Still on a sewing kick. I found a few useful links recently:

• Make your own pressing equipment PDF from University of Kentucky: how to make a pressing ham, sleeve roll, and other useful tools for pressing seams. (There’s a whole page of Clothing and Textile links here on the UK site: I haven’t been able to check them all out, but some look really useful.)
• Binding necklines for knits and a turtleneck finish for knits, a pair of video tutorials from Threads. Between these two videos there’s a lot of good information on determining the amount of fabric to use and how to stretch it around the curves.
• How to make box and inverted box pleats, how to make knife pleats, and How to hem pleats, Burda Style.
• Fine-tuning the armhole fit, from Sew News

I took a critical look at my wardrobe this weekend and thought hard about the pieces I like (or don’t), the pieces I wear (or don’t), and the pieces I would like to have (but don’t). A lot of clothes went to the donation pile, including some that I liked passably but rarely wear because they are difficult to launder or press, or that don’t fit me well and are beyond my ability to alter; and some that I don’t wear because they don’t fit my style. What’s left are pieces I wear all the time, or are my favorite dressy pieces. What’s coming are a couple more casual-to-business-casual skirts and pants, some dressier t-shirts and tops to wear to work with all my skirts and jeans, and a couple of classic shift dresses. I’m sticking with my mostly black and gray palette, with a few whites and bolder colors (mostly reds) mixed in. I bought a few yards of new fabric—cotton twill in a couple of neutral colors, and some cotton and rayon knits—to fill in some of the gaps: I’ve realized I like the comfort and easy care of knits, and they don’t have to look as casual as my uniform Gap T’s. What I hope to get out of this exercise is a wardrobe that I’ll wear all the time, that I feel good in, and that looks like I thought about what I put on.