I never gave it its own post, so here we go. Turns out this often happens often with the “cover” pattern samples that I make; since they end up being photographed for the pattern cover or the shop listings and are usually part of the “X pattern is HERE!” post, they don’t usually get a post of their own.

The yellow main fabric is so bright and cheerful, it feels like it’s exuding actual sunshine, which is part of why I love this top so much. It is a very lightweight, semi-sheer “pastry line” voile from Anna Maria Horner (possibly part of the Little Folks voile collection?). The yoke fabric is a Heather Ross double gauze print from the Far Far Away collection for Kokka circa 2009 (I had to look that up - can’t believe it’s been that long - big thanks to my friend Deborah, whose blog archives came through for me there), and it features tiny little flowers, lilypads and frogs. It doesn’t seem like a huge coincidence that these two fabrics ended up working so well together, considering Heather and Anna Maria are (were?) actual friends IRL. It’s extremely satisfying when two otherwise unrelated fabrics end up working together.

Just in case you’re curious, here are some of the other fabrics I was auditioning for this top:

Which one would you have picked??

PS. That fabric combo at the top right is currently on my sewing table — you can see a little peek at what I’m making with it here.

PPS. Garnet is available as a digital pattern in my shop, and is fully swap-able (is that a word?) with its sibling pattern, Ruby.

Quite possibly the most-emailed question I receive is “when will you bring back the Washi Expansion Pack”? This is a hard question to answer because we’ve had the pattern pieces for it graded into a larger size range (the same one Washi, since renamed Trillium is currently offered in) for at least five (maybe more?) years. And for the past however-many years, Elli and I have side-eyed the Expansion Pack as a potential project for the upcoming year and then…decided against it.

To back up for those who aren’t familiar: The Washi Expansion Pack,* or “XP,” as we lovingly called it, was a pattern add-on that I created in 2013 on the heels of the Washi Dress pattern release in 2012, a pattern that turned out to be extremely popular and launched my accidental career designing women’s sewing patterns. The XP offered a number of bow, sleeve, and collar add-ons that could be used to create new variations and mods (or hacks, if you prefer) of the original Washi Dress. It was very much designed around all of the many variations and spinoffs of Washi that I had made for myself, and was offered in response to the huge demand from readers who commented or wrote in requesting a pattern for all the mods to they could make them, too. The beauty of it really was that it was all based on the same base pattern, which always has been been my favorite way to sew.

*If I’m not mistaken, this is the very first documented use of the term “Expansion Pack” in the sewing pattern world. I myself pilfered the term from the video game industry, where it was already in wide use; my own personal exposure an occupational hazard of marrying Mr Rae, an avid and self-professed Video Game Fanatic. It has since been used by many other indie pattern designers for their own pattern add-ons.

All these “add-ons” increased the value of the original pattern, which was great, and probably helped sales. But looking back now, writing all of the instructions and figuring out the charts for all of those extras was extremely time-intensive; the sewing instructions for each variation took a long time to write and create, and bundling them up in an un-confusing format was tricky. This was one of those patterns that turned into a real bear while were working on it, to the point that when it was over, I thought, why did I ever think this was a good idea?? (Though of course then I did it again when we made the Geranium Expansion Pack, so I guess I’m a real glutton for punishment).

As of this writing the updated Trillium (formerly Washi) pattern now has more sizes and a second set of bodices (“C/D”), which means there are two sets of collars and sleeves (the A/B and C/D bodices have different neckline and armhole lengths). It also has both metric and imperial measurements, layered pattern files — A0 copyshop, print-at-home files, and projector files. It’s going to be a lot of time and work to bring it back, test out the new pieces, etc. Meanwhile, my business is now the smallest it’s ever been: Both Elli and I only work a handful of hours each week, and the business makes far less income than it used to. So the short answer to the original question is: we don’t have time right now to work on this (very big) project.

Probably the biggest hurdle, though, is that I keep getting hung up on the size range; after we updated Trillium, I expanded the adult size range again, which means that Trillium — my most popular adult pattern — isn’t even offered in our largest sizes. It seems wrong to consider putting all that work into updating the Expansion when there are folks who would be interested in making Trillium but are currently out of the size range; it seems to me that energy should be put into adding more sizes to Trillium, first.

So to answer the original question of will the Trillium Pattern ever get an Expansion Pack? I don’t know. I’m tired. I’ve had so many other projects that I am excited about, like launching Sapphire last year, and not enough time to execute them all.

Making this dress has been my first step forward. The other day when we were discussing this project yet again, Elli came up with a creative idea to re-release the Expansion in a different format than I had thought of before. It was a neat idea, but it needs to be fleshed out a bit yet, so we’re going to chat about it more…and see what happens.

V. unsatisfying! Sorryyyy!!!

But forget about that, do you like my dress.

The inspo for this dress came last year when I saw this dress from Curator on Pinterest that looked like exactly something I could recreate with a wide stripe fabric and the Expansion Pack. I found the striped fabric at Stonemountain and Daughter, one of my go-to locations when I’m shopping for apparel fabrics. The base pattern is the Trillium Dress of course, with a gathered skirt and 1” elastic in back instead of the shirring (View B of the Expansion, or this tutorial), and used the pointed sleeve and lining from View C of the Expansion Pack. I also lengthened the skirt to make it a maxi-dress (not part of the Expansion, but tutorial for that here). The upper portion of the dress is lined, and the lower portion is not. And of course, it has POCKETS!!

The question of where will I wear this has yet to be answered, as it is currently still not warm enough to wear this without a sweater over it. I could imagine wearing this dress to a birthday party or wedding this spring, though most of my friends and family are in the uncoupling phase of life rather than the coupling phase. If I ever travel again, possibly to some warm locale? Only time will tell.

Sending love and hugs in this dark time.

Rae

hellooo, my friends!

Welcome to my little haven of making, where I share a few of the things that have been making me feel better in these dark days.

Honestly, every single artist and creative person I know has been struggling with how to create in this political climate, which is the normal, correct response to the near-constant onslaught of crises, and the tsunami of disruption, disinformation and lies we’ve been forced to endure from this administration. And now, this war…**bangs head against desk.* It’s overwhelming, which is of course precisely the point; it’s daunting to try to mentally overcome the dissonance of trying to work, parent, or just function normally in this environment, let alone create joyfully.

It always helps me to remember that I’m not alone, that there are so many awesome, everyday people fighting back in small and big ways, and that reminds me: don’t forget to sign up for the next protest next weekend!! I can personally attest (baby’s first protest was almost exactly a year ago) that nothing makes you feel better quite like standing up to tyranny with thousands of other people who feel the same way you do. Plus, you will never regret opposing a war.

Another thing that always helps me recalibrate is time outdoors. Last month Mr Rae and I celebrated our anniversary weekend (22 years!!) at a sweet little town on Lake Michigan, New Buffalo. We lucked out with some beautiful (unseasonable) weather for mid-February, and we took walks along the still-frozen lake and spent an afternoon hiking in the dunes under beautiful skies and surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Ah, Michigan, you’re such a showoff.

Here are a few other things I’ve been into and up to…

MAKING

I’m in the middle of sewing a Cambia Top by Sew Like with some of my “vintage” Anna Maria voile. Romy is awesome (she’s helped me test out a few patterns) and I love her fun pattern designs. This one has the coolest removable sleeves and I can’t wait to wear it — it’s going to be perfect for spring.

I took another pottery class with my friend Maria at the local art center and I’m pretty happy with my first attempt at a mug:

I’m stitching my way through my next Pattern Club Sampler, and I found some pretty lemon yellow Noro yarn at a cute little clothing and yarn shop (Goods and Heroes) on our trip that I’m turning into another Ranunculus. I’m a little worried I won’t have enough yarn for the sleeves? Nothing to be done but keep knitting.

I used my projector to create 1/2-size samples for my next pattern — it’s less sewing/fabric and the little mini samples help me verify that all the pieces fit together correctly. The pattern is a new pajama pant and shorts pattern I’m calling “Jasper” based on Luna that I’m developing for the workshop I’m teaching in Minnesota in August along with Susana McDonnell. Aren’t these little shot-cotton samples cute?!?

Speaking of workshops in August, I’m also delighted that I’ll be teaching once again be teaching at A Gathering of Stitches in Maine next summer for Slow Fashion August, where I am excited to be teaching a workshop on Pocket Power along with fellow instructors Jessica Marquez and Atsushi Futatsuya. There is exactly ONE SPOT LEFT so if you missed the registration you are in luck!! Get it quick before it’s gone!

For those of you who won’t be able to travel to sew with me this year, I’m teaching my online Patchwork Garment and Shirring with Elastic thread classes again this spring over on Pattern Review if you’d like to join us — the classes are all listed here.

READING

All five of the novels I’ve read this year so far have been fantastic and I’ll happily recommend:- The Names, Wreck, The Ministry of Time, Broken Country…all awesome. But I want to take a minute to shout out Everyone is Lying to You, a book which feels timely given the subject matter: it’s Gone Girl but make it Trad Wives, and the message is very much about the disconnect between what we see online, and real life. As someone who spent many of my early years of motherhood sharing (maybe oversharing?) snippets of my everyday life and photos my kids with strangers, and someone who has watched the TradWife obsession with equal parts fascination and horror, this book resonated deeply. It’s also funny and suspenseful and a page turner, so there’s that.

I also picked up Creative Mending at my local bookshop; I’m hoping to use it to add some fun details to a pair of worn out jeans that would have otherwise ended up in my scrap bin.

A few other things I can’t stop thinking about:

How much does it really cost to make a digital sewing pattern?

The Last Surviving Sea Silk Seamstress

What happens to the people who survive the end of the world?

Can a forest have constitutional rights?

Men are the Secondary Sex (viva la Matriarchy!!)

Finally, I want to recommend you check out Fix the News, a weekly email digest full of stories that will help restore your faith in humanity. Trust me on this one!

Oh and I got a haircut. It’s much shorter, and I love it.

Ok, I’ve spent enough time on this for today and my boss really isn’t paying me nearly enough to do this. It’s time to sign off and take the puppy for a little walk in the sunshine.

Love and virtual hugs,

Rae

PS. See all of my Friday update posts here, sign up for my Studio Notes Newsletter here or my local Sew Ann Arbor emails here, and get my posts delivered to you by email via Substack here.

Hellooo! here I am, back on the ol bloggeroo, to share a fun make from early this year that has been bringing me a bit of joy: a coral lace top based loosely off of the Beatrix block, with a ruffled peplum skirt and some little shoulder flouncy thingies. I found this lace piece in the remnants section at the now-closed Dry Goods Design in Seattle, intending originally to create a lined top. However, I very much did not line this one (a decision cemented by my discover that I had a coral bra that matched exactly), choosing instead to wear it with nothing underneath but a bra. SEXY!

I wore it out to a v fancy dinner at the Terrace Room for Mr Rae and my anniversary dinner last month (22 years!) and am very much looking forward to finding other occasions to wear it. I thought I would be cold but turns out as I am nearing 50 I’m not having so much trouble with that anymore. LOLZ. IYKYK.

I’ll add one more thing that I found interesting as I was trying to photograph this top: the photos taken by my android phone (I broke up with my iPhone last year — another story for another time) are quite a bit better at conveying the actual color of the top, though the two below — taken with my Canon Mark II — help communicate the almost neon quality of the fabric better. Interesting!

Happy New Year to those who celebrate. My usual “new year” (September) got upended this past fall with the arrival of newest family member, Marigold, aka the Cutest Puppy Ever, so I've been doing a little evaluation and reflection this week instead, now that she is 7 months and gives me a little breathing room. Prize for you (hint: it’s more photos of Marigold) if you can make it to the bottom of this post. And honestly, kudos to us all for making it to the end of 2025 because holy hell was that one ever a doozie.

This morning I was working on getting ready to teach my Patchwork class again next week on Pattern Review, and reviewing my outline and rewatching the video clips reminded me just how much fun it is to teach this one. I first taught it at A Gathering of Stitches in Maine as an all-day workshop, and then changed/adapted it into a shorter Zoom class format on Pattern Review exactly a year ago. This year I’m changing it a little bit, again, so this coming Tuesday (Jan 13th) I’ll be teaching it as the first class in a series of two standalone Patchwork Garment classes. You can see the details and sign up HERE (Part 1) and HERE (Part 2). If you’ve got a bunch of apparel scraps that you want to turn into a patchwork garment, it might be just what you need to get started!

We traveled to Seattle last month for Christmas to visit my family and it was an absolutely lovely way to spend the end of December. The weather was perfect for getting out and exploring, and we went on many hikes, made it downtown one day to do some touristy things, but had a nice amount of chill family time at my parents’ house sprinkled in as well. Some snapshots…

And a few more things I’ve been into and up to the past couple of months. It’s always fun for me to share things I’ve been interested in, being ever mindful of the dark, shorter days, the dark, current state of the world, and hoping I can add my little bit of light and hope to the equation…

sewing: finished my first two makes of 2026 this week, including a coral lace top (below, right) and I can’t wait to you more photos, really excited how it turned out. Another make from end of last year was a pair of cream knit sleep pants (above) that I have to actively work not to wear ALL THE TIME. They are incredibly comfy! More photos of those in this IG post.

puzzling: that amazing interlocking circles puzzle arrived in the mail from Jess in December (sidenote: trading used puzzles with your artist friends is the best!) and the unusual shape and bright colors were so fun to piece together.

reading: my rate of book consumption slowed considerably in the later part of the year, but I did love the dystopic tale of The Memory Police, and Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop provided a relaxing imaginary place to escape into. The Bodyguard was my final read of the year and turned out to be a fun, fast, fluffy read that would make an excellent rom-com movie if it isn’t already.

decorating: the Christmas tree was interesting this year with a puppy. Marigold zoned in on a knitting needle + yarn ball ornament and seemed to derive a great deal of glee from stealing it off of the tree and then playing keep-away with it.

trying: new things, specifically pottery classes with my friend Maria. We took a coil bowl class at the art center last month and we’re signed up for a cups class later this month. My first attempt was a wee bit wonky (pics below) but overall I like it; the aqua color is right up my alley and I think it will be a good fruit bowl. I know you’re thinking it looks fine but trust me when I tell you I am sharing the very best angles and leave it at that.

knitting: I blocked my Pebble Socks and I am wearing them right now. It’s Knitted Sock Season, babyyy! I also blocked a brioche hat so look for a knitted things update soon.

watching - we all enjoyed Knives Out: Wake Up, Dead Man for family movie night (heads up it’s maybe not the most appropriate movie for some younger family members). I enjoyed this piece about the movie on Kristin DuMez’s Substack; turns out Rian Johnson was a youth group kid too (!).

listening: to records on our turntable after Mr Rae made a trip into Detroit with our BIL Ross to go record shopping last month. He returned with a pile of LPs and we’ve enjoyed listening to used ones and finding new ones. A favorite artist has been John Vanderslice.

That’s all for now — Elliot is currently unloading the dishwasher and waaaah only has a couple more days at home before he returns back to college for second semester. It makes me oh-so-happy having him home. He loves hanging out with Goldie and these pics of him brushing her in the sunlight are kinda the best, right?

As promised, even more puppy photos for you below.

Have a peaceful weekend.

xo, Rae

PS. See all of my Friday update posts here, sign up for my Studio Notes Newsletter here or my local Sew Ann Arbor emails here, and get my posts delivered to you by email via Substack here.

Gah I just have to share this last one: she hated her Halloween costume, poor thing, but wasn’t she the cutest banana ever?? Caption should read “I HATE YOU ALL” but still. I die.

This is possibly the most un-exciting post I've had to write, ever, but if every person who has ever bought a sewing pattern from me takes just a few minutes to read this and check that their PDF patterns are saved,* I would be ever so grateful!!

After December 31, 2025, I will not be able to resend lost or expired pattern links from purchases made before May 2025.

(*do you already have ALL of your PDF patterns safely downloaded and saved? Disregard this post. You are awesome!!)

I've been selling PDF sewing patterns since 2009, so (no big surprise) I get a substantial number of requests every month from folks who need me to reset or resend a sewing pattern link so they can download their pattern again. Most times they're trying to open the pattern on a phone (tip: always download your pattern files over WiFi, not cell data), but sometimes they've lost or accidentally deleted it; maybe a computer crashed, or they just forgot to download the pattern files in the first place when they bought it. Sidenote: this is a useful troubleshooting guide

No worries!! Usually it's not a big deal for me to manually go in and reset/resend a pattern link; for the past decade+ I used a system (Sendowl) that delivered pattern download links through email; it does require a bit of time on my end, but it's been fairly easy for me to manually go in and help folks regain access to their patterns again. 

HOWEVER, at the end of this month, I'm quitting Sendowl (for a number of reasons that I will not bore you with in this email, but last May I started using a new system), so I'll no longer have access to over a decade of Sendowl pattern links. Again: this means that after December 31, 2025, I will not be able to resend lost or expired pattern links from purchases made before May 2025.

So…please do something for me? Would you take a minute to check and see that you have all of your Made by Rae sewing patterns safely SAVED somewhere? For example: The "PDF Patterns" folder on your computer, or in your Files app on your iPad?

And then please take a moment to back them them up in a second location. I would suggest cloud-based storage (like Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox); somewhere that only you have access to. Bonus points: back up to a third spot like an external SSD or hard drive!!

What if you do NOT have your files saved? 

You can still download and save your Made by Rae patterns from Sendowl until the end of this month (December 2025). After that time, all Sendowl pattern links will expire for good.

Here's how to re-download your patterns:

CLICK HERE to resend the original download link email (ALL of the patterns you bought will go to the email address you used to make the original purchases) and click on the link in that email to download your patterns.

- OR -

Search your inbox for your download link (if you saved the email) using the keywords "Your Made by Rae Order" – and then click on the download link inside to download your patterns.

and then PLEASE SAVE YOUR PATTERNS somewhere safe!!

What if your download link doesn't work anymore? 

If your link has expired or you've used up all of your attempts, either forward the link to me (just hit “reply” from that email) and request a reset, or fill out the pattern resend request form HERE. Please do this now to avoid me having to do everyone's reset requests on December 31. Please and thank you!

Finally, any recent pattern purchases you have made since May 2025 were delivered through our new digital delivery system, which is already working much better than Sendowl ever did. I just wish I could move over all of those past links!

THANK YOU!!!

PS. I’m teaching my “Design Patchwork Fabric for Garments” class again on Zoom in January, plus a second class in February “Creating Garments with Patchwork Fabric” where you can turn your fabric into a garment. It’s a two class series and you can take either or both.

Hellooo!

October has been such a whirlwind. I’ve been to a protest, Trunk-or-Treat, corn maze, apple orchard, 50th birthday party, parent-teacher conferences, and a Halloween karaoke party, all in just the last two weeks. How!?

It’s been a while since I last checked in. Elliot moved out and started college in August, and Clementine and Hugo are back in school — Hugo is now in middle school, Clementine is a junior in high school — so it's been a bit of an adjustment for me figuring out how to work from home with a puppy. It still feels so weird without Elliot here *sobs*, but since he’s only an hour away he’s been able to come home for a few weekends already.

Surprising no one, Marigold is taking up most of my time and attention. This is a dog that Clementine begged for, desperately, since she was nine and now barely has time to snuggle let along spend significant amounts of time with, so by default I am The Main Person, which has its pros and cons. Maybe this would have gone differently had I not waited so long to get a dog but — to my credit — I knew what I could handle while Hugo was in elementary school, and a dog was not one of them. So anyway, here I am, embracing my Dog Mom Era. Going to puppy classes, taking her to the vet, buying ridiculous toys and banana costumes on chewy, and watching my photo stream transform entirely into dog photos. She is both completely delightful and has me questioning my life choices on the regular.

I’m happy to say that both sessions of the Squamadu retreat I am teaching at next summer have now sold out (yay!), but I have some additional upcoming teaching opportunities that are currently in the works for me, both online and in person, which I’ll be sure to post about as they are announced. The first one will be a Zoom Class held on November 18th hosted by Pattern Review called Top 10 Garment Sewing Techniques where I will share — you guessed it!! — my favorite garment techniques. ** More details and sign up here!! **

(and of course just a reminder that you can subscribe to my blog posts via my Substack or my main newsletter if you want to hear about other classes and workshops as they roll out)

Here are some other things I’ve been into and up to these past few months…

reading: My favorite vacation read this summer was Chain Gang All Stars. Super riveting, fast action, and such a devastating plot. Fleishman is in Trouble was also really fun…what a terrific surprise the second half was. Currently reading All Fours by Miranda July because I refuse to be the last perimenopausal woman in America to read it.

13 Signs You Used ChatGPT To Write That <-Huh, interesting. Just in case you couldn’t tell, this website is 100% Ai-free. via Meg’s newsletter

knitting: I'm continuing to make good progress on my Orna Sweater by Brienne Moody with Bread & Butter Everyday yarn from AVFKW. I am one sock into the Pebble Socks, as I got all inspired a day before the PebbleKAL started but didn’t buy my yarn (shown below) until Day 2, and therefore only managed to cast on a day after it ended. Oh well! Just out here taking my own sweet time with this KAL, LOLZ.

enjoying: Elise Cripe’s newsletter, Scattering Seeds, has been lovely to get in my inbox since she quit Instagram almost two years ago. She also just moved off of Substack to Beehiv which I find intriguing. Are there fewer Nazis on Beehiv? Who knows.

listening: OK, what are our favorite Life of a Showgirl tracks? Predictably, mine are Wi$hli$t, Eldest Daughter, and Cancelled. And I like the new Tame Impala album is giving nice chill vibes for knitting in the evenings.

pounding: flowers onto fabric during a lovely afternoon with friends hosted by my friend Emily. Feels good to channel my rage into something creative.

sewing: I used some hand-dyed indigo linen to make a Gemma tank. I am now hand-stitching the bindings, which means that by the time I am finished, it will be spring. Just in time to wear it!!

watching: I'm rewatching Six Feet Under on Netflix right now – I had watched it when it first aired on HBO and it's holding up surprisingly well for being almost 25 years old.

For the first year in a very, very long time, I will not be out trick-or-treating tonight. Hugo has decided he doesn’t want to go, and Clementine is going with friends, so we’re going to stay cosy inside and have a movie night. If you’re out and about tonight, be safe and have fun!!

xo
Rae

PS. See all of my Friday update posts here, sign up for my Studio Notes Newsletter here or my local Sew Ann Arbor emails here, and get my posts delivered to you by email via Substack here.

Today I’m excited to introduce Julie of Home Sweet Homestead, who I’ve followed online for many years as she raises goats and chickens and kiddos in a little village in Maine and her stories give a glimpse into the ups and downs of homesteading life. Julie also works at Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, a brick and mortar shop in downtown Belfast, Maine, and I had the privilege of meeting Julie in person when I was in Maine for Sewing Camp. Julie made this dreamy version of Sapphire to help us preview the pattern; she’s styling it here with a beautiful indigo Lichen Duster (pattern by my dear friend Meg of Sew Liberated).

And here’s a closeup of that gorgeous Liberty lawn floral print:

And I love the way Julie left the bottom buttons open to show off those gorgeous boots…

Thank you so much for previewing Sapphire, Julie!!

You can find more of Julie’s makes by following her on instagram: @homesweethomestead.

One thing I continue to feel certain about is the utter importance of gathering with other people to create beautiful things and connect through art.

To that end, I’m very excited to let you know that I will be teaching at a new in-person creative retreat next summer in Minnesota called Squamadu* hosted by Elizabeth of Squam Arts Workshops, should a relaxing lakeside creative retreat sound like just the thing you need. I will be teaching sewing alongside block-printing-artist-slash extraordinaire Susana McDonnell at the August 26-30 session (there are two Squamadu sessions - I’ll be teaching at the second one). {REGISTRATION HERE}

As long-time readers already know, I am a huge Squam fan (aka Squammie) and have attended the larger retreats on Squam Lake in New Hampshire a number of times in the past (posts here, here, here). This Squamadu gatherings will be smaller, more intimate groups, so spots may go quick. There are two sessions and the first one - featuring bookmaking and creative writing — also looks fantastic.

*Hideaway at Xanadu = the name of the resort in Minnesota where it will be held, owned and restored by my fellow Squammie and IRL friend Nicole Reinan; “Squam” + “Xanadu” = Squamadu

My class is called “Pajama Play” and I will guide you through the steps of sewing a cosy pair of pajama bottoms (pants or shorts) and give you additional ideas for adding pockets, hand stitching, and other creative elements.

Susana is teaching “Carve, Print, Pajama!” and will guide you through the process of creating a block and using it to print on a piece of fabric.

You can use your block-printed fabric for the cuffs or a pocket on your PJ pants, block print a t-shirt to match, or just block print your fabric for something else and use a fun fabric you’ve been hoarding for the bottoms. Whatever you want!! So many possibilities. The goal is to help you bring your ideas to life and create a pair of comfy PJ bottoms that you will love.

You can find more info on the classes, location, and schedule, AND SIGN UP TO JOIN US over on the Squamadu page:

AND…I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention that preregistration is also open today for Fall 2026 Squam (September 12th-16th in New Hampshire), so if joining me at Squamadu isn’t in the cards for you consider preregistering for the OG Squam!!

Rest assured that Elizabeth is a pro at creating getaways that rest and renew and leave you with a creative spark in your step. I’m so happy to be a part of it and I hope you’ll consider joining me for this lakeside experience.

More details on all of the retreat offerings and register to attend here:

Back in May I started working on some embroidery projects and one of them was a Ruby yoke with daisies on a black lawn. I love the way the white flowers pop against the black background. I finished the embroidery earlier this summer, but it’s taken me most of the summer to sew the top together. For pattern pieces, I used the Garnet sleeves and body, with the Ruby yoke, and lined the yoke and constructed it using the Garnet instructions.

Here’s a peek at it from start to finish (note - if you’re reading this on Substack, you might have to go over to my blog to see all six of the WIP photos below):

1. First I traced the yokes onto black cotton lawn with chalk

2. Then I attached fusible interfacing to the back side of the fabric to stabilize it, and sketched out roughly where I wanted the daisy and leaf motifs to land (important: I drew in the seam allowance to make sure all of the embroidery would be well inside the seam lines)

3. I used a hoop and sashiko thread, perle cotton and DMC floss to embroider the daisies and leaves.

4. My progress after I stitched the first batch of daisies, before moving the hoop to a new location.

5. The finished embroidery on the yokes - looks pretty cool!

6. The assembled yoke with its lining, ready to be stitched into the final garment.

I finished hemming it and adding the elastic to the sleeves this weekend, and took these photos yesterday.

The patterns I used are my Ruby and Garnet patterns, which are sibling patterns, ie the pieces are interchangeable. I combined them here to produce a cropped top version with sleeves and a lined Ruby yoke, but there’s lots of other ways to combine them. Check out this post (5 Ways to Combine Ruby and Garnet) to see a few of the different ways you can combine these two patterns.

PS. Today is my birthday so I think I might wear this out for my birthday dinner tonight (woot woot — I’m 48!!!)

This little one has my whole heart and nearly all of my time. Marigold is our newest family member. She is a goldendoodle (currently 10 weeks old). Naturally she is also gifted and talented.

For our family trip this summer, we rented a house on Lake Huron for a week. After last summer’s family trip to Amsterdam and her choir trip to Vienna and Prague this spring, Clementine requested a “Beach Vacation” rather than a “on-the-go-vacation” and that was honestly just fine with me. A relaxing week on the water sounded great.

Before we left, Clementine asked if I would make her a pair of white linen beach pants similar to a pair she had tried on at a store (a popular store with teens that shall remain unnamed due to their incredibly problematic sizing). Clementine helped me pick out a white linen fabric and we figured out how to modify the Luna pattern to create a pair of wide leg pants that looked almost identical to the original pair she liked. This involved adding a fold-over waistband at the top, widening the legs, and adding a drawstring.

Even though she didn’t do any of the sewing this time, I tried to involve her as much as possible so she could see what was involved in duping a ready-to-wear design. Like I’m not just a magician who magically makes pants appear. It takes time (specifically, mine), and the fabric plus labor cost is more than the original pants costed, due to the exploitation of foreign workers and the environment that allows RTW to be sold for such a low price. You know, this is tough…I do probably get too preachy about this but I also get that when you don’t have a ton of spending money, it’s incredibly appealing to buy a lot of clothing for very little. But I also want her to understand that there’s a hidden cost, and know her responsibility in all of that. Hopefully some of this ethos will stick with her and inform her clothing purchasing decisions as she gets older?

It was fun challenge to see how quickly we could turn it around. About week for the fabric to arrive, a day to wash and dry the fabric, and then I cut out the pants pieces the next evening and sewed them together the day after that. It took a few more days to hem them and get the fit just right for her, but since the design was super simple, it was pretty easy, overall. V. satisfying to make my kiddo something she really loves! Plus I have a little fabric left so I’m hoping I can make myself a shorts version of these for myself.

PS. I’m still taking a shipping break from my pattern shop until August 25th, but you can find my print patterns at various stockists throughout the US and UK, and of course PDF instant download patterns are always available.

Also wanted to let you know that I have Sapphire printing currently available in my shop as well (pattern pieces with or without printed instructions, shipped to you from Brooklyn Motif):

Hellooo!

It’s so fun to pop in and share what I’ve been up to these past few months, but also a bit overwhelming, as it feels like so much has happened since I wrote one of these posts (April, ack).

Elli and I launched Sapphire in May, and afterwards I treated myself to a little mini-break at a cabin the woods — a sabbatical of sorts — and I worked on some creative projects that were not at all related to work, and it was lovely and relaxing. It also turned out to be well-timed, as I was feeling a little burned out from the pattern launch and *waves hand at everything*, and honestly, it was May, so need I say more? Maybe I will find a moment to share some of my photos from that time soon? Or maybe not.

Elliot graduated from high school in June and we threw a big deck party and a bunch of adorable slash awkward teenagers ran around our yard, played badminton, and ate a shit ton of BBQ’d meats. We went through like, five whole trays of mac and cheese. I spent the days leading up to the party covering our chalkboard wall with hundreds of photos of him from baby to age 18 and it was giving A Beautiful Mind but with 4x6’s, but everyone seemed to enjoy it…so no worries.

I love these big life moments with my kiddos but at the same time it’s so hard to even wrap my brain around it when I can recall with such clarity the moment we buckled his tiny carseat into the back seat of our car and took him home from the hospital. So to see my awesome, independent, smart, funny, generous kid at 18, graduating from high school, it is just so wild. And I know it’s so cliché but I wish I could go back in time and give my 29 year old self a hug and say: you’re doing great; it’s all going to be OK; in the blink of an eye he will walk across the stage to receive his high school diploma. Post partum me would probably cry big fat turtle tears of relief because fuuuuuck is it ever hard, you know?

My mom and dad came to visit, I went to a couple more protests (still mad, yep!), Hugo graduated from 5th grade and went to sleepaway camp, and last week I spent some time with my sisters for a few days. We went shopping, walked past the house we grew up in, visited my sweet, 100-year-old (!!!) grandma, ate a lot of ice cream, had some pool time, swam in my favorite lake (above) and laughed a lot.

Here are a few other things I’ve been into and up to these past few months…

reading: I tore through Kindred by Octavia Butler in just a few days, riveting. Enjoyed Lessons in Chemistry, pretty good. I was amused by all of the rowing references (my sister Elli, who works here at MBR, is a champion rower, btw). And Margot’s Got Money Troubles had me in both stitches and tears, it was the best.

sewing: I made myself an Emerald baby-doll dress (above) by cropping an Emerald top and adding a gathered skirt and layered it with my Citrine sweaters this spring. Have been in a bit of a sewing slump, but I bought some colorful SewLike fabric a couple weeks ago from Romy — shown below — and can’t wait to cut into it. Would anyone be up for a Sapphire sewalong in August or September? Let me know.

I also made a bunch of cloth napkins out of designer (mainly Heather Ross) quilting cottons I'd held onto for years to replace our old napkins which were 10+ years old and threadbare. It felt great to spend just a couple of hours sewing squares together, assembly-line-style, and have a fresh stack of napkins to show for it. 

blooming: I am truly the most half-assed gardener, so seeing my daffodils come back year after year is pretty delightful. Right now my Shasta Daisies are in full bloom, the first flowers I ever successfully grew from seed — and I kinda can’t believe how well they are doing. Plants, man. They’re pretty cool!

stitching: away happily every day on my Pattern Club samplers. I bought the purple Taos one ala carte, and the sunburst one was the first one of the 2025 club. The other two shown were from last year - I turned them into pouches.

listening: The Telepathy Tapes is so fascinating. Have you listened to it? Tell me what you think. And I’m really having fun listening to Las Culturistas (skip the most recent LCCA ones though if you’ve never listened) and Good Hang with Amy Poehler.

watching: am currently obsessed with Lupin. And Survival of the Thickest is comedian Michelle Buteau at her finest.

Oh! Hugo got glasses (hee - I think he’s so cute!!) and after we get back from a family vacation on Lake Huron next week, we are going to get a puppy.

Which reminds me: My print pattern shop will be on vacation for a month starting tomorrow, July 25 until August 25, so if you want one of my print patterns shipped from me, today is literally the day to order!! But don’t worry — my full collection of instant-download PDF patterns is always available, or you can pick up one of my print patterns from one of these stockists.

stay cool!

xo
Rae

PS. See all of my Friday update posts here, sign up for my Studio Notes Newsletter here or my local Sew Ann Arbor emails here, and get my posts delivered to you by email via Substack here.

I made this maxi dress — the very first prototype for what would eventually be called Sapphire — back in May of 2020. The photos above were taken later that year in August 2020. The original concept had existed as a sketch in my “garment ideas” sketchbook for some time before I finally cut into this Rifle Paper Co floral rayon I had in my stash. And then (as often happens with my pattern design process) I wore it around for a couple of years to let it “marinate” if you will. In 2022, I picked it back up again, made quite a few changes to the construction method and pattern pieces, the result of which was this tiered floral dress, and then eventually (now) the Sapphire pattern.

This dress vs. Sapphire pattern — what changed?

The main difference is that this dress does not have a button placket on the skirt, just on the bodice. The front and back skirts on this dress are identical - both cut on the fold - unlike the current Sapphire dress which has two front skirts and one back skirt. I must admit, it took me some head scratching to figure out how to construct this dress, so for subsequent versions I made the button placket go all the way down the front of the skirt. I do think that you could still make the dress with a button-less skirt, but it would be easiest to also then cut the front bodice on the fold and eliminate the buttons entirely. I want to try making one (without buttons) eventually, so if you try it, please let me know how it works out for you.

Second: Perhaps the most obvious difference is that this (maxi) version is just longer; the final pattern is meant to be more of a “midi”-length dress. To recreate this one you would need to add length to the skirt pieces to make it a longer maxi dress. For me, this meant adding 5” to the skirt pattern piece (I am 5’8” and the pattern is designed for a height of 5’6), but if you are 5’6 or 5’5 you could probably add 3-4” to get a similar look (look for a blog post on Adjusting the Sapphire Skirt, soon!)

Finally: The “V” neckline on this dress was much too low for my personal taste. I even took in the shoulders a bit to raise the original neckline, but it still wasn’t quite where I wanted it and to this day when I wear this dress I still have to be careful about bending over. So I shifted the “V” in the neckline up for subsequent versions and you see that result in the final pattern as well — it’s just not as low.

(Which reminds me - someone wrote me an email to ask about moving the Sapphire neckline up even more, so I have it on my to-do list to create a little bodice adjustment post to show you how I would adjust the bodice in a few different ways)

I do think rayon is a lovely fabric choice for this pattern. Especially if you’re making it with the shorter sleeve, which can look a little “poofy” if made in a fabric with too much stand; by contrast rayon allows the sleeve to drape beautifully to the elbow in just exactly the way I intended. Making a mental note to find something similar to make another Sapphire in, bonus points if it’s something with tencel so it’s less environmentally questionable.

Here are some more photos of me wearing it more recently:

And personally I think it is a rather genius print-mixing maneuver to wear it with my Wiksten Jacket:

You can find the Sapphire pattern in both print and digital formats in my shop, and all of the Sapphire-related tutorials can be found on the /Sapphire page, so look for a maxi “how-to” post sometime soon.

Hello friends!

Ok, wow; I didn’t intend to take an entire month away from the blog, but May and June have been a bit of a blur. Elliot graduated from high school (woot woot, Elliot!) and Hugo “graduated” from 5th grade (yeeah, Hugo!). As I’m sure other parents can attest, the end of the school year brings a sort of wild, chaotic energy, particularly when you have a senior — and you just kind of hang on for the ride. However, I have now checked “Elliot grad party” off of my to-do list, and as some of you may recall, back in September I was feeling doubtful about my desire/ability to execute that part of the plan, so hurray! And it was really fun!! So I’m feeling quite proud of my graduate and now our little fambly is counting down the days until Elliot leaves for college and we find ourselves perpetually one member short. *SOBS*

Now then! Pulling self back together and back into work-mode! First order of business: to let you know that the Sapphire print pattern is now in shops, hurrah, hurray!!

Here’s the thing: the only reason I sell print patterns is because of the lovely brick and mortar shops that carry my patterns. So today, I’d like to highlight our Sapphire stockists, aka the awesome shops who answered my email to help me launch the Sapphire pattern in PRINT by being the first to carry it in their shops! THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE!

These shops are IRL brick and mortar sewing shops where you can purchase the Sapphire pattern (as well as my other print patterns) in person, and considering the current retail economy that seems pretty miraculous. So please support these fabulous spaces if you can, either in person or online.

SAPPHIRE STOCKISTS:

Canada:*

Fabric Spark - Ontario, Canada

Rick Rack Textiles - Alberta, Canada

United States:

Fiddlehead Artisan Supply - Belfast, Maine

Hart’s Fabrics - Santa Cruz, California

Seams - Lansing, Michigan

Stitch Sew Shop - Alexandria, Virginia (DC)

Stonemountain and Daughter - Berkeley, California

Tailorbird Fabrics - Chicago, Illinois

Twisted Stitch - Fort Collins, Colorado

*I can no longer ship individual pattern orders to Canada due to the extremely high tariffs - so if you are located in Canada these shops are where it’s at!

And of course, while you’re shopping for patterns you can also purchase fabric, buttons, and notions — everything you need to make yourself a beautiful Sapphire!! So next I’ve included a delightful selection of fabrics chosen by some of the shop owners on this list that would be wonderful for Sapphire…

Recommended Fabrics from our Sapphire Stockists:

From Fiddlehead Artisan Supply in Maine, top to bottom (ABOVE):

Pressed Flowers linen / Indian block print / Liberty Lawn / Green Linen

From Rick Rack Textiles in Alberta, top to bottom (ABOVE):

Rayon Linen Palma Print / San Remo Linen in Cool Blue / Kaffe x Morris Cotton Lawn in Artichoke - (PS some more fun lawn prints in that listing as well) / Cotton Blend Windowpane Jacquard in Sky

From Hart’s in California, clockwise from top left (ABOVE):

Wildberry Daisy woven / Party plaid in Rose / Katatchi Japanese Lawn / Washed Strokes linen blend

And also from Hart’s, clockwise from top left (ABOVE):

Agapanthus Rayon / Non-roll Elastic / Poppy party Japanese lawn / Buttons

(Hart’s also has Interfacing as well!)

The Twisted Stitch in Fort Collins, Colorado offers a nice selection of apparel fabrics for local shoppers. Owner Nadia sent these pics (ABOVE) of some lovely Liberty and Lady McElroy fabrics that she has in the shop that would be fantastic for Sapphire.

And last but not least, a lovely selection of floral fabrics from Fabric Spark in Toronto, clockwise from top left (ABOVE):

Indian cotton / Katia Light Cotton Poplin (a wide format cotton, similar weight to Art Gallery) / Flownny by Kokka / A Liberty Tana Lawn classic

Thank you to all of the shops who sent in all of this wonderful fabric inspiration for Sapphire - such great suggestions!!

The Sapphire pattern is our NEWEST pattern — available now in my shop in both print and digital formats, and of course, in print from the stockists listed above.

Want more details about this pattern? Find it all on the Sapphire page:

SAPPHIRE PAGE

For launch of my newest pattern, Sapphire, I wanted to showcase the pattern in a number of different fabrics, styles, and sizes, so I asked a few of my favorite makers to preview the pattern.

I was really blown away with their gorgeous versions – it was so hard to keep these a secret until after the launch. Each of these makers was featured on my blog this past week in their own post, so if you click on the links, you can see more photos and read their notes on the pattern, fabrics, and any mods they may have made to the pattern (like shortening the skirt). I've rounded up the posts for you below:

Leilani (@studiogypsy) made four fantastic Sapphires – two dresses and two tops, including one from a vintage tablecloth and a color-block version. It's such a huge vote of confidence when someone makes multiples of this pattern! 

→ See Leilani's post here ←

Amy (@modernpearlco) created this fabulous tropical print Sapphire. Love that leafy green print – it's so cheerful and perfect for spring!

→ See Amy's post here ←

Nandita (@divinedita) created this stunning Sapphire out of a colorful floral Ankara print. The little flower buttons are delightful, too. 

→ see Nandita's post here ←

Emiko (@chickpeasewinglove) created this lovely Sapphire with an elegant leaf print. It looks so comfortable in this beautiful lightweight linen!

→ See Emi’s post here ←

Romy (@sewlike) made a fun overdyed version of Sapphire out of quilting cotton. The cute checkered socks and fun shoes she styled it with are awesome too.

→ See Romy's post here ←

You can find all of these makes plus more photos and details over in the posts on my blog. And as always, get all of the details on this pattern over on the Sapphire page on my website - including size charts, yardage requirements, and recommended fabrics for this pattern.

Ready to pick up the pattern? Buy it now in my shop!

A big thank you to you if you've already purchased Sapphire and to those of you who have replied or commented with words of encouragement about this new pattern! Your support means so much to me - thank you so much for your enthusiastic response to this design!! 

Happy sewing, 
Rae

Amy made this stunning version of Sapphire as one of the makers in our Sapphire preview tester group:

Here’s what Amy had to say about her Sapphire:

“I chose the dress version of the Sapphire and, based on my measurements, cut a straight size H using the larger chest pattern piece. This dress pattern is perfect for a flowy fabric. I selected a cotton/rayon stretch woven with a punchy leaf print, purchased at Field’s Fabrics in Grand Rapids, MI. I added half-inch mother-of-pearl buttons for a soft, romantic look to complement the design. The Sapphire can be dressed up or down and will definitely be my go-to for polished spring and summer looks! “

Thank you so much for previewing Sapphire, Amy! This leafy dress is absolutely fabulous and I am so glad you were part of our testing group!!

You can find more of Amy’s makes by following her on instagram: @modernpearlco, or check out all of the “Amy”-tagged posts here on my blog for other Amy-made Made by Rae creations.

Sapphire is available now in my pattern shop. See all things Sapphire - blog posts, charts, tutorials, helpful tutorials — on the Sapphire page.

Here’s the fun version she made:

Here’s what Romy had to say about her Sapphire:

”I used a quilting cotton (I know, but when the vision is there you keep going). I bought it from Harmony Provo on sale (even better) and I over-dyed it with Rit dye using a mixture of blues I had on hand. I’m a wild girl and don’t use actual proven dye combinations. My fabric was originally a brownish red check with cream. I tried to get on board with the Pantone colour of the year but I’m happy to report colour always wins!

The buttons are also from Harmony Provo and they are perfection. I love buttons and I love how the Sapphire lends itself well to showcasing incredible buttons!

I shortened mine since I’m part of the shortie club. I also pushed down the waist casing rather than pushing it up towards the bodice to give me that little bit more room for my bust. It’s perfect in every way.

I also didn’t do buttonholes. I’m not scared of them, just didn’t have time and I absolutely love that the Sapphire gives you the option to not do them! I was able to attach mine in the school pickup line. Overall, a fabulous dress and I can’t wait to make another!”

Thank you, Romy!! I just can’t get over those cute shoes and coordinating checkerboard socks as well — outfit so on point! Thank you so much for helping us test this pattern and taking Sapphire out for a spin.

You can follow along with Romy on Instagram to see what she’s up to: @sewlike

Sapphire is available now in my pattern shop. See all things Sapphire - blog posts, charts, tutorials, helpful tutorials — on the Sapphire page.

In this post, I’m featuring the FOUR fantastic Sapphires that our preview tester Leilani created. Leilani has tested patterns for us before — like Citrine and Rose — so you might recognize her from those pattern tester roundup posts. And if you follow along with her on Instagram, you’ll see she is a prolific maker and incorporates many different arts into the things she makes, including her handmade wardrobe and her shop where she sells awesome one-of-a-kind chalk bags for climbers.

I love this first Sapphire dress that Leilani made out of a re-purposed vintage tablecloth:

This green Sapphire top was made with a quilting cotton that perfectly matched the river on St Patrick’s day, how awesome is that?

This next version is so fun with a playful selection of coordinating prints and the facings on the outside:

And finally, my jaw dropped when I saw this color-blocked version, which is just delightful.What a great way to go if you want to make Sapphire but you don’t have enough fabric for an entire dress, and instead have a handful of smaller (1-2 yard) cuts of solid fabric, right?!

Here’s what Leilani had to say about the pattern:

“Made by Rae's Sapphire Dress Pattern is a floaty dream to make and wear! I used fabrics in my stash for the 2 dresses, which consist of linen/rayon blends for the block colored dress and an thrifted, upcycled linen/cotton vintage tablecloth for the yellow dress. My first makes with the pattern were the Sapphire Top made with quilting cotton just to get a feel for the adventure. I had no issues at all reading and making Rae's beautiful pattern. It was fun fishing for buttons in my jar to match my makes. My absolute favorite part about the pattern is the ability to not have to sew button holes! Sweet little secret hack! And then the complete joy and delight in waltzing around in dreaminess! Thank you, Rae!” 

Thank you so much for being one of our preview testers, Leilani! Each one of these is so unique and beautiful!! It’s so fun to see your personal take on this pattern.

You can find more of Leilani’s makes by following her on instagram: @studiogypsy

Sapphire is available now in my pattern shop. See all things Sapphire - blog posts, charts, tutorials, helpful tutorials — on the Sapphire page.

For my newest pattern, Sapphire, Nandita created this fabulous dress as part of our preview tester group:

These tiny little flower buttons are the perfect pairing with this fun floral Ankara fabric:

Here’s what Nandita had to say about her Sapphire:

“I made my Sapphire in a beautiful patchwork Ankara. The fabric is 100% cotton and I would consider it mid weight. I used adorable yellow flower buttons. I made a faux button placket but the buttons add such a gorgeous finishing touch. 

This latest dress from Rae makes me feel like I can take on the World! It’s both polished and comfortable at the same time. I especially love the side slits and the neckline. 

The only modification I made was to shorten the skirt for my height.”

(and she notes: “I’m a solid 5’2” on a good day.”)

Thank you so much for being one of our preview testers, Nandita! I’m so enamored with this delightful Ankara fabric you chose, not to mention those fun sparkly slides. Perfection!

You can find more of Nandita’s makes by following her on instagram: @divinedita

Sapphire is available now in my pattern shop. See all things Sapphire - blog posts, charts, tutorials, helpful tutorials — on the Sapphire page.