Would it be bad to have a Martini with my muscle relaxant, or bad in a good way? Introducing Capital Chic Patterns

This is a slightly different type of post today. The normal schedule of ridiculous shoes and silly facial expressions will resume shortly, but today I wanted to talk a bit about a new independent pattern company. My lovely friend Sally - you might know her as Charity Shop Chic - has been working hard behind the scenes this year and her first collection of sewing patterns goes live today under the banner Capital Chic Patterns.

I count myself very lucky to know Sally in real life. Not only is she witty, clever and warm, but she is both an incredibly talented seamstress and a very sharp dresser. Her style is very different to mine - if I'm the froth and sugar of a pina colada, or one of those drinks with sparklers in them, she's the elegance and sophistication of a dry martini. Sally's style is smart, grown-up and totally cool. So I'm thrilled to help her announce the launch of her first line of sewing patterns.

If you follow Charity Shop Chic already (and if you don't, DUDE, sort that out immediately) you'll know that Sally is a talented pattern drafter who has a taste for innovation. This is reflected in her first collection, which is full of classic styles with a modern twist. Capital Chic patterns will take you from work to the cocktail bar, as the cocktail-themed names of the patterns suggests!

It won't surprise you to learn that the beautiful Martini dress is the star of the collection for me. This is far from my usual style but I love the elegant lines and the surprising detail of the crop-top style bodice. The Martini dress features some more intermediate sewing techniques, such as inserting boning and adding a zipper guard. I have a few weddings coming up this year and I already have visions of drinking a smart drink in one of these gorgeous dresses!

I won't talk in great detail about all of the patterns in the collection - Sally does this much more eloquently herself - but the other pattern that has (surprisingly) stolen my heart is the White Russian sweater. It's designed for pre-quilted fabric and comes with the option to applique or quilt a fox or a lion onto the front. I mean, how COOL is that?!

What I am most excited about, however, is the mission statement behind Capital Chic Patterns. These patterns are aimed at intermediate to advanced sewists who want to stretch themselves a bit. I'll be the first to admit that this isn't something I will readily do with every pattern I sew, but I do always want to learn more and to grow as a seamstress. It's to Sally's credit that she's ready to supply to this demand, and with detailed step-by-step instructions so that none of these techniques are too scary!

Also, I mean. COME ON. Who wouldn't want to look as cool as Sally? I know I certainly would.

Disclosure: I was not paid to blog about Capital Chic Patterns and I have not received any compensation for this blog post. I'm blogging about it because I think it's awesome, and Sally is a good friend and I'm really proud of her!

Congratulations, Sally! You rock!