SEWING MEET N GREET & FAT QUARTER FRENZY

HOWDY YAWL

 

Well what a fantastic weekend I've just had. 

 

I've been having a shit of a time mentally for the last week or so. I've been really overwhelmed with heaps of stuff going on and my brain threw up it's hands and went "fuck it".

What with my fundraiser, then my gorgeous sister came over to visit from 'merica (which was fantastic but very exhausting) and then I got the bull-shit lurgy followed by bronchitis.

All I've wanted to do is ...... NOTHING.

Not sew or watch TV or cook or move. Just get home from work & go to bed & sleep.

 

So my scheduled meet n greet luncheon for my Facebook sewing fanatic group THOSE DARN SEW N SEWS couldn't have come at a better time.

I tell ya there is nothing like setting your hair, whacking on a frock and some red lippie and spending a few hours talking shit with a bunch of dames to really inject a big ole shot of positivity back into your veins.

 

SELFIE !!!!!!!

 

 

Our meet n greet was at the beautiful Dragonfly Café at Eden Gardens at Carseldine.
You might remember this from my Floral Function I had there last year.
www.edengardens.com.au

As usual the food was delicious, the setting lovely & the company was awesome.

Thankfully, this time it was NOT stinking bloody hot & so we could all focus on nattering away about sewing, fabric and all manner of important girlie stuff.

 

 

It was just wonderful and really did my brain the world of good.  It was so cool to meet face to face some of the lovely ladies from FaceyBees.

Everybody looked lovely & most wore their own amazing sewing creations....

Talented bunch of shelias they are!

 

NOTE: Bree is pulling my shoulders back because of my shit posture.

 

The frock I wore was made by ME from quilting fabric I bought from a remnant sale at Make It Hobby and Craft at Boondall. It's a nice soft cotton with a print of buttons on it.  It is Butterick Pattern B5747.  It was a bit of a pain to make. The instructions are shit and a few steps are missing when you get to the waistband part (fucking handy).  I don't think I'll make it again. Not a fave of mine.

 



 

Butterick B5747



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Then it was Sunday. BATHURST SUNDAY.

 

I dropped my hubby at our friends The Hill's for a day of eating masses of nibbles, drinking piss, talking about Fords & Holdens and Lowndseeeeeeeeee and watching cars drive really fast around a track.

Not for me.

 

The fabulous Mz Katrina & Mz Kel & I headed into the convention centre to go to the Crafters & Quilters Fair. 

 

Now, I would rather stab myself in the face with a knitting needle than do scrapbooking or teddy bear making but I was hoping to find some incredible fabric to drool over.

Alas, those mad quilters only sell there fabric as infuriating FAT QUARTERS which are the most inconvient size. You can't even make a decent do-rag or turban out of them!

Speaking of turbans (see what I did there) we were able to make it in time to heckle.... I mean WATCH.... the luscious Mz Chrissy of the Lindy Charm school do her talks on Make Do & Mend and the fine art of tying a head turban.

 

 

Holy shit. I for one will totally be rocking the vintage turban look this summer when the heat is so unbearable it feels like my skin is going to peel off.

Just wack on a turban with an oversized hair flower (from Kat's Cadillac Vintage on Etsy of course...... www.etsy.com/shop/KatsCadillacVintage ) and Wallarrrrrrrrrrr !

Instant glamour !!!!!!

 

 

After a chat with Chrissy we headed over to the Singer area where Mz Lisa of Atomic Martini had a display for the upcoming movie "The Dressmaker". Oh sigh.  Those vintage singer machines were just beautiful.   A really lovely display.

 

 

I didn't buy any fabric as anything that wasn't a stupid fat quarter was about $20/metre! When you are sewing 1950s frocks you need a MINIMUM of 4 metres so too expensive.

I did buy some divine velvet fabric flowers and some little sewing type charms.

It was a nice day just getting done up & walking around with the ladies.  If we had any self esteem issues they were soon gone after being told by about a HUNDRED middle-ages ladies in Millars culottes how wonderful we look!

 

 

ALTHOUGH...... I almost got kicked out by a very angry looking quilting lady because I touched one of prize winning quilts. I was fondling it trying to work out how they did the puffy bits when this lady appeared VERY suddenly and barked "Don't TOUCH THE QUILTS!".

She was wearing a VERY official looking yellow sash which I think meant she was one of the "Protectors of the Holy Quilts".

YIKES. Oops.   Those quilting folk take their quilting VERRRRRY seriously.

I gotta tell ya. The quilting industry much be a multi-billion dollar industry. I have never SEEN so many incredibly passionate quilting ladies in my life.

To be honest, they were kind of scary.

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The frock I wore is another from Le Maison de Martin. It is Simplicity Lisette 1419. I LOVE this pattern! It is easy to make. The instructions are simple. It has a back zip (always a winner). 

I just love the capped sleeves & peter pan collar...

and did I mention it has POCKETS!!!! POCKETS !!!!

If you are going to make it and are a 1950s era gal then don't forget to lengthen the skirt part!

When I bought the fabric I didn't take that into consideration and so didn't have enough for the bodice bit. (dickhead).

I will definitely be making more of this frock. It is great.

 

 

 

 

 

xoxoxoxoxoxxooxxo