The above image is of a rather wet cotton jumper, knitted from a 1940s pattern contained in the excellent book, A Stitch In Time, Vol 1. I offer it up as proof of my continued existence, as things have been rather quiet around here lately. I hope to get back up to speed soon!

(It may be worth mentioning that this is the British version, and that the American one seems to differ in terms of pattern content. The cover is slightly different too.)

Cover – stocking stitch jacket Although this is knitted in the simplest of stitches, I love it. It’s nicely finished with turned hems, pockets and a flared double-thickness collar, and it would be a peach to accessorise.

…and here are the rest of my favourites:

	Target Wools advertisement This is one of the many adverts dotted around the magazine, and I wish there was a pattern for it. It’s just the sort of thing to wear while reading in bed at this time of year. I might try to reverse-engineer it, but don’t hold your breath on that one.
	Deep Welt cardigan I’d not heard of the term “welt” before – it refers to the finished edge, which is ribbed here – but I like the long smooth line created by the deep ribbing. I frequently have midriff-gaping issues (either my shirt is too short or my skirt sits too low, or both!) so a long cardigan to cover things up is essential.
	Dolman cardigan This is exactly the sort of cardigan I most like to wear: simple, flattering and versatile, with a low v-neck so I don’t get too warm. I’ve never tried a dolman sleeve, but I don’t think it looks too frumpy here and I can see myself wearing it with many of my outfits. Some embroidery or beading along the neckline would make it especially elegant.
	Cropped cardigan I’ve seen this kind of button detailing on modern cardigans, henley sweaters and tops, which just goes to show that there’s nothing new under the sun! It’s an interesting addition to what is otherwise a fairly plain and simple cardigan, but instructions are given for short and long sleeves, and this is another good candidate for embellishment.
	Bi-colour striped cardigan I like a wide rib (it’s subtle but definite) and the coloured stripes here made a bold vertical design feature that could be livened up or toned down depending on one’s choice of colours. It’s a neat, tailored look, and though I’m not commonly seen in such a high neck, I’d make an exception for this. As for those colours – grey and red? Brown and blue? (Better not, those are my old school colours…) Purple and yellow? The possibilities are endless.
	Dickey front blouse with skirt I am never knitting a skirt or a dress. It’s non-negotiable. Still, the blouse part does appeal, and while I don’t know if I could bring myself to wear it, the “dickey-front” is very sweet.
	Blouse and pleated skirt or dress I feel the same about this little ensemble. Forget the skirt, the blouse looks far more rewarding with its little shawl collar and three-quarter length sleeves.
	Cross-necked sweater Again, this is a look that I’ve seen in the shops recently, though usually with a lower neckline. I like it better this way – it looks like it gives the warmth of a turtle-neck with twice the style (although opinions will surely vary on the relative attractions of these two necklines!).
	Man’s classic cardigan Okay, I admit it: I’m only putting up this picture to prove how suave and masculine a man can look in a cardigan.

When my mind turns to a new interest or hobby, I like to delve into it as much as is humanly possible, so I’ve been looking for interesting and/or inspiring sewing sites. Here’s what I’ve turned up in the past few days:

Sew Retro: I could spend hours browsing through the archives (and have, in fact). It’s a group blog for people who make vintage patterns and retro clothing, and there are a lot of photos of finished garments! Often the pattern drawings are posted alongside the photos, which is very useful – I’m used to knitting patterns coming with several full-colour photographs, so you know exactly what it’ll look like, but when using old sewing patterns you have to rely on the cover illustration. Some of my favourite posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Suzical.co.uk’s list of sewing blogs: Pretty self-explanatory – sewing blogs ordered by their Technorati ranking. I read quite a few of these. A Dress A Day is one of my favourite blogs out there.

U-Handblog: Lisa Lam’s excellent bag making blog, with oodles of free patterns and tutorials (a bag to match your summer dress, maybe?). She also runs a flickr group for handmade bags, and another specifically for bags made using her tutorials. An old favourite of mine!

Vintage Sewing Patterns Wiki: A valuable resource where people can browse patterns and see related blog posts, reviews, and sellers of said patterns.

Flickr Group – New Vintage Wardrobe: In their own words, “a group dedicated to the use of old patterns to make new fashions and vintage fabrics featured in new clothing.” Lots of photos, obviously.

Flickr Group – Vintage Apron Patterns: What, you never imagined yourself baking cakes wearing a sweet little flounced apron to protect your (immaculate) dress? Must be just me.

Flickr Group – Vintage Patterns: For sharing and viewing the envelope art on old patterns.

Now, with all these resources at my fingertips, I can hardly fail! (Famous last words.)