Introduction - Myrna

The three hundred and fifty meters of fashion fabric in my stash seems to speak to a yearning of some kind - LOL. In my twenties, I sewed everything from lingerie to outerwear and had an up-to-date, stylish wardrobe. Then, I started a home-based business and had three kids and ever since, I’ve been living in jeans and a black t-shirt. It’s getting REALLY old.

This sew-a-long comes at a great time. Twenty years later, I’m in the process of closing down my business. Although I have a few commitments to finish up between now and mid January, I’m planning to take some transition time to wind down and – finally – sew fashions again. Some me time.

Every fall, I attend a retreat with sixty female artists. We work on our own project at our own pace. This year, I’m starting a mini-swap wardrobe. Ideally, I’ll have the muslins fit before I leave. The Chanel-inspired jacket will be one of the four pieces along with a pair of jeans, a dressy t-shirt, and a blouse. Planning for the retreat means that even if I’m late getting going, I’ll definitely start the first week in October. I’ve signed up for a few contests at PR and never made it past the starting line. I’m highly hopeful that this time will be different.

One of the things I learned while reading The Triumph of Individual Style by is why I lean toward sweaters and softer lines as opposed to more structured clothing. I’m glad to see the rules are not rigid. My jacket will be a softer version of something. I have no idea of what yet as I need to research what exactly makes a jacket a Chanel jacket and what would disqualify another idea and then look through my fabric and patterns for something that works. I’ll let you know.

- Myrna

http://blog.myrnagiesbrecht.com