sometimes you’re just going along, sewing stuff because you love to, linking to your fabric and pattern sources, the usual blogging bit, not expecting anything amazing to come of it.

and sometimes something amazing comes of it.

back when i sewed the breezy green eyelet tunic as a guest tutorial for kojodesigns, i linked to Britex Fabrics in San Francisco as my source.  it really is a wonderland of fabric, and this year i was lucky enough to travel to SF twice (once for work, once for an overdue birthday trip with my husband).  both times, Britex was a stop i knew i had to make.  i actually felt a little out of my element there – there are SO many gorgeous high-fashion apparel fabrics, my head spun with ideas.  i picked up a few selections and used the green eyelet for the tunic, with the rest squirreled away.

Britex noticed my post.  and a little while back, they contacted me wondering if I’d be interested in a sponsorship/collaboration to help make people aware of their blog and help promote upcoming sales.  i jumped at the chance.

they run monthly sales on certain fabric categories, and their sale fabric in January is wool (and wow do they have some amazing wool!).  they asked if i could sew something out of Britex wool that they could show in their newsletter and post about on their blog.  the newsletter comes out January 1 and the sale starts that day too, but my guest post on the Britex blog is up today – right here!  go check it out!

i made a cape for Em using this gorgeous midweight peacock blue wool on the outside, and this beautiful cotton voile on the inside.  in person, it’s especially rich-looking.

the cape pattern…that’s another exciting bit.  i guess i’ve linked to Oliver + S enough times that Liesl Gibson, the owner, took notice of that too.  i’m now an every-so-often contributor to their blog (my first post was here), but she also offered to send me a few of the upcoming patterns to show how they could be made right at release, before inspiration starts showing up in the flickr pool.  so fun.  can’t wait to show you more in the next few months.

this is the upcoming Forest Path Cape, sewn in a 4T.  it will be available as a “singles” digital pattern for children (6 months – 12 years) AND adults in mid-January (now available for purchase!).  it’s a really unique and modern take on a cape, and would be a very quick and easy sew if i wasn’t so dang nervous about cutting into the glorious imported wool and voile that Britex sent over (which made me take twice as long to sew it)!  hehe.   you can read more about the cape over at the Britex blog and more about the cape patterns on the Oliver + S blog.

for those visiting from Britex, i promised i’d talk about the leggings and shirt underneath, too.

the leggings are the Figgy’s sunki pattern.  i sewed them in a 4/5 and shortened them just a bit.  they’re actually made from my husband’s old merino wool sweater (the body of the sweater, not the sleeves) and sewed up in a flash.  they are SO soft and warm on her and i love how they complement the peacock blue wool of the cape.

the shirt underneath, you may recall if you’ve been reading a while, is the figgy’s ayashe, sewn in Nani Iro double gauze.  this is what the shirt looks like…

and my full post is right here.

i’m just beyond thrilled to have both of these companies, whose products i admire so much, approach me with such fun and exciting opportunities.  really guys, i’m in disbelief.

hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are coasting out the week until New Year’s!