Sewing Surprises in the Mail

This week has been one of surprises coming in my mailbox, all sewing related, and you can imagine how exciting it was for me! The first surprise came from a good friend, Christa, and her daughter, Meggie, who sent me a back issue of Ottobre. I just can't get over how sweet these two ladies were to send me this wonderful gift! Thank you! I appreciate your friendship ever so much. And I can't wait to start a new sewing project from this particular Ottobre issue. Jessica, you will love it too---it's packed full of baby clothes. Ellen (12 years old) has even put in her requests.


The second surprise came from directly from Ottobre, all the way from Finland! Last week I received an email from one of the Ottobre editors congratulating me on my recent contest win at Pattern Review and writing that they liked what I did with the Ottobre designs. I was delighted with the email and truly expected nothing more. Yesterday I received a mysterious white package in the mail just full of goodies along with the card and lovely note inside. The note itself was prize enough for me, but just take a look at the gifts Ottobre sent: a 2009 planning calendar, 3 round pins, and 2 Creative Workshop patterns for the woman's and children's basic t-shirt tops.

Now you all know that I have been hooked on Ottobre ever since I received my first issue. The patterns are well-drafted (they fit!), and the designs are truly amazing. Ottobre has been a breath of fresh air for me after so many years of sewing from the "big 3" (or is it 4?) pattern companies. The customer service at Ottobre is fantastic, and yes, they are very kind and generous. Thank you Ottobre!



The third package in the mail was not really a surprise except for the fact that it came so much quicker than I expected. When I won the contest at PR, my prize was $75 worth of patterns from Lanetz Living--an online company that specializes in vintage and discontinued patterns. Janet has so many patterns on her site that I had a hard time deciding which to choose; I had to enlist Jessica's help. Also, Janet adds more patterns on a daily basis, so there is always something new to choose. (Jessica--she's added a bunch of vintage toddler patterns for little girls---some are adorable!). Lanetz Living has great customer service and quick shipping. I ordered the patterns on Tuesday and received them on Thursday. Thank you, Lanetz Living, for sponsoring the contest at PR with your generous prize.



What an exciting week this has been! I sew want to sew! :-) But I'm holding myself back because of the many other things I need to accomplish this week. We are going to Colorado next week for Thanksgiving and I need to prepare for the trip. And I need to homeschool my kids sometime, prepare for co-cop classes (I teach 5th and 6th grade American history), do laundry, and clean house. Time to get busy, right?

happy sewing,
Ruth