A Sew-aholic's Mothers' Day Weekend

So … the original Mothers' Day plan was to meet my daughter and her future Mother-in-Law in Northern Virginia where we would do wedding prep stuff.  I made the first wedding dress muslin and we planned to go to G-Street Fabrics in Falls Church, VA to look at wedding fabrics.  It would have been a great Mothers Day. That plan changed when I remembered I bought a ticket to see Motown, The Musical* in NYC on Saturday.  The bus trip included about two and a half hours to explore Manhattan and that could only mean one thing to a sew-aholic:  FABRIC SHOPPING!   I had an agenda.  I was working on the black crepe dress for my sister's 40th Birthday Bash.  The dress was looking too somber, not at all like a party dress, so  I decided to go another way.  I decided to make a skirt with the leftover black crepe (I'd bought 6 yards) and make a shiny silver satin top to wear with it and I'd buy the shiny silver satin fabric while I was in NY.  Since I was with my non-sewing cousin, I planned to visit only B & J Fabrics and Mood Fabrics.

But, there was a problem.  The chartered bus that was supposed to take us to NYC left 90 minutes late, which left very little time to drag my non-sewing cousin to fabric stores once we arrived.  Since we had less time to shop, we went only to B & J.  This was my first time there and I LOVED it!  Brightly lit and so much fabric!  But I didn't have time to browse.  (I MUST go back to that store!)  So … I rushed through B & J and made a rushed, impulsive purchase: a piece of silver/grey taffeta.  We got to our seats about 2 minutes before the curtain went up.

Silver/Grey Taffeta

It just so happened, Bryan Terrell Clark, who played Marvin Gaye in the show, said he attended the same church as the woman who organized the trip.  He came on the bus to say hello, sign autographs and take pictures.

Bryan and me

Traditionally, my daughter makes a big breakfast for me on Mothers' Day and gives me a mushy card that invariably makes me cry.   But this year, she was in VA and I was in PA.  (I still got the card and it still made me cry.)  I took a closer look at the taffeta and decided I didn't like it for a top - it had only slightly more pizzazz than the black crepe.  So I decided to spend Mothers' Day doing what I love -- shopping for fabric.  I tried to find the silver satin I originally wanted to buy either at Fleishman's Fabric, the only Fabric Row store open on Sunday, or JoMar.  I bought a piece of silver satin at JoMar, but I still wasn't totally satisfied. Since I didn't find exactly what I wanted, I ordered Silver Charmeuse  from Vogue Fabrics.

Silver Satin

But now I have about two yards of silver taffeta and a yard and a half of silver satin that I may never use.  (It might be time for a give-away!)

So, although my Mothers' Day weekend was not traditional in the Hallmark sense, it was a very enjoyable weekend.  I saw a great Broadway show; I discovered B & J Fabrics and I hugged a young, handsome and talented actor.  Not a bad Mothers' Day.



*By the way, Emilio Sosa, of Project Runway did the costumes for the show.

View From The Stone Mountain-top

 

Finally!  My Stone Mountain and Daughter purchases from PR Weekend are home where they belong.  The magenta is a cotton and will be a summer blouse, probably V1260 below.  The blue and white stripe is a knit and will be a t-shirt.  The turquoise?  I have no idea.  It doesn't look the same as it did in the store.  I had no idea what it would be when I bought it and I have less of an idea now that it is home.  It has a silk-like sheen that I didn't notice in the store.  It would make a nice MOB dress, but it's the wrong color.  Maybe I'll ignore the wedding colors and make my dress using this fabric.

V1260

I bought V1260, a Sandra Betzina Today's Fit pattern, at Stone Mountain.  I liked it so much, I didn't wait for a $3.99 sale at JoAnn.  Sandra Betzina was wearing it during the afternoon session.  She omitted the pleated trim and I will too.   I need to learn to look past the given illustration and see how I can make the pattern my own.  For example, I could use piping instead of pleated trim.

My sewing habits have really changed.  I now have 20 pieces of fabric in my collection -- more fabric than I have ever had at one time in my life.  Most sewers have lots more, but for me, this is a record. Two years ago, I would have been shocked at this fabric buying behavior.  Today, I feel no remorse whatsoever.  And, I'm beginning to buy envelope patterns more often.  I was the one who said they'd have to pry my Burda's from my cold, dead hands.  But I've bought two Vogue patterns in one month and I can't wait to sew them.  Wow.  Even I can evolve.

PR Weekend Diary

Wednesday, April 24
     I made it!  I'm in San Franciso for PR Weekend 2013!  I'm so glad I came early.  I got to see Gina, Lindsey's best friend from high school. She is my "other daughter from another mother".  I haven't seen her since graduation.  She's all grown up and a wonderful young woman.  I'm so proud of her.  She picked me up from the airport and drove me to the Marines Memorial Club and Hotel.  We talked for hours, even though I was still on east coast time and was dog tired!
   

There is no way anyone can stay in The Marines Memorial Club and Hotel and not be made aware of the sacrifice US soldiers have made.  I was on the 5th floor, which housed the Memorial Hall.  The walls were covered with plaques honoring deceased soldiers, most of whom were killed in action.  The 11th floor housed the library/reading room in which were many artifacts, including Gen. MacArthur's corn cob pipe and hat.  The resin sculpture of the bulldog mascot was so realistic looking I thought it was taxidermically preserved, a process I find a little creepy.

Thursday, April 25
     I got up early and walked the short distance to Chinatown.  When I got to the Chinatown Gate and saw the steep hill, I almost turned around. But I needed to buy a rolling bag for bringing my fabric purchases home.  Then, I went to Britex, also a short walk from the hotel.   Britex has an awe-inspiring inventory and eye-popping prices.  People warned me about the prices and when I saw the other stores in the immediate area (Neiman Marcus, Bulgari, Chanel, etc.) I knew they were right.  I bought only a piece of khaki cotton on that trip and went back to the hotel.  Later, I met up with  a group of PR People and went back to Britex for more shopping.  On that visit, I bought black crepe and a batik to match the khaki cotton.

Cotton Khaki twill and Batik

In the evening, I had dinner with Gina and then hung out at the registration table to chat with and meet other attendees.

Friday, April 26

V1260

     Today was the Sandra Betzina seminar.  She had so much  information to share, she hardly finished a sentence before she began to talk about something else.  It's a good thing I have many of her books.  The best part was the afternoon trunk show.  We got to see clothes from her Today's Fit collection up close and personal.  She was wearing a blouse from the collection that looked nothing like it's patten envelope photo/illustration.  If I'd seen only that picture, I would never have considered the pattern.  But I liked it so much on Sandra, I plan to buy the pattern tomorrow without waiting for a $3.99 sale at Jo-Ann.  Unfortunately, something I ate for lunch didn't agree with me and I didn't feel well enough to have dinner at Buco Di Beppo. I'm going to bed and pray I feel better for shopping tomorrow.

Saturday, April 27
     SERIOUS FABRIC SHOPPING TODAY!  I had three stores on my Fabric Shopping Bucket List.

1. Mood Fabrics in NYC
2. Vogue Fabrics in Chicago
3. Britex Fabrics in San Francisco

I've been to all three!  After hearing Sandra Betzina mention Stone Mountain & Daughter about 153 times, I added it to my list.  I had my own personal guide, Mary Beth, who took me, via public transportation, to Stone Mountain in Berkeley, Fabrix and Satin Moon back in San Francisco.  Stone Mountain shipped purchases if requested. I can't wait until it arrives home safely. We didn't have to pay sales tax if we had our purchases shipped.  Here is my haul (minus the Stone Mountain purchases):

From Satin Moon: Italian cotton and Indian cotton:  I forgot which was which.

Close-up of Italian or Indian cotton

From Fabrix:  Cotton/poly twill and soft knit.

Sunday, April 28

     On the plane home, I reflected on the weekend.  This time around, rather than traveling in a large group by bus, we were left to our own devices to shop.  On Friday, I felt confident that I could get around by my myself if I had to, but on Saturday, I was extremely grateful for Mary Beth, my own personal guide.   We ran into other PR shoppers at every stop, so it was almost like we were traveling en masse. 

I had two goals for the weekend:

(1) something black for my youngest sister's 40th semi-formal birthday bash (She wants everyone to wear black - don't ask me why.)  

(2) something blue for my Mother of the Bride Dress.

I got black crepe (sounds so funereal), but I didn't find anything for my MOB dress.  Oh, well. That's a 50% success rate.  Not too shabby.

I wish we had the show-and-tell post mortem after shopping.  It was a fun event in previous PR Weekends.  I hope there is a way to include it next time.

PR Weekends are always fun.  Eighty-five people who are just as obsessed with sewing as I am!  How could I not have a good time?

Next year, Austin, TX.

Never Judge a Fabric Store by It's Website

Recently, I visited my DD in Henrico County, VA, right outside of Richmond.  I always look for independent fabric stores whenever I visit a city.  An online search yielded Couture by LK Design, which did not have a website and Silk Trading Company, which did.  I was in Richmond to collect my DD before we set off on a Caribbean cruise, so I was mindful of spending money.  Silk's website promised high end silks and decorator fabrics.    I thought "high end silks" were not in the budget at that particular time and I was resigned not to visit any fabric stores during this trip.  "She's my daughter, after all," I told myself.  "I'll be back in Richmond again."  But, she doesn't own a television, and I had two days in her apartment with little to occupy my mind while she was at work.  (A mother can do only so much snooping.  I'm kidding.)  So, I ended up at Silk Trading Company anyway.

BSM 6-12-141B

The store was not the high end fabric salon I expected.  It was very much like every other fabric store I frequent on Fabric Row in Philadelphia and some of the stores in New York's Garment District.  No fancy displays.  No bright florescent lighting.  Just good fabric at good prices.  I was the only customer in the store and the sales associate tended to hover.  When I shop for fabric, I usually have no idea what I'm looking for until I find it.  I couldn't answer questions like "What are you making?" or "What kind of dress?"  The prices on the bolts were only suggestions and the sales associate was willing to negotiate a little.   I was able to find two pieces I liked;  one of the pieces will most likely be the dress pictured from the June 2012 issue of Burda Style Magazine.

My research on Couture by LK Design, including the review on Pattern Review gave me the same impression. As a matter of fact, it is very likely that I confused the two stores. I didn't have time to visit that store, but I can visit Couture by LK Design the next time I visit my daughter.

My Personal PR Weekend

Hooray! She graduated!

Back when plans were being made for PR Weekend 2012, one of the options was San Francisco.  Britex Fabrics is on my Fabric Store Bucket List. Match made in heaven, right? Wrong.  My daughter's graduation from University of Virginia was the same weekend and I would have missed PR Weekend, no matter where it was held. Fortunately, a scheduling conflict made it necessary to postpone PR Weekend in San Francisco until 2013 and hold PR Weekend 2012 in New York.  Since I'd shopped in New York before, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by attending my only child's graduation.  (Does that sound bad?)  I managed to have my cake and eat it, too. I attended DD's graduation and had my own personal fabric shopping spree in Virginia.

First, I went to Les Fabriques, my usual stop when visiting Charlottesville.  I drove to the location and discovered an empty store front!  My heart fell.  I panicked. But then I checked online and learned Les Fabriques hadn't closed, it moved.  The new location is much bigger and more luxuriously decorated.  Here is what I picked up:

teal cotton stripe; teal stretch woven; yellow knit

I strongly suspect the teal stripe above is actually intended for quilting. But it was displayed with the teal bottom weight and matched so well! Since I am the Queen of Matchy-Matchy, I had to get it for a blouse.

It being graduation weekend, hotel rooms were scarce and overpriced.  As a result, my hotel was about 25 miles from Charlottesville in Waynesboro.  Naturally, I searched for independent fabric stores in Waynesboro and found Fabric Warehouse.  This store and Les Fabriques are polar opposites.  Les Fabriques is located in an upscale shopping plaza. Fabric Warehouse is located in a low rent strip mall which translates to lower prices.  I picked up these two pieces for less than $25.00:

magenta twill and cotton check

The check can also be worn with the teal shown above.  The Queen of Matchy-Matchy is pleased!

So, I was not able to join the PR Weekend fun in New York City.  But I was able to score nice fabrics in my own personal PR Weekend.

Spring Break

At the MLK Jr. Memorial

I just returned from a visit to northern Virginia and Our Nation's Capital. My daughter and I split the distance between us and met there to spend a few days together.  The main purpose of the trip was to see the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.

We stayed in Fairfax, VA and our hotel was about 5 miles from G Street Fabrics' Falls Church location.  My original plan was to visit the Rockville, MD location while in the area, but when I realized how close I was to Falls Church, the plan changed. This location seems to have more square footage than the Rockville location (The Rockville store relocated to a smaller site a few years ago).  When you walk in, you think you are entering a small Bernina dealership, but when you go downstairs, you find yourself in a huge fabric store.  It felt a little cavernous – there is room for a lot more merchandise without the store being over-crowded.  I think of G Street Fabrics as a department store because of their wide selection and their prices. I took a quick peek at a price tag in the Designer department ($59/yd), and my purchases averaged $12/yd but great bargains can be found on the $2.97 table.

I needed fabric for spring/summer sewing and here is what I bought:

This light green waffled knit, from the $2.97 table, will become a polo shirt.

My daughter has developed and interest in cooking and my friend Denise designs and sews aprons.  Because she is a huge fan of SpongeBob Squarepants, she selected this pineapple fabric for her apron. (Five bonus points if you know the connection between SpongeBob and a pineapple.)

This pumpkin colored cotton twill will probably be shorts.

The khaki colored twill (with a little lycra) will end up as classic chinos.  This fabric is also from the $2.97 table.

The cotton shirting coordinates with both bottom weights.

I'm working on a quilt in which the binding was to be pieced from the scraps leftover after cutting the block pieces.   Wouldn't you know it, I was short about 8 inches.  This batik will finish the binding.

Even after buying all this fabric from the Falls Church location, I was tempted to stop at the Rockville, MD location on the way home.  Traffic on I-495 was horrible so I dismissed the idea.

This was an exceptional spring break.  The next time I see my daughter will be next month at her graduation from the University of Virginia.  That occasion is likely to be more hectic and won't be conducive to quality mother-daughter time together.  She is much more tolerant of my fabric shopping time now that she is older so we had a wonderful time together.

PR Weekend 2011: Chicago

When my daughter told her little college friends her mom was going to Chicago for a "sewing conference", they all laughed in that condescending, parents are so lame kind of way.  But I bet every one of the over 100 PR Weekend attendees had more fun than those little college kids have ever had in their short little lives.  And we didn't have to binge on alcohol to do it!!! (Although I did enjoy a very tasty sangria in the room next door!)

PR Weekend was great!  The Chicago team did and excellent job of organizing events and allowed for just enough down time to socialize and prepare for the next fun event.  The organizers added up the total yardage bought by the entire group.   I don't remember the exact number, but it was a lot.  And people bought even more fabric after the total was posted!  I did my part to contribute to the grand total by buying eight pieces.  

I just loved the way the colors undulated across this fabric from Vogue Fabrics.  I'm not sure if it's rayon or cotton, but it will make a perfect hot weather dress.  I plan to e-mail a picture to Vogue and ask about the fiber content.  I bet I'll get an immediate response.  Vogue has such great customer service.

This piece, also from Vogue, will become a dress.  It was a recent offering in Vogue's swatch mailings and I didn't order it at the time. But, I have it now!  I'm not sure about this content either, but it's a good weight for all seasons.

I love sewing linen and these two pieces, purchased from New Rainbow Fabrics, will also be dresses.  I stalked Karen Teel, one of the organizers, and dragged her back to New Rainbow so she could show me exactly where she found the blue Italian linen.

I couldn't resist this cotton knit.  It's a knit that will stay put for layout for cutting.  I bought this at The Needle Shop, which had the best atmosphere and Feng Shui of any of the stores we visited.   Every piece of fabric was cleverly displayed and visible. The store appeals to the new generation of sewing enthusiasts as well as more experienced sewers.

I wouldn't be me if I didn't get some matchy-matchy coordinating pieces.  First, I bought the sheer cotton print (along with several other shoppers!) at Fishman's Fabrics.  Later, at Vogue Fabrics, I found the bottom weight poplin and silk for a tank to be worn under the sheer cotton.

Needless to say, I am very happy with my Chicago fabrics.  My goal for the weekend was to buy fabric for dresses and I definitely did that.  One of my Online Sewing Buddies (and she knows who she is!!!) who didn't attend this PR Weekend teased me about not using bright colors or prints.  These purchases should make her take back what she said! (wink)

On Saturday, we got up close and personal with several of Angela Wolf's couture pieces from her own personal wardrobe.  I've always wondered about the quilted lining on Chanel-style jackets. Angela brought two examples and I was able to examine the nearly invisible quilting.  Angela does a lot a beading on her pieces and I already have some ideas about adding beads to a dress I'm planning.

PR Weekends are special for many reasons.  Of course, the shopping was fantastic.  We got discounts at every store.  I shouldn't have to buy any more fabric until September!   And, I love that we gave a boost to independent stores.  I'll never forget the big smile on the face of the owner of New Rainbow Fabrics.  I'm sure we made a difference in his quarterly bottom line.  Attendees spent over $1500 at Soutache Embellishments.   And I met so many amazing people!!  Cynthia and Karen were a hoot!  Cennetta gave me parenting advice.  Iris and Renee understood the awe I felt when I walked into Mood for the first time and made me salivate for Britex in San Fransisco.  Sherrill and Ody hugged me every time I saw them made me feel like I had two lifelong friends I just hadn't met yet.  I wish we could all get together more often.  Anyone who has reservations about PR Weekends should definitely attend one.  It's an incredible experience.

The Path to the "Perfect T-Shirt"™

1.  It all started with a trip to London Textiles.  I'd taken a few days off to celebrate my birthday and ended up at London Textiles in Cherry Hill, NJ.  I bought three pieces of knit fabrics. I'm trying to get over my reluctance to work with knit fabrics. I bought two pieces off the bolts for $8.00/yd and one piece from the remnant boxes for $4.00/yd. 

2.  On Saturday mornings, I sometimes watch "America Sews with Sue Hausmann". (I don't like it, but I watch it anyway.)   On this particular Saturday, Sue featured a product called Sew Slip which is used to make a slippery surface on the bed of the machine for free motion sewing.  I've been practicing free motion quilting and I wanted the Sew Slip, but I didn't want to wait days for an online order to arrive.  So, I decided to make phone calls to find a local seller.  

3.  The first store I called was Steve's Sew-n-Vac and they carried the Sew Slip.  Steve's recently moved to a new location and I was looking for a good reason to go there and see the new store.   Before the move, Steve's carried only quilting fabrics.  They now have a small selection of garment fabrics.  As a matter of fact,  I  noticed the same fabrics I'd bought at London Textiles and they were priced considerably higher than I paid. 

4.  I can't leave any sewing-related store without browsing around and while at Steve's, I noticed the display for Pamela's Patterns.  I looked over the selection and saw #104, The Perfect T-Shirt.  The simple pattern would be perfect for the knits I'd just bought at London Textiles.  I decided to buy the pattern and accompanying instructional DVD. 

5.  I took my selections to the register and the associate thanked me for choosing the pattern.  I thought, "Wow! What polite associates!"  Then I found out why.  It was Pamela Leggett herself of Pamela's Patterns.  We chatted about my knit issues and Pamela reiterated what everyone has been telling me; knits aren't a big deal.  According to Pamela, if you're spending more than five minutes arranging your knit for lay-out, (and I was) you're doing too much. 

6.  I sewed the Perfect T-Shirt!  Well, maybe not perfect, but pretty darn good!  Minor alterations were needed.    Pamela demonstrates a "fit as you sew" approach on the DVD.  This approach works only if you need to make something smaller.  I used pivot and slide to add an inch to the bust area and I will enlarge the jewel neckline the next time (and there will be a next time) I make this top.  This is a very basic pattern with no design details so I could focus on the actual sewing techniques.  The pattern has three neckline variations and four sleeve lengths.  The instructional DVD was helpful in that it provided demonstrations and information that is usually not in pattern sheets.  For example, Pamela recommends blocking after sewing the neck band and the hem.  I don't think I ever blocked a knit.  But it makes a big difference that is evident on the DVD and on the actual garment.   My problem with knits was that I expected them to behave like wovens.   I now respect the differences and I feel more confident about sewing knits.

Shopping With A Purpose

My wardrobe has not evolved since I was eight years old.   In fact, my wardrobe is less functional and varied now than it was way back then.  When I was a child, my clothes fell into three categories:  school clothes, Sunday dresses, and play clothes.  In the early 60s, girls did not wear pants to school and my pants were considered play clothes.  But I had school dresses and Sunday dresses. Today, the lines separating the categories have blurred.   My work clothes and church clothes are essentially the same.  Since I wear pants to work everyday,  I own very few dresses.   I've gone backward.  It's sad. 

This realization came to me while I was standing in front of my closet on a recent Sunday morning, looking for something to wear to church.  I simply do not have enough dresses.  Really, what beats a dress for quick and easy church dressing?   A dress and necklace and I'm styled and ready to go!  To address this challenge, I've decided to dedicate PR Weekend to  dresses!    SWAP now stands for Shopping With A Purpose!  I can shop without stress because I'm freeing myself from my compulsion to buy coordinating fabrics for tops and bottoms.  Any and all fabrics are open to me, yet I won't be overwhelmed because I'll have a specific goal.   I've already identified several dress patterns, some for knits and some for wovens, so it will be very easy to assign patterns to fabric once I actually buy the fabric.  All I have to do is find fabric I like.  That won't be a problem.  If I happen to see coordinates, I'll snatch them up, but dresses are my focus.

Now that I have this new definition of SWAP, I can't wait for PR Weekend!

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation

A civilized accumulation in the back yard

We had a wonderful Christmas with my youngest sister in Charlotte, NC.  Charlotte had only 3 or 4 inches of snow on the day after Christmas and it stuck only to the lawns.  Not so in Philadelphia, which had it's first blizzard of the season.  Since I hate snow with a passion that burns hotter than the fires of hell,  I decided we should stay and experience Charlotte's civilized snowfall for two extra days.  Why come home and deal with the immediate aftermath of a blizzard?  It would have killed all the warm, fuzzy holiday feelings from the aftermath of Christmas.  Instead, I indulged myself with sewing related activities even though I was far from my sewing room.

Shopping for Fabric
My sister and her husband are expecting a son in Spring and I agreed to sew the baby room stuff!  On Christmas Eve, we went to Mary Jo's in Gastonia, NC to search for the fabric.  Mary Jo's is huge!!!!   Hard to believe, but even with  the tons of fabric in the store,  Little Sis didn't find anything she really loved.  I found a piece suitable for my mini-SWAP, so I was happy.  My eight-year-old niece found a piece of minkee to use as a TV-watching-cuddle-up blanket, so she was happy.  Only Little Sis was disappointed.  Two days later while she was at work,  I went on a solo reconnaissance mission to Sew Much Fun in Charlotte and sent a few pictures of possibilities to her cell phone.  Still, nothing.  I can't go into a fabric store and not buy anything, so I bought a package of Wonder Tape as seen on the Sewing Toolbox DVD (see below) and two packs of charm squares (20% off!) for a future quilting project. Our last chance was Hobby Lobby.  There are no Hobby Lobbies in my area and I was curious about them.  For me, it's too much of a craft/decorating store and not enough of a fabric store.  But that wouldn't stop me from shopping there if I had one.  Little Sis found just what she wanted, but there wasn't enough yardage on the bolt.  Luckily, she was able to order the amount she needed.  In addition to the stripe pictured, she ordered dots in the same colorway.   The brown minkee is for the crib quilt.  Mission accomplished.

Sewing Books for Christmas

I got both volumes of Sandra Betzina's Power Sewing Toolbox for Christmas.   The books are full of just what the subtitle promises:  "tips/techniques not found in patterns".  I'm guessing the content is from the Power Sewing webcasts available by subscription on the Power Sewing website.  (I am not a subscriber.)   The books are very capably reviewed by Sharon on Adventures from the Sewing Studio.  I have nothing to add except I think the books are definitely a "must have."  Having the books and accompanying DVDs  made up for being so far away from my sewing machine.

If I had been snowed-in at home, I would have spent long days in the sewing room and that would have been wonderful.  But I didn't feel cheated.   There was lots of fabric shopping and I had two new sewing books to read.  Best of all, I got to spend Christmas with a small part of my extended family which made this Christmas more like the Christmases I remember.

How Far is Too Far?

Back in the olden days, when cigarette advertising was everywhere, Camel had a popular slogan.  I thought about this slogan while I planned my most recent fabric shopping excursion.  Just how far would I go to shop for fabric?

Fabric Mart's brick and mortar store is in Sinking Spring, PA.   According to Mapquest, this is 64.88 miles from my door.   Sixty-five miles is a little far to drive to a fabric store.  I needed additional enticement.  I found just the lure I needed when I looked more closely at the map and realized Sinking Spring is right next to Reading, PA, the home of the original outlet mall.  Discounted fabric!  Outlet shopping!  Suddenly 65 miles seemed a lot closer!   Fabric Mart is not open on weekends, so I was forced to ditch work for this outing.  My rationale (as if I needed one to ditch work) was I'd be getting some Christmas shopping done early at the outlet center.  While the plan was in the back of my mind for weeks, the actual execution came about suddenly.  The workload of my second job decreased unexpectedly and I was able to adjust my schedule and travel to Reading.

The Fabric Mart brick and mortar store is not big and glamorous like the chain stores, yet it's not dark and cramped like some of the stores on Philadelphia's Fabric Row.  Many of the Fabric Mart's online offerings are on the sales floor.  The organized shopper can peruse the web site, jot down numbers and take the list of numbers to the store.   Additionally, I was invited to look in the back room where the online orders are filled.  Most of these fabrics were not displayed on the sales floor.  

I found a few basics to take home with me.  I bought two pieces of worsted wool gabardine  and coordinating shirt fabrics.

Navy Blue wool – Blue & white stripe

Charcoal Gray wool – burgundy, pink & gray stripe

So, how far is too far?  If Fabric Mart were closer and open on weekends,  I'd be there once or twice a month.  While 65 miles is too far for me to drive for casual fabric shopping, Fabric Mart is a good option for the times I want to buy several pieces of fabric in one trip.  

Final Fabric Fling of the Summer

Elizabeth organized a Pattern Review Shopping Day for Aug. 28, 2010, just days before my summer vacation ended and I was due to go back to work.  It was a wonderful way to end my vacation on a high note. I always have a great time fabric shopping with the friends I've met through Pattern Review and it was wonderful to add new friends to the list.

Metro Textiles (265 W 37th St) and Elliot Berman (225 W 35th St ) agreed to open on Saturday especially for us and judging by the full bags and rolling suitcases, everyone found something to purchase at those stops.  There was no way we all could have fit into Metro Textiles at one time so we divided into two groups and conquered Metro Textiles and Elliot Berman separately.  Then we reassembled and went to Mood for more shopping and to practice our Tim Gunn "Thank you, Mood!" impersonations.

Half the group at Elliot Berman

Remembering how overwhelmed and exhausted I was after PR Weekend 2010, I came with a very short To Do List.

√  1.  Get fabric to make a dress for my best friend's retirement party.  I found this jersey knit at Metro.  The party is at the end of September, so this project moves to the beginning of my queue.

√ 2.  Find blouse fabric to match bottomweight recently added to my collection.  It's hard to tell from the photograph, but this cotton/silk blend is a perfect match for the teal bottomweight.

√ 3.  Get eighteen red buttons for a knit top that's been in the queue for months.  I've been wanting to do more with knits.  This fabric has been pushed back many, many times because I prefer sewing wovens.

Since I successfully checked all of the items on my To Do list,  I treated myself to this bonus piece:

I have no idea what I'm going to do with this French cotton from Elliot Berman.  I just liked it!


These PR shopping excursions are really fun.  There are few things better than spending time and talking with people who are as passionate about sewing as I am.  Kudos to Elizabeth for planning such a great experience and kudos to co-commander Carolyn.  I'll be watching the PR message boards for the next outing.

…… and so Summer Sewing Begins

I made an impromptu visit to my home town in central New York State for the holiday weekend.  The visit was bittersweet.  My beloved aunt is in the hospital and will most likely be discharged to an assisted living facility.  But, I got to see my immediately family and we had a great time together.  The small amusement park in my home town is slowly being restored and my siblings and I went there to revisit our childhood.  My niece got the brass ring on the merry-go round.  I got a little dizzy!  That sucker goes faster than I remember!!!!!

I managed to finish a shorts outfit in time for the heat wave.  The blouse (Burda 3214) is an old, old OOP pattern and needs raglan shoulder pads.  In this heat, the shoulder pads seem like an unnecessary layer,  so it may be awhile before I put them in and the blouse is wearable.  In the meantime, I had enough of the fabric left over to cut out a sleeveless blouse.  I also went to JoMar to look for a specific fabric  (and to take advantage of someone else's air conditioning).  I needed something to match a pair of shorts I bought last summer.  It's not a good idea to go to JoMar with something specific in mind, but I was lucky enough to find just what I was looking for.  I'll cut the fabric while I wait for my machine to come home.

Yes, my machine is back in the shop.  Somehow the cover got cracked and the replacement was back-ordered months ago when she was in the shop for another issue.  I'd hoped to have it home again when I got back from my trip, but no such luck.  So I'll be just tracing and cutting-out for awhile.  I'll have some projects cut out and marked and machine-ready by the time my machine returns from her little vacation.

PR Weekend 2010: Philadelphia

Disclaimer: In addition to being a participant, I was a volunteer/organizer. Opinions expressed are completely biased.

Click photographs to enlarge.

It was wonderful to meet, spend time with, and shop with people who are as obsessed with sewing as I am. I could openly talk about presser feet, bobbins and tracing wheels with people who understand my obsession. Sewing is a solitary pastime. I go in my sewing room, close the door to keep the cats out, and stay locked away, sometimes for hours. I can't even hear the doorbell when I'm in the sewing room. Even though I probably will never use the embellishment technique from Kenneth King's workshop, it was, for me, a high point of the weekend. Sharing the experience with a room full of other enthusiastic sewers was a rare pleasure. Sewers are the most supportive, generous and fun people one could hope to meet.

Friday Morning, May 14
Friday was my favorite day of the weekend. On Friday morning, Kenneth King entertained us while he taught us his embellishment technique using trim, rat tail, beads. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to take a workshop with Kenneth. I was thrilled to have my copy of Cool Couture autographed (and to hear the backstory about the cover photograph).

Kenneth King brought inspirational examples of his work.

My embellished sample from the workshop.

Friday Afternoon, May 14

We got up close and personal with garments from the "Great Designers" exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And when I say "up close", I mean up close! My fingers were less than an inch away from Worth, Chanel, Fortuny, and Schiaparelli garments.

My personal favorite was the Schiaparelli dinner jacket.

Saturday, May 15

Saturday was shopping day. We visited three sites. Philadelphia's "garment district" is called "Fabric Row" and is on Fourth Street below South St. Then we traveled to Cherry Hill, NJ to London Textiles for designer and imported fabrics. Finally, we ended our shopping at the fabled JoMar. Since I live in the Philadelphia area, I was familiar with two of the three planned shopping sites. But, I was happy to learn about London Textiles in New Jersey. They sell high end fabrics at not greatly discounted, but reasonable prices. The best bargains were found in the boxes of remnants at the front of the store. Normal business days are Monday - Friday, but they were kind enough to open on a Saturday especially for PR members. I can say without reservation, we made it worth their while. Now that I know about this place, I plan to go back.

Like most attendees, I bought something at every stop. On Sunday morning, I fondled my purchases and gave them their assignments.

lavender linen-look for a blouse
(Fabric Row)

black print lightweight twill for skirt
(London Textiles)

poly-cotton print for summer blouse
(JoMar)

rayon print for summer blouse
(London Textiles)

lightweight cotton twill for dress or pants
(JoMar)

knit print and khaki twill will be saved for fall sewing
(Fabric Row)

Notice – only two of the seven pieces are intended to be coordinates! Quite a change from my usual shopping MO. As of today, I have 13 (OMG!) pieces of fabric in my queue! This is the first time I've reached double digits.

Karen did an outstanding job as organizer and everything ran smoothly. In my official role as "Transportation Manager", I must give special mention to Connie and Andrea! These women selflessly provided transportation for attendees who could not be accommodated on the school bus and who had train connections that could not be missed. Silknmore served as navigator and co-pilot for Connie, our self-proclaimed "token Canadian". I consider these women to be the MVPs of the PR Weekend.

As one the Philadelphia hosts, I hope everyone had as much fun as I did! I look forward to attending another PR Weekend, if geographically feasible.