Over on The Monthly Stitch the challenge this month was Cheers for New Years, an outfit inspired by your favourite drink. This year I’m going to try to complete every challenge, so I put my thinking cap on for a drink inspired outfit!

Over New Year it came to me, I am rather partial to homemade damson gin, I have a huge Kilner jar with a tap on the bottom that I make it in. It’s great, plenty of room for the ingredients to go in the top and damson gin comes out of the bottom! All I needed was some damson coloured fabric…

I fell for this fabric in a mill shop in Burnley a couple of years ago, it’s actually a furnishing fabric so I’m hoping it doesn’t look too much like a pair of curtains! It’s a lovely soft velvet with amazing gold flowers appliqued on. I have to admit though, I did think afterwards, what am I going to make with it!

I decided I wanted a simple cardigan style jacket. I used Butterick 6256 which I’ve made up several times, it’s designed for knit fabrics so  I gave myself a bit more room by reducing the seam allowance. As I was using my overlocker I just skimmed the edge off as I sewed, rather than stitching a 1.5cm seam, it’s just enough to make it comfortable.

I wanted to line it too and I spotted this gorgeous paisley lining on Fletchers stall in Leeds market. I originally wanted a plum and gold one that they had, but they didn’t have enough of that one, so I plumped for the gold, the accents are more blue than purple but I think it blends in enough.

It was fairly straight forward to make up with a lining. I had more hassles with cutting out as the easiest cutting layout would have had the big flowers all at bottom height! It took a while to work out a way round this, though I didn’t anticipate all the big flowers being on the same side!!

I love my jacket, I’m not quite  sure when I’m going to wear it, it’s probably more a going out jacket rather than everyday, especially as I’m not sure how it will wash! We have a WI meal out next week at a very nice Italian reataurant, so it might have it’s first outing then!

End of Month Stash report; I’ve made reasonable in-roads this month into my stash, sewing a total of 7.8m. Unfortunately I did fall for 4.5m of fabric, two lengths at Guthrie and Ghani and one length on Otley Market! However I’m pleased to say my stash has dropped below the 90m mark at 89m 🙂