Introducing the "Banbury Cross Cardigan" e-pattern + giveaway!

Well, it's September now and you may be getting signs of cooler days to come. If you're feeling the lure of more autumnal sewing projects, I'm excited to be offering a PDF e-pattern of my Banbury Cross Cardigan design!




This is a sewing pattern in four sizes (six months, 12 months, two years, and three years) designed to be cut from a recycled adult sweater. Yes, you can sew the sweater fabric just like any other knit! The green cardigan that Edmund is modeling in the photos began its life as an Abercrombie & Fitch 100% shetland wool sweater that I found at the thrift store. It had a few moth holes, but with some strategic cutting I was able to give it a new look! Lavinia's cardigan was a creamy acrylic ladies' sweater with a sewn-in ivory charmeuse collar. You'd never be able to tell, would you? It's really a unisex pattern that can work for both boys and girls. You can play up the "English gent" look by choosing muted colors, leather or horn buttons, and tweedy elbow patches. Or, I think the cardigan would look really feminine and cute sewn up in a brighter color, with coordinating floral cotton elbow patches and quirkily mis-matched buttons! There's lots of room for creativity.


You may remember my first design here, and my redesign the following year. Last year I began working on grading the pattern into different sizes, creating an e-pattern, and writing instructions. The entire process has been the biggest learning challenge for me, and I must thank my husband Douglas for all his help, as this project never would have gotten off the ground if he wasn't around to be my patient instructor! I've worked hard to make sure the pattern is easy to use and well-designed. I think beginner sewists could tackle this, provided you are comfortable sewing knits and buttonholes (although, if the buttonholes are holding you back, you could easily replace them with hand-sewn snaps instead!).


So, without further ado, here is the link to my newly-opened Etsy shop where you may purchase your very own copy! This first opening week, I am offering the pattern at a special introductory price of 20% off. Use the coupon code WELCOMEFALL to receive your discount at checkout, good through Wednesday, September 11.


Also, I would like your help to spread the word about this pattern, so I'm offering a giveaway of a copy of the Banbury Cross Cardigan e-pattern to one reader! :) Just leave a comment below and you'll be automatically entered in the random drawing. For extra entries, you can:

• share a link to this post (http://quietudeblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/introducing-banbury-cross-cardigan-e.html) and/or my Etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/QuietudeBlog/) on Facebook, Twitter, and/or your blog (extra entry for each of those actions)
• pin any of the images from my Etsy shop to your Pinterest board
• Add QuietudeBlog to your favorite shops on Etsy
• Add the Banbury Cross Cardigan pattern to your favorite items on Etsy
• "like" Quietude on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/quietudeblog)

Just let me know which things you did in a comment and I'll add your extra entries! Please be sure to leave a correct e-mail address, either in your comment or in your blogger profile, so that I can send you the pattern if you're the winner. The giveaway is open until 11:59PM (CST) on Monday, September 9. Thanks, everyone, and happy September!