The holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. Every city gets a romantic and glamorous feel with all the lighting and decorations. That’s why I was so excited that I got to spend my Christmas with my family in Rome, the Eternal City.
Among all the sites certainly St. Peter’s square is for me The place to visit at Christmas. Every year the Pope gives his special Christmas blessing from his renowned window. This year I was lucky to be right there at that very moment (unfortunately he didn’t know the Sewing Princess was there… otherwise he would have certainly invited me in :o) It was moving.

Given the special occasion, I thought the Snow White coat would be the perfect outfit to wear and Rome a beautiful location to show in the background… so here it is… with my New Year’s wishes for you and your family.

After several weeks of working on it, my first coat is finally ready. It’s really warm and I have enjoyed sewing it. If you haven’t ventured on such an experience before, here is what I learned:

1. It’s easier to baste by hand… removing machine basting from wool is a pain (It must have taken me at least 3 hours)

2. Watch out for small pieces of thread… if they get stuck between the coat and the lining you will see it afterwords (same goes for odd hair… I lose loads!)

3. Pay attention when cutting buttonholes…one of them turned out crooked!

4. Buttonholes and buttons do take a long time to sew (by that time I was getting itchy to wear the coat!)
5. All in all sewing a coat takes time… enjoy every step in the making.

What I love about the coat:

• The simple line
• The warm collar (so I don’t have to wear a scarf)
• The button placement (thanks for the tip to my great teacher Michele!)

Are you getting ready for new year’s celebrations?

Will you be wearing one of your creations?

I hope 2011 will be a great one for you with loads of peace, sewing and creativity. And I hope to continue being part of this great sewing community.