The Savvy Sewer Salon at Sawyer Brook

Okay, I just brought home an armload of fun fabric from SB. I'm in a sewing mood, so I'll try and crank through some projects, before the end of the year. I brought home the lovely Tapenade for a simple jacket. It is a greeny tweed that is subtle and soft. I'll use the basic jacket pattern from The Fashion Sewing Group, only in a shorter length. Then I bought the Loden Flannel for a jacket and skirt suit. Only rarely do I make a jacket and skirt out of the same fabric but when I do I'm always glad because I can grab it to wear, when nothing else is clean and still look good. I LOVE dark green in almost any fabrication. This flannel is an incredible quality. I know I will be able to turn to these pieces together or as separates for at least a couple of years. I'll use the same basic jacket pattern that I'll use for the Tapenade, maybe vary the collar and then a straight just-below-knee length skirt, also from the Fashion Sewing Group. Then I brought home some fabric that I forgot the name of! It's a very quiet brocade/twill in black. To me it seems a little western in flavor and as a born and raised western girl, that is very appealing. I'll use Louise Cutting's Ready for Anything pattern to make a casual, almost jean-style jacket. I've made two others from this pattern before, so I know I'll like the finished product. I'll line the jacket, even though she doesn't. I think the jacket will look something like you'd find in a mountain resort gift shop. I'm so excited to get started. Has anyone else found projects for the end of the year?

Oops, the pattern I'm using for the black brocade twill is named By Popular Demand. This is a great casual jacket that is easy to put together. I'll probably eliminate some of the topstitching detail.

I'm back online after we were blasted by a terrible ice storm here in New England. My jack-of-all-trades hubby found a generator and we now have heat, telephone and internet. Oh, and hot water too! Thank goodness for him! We've been told not to expect power until Monday, but we'll have to see about that.

To ease some of my frustration yesterday I cut out my Carraroe fabric for a new jacket. The tiny plaid was time-consuming to cut and I cut the jacket out in one layer. At one point I didn't think I was going to have enough fabric (yikes) but everything worked out fine. As I was cutting out the collar, the sun was going down and the light in my sewing room was dimming. I couldn't see to match the plaid on the back of the collar but I only have the collar pieces and back neck facing left to cut out. This style of layout and cut out took a lot of pins! Since I still don't have power for my sewing machine, I think I'll take the pattern pieces off of the cut out pieces, mark the right sides and then maybe cut out another project - maybe the Tapenade Tweed. Or maybe the Loden Flannel. Something without matching! Of course I don't have power to my iron to fuse, so I may be just cutting for a long time.

This topic turned into a Sew Along ---look for Lois and Carole Sew a Coat in the Sew Along Forum