First Sewing Retreat 2025

• I even like writing such an optimistic title because it implies more sewing retreats in 2025, more laughter, affection and camaraderie while tackling our personal sewing projects.  The Northern Virginia chapter of the American Sewing Guild has been holding this winter retreat weekend for twenty plus years.  We’ve gone from large heated yerts to YMCA conference center and, for the last fifteen years, the glorious Wyndham Grand Hotel in downtown Winchester, Virginia, horse country and site of Civil War battles.  40 avid sewists plan their year around this event and we also have to plan what projects we work on here. 

Since my 2025 sewing inspiration word is “new” I’ve made sure to pack at least one new pattern, in this case the Sew Tessuti Brooklyn coat.  I added the back yoke so I could do a rounded back adjustment.  

https://www.tessuti-shop.com/products/brooklyn-coat-pattern

It's meant to be stitched in non-raveling fabric but I decided to be defiant (a feeling I have a lot right now) and sew it up in Fabric Mart's PolarTec offering, what they called Air Grid, might be Power Grid on sites like Discovery Fabric.  All I know is that last year I grabbed several colors online of this very useful fabric for my casual and often outdoorsy lifestyle.  The backing is quilted to help retain warmth and keep fleece fibers from shedding.  I did serge the coat outer edges just to keep them clean.  The rest of the coat I sewed with the overlap technique and 1/8"edge stitching, including a wonderful single layer patch pocket technique.  It's perfect for throwing on to run errands, walk the dog and looks quite nice with a scarf for days or nights out on the town.  And since I defied the original fabric recommendations, I'm including it as one of my Jazzy January IG contributions run by SewOver50

Serged edge and over lay stitching

Tabula Rasa Jacket Fit for Art

My next Jazzy January completed project is a cotton knit bathrobe, perfect for our upcoming month in Florida where I can sit and sip coffee in the private backyard.  These are two Fabric Mart knits that seemed to coordinate and I used the Fit for Art Tabula Rasa jacket pattern, lengthened 12 inches and with 11/2 inches of walking ease added.  It was another good project to bring to retreat because it's a TNT pattern that is easy to assemble so I can spend plenty of time chatting and taking breaks to see the projects of others...and enjoy happy hour every night at the hotel bar.  

Sewing friends having a real ball

Projects by others:

Of course I over packed projects which isn't a bad thing in my opinion.  It means my projects are cut and ready for sewing at home when I'm in the mood.  And sewing retreat chat time is perfect for alterations that are tedious to do at home.  I moved the exposed zipper tape on this RTW black boiled wool jacket to make it fit more comfortably.  The grey boucle like boiled wool jacket is one I love but the sleeves are dramatically too long, even for me. The sleeve zippers are cute but would be a pain to remove and re-sew in place. So I put it on my dress form and since it is modeled on a biker jacket, I decided to cut a seam sew it like pieced leather.  I was marking seam lines and reviewing those steps and asked a friend who had alterations experience.  She said of course I could do that but why not just create that visible tuck instead, making it look more like a  jersey sleeve attached to the jacket.  So that's the sewing I did.  I'll wear it this weekend and see how it feels and looks.  The good news is that both those alterations mean two garments that stay and get worn, not donated to some unknown future fate.   

Moved that zipper for an extra inch 

Tuck mid sleeve shortened and made it look sort of cool

The winter retreat is also a time to share fabric and patterns that need a new home and this year was no exception.  In addition to bringing those items, I brought three garments that I ad sewn, wondering if they could find a new home as garments or even as fabric.  I was thrilled that all three were "adopted" by new owners...look, one of my stitch and flip jackets is going home with someone else.

stitch and flip jacket going to a new closet

And while the sewing retreat was as wonderful as always, I also had a "studio day" scheduled for the week that followed.  Mr Lucky was away skiing in West Virginia and two friends stopped by to catch up, what a treat.  One friend doesn't sew but is a creative person and she brought the coolest watercolor paint by number book that she tried for the first time that afternoon.  I was intrigued but, no, I don't need another hobby.  I've given away plenty of craft supplies over the decades so I can admire then step away from the craft store coupon😌

It's goodbye to the first retreat of the year.  I love the drive from my house in Maryland over the two rivers, the Potomac and the Shenandoah, at Harpers Ferry.  I've kayaked here, I've walked the trails and I appreciate the now bucolic scene which was the site of terrible bloodshed and animosity.  I'm one of the millions of US citizens horrified by the direction of my country at the moment, particularly perhaps because my immigrant ancestors came here to leave oligarchs and ruling classes that kept them impoverished and defeated.  So I'll be sewing but I'll also be calling my representatives expressing my opinions....and supporting small businesses who share my values.  Here's a picture of my latest purchase, some stickers to proudly display:

 Yes, bleeding heart liberal sewist and proud of it.  Thanks badass-bleeding-heart-liberal-quilter-helene-recovery-fundrasier 

Tried, True and Terrific

I can find great joy and excitement in repeating special experiences on a regular basis, my own happy "Groundhog Day" time.  Last week's sewing retreat and TNT patterns fit that description perfectly.  Our slightly smaller group of dedicated sewists returned to the beautiful George Washington Grand Wyndham hotel in Winchester, VA for three days of sewing, sharing, laughing, and enjoying the $5 happy hour martini designed for our group, the "Singer Zinger."   I was so busy doing all of those things that I didn't even take pictures so here's the link to previous posts about this special weekend and place. 2013 retreat  2012 retreat
But you probably came here to see what actually got sewn during those three days.  These are not new patterns, just TNT ones for expanding my winter wardrobe.  Mr. Lucky took some pics when there was a little sun and the temps were close to 40F yesterday.  I tried a few more famous blogger poses to spice up these classic but oft repeated patterns.

McCalls 6444 and Style Arc Elle pants

I adore this pattern, now OOP, but just on clearance at the McCalls site this past week.  This time I tried it in a wool herringbone tweed with lots of cross grain stretch.  I lengthened it six inches and then just serged the edges to finish them.  The pattern is designed for knits but by widening that sleeve slightly it works for wovens as well so I have a few more planned for the future.  It makes for a comfy second layer with some finesse.  One of my most stylish girlfriends said it has an Eileen Fisher look and I like that idea.  The pattern has a hooded version and I think I will give that a try as well.  

McCalls 6444 non-hooded version

She also mentioned trying it with leather sleeves and I love that idea.  I'm even considering playing up the brown and black fabric weave by adding a black wool jersey 1" binding on all the edges.  What do you think?

Maybe bind the edges, too?

Next up is a very loosely woven embellished sweater knit, also from Fabric Mart, which I combined with another favorite pattern, the Draped Front Cardigan from Pamela's Patterns. Draped Front Cardigan

Pamela's Patterns Draped Front Cardigan

On this one, the fabric really does the talking so I used another very simple pattern.  It is so easy to sew but this particular version involved a lot of hand sewing.  You can see in this pic how lacy the wool is on that front bottom edge.  I didn't serge the edges as suggested since the serger just added too much thread and weight to the edge.  So I hand sewed the turned edge in place to keep the feel light and airy.  I actually enjoy hand sewing and am happy that it kept the front swingy.
Speaking of swingy, it was also time to combine another Fabric mart sweater knit in my resource center with a swing edged pattern, the Tabula Rasa Tunic from Fit for Art Patterns. Tabula Rasa Knit Tunic

Yes, I did add another infinity scarf since my neck is cold all winter long.  The fabric is a wool and acrylic blend and fulfills my wardrobe need for something warm, cozy and comfortable that is one step above my usual LL Bean fleece pullovers.  
Last easy garment project from the retreat is this unfinished tunic top.  It's another sweater knit but this time extremely lightweight.  I used Kwik Sew 3740 Kwik Sew 3740 and lengthened it five inches to wear with jeans and boots.  But it is just too thin to hang nicely so I plan on adding a double wide 1 1/2-2" band on the bottom and see if the weight will help it.

See how thin the lower edge is?

Now it is time this weekend to return to my herringbone coat project.  That delay might explain the funny and sweet gift I got from one of my friends at the retreat....this great pin:

Thank you, from the queen.

Cleaning Out Winter Posts

Have you ever noticed that irony doesn't always work so well in blogs?  Nonetheless, I am going to note the irony that my last post two months ago was about "why I blog".....and then I stopped blogging.  Thank you to those of you who asked me what's up.  If you didn't even notice I've been gone, feel free to move along to the pictures.
Yup, I wrote that post two months ago then spent a lot of time the following week prepping projects for the wonderful end of January American Sewing Guild Northern Virginia chapter sewing retreat.  This might have been my twelfth sewing retreat and was the fourth at the historic and beautiful George Washington Winchester Wyndham Hotel.  This year was especially enjoyable for me, relaxing and easy going.  Last year I was in the midst of prepping to sell our Florida condo and under a great deal of personal stress.  Last year I needed the sewing retreat.....this year was a delight because could just bask in enjoying the moments.  

A ballroom of happy sewists at work

The breakfast buffet awaits.....and a dinner one will look even more splendid

Sewing bloggers meet and greet one another:  lucky me, Julie from From These Hands   Welmoed from There She Sews  Audrey from SewTawdry

I did not take any new patterns to sew, just filled in winter wardrobe gaps so I was a little reluctant to blog about them....but here they are in their retrospective:

More Pamela's Patterns Magic Pencil skirts, these with dark brown and black in the prints so I could wear them with tights and black dancing shoes for the beginning Lindy class that Mr. Lucky and I took for four weeks in the winter.

Kwik Sew 3740 in a toasty warm sweater knit

McCalls 6444  in a glittery navy sweater knit, years old from Fabric Mart

Multiple versions of the Margarita tank top for layering all winter and spring, this one with a lingerie lace picot edge

I was remarkably cold this winter, my first winter back in Baltimore in ten years so I was working on sewing layers and cozy garments that still might be a little more fashionable than my beloved LL Bean polarfleece.  I have owned a luxurious pre-recession splurge light-as-air cashmere sweater but seldom worn it.  (The traditional cost per wear calculation would make me blush with shame.)  So I needed its warmth and use out of it and did some analysis in my sewing room mirrors.  One reason I didn't wear it was that it had wonderfully long sleeves (a gift on a sweater for a tall person like me) but they ended in this wide, frilly bell that slopped into everything.  I pinned the sleeves into a snug narrow version and immediately liked the sweater better.  Now I needed to make it stop falling off my shoulders when the front would slip and pull the sweater slides downward.  I had just watched my DVR'd last episode of "What Not to Wear" and was reminded how Stacey and Clinton encouraged women to fit in their slender places and let clothes skim over the "fluffier" parts.  I pulled out some brown grosgrain ribbon and pinned two pieces as an under the bust tie closure.  immediately the sweater looked brand new and flattering.  

Too wide a sleeve hem

Testing that front tie idea

Finished refashioning result

Final retreat project was a coordinated Margarita knit top and this burnout poly print from JoAnn's a half dozen years ago.  I made a top and lightweight jacket for our March Florida trip and the colors cheered me up in the midst of the brutal winter.  But even this jacket was a repeat pattern, Vogue 8088, a Marcy Tilton OOP pattern Vogue 8088 previous version  that I have fallen in love with this year.  

Marcy's wonderful directions include all these mitered corners and french seams

Since one of the other great parts of a sewing retreat is bringing your excess "stuff" for the giveaway table, I had also spent a great deal of time in late January filling boxes and bags with extra fabric, notions, patterns and books from our move north.  Hooray, they have moved on to better homes....but of course I did find a few treasures that came home from the giveaway table to my "resource center."  

Three pieces of fabric

Some tailoring supplies and a vintage tailoring book for next winter's coat project

So that takes me through the end of January. In my next posts I'll show you two new cardigan patterns that I sewed up last month and share more about my first icy winter in many years.  In the meantime, it's nice to be back in the blog world.  I've been busy with other parts of my life and haven't been reading my blog roll either so time to catch up with all of you virtual sewing friends. 

Cold Weather, Warm Hearts

This was the third year that I attended the marvelous winter sewing retreat in Winchester, VA, sponsored by the local Northern Virginia American Sewing Guild Chapter.  Each year I finish by saying it was the best ever.  And this year it was the best ever.  Three days of pure sewing bliss, someone else doing the cooking and giving me lots of yummy choices at each meal, more then three dozen creative women laughing and encouraging one another and then $5 martini happy hour in the hotel bar.  Paradise.  

George Washington Wyndham Hotel Ballroom filled with creative seamstresses

One of my friends remarked that I seemed less manic (she knows me too well) than at previous retreats and I suppose that was true.  Mr. Lucky and I have been working so hard at cleaning and staging our Florida condo that the retreat was a warm, welcome break despite the extremely sudden temperature drop in the Mid-Atlantic.  My flights were timed nicely so that the snows and frozen rains came in between and afterwards.  The first few days in Baltimore were frigid 

Second morning in Baltimore

but sunny so I did get out for a walk.  I loved seeing houses decorated with Ravens team flags and purple lights, all in preparation for the upcoming Superbowl.  I'm not a huge football fan but I do like the excitement of a good party and that's the energy I could feel in my neighborhood.  

I also liked getting out for a walk in order to see this sight.

When I was working full time and having to travel in wintry weather, I was always counting the days until springtime.  I used to mark in my planner the day that I saw my first robin, just to give me hope that spring would come again.  There they are, the first flock of robins I saw, on Wednesday, January 23, 2013.  Spring will come again.

Butterick 5498

Back to the retreat.  I focused my sewing choices and stitched four items but only have pictures of two of them.  My warm up was a Magic Pencil skirt that I cut out last fall before we left for Florida.  The most fun was a simple Butterick pattern, #5498. 

 It's an easy raglan sleeve unlined jacket and definitely fills a void in my wardrobe.  Now that I'm including skinny jeans and pants, I don't have long enough jackets to balance that look.  Here's an easy, flattering woven jacket pattern that will do just that.  I made my first one out of a wool tweed (so old that I think it's from a Jomar trip of years ago) that I put through the washer and dryer.  I lengthened it two inches, added five inches to make it long sleeved and have something very similar, but less expensive at $.99, to a Sewing Workshop pattern.  I had a tough time in late afternoon on Monday getting any pictures on dreary, grey Baltimore weather so here's the best I could do.

Butterick 5498

Since I plan on making a few more....silk burnout velvet is on my mind with rolled edges.  
I also sewed up a mock up of a Burda sweater like jacket that you'll see later this year.  With two flattering jackets in my new repertoire, I tossed that Sandra Betzina jacket mock up that was giving me fits.  You all had great suggestions, albeit contradictory ones, but it was way too much work to make it into a mediocre result that I would resent.  Move on.....
Last project of the weekend was hand sewing the binding to my first quilt, one one designed for the best little dog in the world.  

Pick Up Stix quilt

The quilt is staying in our family room in Baltimore so little Lucky will enjoy it when he heads north in three months.  Here's the original post with the pattern details and picture of our dear rescue dog: Pick Up Stix quilt post  Don't worry, dog lovers,  #1 dog, Sam the basenji, has had numerous dogbed covers made for him in our thirteen years together....he just doesn't show his gratitude, neither wagging his tail nor smiling at us like Lucky does.   
As for the condo sale, we met with our first prospective realtor today.  I'll post some pictures next time of the little sewing projects I'm finishing up to stage us nicely.  A few more people to interview and then we're officially on the market.  Meanwhile, everything is shining and we're trying to live lightly.  

A Joyous Retreat

I'm still smiling, giggling and basking in the good feelings from last weekend's winter sewing retreat in Winchester, VA.  The Northern Virginia American Sewing Guild chapter sponsors two retreats a year and the hard-working volunteers organized another marvelous gathering.  Same lovely hotel and ballroom,    2011 retreat pics  The George Washington Wyndham, with the most friendly, accommodating staff.   More than 40 creative women in one large, sunny room just sewing, laughing, measuring, giggling, advising, sharing and supporting one another.  I am so fortunate to have found the such a wonderful organization and amazing friends.  
Ok, as for projects, this was also one of my most successful retreats.  I'll be sharing more finished results over the next week or two but I was thrilled to try some new patterns and have them work out wonderfully.  

Versatile Twin Set cardigan from Pamela's Patterns

Here's a quick photo of the latest tried and true pattern.  It's the #108 Versatile Twin Set cardigan, again from Pamela's Patterns.  No picture on me yet but it's another winner from this line of patterns.  Versatile Twin Set  

Speaking of Pamela's Pattern's, here's one of the funniest things that happened as the long retreat weekend started.  I drove from Baltimore to my friend Michele's house in Northern VA so we could drive out to Winchester together.  When she greeted me at the door, we both burst out in hysterical laughter.  I had made the Draped Front Cardigan from Pamela's Patterns last fall and then gifted her with the remaining navy tweed wool knit.  There we stood, two sewers who pride themselves on our unique twist on fashion, wearing the exact same fabric in the exact same pattern.  Totally unintentional but worth the huge laughs and fun start to the weekend.  We considered doing one of the Instyle Magazine Who Wears It Best polls but darn it, I think we both look great:-) 

Since there's so much girlfriend fun happening at a sewing retreat, I've learned to a)  pre-cut my projects before I go  b) make sure to have a surefire, no fail project ready in case I'm disappointed by a new pattern or project.  My reliable sewing project this time was the Jalie Sweetheart Neckline top  sweetheart-top-pattern  Takes about an hour to sew one up although this one is not yet hemmed.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Another TNT jacket is Simplicity 2858.  I'm using a lovely cotton rayon silk tweed blend from Fabric Mart and am doing a fringe at center front and along the sleeve slit.  I block fused the fabric and cut out the pattern pieces single layer so that added extra time to the retreat prep.  I like the results so far but still have about 1/2 of the jacket to fully assemble and also add the lining.  Not a quick project but one that has me excited about the final result.


The retreat good times are not just shared by the participants.  Chef Petey enjoys getting accolades for his food and on the final day puts out a delicious Sunday brunch this time decorated with a vintage sewing machine carved from a block of cheese (he said that last year's butter carving was too difficult since the butter kept softening.)  That's real tomato pincushion with green onion lines and a real strawberry as the traditional emery filled one.  

Last note is mostly a reminder to myself.  This year's retreat was especially enjoyable for me mostly because I attended in a spirit of contentment and healing in my life.  Last year I truly needed to be with friends at a time when I had felt some painful losses and was feeling oddly fearful about the future.  I say oddly because most of those losses or fears did not touch me directly but I was absorbing them nonetheless.  This year I've worked on building some greater inner resilience and made some changes that have brought more positive people into my life.  The 2012 retreat was a celebration of little steps forward and an acknowledgment that every day is precious.  I hope you too have such joys in your life.