Hello again!

It is still summer. The weather forecasts are full of predictions for high heat, humidity, and thunderstorms, and give daily UV warnings. On TV, the re-run season is still in full swing. On the weekends, there are still traffic jams heading to the beaches, resorts, and tourist spots.

The stores, however, are full of fashions for fall (and even winter). The light shorts and tank tops are vanished, except perhaps on the clearance racks. The pastels we often associate with summer have gone into hiding.

We are lucky, as creative people who sew. We have options not available to others. If we need a sundress for a late summer barbeque, we can produce one, often from what we already have on hand. Or if we want a light cover-up for cooler evenings, we can have one in just a few hours.

As sewers, we can take the fashion trends of any season and turn them into something extra-special and unique, made to fit our needs and our tastes.

Here is some of what is popular for Fall 2004.

For this year, think of warm comfortable fabrics. Tweeds, velvet, and corduroy are all being seen, along with fur, either real or faux. The fur is not only in traditional animal prints, but in colors as well. Combinations are big, too: think of a tweed menswear-inspired blazer, over a soft cashmere sweater.

Ponchos are making a comeback. They may be the big squares-with-a-hole some of us may remember from the 70’s, or a more sophisticated, rectangular version, but are still easy to make. (Butterick 3975, McCalls 4228 or 3448, and Simplicity 5309 or 5339 are all patterns you may want to consider). You can find these patterns, and others, on our sister site, SewingPatterns.com.

Whether you are still making summer clothes, or you have your winter woolens already made, or you are re-doing your living-room for the umpteenth time, happy sewing!

May you always have time to sew, and may your fabric bins never be empty!