Pendleton Love and a Giveaway

February 25, 2015 | Comments

UPDATE: Congratulations, Kelly Marie! Your book has been shipped!
One of my favorite things to do with Emmerich is to go for walks. I wrap him up in a Moby and we go to the park by our house where he can look at all of the trees and slowly be lulled to sleep by the motion of my walking. I get some exercise, he gets a nap, and we both get fresh air. I don’t have to worry about him getting cold either, thanks to one of my favorite things I own, my Pendleton wool cape.

No, I didn’t make this cape. I was lucky enough to go to a sale at the Pendleton headquarters in town and purchase it for a steal. It is so fun to wear, whether or not you’re concealing a little snug baby inside! Do you ever get cold on an airplane? Get. A. Cape. I love it when I’m flying. It’s a thick wool blanket that keeps me nice and toasty!

There is a lovely pattern for making a cape in the book Hand-Stitched Home by Susan Beal. Not only is there a cape, but there are quilts, pillows, an ottoman, and a project by me- plant hangers!

When Susan asked me about contributing a project to her book, I knew I wanted to make something completely different than what you’d usually find in a home-goods sewing book. I wanted it to be easy too, because I usually only design or make things that are complicated. How did a plant hanger pop into my head? I honestly have no idea, but they turned out to be fun and easy to make, so I was happy.

This book has projects like bags, pillows, scarves, quilts, a belt, and of course that great cape I mentioned.

Susan was kind and gave me an extra copy of the book, which I’d like to give to one of you! You can enter to win it by leaving me a comment with something you would like to sew out of wool, and the winner will be chosen at random. Be sure to add your comment with your correct email address where I can reach you, to let you know if you’ve won!

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Comments are open until March 4th, 2015. The winner will be notified by email.

UPDATE: Comments and entries are now closed. The winner has been notified (Kelly Marie) and the book has been sent!

emma

I’d like to sew a wool quilt, lightweight, with a cotton flannel backing! The thought of it reminds me of my grandmother and the quilts she used to make out of discarded wool clothing.
- Amy Alan
  
  Ahh- I’d love to make the same thing! Wool is just so cozy and fun to snuggle under.
Kathryn Butterfield

I would love to make some felted wool clogs! I have knit and felted other items but clogs really intrigue me!
- Amy Alan
  
  Interesting! I bet they’d be nice and toasty.
Pam Gonzalez

I’d love to make a cape with matching mittens. Capes make feel like a little kid. Twirling round and round. Cute baby.
- Amy Alan
  
  Twirling in a cape is the best! I seriously love my cape, not only for it’s warmth but for it’s twirling capabilities. And thanks- I’m a bit biased but I think he’s pretty cute too! 🙂
Sandi

Hi Amy
I’d like to make a cape and a wool quilt with a minky backing. Sounds so warm and toasty. BTW, beautiful baby !
- Amy Alan
  
  Wool and minky- how lovely sounding! That would certainly encourage lots of snuggling.
  
  Thank you! I think he’s pretty cute myself. 🙂
Kelly Marie Criss

I love your cape and can’t believe how much he’s grown already. He is precious – and you look great too Mom. I’ve never seen anything with wool, but have always wanted a wool pea coat. But after seeing the cape, I might have to consider that. It’s way more in line with my sewing ability. Hope you and your family are doing well. Also hope you’re finally getting to use that beautiful new sewing space!!!
[email protected]
- Amy Alan
  
  I can’t believe how much he’s grown either! He’s so long he’s wearing 12 month clothes (which makes mom cry a little, as he’s only 4 month old)!
  
  Oh a wool cape is sooo lovely and really easy to make. You’d do great at sewing one up!
  
  And yes, I have gotten in a bit of sewing time here and there. It’s called “set that baby down for a nap and RUN downstairs to sew as FAST AS YOU CAN for the next 30 precious minutes”. Ha!
Amber Clark

Ooh! A scrappy grandma quilt sounds fun. I’ve been meaning to stop by the Pendleton store. I want to make a pouf stuffed with my unusable scraps and their wooly worms.
- Amy Alan
  
  I’ve been meaning to go too! I always want to buy yardage of blanket wool, but yeesh, my pocketbook can only handle that during their yearly sale!
Nicole

I love the idea of anything in Pendleton wool. It’s so classic and beautiful! But your plant hanger–that’s awesome!
- Amy Alan
  
  Thank you! 🙂 I’m a big fan of Pendleton wool too. It’s so luxurious!
Tina

I love the cape! I would like to make pillows and matching throw. We have a leather sofa and its cold sitting on it.
- Amy Alan
  
  I bet that sofa’s cold! A wool throw is just the perfect project indeed!
Jane

I would love to make a cape. I made some for my granddaughters and their moms have asked for an adult one.
- Amy Alan
  
  Perfect! You could really use this book then. I hope you win!
Shirley Chirch

I would love to see a vest made out of different cuts of wool, sort of like a quilt with wool squares. pendleton wool is so fabulous.
- Amy Alan
  
  Interesting! Yes, Pendleton wool is amazing. I’m lucky to live not too far from the outlet store, which is tons of lovely yardage to buy.
carla

I have been dying to make a cape for agessss… this will be a great opportunity…thank you for the giveaway.!
- Amy Alan
  
  You’re welcome, and good luck! Capes are amaaaaazing. 🙂
swetamsaile

Amy, your son is precious! Such a handsome baby boy! I love Pendleton (growing up in the Willamette Valley how could I not?!!). This morning I grabbed my Pendleton Black Watch Plaid blazer to wear with my black dress, tights and boots….it’s snowing here in Northern Virginia. Again. I love the plant hangers you designed, fun and functional! I would love to have have a copy of Susan’s book ~ the cape looks amazing and would be perfect for those long flights back to the land of my heart.
- Amy Alan
  
  Thank you! I think he’s pretty darn cute!
  
  Good luck towards winning the book! It certainly sounds like you could use a good cape. Flights from one coast the other are soooo long, and having a wool blanket to wrap yourself up in on a cold airplane? HEAVENLY.
Hélène

Your plant hangers look neat and contemporary. Great job at rejuvenating a typical hippie-era staple! And your cape is convincing me that I should make one. Unfortunately, I’m not living in the USA, but I’ll put my hand on this book. Your pictures walking with your son are so beautiful. Much happiness!
- Amy Alan
  
  Ha- thank you! And yes, make a cape! They are so easy and so fun to wear. I’m sorry I couldn’t have the giveaway open to overseas. Shipping prices can really be expensive!
sewdone

Although I’m well past carrying my infant in this way, wouldn’t it be a great “non-traditional” baby shower gift?!? The book looks wonderful and would be a welcome addition in my sewing room!
- Amy Alan
  
  It would be! I had never considered it as a shower gift, but that would be aaammaaazing!
Marion Tinney

Creative idea for the plant hanger. I would make a short wool jacket for my daughter who works hard and doesn’t have time to sew. I am retired, sew every day, and like to make things for my family. Thank you for this opportunity.
- Amy Alan
  
  Hi, Marion! How kind of you to sew for your family. I would love to sew every day! Good luck to you!
KelS

I love Pendleton wools. I was looking on eBay at their colorful remenets to make pillows or throws to brighten up some dark brown recliners I just bought!
- Amy Alan
  
  That’s a great idea! Their colorful prints would look great against dark brown fabric. Have you ever ordered from the Woolen Mill store? You can call them and order yardage- they are really helpful!
Cindy S.

Love your picture with your baby all snuggled up! If I had some wool, I would start on a coat for next winter.
- Amy Alan
  
  Thanks! I loooove baby snuggles!
  
  You know, I need a new coat for next winter too. That wouldn’t be a bad idea to start it this Spring so it might actually be done in time for Winter!
anita t.

Well, the cape!
- Amy Alan
  
  Can’t blame you there- wool capes are amazing!
Julie

You have influenced/inspired me to make a wool cape. I am easily enabled. 🙂 [email protected]
- Amy Alan
  
  Haha! I’m happy to encourage you. 🙂
Melissa L

For a while now I’ve had on my to-do list making a classic “letterman” style jacket with wool – it just sounds warm and cozy for these Pacific Northwest winters! Gorgeous babe… and Emmerich is cute, too! 😉
- Amy Alan
  
  Interesting idea! Would you make the sleeves leather, or keep them wool as well? Do you have a pattern picked out to use?
  
  And thank you for the compliment! 😉
  - Melissa L
    
    This Folkwear pattern (#251):
    http://www.folkwear.com/251.html
    I’d do the sleeves in wool as well, but probably a contrasting (or complementary) color.
Lanalew

I love the idea of a wool cape! I’m in! Thanks!!
- Amy Alan
  
  Good! I want everyone to have a wool cape, so that they are always in style and I can always wear it (as if I would ever give this cape up). I’m keeping my cape forever and ever!
Aracellis Lopez

OMG, how nice it would be to make that lovely cape. Thanks for the opportunity to win that book. Best of luck to everyone.
- Amy Alan
  
  You’re welcome! Good luck at winning!
Mary

Love your pictures of you and the baby. Such a happy time of life! Thanks for the opportunity to win the book!
- Amy Alan
  
  Thank you, Mary! It is a happy (yet very trying) time. Best of luck towards winning the book!
Ellee

Oooh! I’ve been wanting to make a cape ever since I lost mine a couple of years ago. Your cape is much nicer than the one I had, so it would be a wonderful replacement.
- Amy Alan
  
  Oh no! I’m sorry you lost yours. Hopefully you win so that you can make a lovely wool one. They are certainly heavenly to wear.
Ginger

Congrats on having a pattern in the book! So cool! You can leave me out of the giveaway- I reorganized my sewing books just yesterday and oh my, the tower is likely to topple over and crush me one of these days, eek! But you and Em look so adorable… I’m telling you, you and OhhhLulu better stop it with the cute baby pics stat because you’re doing bad things to my ovaries!!!
- Amy Alan
  
  Thanks! Haha- yes, I hear you on the sewing books. I a paired down to my favorites before we moved, but… uh… that pile is still massive.
  
  And I will NOT stop with baby pictures, because I want to see a tiny Ginger baby nestled between TWO pugs! Ahh! Doug and Peggy may not approve, but too bad for them!
  - Ginger
    
    HAHAHAHAHAHA! Hopefully the pugs wouldn’t cry when the baby did like my mom’s corgi, ack! That corgi bark is just so, so intense!!
    
    Truth: I’m a little afraid to have a kid! My mom used to always say, “I hope one day you have a kid just like you so you understand what I have to deal with!” and UM, it’s a scary thought!! I was a lethal combination of energetic and mischievous and got in SO MUCH TROUBLE.
    - Amy Alan
      
      Oh gosh, yes, the corgi bark is SO LOUD and SO SHRILL. I am grateful that Emmerich isn’t even fazed by Dax’s bark though. I guess hearing it for 9 months before he was born helped a lot!
      
      Hahahaha! I was an AWFUL kid. The things I did and said in public…. well…. let’s just say they stopped taking me anywhere for a 3 year stretch. I have my fingers crossed that Em is like Rob, who was calm and liked to quietly play with Legos, unlike me, who’s favorite games included “make the biggest mud pit that I can”, “say rude things to strangers” and “stand on my chair and scream in restaurants”. Oh, I’m so screwed.
Lynne Lightowler-Buck

I’ve had a Pendleton blanket (the light side of the one above) since the 60s(!) and would love to make a useful cape out of it . . . cked with my library system and they have other Susan Beal books, just not this one . . . so if I win it I can use and then pass it on by donating it to them
- Amy Alan
  
  Wow! That’s amazing that you have had that blanket since then, and yes, it would make an amazing cape. I love the idea of you donating the book once you’ve used it- how nice!
  - Lynne Lightowler-Buck
    
    I love it when I can help others . . . and if I hadn’t discovered paying it forward with books to my respective local library, I’m sure my home would have some serious sag to the floors! So it’s a 2-way benefit. These days just keep the “essential” books . . . more like the reference ones with gardening, etc.
cezovski

I think I would make a patchwork blanket! I’d love the book to get some inspiration!
- Amy Alan
  
  I want to make a patchwork wool blanket as well. It sounds so cozy! Good luck towards winning!
Cristi Hill

I’ve never even considered making or wearing a cape, but seeing you in your cape and hearing that you love it so much–now I want one too!! Yay Amy! You’re a great teacher (Craftsy classes) an an inspiration!
- Amy Alan
  
  You should want one- they are amazing! It is honestly one of my favorite things I own.
  
  I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my Craftsy classes. Thank you! 🙂
Pamela Sams

Love the cape but really could enjoy knee high booties for adult diabetics! My feet and legs would love the warmth that pendelton provides.
- Amy Alan
  
  Knee high booties- what an intriguing idea! They certainly sound really warm and comfortable!
Show and Tell Meg

I could definitely us a good cape in my life 🙂 Wool is awesome though, so I certainly wouldn’t limit it to just that, lol. Thanks so much for the giveaway!
- Amy Alan
  
  CAPES FOR EVERYOOOONE (said in my best Oprah voice)! Yes, wool is awesome- good luck winning the book!
sandi

Gotta make a capr !!
- Amy Alan
  
  But of course! There is nothing better than an amazing wool cape.
Robyn Edgar Kilponen

I’d love to make a cape for the chilly mornings!
- Amy Alan
  
  I’m happy to hear it! I think everyone needs a cape.
Kelly

I’ve had my eye on that book, looks like some fun projects! I have been scheming for a while to copy the amazing Lindsey Thornburg cloaks- I have a couple of patterns I am going to use parts of and hopefully have a workable pattern by next fall (and in time for the big Pendleton sale in September!)
- Amy Alan
  
  There are some great ones in this book. I really love the ottoman and the clutch in it, along with, OF COURSE, the cape. I just google the Lindsey Thornburg cloaks and my jaw dropped. They are AMAZING! Yes, I for sure have to have all my ducks in a row and lined up for the next Woolen Mill sale. I always think of a project after the sale is over!
Wendy Hainey

I love the cape I have too. It’s still going strong after 20 years. The stitching on your plant hangers is lovely – I’d like to tweak the project a bit to make vase covers.
- Amy Alan
  
  What a good idea, the vase covers. Yes, the pattern could certainly easily be tweaked. Is your cape a Pendleton or wool one?
Denise W

Years ago, ( I won’t say just how many!) I entered a ‘Make it With Wool’ contest here in Iowa, and that was the beginning of my enjoyment for working with wool. And Pendelton is tops. I look forward to the projects in the new book. Thank you for sharing.
- Amy Alan
  
  You’re welcome! Yes, wool is so lovely to work with, especially nice Pendleton wool. There’s nothing I like more than giving wool a good press and having it iron out exactly the way I want it to!
Denise W

And the footstool would be perfect in our home!
Trish Harrison

This is the perfect project for the beautiful wool fabric I received through a posting on freecycle.org. A lovely royal blue and black geometric pattern with a Native American feel about it.
- Amy Alan
  
  Ooo, it sounds lovely! Good luck toward winning the book!
Juliana RestrepoSanin

I’m a a knitter so I looooove wool!!! I just started sewing a few months ago, but I really want to make a wool skirt. They look so nice and warm (and professional) I’m not yet so comfortable sewing that I would risk sewing with very nice and expensive wool, but it is definitely on my ‘I need to sew this’ list. Thanks for this giveaway!
Sue Carr

I would love the cape pattern!!! what a great idea! I have wool comforters that are made in Frankenmuth Michigan, and they are so warm and comfy!! I want a wool cape. It would be great to walk my little dogs in the winter…I would make them wool coats too! they could match me…

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