Blogaversary and Jalie 2919 Giveaway

To quote The Little River Band,  "Happy Anniversary, baby, I've got you on my mind."  I'd love to have some other wise, pithy or humorously insightful remarks about my first year of blogging but that's the song that keeps running in my mind today.  This little blog has been a delightfully creative and social outlet and much more fun that I anticipated a year ago.  Back then I felt some trepidation about the commitment and my blogging skills.  It's still unfamiliar technology but it's becoming more comfortable and that keeps my mind feeling a bit younger.  (I think I even surprised my friends' 22 year old son when I mentioned "my blog."  He would generally see someone my age as still dialing a rotary phone.)  And blogging makes me more accountable for my sewing time and a generally unfocused dilettante like me can always use more focus in her life.  

Let's celebrate with a giveaway.  You saw how much I've been enjoying the Draped Cardigan Pattern from Pamela's Patterns.  No, I'm not giving that one up but how would you like the Jalie 2919 cardigan?   Postage is on me anywhere in the world.


Please leave me a comment (with your email addy) and I'll put you in the drawing to be held in two weeks on my real wedding anniversary, Oct. 3.


What else is new in my corner of the sewing universe?  I feel physically lighter this week, for one thing.  Last week my Craigslist fabric sold to a sweet young woman starting the Fashion and Design program at the local college.  Hooray for her getting quality fabrics for a terrific price and hooray for me seeing them go to a creative home.  Other fabric remnants and leftovers as well as patterns went to our ASG sewing group on Saturday.  I brought about 10 pieces and only came home with one new one for my collection.  Anything that our group did not want is donated by a member to Iraqi women so another hooray for all of us.  

Of course, as I am making the final decisions about which fabrics to sell or give away, I'm always handling those fabrics once again.  This double sided wool was just too nice to see leave.  It's a nubby wool and nylon on one side and a thin lightweight woven wool bonded to the back.  I'm using it to make a lightweight cape/jacket from this Vogue pattern#8674.  It's one of their bust cup size patterns 

Yesterday I cut out a quick muslin to check the sizing and today I've cut out the jacket itself.   
Normally I don't examine layout instructions too much anymore.  We can call that experience or perhaps complacency, depending on a good outcome or not.  Thankfully I did check them out because they reminded me to cut the two cape pieces with the nap going in the same direction. Whoops, would have missed that so thanks, Vogue, for starring the layout.  

Ok, gotta get sewing that project.  Thanks to your sweet comments, commiserations and conversations all year long.   I'm more excited than ever to sew more and blog more this year.  Cheers!