I had so much fun in New York! I took the Bolt Bus early Friday morning and can highly recommend it for the DC-NYC trip (I'm not affiliated with them in any way)--no pesky stops anywhere else to pick up passengers, only a quick rest stop (much appreciated). Then I headed to Crisp (again, not affiliated) where I met up with Elizabeth, Peter, Mikhaela, and Clio (not pictured) for some delicious falafel. Yum! We gabbed about sewing, fabric, and life in general. We modeled our outfits. Peter's shirt and Elizabeth's dress were hot off the sewing machine, while I was wearing an oldie but goodie, BWOF 09-2007-121, which I made back in 2007 and was so popular it was released as an envelope pattern. I found the matching tights at Target last month and hadn't had the chance to wear them yet, so I took advantage of the cold weather (I'm trying to put a positive spin on the weather) to sneak it in. Then came the piece de resistance, as we headed out for some fabric shopping!
First stop was Paron. I headed straight for the annex, as usual, where I found some silk organzas for $6/yd. I have been wanting to try silk organza as an underlining for a skirt to see if it actually reduces wrinkling (I am skeptical) but I don't want to pay more for underlining than for the fashion fabric! So when I saw it at that price I snapped up four yards, two in each color. Then it was off to SIL Thread where I got a zipper and some thread (too boring to picture). Then we zipped next door to Spandex House. I was determined to find fabric to make some yoga-type workout pants because all of my gym clothes are old and awful. I found the fabric, now I have to find the motivation to make such a boring project.
Alas, Clio, Mikhaela, and Peter had to head back to their real lives, but Elizabeth and I powered on to Metro Textiles. As I had promised, I mostly stuck to solid colored fabrics for pencil skirts. Kashi had a variety of colors in a nice twill-weight cotton/lycra so I picked up hot pink, red, purple, and aqua, plus a textured cotton in yellow (that I am contemplating dyeing green; now I wish I'd gotten two yards so I could do one green and one yellow). I love a heavy cotton/lycra blend for a fitted skirt because it hugs nicely *and* wrinkles less. I had to indulge myself a little, so I got a floral cotton lawn shirting (Peter twisted my arm) and a knit print. The remnant is small (who knew Kashi had remnants? He never lets me leave a yard on the bolt!), about 2/3 of a yard, so I'm not sure what I can do with it, but it goes with both the red and pink skirt fabrics and Kashi threw it in for free!Elizabeth and I hit up several more places but I didn't find anything more. You know that part where "Alexander wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer"? I fear I have reached that with stash. Every time I was drawn to a fabric I had to acknowledge that I already had something similar in stash and walk away from it. This is good for the wallet and for my downstairs neighbors, who would be in danger if I collected fabric ad infinitum, but it is not much fun! I guess the moral of the story is that I need to sew it down so I can start over again.
Elizabeth kindly let me stay with her so I got to meet her adorable son, drink some excellent wine, and enjoy some really fabulous Indian food, plus see her stash!
It was a very productive shopping trip, if a tad too virtuous.
=============
Several people asked about the white skirt I wore with the tie neck blouse in the last post. It is Burda 03-2009-104; I made it last year in white and blue (left off the pockets on the blue) and love it, although the white is hard to wear because, well, it's white and it always comes home with some kind of schmutz on it.
Now that I have 6 straight or pencil skirts to make (I've, um, also ordered an orange twill from Fabric Mart) I'm going to have to find some interesting patterns! Back issues of Burda have some interesting candidates, and I am open to suggestions!
.jpg)
20 comments:
O gosh! I love your dress/tights combination. So very you and adorable!
Have fun digging into your lovely new stash. You're going to have enough skirts to wear a different one every day of the week - never a boring day, right? :)
This gives me an excuse to look though old Burdas with pencil skirts in mind. They had one last sumjer that my daught loved. I'll see if I can find it
Like you I can't buy any more fabric, because I have one or more of everything already!
What a fun fabric shopping day! Between the company and the goodies, I'd say you had quite a productive weekend. I, too, really need to go on a skirt-making binge, but I'm afraid that I'm planning to stick to just one pattern. So boring. :/
Great photo: did you gals deliberately coordinate yourselves into a Pink Posse?
Wait -- now I'm twisting arms? I do remember a few pokes in the ribs, but I meant those affectionately.
I'm glad you bought the fabic, however. You can gift it to me!
Great fabric haul! I think pencil skirts are a great shape on you, so go go go! I'm amazed you remember all the fabric you have in your stash... I'm regularly surprised when I shift my stash twice a year at all the pieces I have (and I'm sure my stash has nothing on yours!).
The stashaholism confessional has been working! Very virtuous of you to recall AND admit you already had similar fabric waiting for you at home. 2/3 yard of a knit? Hmm. I think that's even tight for a sleeveless top with 1/4" S/A's, but a pieced top, or that KM camisole and panty might be cut from it. Keep us posted!
That sounds like you had the bestest time! Love your purchases. I am making (well I have muslined and cut out - does that count?) 01-2007-111. A nice pencil skirt that Karen has also recently made.
Sounds like a wonderful day of shopping. About that "no more worlds to conquer" issue - here's how I handle it. I keep a very small, I mean minuscule, tiny stash. No more that 6 or 7 pieces. When I sew a piece or two I buy more. I'm always sewing, therefore I'm always buying. Always a world to conquer.
All I can say is WOW!, glad you guys had a great time.
I had a great time visiting with you. You have a standing invitation whenever you're in town. :)
Sounds like a fun day! I love how you all match in your custom made clothes.
Nice haul - and good for Peter for twisting your arm, although I suspect it didn't take much twisting ? :-)
Love the prints and those are great colors for your new skirts.
Oh, all of you look so chic and ready to fabric shop!! I am quite jealous! What a fun time it sounds as if you had!
Your Alexander quote made me smile. It's always harder to find a good fabric than a good pattern, so I think a big stash is OK. Also, a fabric binge is always going to be cheaper than a RTW binge at the mall.
What a great picture - clearly the best dressed group in NYC! It sounds like you had so much fun - but of course you did - lovely company, good food and fabric shopping! What's not to love?
Sounds like great fun! And some great garments and another get-together with fellow sewistas in previous posts. Love your top and skirts.
May I post a link to the tutorial for the lining of the skirt on the sewing tutorials blog?
Ooh - a special day devoted to fabric shopping with like friends sounds wonderful!
My pencil skirt suggestion: Burda 1/2009/112 or 113 - I cut mine out last night in charcoal wool twill, and am planning to do some tips and tutorials on my blog!
It was such a fun day! It was great to meet you and everyone!
You know that recent one had the cute little swish & bow in back, right? It wasn't photographed well and you have to look at the instructions to actually see it (March issue maybe?) And then, there's another from 5/09 that has cute detailing at the waist too (buckle or bow. I must be on a bow thing lately!)
Post a Comment