Welcome to Sew Pomona! I'm Rebecca and I'm so glad you're here. On this channel I share my love for sewing, travel, embroidery, gardening, natural dyeing, and everything in between. I believe that fashion should be sustainable, and my goal is to inspire others to create beautiful, ethical, and eco-friendly garments that they will cherish for years to come. Here you'll find everything you need to create your own handmade wardrobe.
Here's what you'll find on Sew Pomona:
✂️ Capsule Wardrobe Inspiration
✈️ Travel Planning and Packing Ideas
🧵 Sewing Pattern Reviews & Tutorials
📏 Patternmaking & Drafting Tips
🌺 Gardening and Natural Dyes
.......and sew much more!
Thanks for joining me on this journey towards a more sustainable and fulfilling lifestyle. Head over to my Blog SEW POMONA - and get my FREE Handmade Travel Wardrobe Planner!
Thanks so much! The heat this week is crazy! I sewed up a new suit today to wear to the beach tomorrow! If you haven’t checked it out I do have a video on sewing swimwear if you missed it.
You are amazing Rebecca such gorgeous outfits. The fabrics, designs and colours you use are out of this world. You are such an inspiration to the sewing community ❤ I look forward to to all your vlogs - so creative and original ❤
If I could time machine my way back to my earlier projects, I'd spend more time preparing; then pressing, pressing, pressing. I'd preshrink, iron and establish accurate grain on fabric, every. single. time. And select fresh needles of the correct type. I'd iron wrinkly patterns to achieve accurate cuts and markings. The worst sin is skipping a good press after every seam. As tedious as these steps are, I've almost always regretted skipping them in a rush. The end result never looks right. And if I don't wear the garment much, I've wasted tons more time and money than the extra few minutes of aligning and pressing.
I love your beautiful top! For me the gamechangers of leveling up my skills were 1. Slow down and do every step with care. 2. Learn seam finishes so the inside is as nice as the outside. 3. Make a muslin and sometimes also a wearable muslin. I am very excited as we just had Tuff Shed build me a quilt barn that is 10×20. My 14" longarm quilt machine and frame will take up most of the space but I will be able to set up my sewing machines so I can also make garments. I am gonna start planning things for Winter weardrobe so I have time to create some beautiful fleece jackets.....I live in Western Colorado and ski so I want to create some things for that. Next Winter I will work on my Spring and Summer weardrobe. Looking forward to your trip outfits.
Join a sewing group... yes... I have learned so much from your channel n others n Facebook groups for my favorite indie patterns... defiantly sew changing !!!
Appreciate all the information! I’ll need to watch the video again. Inspired by many of the pieces and color combinations. Considering the black pants as a versatile and practical add to my wardrobe.
Wow you make this look very doable. I will have to try making a pair of these. I work out at a rec center and could use another capri length. Anything special I need to change to do that shorter capri version? And yes a video of the top would be great.
Thanks Ami! I taught this class yesterday and had great results. To make a capri you're going to make the block and then just shorten the leg to where you want it to hit. Once you have your basic block it's really easy to play around with the shape and create any style of stretch pant or short. The top is definitely on my list! Happy sewing!
Oh my gosh the color of the sage pant fabric is soooo nice!!!I really like the garments you chose from your closet!! Thanks for the pattern recommendations!
Thanks for this detailed video Rebecca. I have saved this video because I'm definitely making a few of these self-drafted leggings. My favorite style is to wear leggings under a sweater dress. I'm going to make my leggings with no side seams. I have not worked with a no side seam pants pattern before so this will be interesting.
Wonderful! I’m teaching this class tomorrow so this was a good practice to refine my block and a good excuse to make some more leggings! Because the side seam of the block is straight on this block it’s really easy to combine them into a version with no side seam- it’s my fave way to sew them up. And I agree- dresses with leggings are my go to for winter. Happy sewing!
Well done ❤ inspiring how you planned your color palette to reflect colors of the Italian landscape. Brilliant! I’ve never thought to do that! Also enjoy your Pinterest boards! Thank you so much for this thought provoking video. Not just the average sewing video 😊!
We are planning an RV trip with friends to Lake Tahoe next year. I was so taken with this idea of setting up a travel wardrobe even though we are taking our trailer. We still eat out in nice places, so it is fun to find something dressy to have with me. Mostly we hike and tour the mountainous areas. I still like to look nice in my outdoor clothes. And I can use your ideas to establish my colors and anything new I want to add to my travel wardrobe. I have a good size closet, but it still only holds so many clothes. I do think your video helps me to find ways of designing clothing that can be worn for the colder days and still work for warmer days. I love how you gained motivation from this process for designing new and improved garments for travel and just upscaling your wardrobe. My time is taken up with my garden and my piano, so I truly don't get enough time to sew. I finished up my copy of a Christopher and Banks jacket I had purchased years back. I love the style and decided to use it as a fitting pattern for a long jean jacket out of my loden green linen fabric, that I have made a few bottoms from. But it is a very complicated pattern that I copied and drafted, changing the style to a normal jean jacket with a welt pocket added. I like attempting complicated patterns and style, but they do take a lot of time, so my output seems a lot less when I see all the garments you are making. I went to the thrift store and bought all the tees I could find to figure out what type of tee suits me best and then make patterns from them. So, I don't have to fit them. You are an inspiration, and you motivate me so much. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much Jeanette! I love having a well organized travel wardrobe for every type of trip I take. I totally agree- I want to look my best everyday-regardless of the activity. Finding the time to sew everything on your wishlist can be a real struggle. When I'm sewing very complicated pieces I try to break it up with a few quick and easy projects that I'll sew up assembly style- like knit tees. I think finding and copying pieces that fit you well is a fantastic idea! Thanks for watching-and commenting!
Loving these videos. I'm in the UK so travelling to Europe is not too far for me. However, although I have been to Italy, I have not been to the places you mentioned so I might pinch the idea 😜 I like your outfit choices too
I'm flying to Naples (from Finland) in just under two weeks, before a family holiday in Tuscany 😁 My husband and I are planning a few days in Naples (including a visit to Herculaneum and Pompeii), before going to Florence to see my old haunts (when I studied there back in my uni days) and meeting my in-laws at the villa my mother-in-law booked for us. Because my husband and I are from the UK and Finland, the summer months in Italy are a bit too hot for proper sightseeing for us, so we'll take it pretty easy, enjoying the food, and maybe visiting some of the museums, where we can hide from the sun 😅
I love this video Rebecca. Your travel plans almost replicate my honeymoon 21 years to the month! It was extremely hot but possibly not by Florida standards. One of my favourite memories is of eating lemon linguine under the lemon groves on a day trip to Capri. Bliss. I need to return!
So much fun! I love the color palette, even though it's not my colors :). But I can appreciate how selecting a good palette brings the whole wardrobe together. Lovely selections, from patterns to fabrics. I also really like the pants you are wearing in the video, even though again it's not one of my colors, I love how they look with the leather belt. Those classic silhouettes are right up my ally, and pretty much the way I would pack for a trip. Which gets me thinking... why not just stick to those pieces day in and day out?
Thanks so much! The great thing with these pieces is you can swap them out to work with whatever colors suit you best. This is why I’m having so much fun planning these travel looks- it’s really how I want to dress everyday.
Those look six pants 🔥 What do you think of hacking the StyleArc Trudy pants into a wide leg for a dupe? I really like that they have elastic in the back- seems like they would be nice for travel. Really enjoy these videos.
Please keep these videos coming. You’re color palette is very close to mine and you’re choice of fabrics and patterns are spot-on. You have become my sew-Jo!
I love this series! You have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to patterns (among other things). I’ve learned about several patterns from you that I haven’t heard of before or seen on other channels. I’m about to make the Clematisse Poppy shirt after your recommendation in a previous video (and I’m glad to hear you still love it!). And now I’m going to get the Burda tank pattern you showed in this video - I’ve never seen anything like it! I really enjoy your channel and am learning so much from you. Thank you!
Thanks so much Lily! I do love searching out patterns- especially ones I don’t see made up often. The poppy tee is really well drafted- I’m going to have to try a few more of her patterns. Happy sewing!
Rebecca your blogs are fantastic. It’s so obvious to me that you are an artist - you bring so much creativity and inspiration to your audience. I love your blogs and look forward to each post. I’m also learning so much about colour, patterns and design. Huge thx and appreciation ❤
I am enjoying these travel videos, even though I probably won't be going anywhere internationally. My son and his family with his in-laws went to Italy earlier this year and absolutely loved it. They went to Rome, Pompei, and Florence. Thanks, Rebecca. I look forward to your next destination.
I’ve taken this trip . . . twice (10/1969 and 5/2013), 3 weeks both trips. And I may go one more time. But my final trip will be to only one or two locations where I spend 7 to 10 days in one place. One will be on the coast of Sicily. I pack lighter than you do. I’d never do all white for practical reasons. But otherwise . . . what fun! Oh, and don’t skip the archaeological museum in Naples.
How wonderful Barbara! The coast of Sicily sounds fantastic for a trip! When I go I think I’ll definitely need to add a few days in Naples! Thanks again!
How wonderful Barbara! The coast of Sicily sounds fantastic for a trip! When I go I think I’ll definitely need to add a few days in Naples! Thanks again!
Wow, that lace top is so pretty, very well made🙌🏼. I went to Cynthias Fine Fabrics last Saturday, very nice place 😊, and I did buy some fabric 🤣🤣. I dropped my daughter’s machine for service, and this is the only place I found in this area 👍👍.
I love your eyelet tank! The contrasting bias binding and tie at the back really level it up even more. Thank you for sharing your approach to practice garments. That’s so helpful and encouraging to hear that they’re often not perfect on the first or second attempt but you are still able to wear them. I appreciate all the details you share about your making process.
