Here's a little recap of everyone I've worked with or supported over the past year:
Reproduction Pattern Businesses:
I just love repro patterns. For someone who enjoys sewing 30's and 40's patterns, repro patterns are a great way to have access to very rare patterns that would cost an arm and leg to otherwise acquire. Earlier in the year, I put together a list of sources for acquiring 30's and 40's patterns and listed several repro pattern sellers. During the past year, I've had the chance to sew with patterns from Wearing History, EvaDress and Vintage Fashion Library.
1934 Wearing History repro gown that I made for Valentine's Day
Two outfits sewn from EvaDress repro patterns (1933 Butterick Repro pattern based on an early Katherine Hepburn movie and a 1931 suit pattern)
Independent Pattern Companies
I've just loved seeing how both Colette and Sewaholic patterns have grown over the past year. It's fantastic that both Tasia and Sarai are also active bloggers! I love that and I hope to use more of their patterns before the end of this year and definitely into next year! This past year I made a Pendrell blouse and worked with Tasia to host a Sewaholic patterns giveaway and also had the chance to sew up the Parfait dress from Colette!
My Purple Parfait Pinafore (say that ten times fast!!) made with the Parfait Colette pattern.Etsy Sellers
I buy quite a few patterns from etsy and really enjoy interacting with the sellers! One seller that I bought and made up two patterns from was Miss Betty's Attic. She kindly offered my readers a discount to her pattern shop!
1950's Patio dress and 1941 Sailor dress made from patterns from Miss Betty's Attic.Another thing that Etsy is great for is finding high quality vintage items! I had the opportunity to work with The Paraders Vintage to host a giveaway to their etsy store. Both the ladies behind this business are fantastic and they are going to be launching their own online store soon!
Local Businesses
One of the most exciting collaborations for me is being able to work with Ness, a Scottish company that focuses on using tartan and tweeds in fun and fashionable ways! I've been a huge fan of Ness since I've moved to Scotland. You might say that I had a bit of a crush on them! In my first year of sewing, I actually built a sewing plan around the colour palette of two pairs of Ness shoes and my Ness jacket. One of the highlights of the year was meeeting the people behind Ness in person. They are so lovely and I'm just so excited to be a Ness ambassador as I truly love their products and their vision and the fact that they are a small company doing exciting things in Scotland!
Giving the Ness 'Azure' bag (this week's "Bag of the Week") a test run while grocery shopping in our local South Asian food store! I've paired my Ness 'Brooke' sweater with my very first me-made skirt!Ness is currently offering my readers 15% off all items (of orders £50 or more) on their website! Enter code XM4S at check-out! They are also offering a 'Mix & Match' offer if you buy any combination of bag and wallet to get an additional 10% off (on top of the 15%). If you've been thinking about getting any Ness presents for the holidays, definitely do it while it's discounted!!
Another fabulous local UK company that I had the chance to work with this year was Fancy Moon: Purveyor of Fine Fabrics. It was so lovely of them to host a giveaway on my blog! I just adore their fabric!
My 'Midcentury Madness' dress made from Fabric from Fancy Moon.
The Giveaway
One of the new independent online sewing stores that I haven't hosted a giveaway for is A Fashionable Stitch! Many of you know Sunni from her blog and the store! I've used several of Sunni's belt kits for my dresses including my 1941 sailor dress and my 1950's halter and skirt outfit. I just adore Sunni (she is so lovely), I am in awe of her projects and I just love her store! She stocks so many things that are hard to find (belt kits, horsehair braid, tailor's tape, wrist pincushions). Sunni is very graciously offering one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to A Fashionable Stitch for them to get whatever they like!
This giveaway is open to all my readers anywhere in the world. To enter, just leave a comment on this post and tell me what you would get from Sunni's store with the gift certificate. Enter your comment by midnight (London time) on Wednesday the 23rd of November for a chance to win the $25 gift certificate to A Fashionable Stitch.
Thanks so much Sunni for your lovely generosity! And a big thank you to all the independent businesswomen in the sewing community--you are all such inspirations!
