One year in - Giveaway!

When I first discovered the online sewing community a year ago, I couldn't figure out give-aways.  Why were all these people giving away patterns and fabric to people they don't even know?  Why don't they keep these things and use them?  Everyone seemed to be doing it.  Hell, even The Selfish Seamstress did it once. But now I get it: sometimes a great pattern falls into you stash that isn't quite right for you, but you know that it would be valued by someone.  Or sometimes you over-buy in the fabric department because you can't make up for mind, but then know you won't use it.  You've reached the tipping point between collector and hoarder, and it's time to share.  Now I get it.  So I'm jumping on the bandwagon and hosting a give-away to celebrate one year of blogging. 

First, a couple of patterns that I rescued from an untimely death at the hands of the VON charity shop ladies and their china:

 Simplicity 8729:  Gunne Sax Designer Couturier, dated 1978 in sizes 7 junior petite (B81cm; W61cm; H84cm) and 9 junior petite (B84cm; W64cm; H87cm).  It's factory folded and has instructions in French and English.

McCall's 3416:  A "Pounds-Thinner" Pattern; Size 16 (B38", W30", H40").  It's in pretty rough shape, but all the pieces are included.  The trousers haven't been cut and all the other pattern pieces are present, if a bit well loved, so to speak.  The previous owner also included a clipping from what I assume was a McCall's magazine, describing how "those figure flaws will be almost non-existent in this elegant dress that gives you a taller, slimmer look."  Guffaw.  If you can look past the slightly insulting description, it's a basic raglan sleeved tunic or dress that you can customize. 

And finally: 

A 148cm (58") X 210cm (78") length of navy blue shwe shwe with tiny printed mustard & white dots.  I bought it at Fabricworld in Cape Town, and the coolest thing is that it's printed on both sides.  I've washed it once in Tide and cold water, so it's clean but still has that distinctive shwe shwe smell.  When you get this package and open it up, take a big sniff of that strange dusty-oily-cotton smell.  Mmmmmm.  I bought this print in two colourways because I couldn't choose between black or navy blue, but now I realize that they are so similar that I won't use them both.  Better to let you enjoy it.

If you would like any (or all!) of these give-aways, please enter by 11:59pm EST Sunday, November 13th.  (I had one reader tell me that she was having trouble leaving comments, so if you're having trouble too, send me an email instead at my address above.)  Tell me which one or ones you would like, leave me your blog address if you have one, and just to make it interesting, tell me your most embarrassing sewing related story.  I'll start:  I once was taking a dress on and off, on and off while fitting, before I realized that the curtains were open.  And my sewing nook faces the main street.  And it was lunch time for the secondary school kids.  I don't think they'll be walking down my street to get their cigarettes and slurpees anymore.

My only caveat for this give-away is that you must use it; I'd hate to liberate it from my potential hoard only to have it languish in someone else's.  When you've used it, please let me know and I'll link to you or post a photo.  I'll ship anywhere, but if you live on the other side of the earth and I find it's going to cost me an arm and a leg to ship it to you, don't complain if I decide to send it surface mail.

Thanks for reading and commenting over the past year!