I think that Casual Style is pretty much an everyday thing for many of us these days. However, even casual styles can be elevated to clothing that's more suitable for work or other times when you want to be comfortable but dressed "nice." What's the trick? Sew casual styles in fabrics that are a bit dressier and you have the best of both worlds, comfort and style! All three of this week's It's Sew Easy TV episodes will give you plenty of ideas and inspiration for achieving the goal of Casual Comfort with Style!

What do you get when you cross a T-shirt with a button down shirt? The downtown tunic! Caroline Hulse starts this show with something young and fun - the Downtown Tunic. She'll show you how to mix a knit with a woven and make it work into a cute top. In fact this style is youthful but with the right selection of fabrics it would appeal to women in many different age categories.

Angela Wolf features a frayed flower design in her short style segment. This simple idea for reverse appliqué has been a favorite technique of mine for a long time. Before I played with machine embroidery I used many forms of appliqué as embellishment, including this idea of placing fabric on the wrong side and cutting out the appliqué shape from the main fabric above. Appliqué is a great way to add interest to plain garments, and a good substitute for machine embroidery. 

Judy Kessinger is last but by no means least in the third segment of this show. Her tips include designing tops with simple shapes, detailed information on choosing fabrics, and even advice for colors that suit your style. This segment is loaded with good advice. Ready to go watch the show? CLICK HERE.

Today's active lifestyle means that a large percentage of us have a wardrobe with lots of knits. If you are sewing anything at all made from a knitted fabric you will learn valuable techniques from watching this show.

​In the very first segment I share specifics about swimwear fabric and give a detailed list for  everything else you'll need for sewing swimwear from patterns, to pins, needles, and elastic.

I have sewn most of my own swimwear since I was a young teen! I've learned a lot since my very first attempt. My first suit was a two piece get up made from a green terry cloth print that resembled a tortoise shell. Yep, true story . . . and not a very good idea! Fine for basking in the sun, but yikes! It was very heavy when wet and only got worn once. Ha, the crazy things we make when no one tells us not to!!!
(Read my update at the end of this post.)

But, many years later, I can honestly say that now my finished suits look totally "store bought." The suit on the left in the photo above is purchased and the one on the right is my featured "sewn from scratch" sample for the show. I used a Kwik Sew pattern from SewSassy.com. They are a one stop shopping site for anything lingerie and swimwear related and super nice to deal with.

As per usual, the first time you use a pattern you discover what to do different the second time around. Kwik Sew 3609 has a great swim dress style option, a nice alternative for a modest length, and comfortable bottoms. However, you will need a little patience to create the twisted knot bust detailing. 

Here is a look at just part of the instructions for this design detail. Next time I would prefer lining the cups with self fabric. I find myself having to adjust the twist before wearing to keep the lining from peeking out.

​I will make this suit again though. I have taken the plunge in this suit and it passed the test for "swim ability." Using a combination of the sewing machine and serger, my finished suit is certainly swim worthy and flattering. Make sure you visit the project section of the website to read more about selecting stitches, sewing elastic, plus additional sewing details in my seven page pdf file. Click on the image below to go directly to the  download section for these free instructions.

The rest of show 1109 is very informative. In the short style segment you'll get tips for sewing thick denim from Cheryl Sleboda.

Last but not least, Angela shows you how to serge a great looking pair of color blocked knit pants. You'll see how the Cover Stitch Serger and a ​Standard Serger work in tandem to stitch up pants that everyone will think came from the best activewear department at your favorite store!

If you're ready to watch the show you can CLICK HERE. Enjoy!

Update! I was searching through my pattern stash for something else this morning and crazy as it is, I found the original two piece swimsuit pattern I told you all about. Here is . . . dated 1973!!! 

If you are a garment sewing enthusiast you are going to love this show! You'll see fitting expert Judy Kessinger create many pant styles using just one master pattern, learn knit tips from Angela Wolf, and see sewing blogger Gretchen Hirsch add eyelets to create a lace–up bodice on a dress.

Are you on a never ending quest for the perfect pair of pants? Somehow I think I'm hearing YES, YES, YES!!!
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If that is the case then this segment will certainly speak to that deep desire. Judy Kessigner from the  Fit  Nice System is known as the Fit Doctor. During this show she discusses ways to vary a master pant pattern and create five distinct styles. If you have just one semi-tailored pant pattern that fits well, you can use her ideas to make many variations. Lots and lots of tips for fabric selection and a great method to sew elastic  are  included in this segment!

Angela Wolf presents tips for knits in the short style segment that follows. Knits are a forgiving fabric but there so many different kinds! You need to study up and pay attention to the amount of stretch found in the many different choices found in the fabric department. You'll learn a lot from Angela in this short segment.

You can CLICK HERE to download a Free tip sheet I wrote recently with even more tips for knits.

Gretchen Hirsch is up next. Known for fifties style garments with a focus on dresses, she re-creates a corset like look with lacing and eyelets. Her use of pretty border prints makes the dress look really special.

Watching this part of the show made me want to locate my oldie but goodie Dritz Eyelet Plier tool. I'm absolutely positively positive I have it . . . somewhere!!! In the meantime I'm putting the orange awl that  came with my Brother machine accessories in a prominent place. When you see this show you'll learn how to use this handy tool to help set the eyelets.

Ready to go watch the show? CLICK HERE and be prepared to learn from great teachers this week on It's Sew Easy TV! 

This week's online It's Sew Easy TV show features styles for an evening out and about, or something to wear while lounging around Home Sweet Home. 

Louis starts the show with some stunning embroidery stitched on one of my favorite machines, the Brother Persona, PRS 100  Singular Sensation Single Needle Free Arm Embroidery Only Machine. I know that's a long title, but in my opinion this machine is deserving of a standing ovation for all the possibilities it holds for those who seek an affordable embroidery machine with lots of room for growth and optional accessories. With a tubular style arm, this cap capable machine can embroider hard to hoop items both large and small. Take a quick look at what comes with the Persona and you'll see what I mean.

I've taught a lot of hands-on classes with the Persona since it was first introduced and each time I use it I am more and more impressed with it's potential. If you want to learn more about this machine I suggest you visit your local Brother dealer for details, prices, and current specials.

Back to the show, Louis  shares some of his best tips to embroider garments for guys. Be sure to watch the whole segment. You'll see some bling for sure but you'll also see how he matches up designs to create long lines of embroidery and you'll get ideas for embroidering a look for men that is toned down or ready to shine bright at night!

In the second part of the show you'll see a segment that is on my list of all time favorites. This episode features Asian influenced pajamas made from Folkwear pattern #145. Once again, this unique pattern line supplies a pattern style that is authentically Asian. You could easily add bands like the ones featured here to basic Pajama pants and tops or consider using this idea for street clothes as well.

Then I selected this motif for the banded border. When you watch you'll see that the bands are stitched in somewhat of a quilted fashion before the embroidery is added. This is a technique I often use when I want to add embroidery to fabric that easily shows puckers, like the satin you see here. By quilting to a base of flannel essentially I create "planned puckers" and beef up the fabric at the same time so the embroidery has a more stable base. The snap style Border Hoop makes it really easy to embroidery on narrow strips of fabric and it's available for several Brother model machines.

On the show you'll hear me say that I like to cut my fabric pieces oversized before embroidering. Then I can stitch the designs, trim the finished piece to fit the pattern, and complete the construction of the garment. Plain fabric is suddenly transformed into a pretty panel with the added embroidery motifs. It's so much fun to make your own original fabric accents with added embroidered bands!!!

I must confess, I love days when I can stay in my pajamas. When they look this good there's really no reason to get dressed! You can CLICK HERE to go watch this show from now until noon on November 11th. Be sure to visit the itsseweasytv.com website to download detailed instructions that accompany this set. I'd love to hear your thoughts, feel free to leave your comments below!