sewbox.co.uk's adventures in sewing

Tasia Pona introduces the 4th Sewaholic pattern …. the Minoru jacket .. coming soon!

Sewaholic Minoru pattern

1) What inspired you to design the new Minoru jacket?

It all started when I started commuting to work by bike. I knew I’d get rained on. It’s just a fact of life here in Vancouver – rain happens. And I really wanted to be one of those cool, fearless, all-weather cyclists. So I started biking in the rain. And got wet. I started borrowing Mr Sewaholic’s rain jacket  – it wasn’t sexy, but it did the trick in keeping me dry until he wanted it back.

Then I started shopping around for rain jackets. I wanted something that fit me like a girl, was reasonably cute, and not too steep in terms of price. I had such a hard time finding a jacket I actually wanted to fork out the money for! Prices were over $200 for the reasonably cute and properly waterproof ones. Which was fine, if I loved them. But I didn’t! I wanted one long enough to cover my butt, or at least come close to covering it. And I wanted to find one in a fun colour, not black or beige.

So – I designed my own pattern! And I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. When I made up the first sample, I realized right away that even though the original intention was for it to be a rain jacket, it would look fantastic in cotton canvas or twill for a casual jacket.

I’m pretty thrilled about this design. The best part? This jacket fits me like a girl. The elastic waist is comfortable to wear, flattering to our curves.

2) What is the significance of the name Minoru – I recall Lonsdale is a location in Vancouver?
The Minoru Jacket is named after Minoru Park in Richmond, British Colombia, Canada, where I grew up. When I was a kid it was an awesome place to go!

3) Will there be a sew-a-long for the new pattern and if so what are the dates?

Yes! There will definitely be a sew-along for this new pattern. I’m planning to start it in the New Year, after the holidays are over. It will be a fun way to beat the January blues! The Minoru Jacket Sew-along will run from mid-January to mid-February. Join us and have a new jacket finished in time for early spring!

4) It is such a flattering style, I know they would not be waterproof but feel it would lend itself to a number of fabrics.  We have several patterned Liberty fine needlecords on the Sewbox website and think these would even look good in this style?

You’re right! This jacket looks great in regular jacket fabrics as well as waterproof ones – cotton canvas, wool tweed, even velveteen! Patterned needlecord would be a great fabric choice as well. Any light to medium weight woven fabric works with this pattern – as long as it’s not too heavy to be gathered!

Liberty needlecord 03277153A

5) Any ideas for your next project/pattern or do you just identify a gap in the pattern market and design as and when that need arises?

I have plans for the next pattern already! Like the Minoru Jacket, the next pattern idea came from a need in the market and the desire to make this type of project easy when it’s usually challenging to sew. I won’t reveal too much but it’s the perfect companion to the Minoru Jacket!!!!

Tasia Pona 8 Nov 11

This pattern will be available on the website within the next few weeks.  If you would like to reserve a pattern, please e-mail me on susan@sewbox.co.uk

Chilford Quilt Show, Linton,  Cambridgeshire – 4, 5, 6 Nov

We completed our 1st Show at the weekend.  I shared a Stand with Suffolk Sewing School and Ann and I would like to thank you all very much for visiting our Stand and for the purchases you made.  This was our first Show experience and we both thoroughly enjoyed it and of course to meeting and chatting with everyone.  It was so good to share experiences and to get an insight into all your different sewing projects.  We have agreed to take the same Stand 65 in November 2012 …… and are contemplating also taking a Stand at the Spring 2012 Chilford Show!!!

REMEMBER – Please don’t just put thoses pieces of fabric, patterns, buttons etc into your ’stash’.  Be brave and make a start ….. and when you have completed your masterpieces … please, please do send us photos for the websites.  It helps us to show others all the different ways in which the fabrics can be used.

Congratulations to all the Competition Winners

1st       Janome Jem 760 Sewing machine & Quilting Kit           Joanne Bird
2nd      3 hours tuition at Suffolk Sewing School                          Sue Weaver
3rd       2 metres of fabric + pattern from Sewbox                     Val Ashman
4th       5 Fat Quarters from Suffolk Sewing School                    Rosemary Carter
5th       £10 voucher from Sewbox                                                Helen Cresswell

Enjoy your sewing!

Susan

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