Swinging into Spring

Thank you, kind readers, for welcoming me back to the blogging world.  Most of my time away had been nice break from the winter photo shoot challenges for these new sewing projects (my house is old and dark, particularly in low angled winter sunlight.)  I decided in mid-February to start sewing something for our upcoming Florida trip and this new cardigan pattern is the result.  

Vogue 8819

The fabric is a soft rayon knit from Fabric Mart.  I almost included it in my recent fabric giveaway since I have found that these rayon knits stretch too much over time for my liking.  But I loved the tropical colors so much that even if I only get one season's wear from this lightweight jacket, it makes me smile whenever I put it on. The back seams are hard to see but they have a great triangle piece that provides a little swing in the back:

I think I might make the entire band twice as wide on my next version.  One very nice pattern detail is a curved back collar piece that hugs the neck nicely.  

Size for me is a small at the neck and shoulders and a medium for the body with no FBA since the front is on the bias.  I also raised the front waist seam 1 inch since I am very short waisted and it was previously hitting at an unflattering puffy tummy location.
All in all, a very RTW like pattern.  I have some striped knit waiting to strut its stuff in this design.

Now that I am just about caught up on my meager winter sewing projects I can also share another reason for recent blogging silence.  President's weekend in February was our last visit to Western Maryland, just after a huge snowfall, brief melting day or two followed by some more snow.  But I bundled up my warm clothes for a fun weekend with our hosts and had another wonderful visit, even enjoying the local Winterfest festivities on Saturday.  

In front of the lovely local bookstore

Ice Maidens

The day before the concussion

Sunday was grey skies with snow showers so my girlfriend and I took Lucky the rescue dog out for a walk.  Streets were plowed and cindered so silly me left the house talking and forgot my winter weather accessory....my hiking pole.  After about 1 mile of walking we turned back down a side street that hadn't been plowed and there was ice under the new snow.  Both feet flew out and I cracked the back of my head on the ground.  I didn't black out and got up and could walk the short distance back but we did go to the hospital where I had a CT scan and yes, a concussion.  No bleeding, no loss of consciousness, just a big lump.  All this wouldn't have been a problem except that two days later I was lounging back home, feeling just fine but I took it easy by writing emails, reading blogs and my latest library download for hours and watching some TV, even sewing a little.  Yikes, that evening, headache!!!!  No one said don't do that with a concussion.  Now I know.  It was about four days of a dim room and no reading to get that headache to stop.  But at the very end of the month we were able to still pack up and drive here to southwest Florida where the sunshine, warmth and vitamin D has made me feel like myself again.  It's been a pure delight to catch up with friends, enjoy biking, kayaking, swimming and reading on the lanai while palm trees sway and birds sing.  So here's the Vogue 8819 cardigan in our rental house backyard:

Vogue 8819

The swinging back

Vogue 8885 from my previous post

Sunshine, warm waters and good people, the cure for just about anything that ails me.

Here's hoping that you can bask in the warmth of friends and family and also revive your spirits with a sewing project when needed.