I'm Back

Actually I have been back a week but can't seem to get back into the groove. Cheryl and I had a fantastic time in Honkers (is that just an Australian nickname or is it global?) but we sure wore ourselves out. It was hot, wet, steamy, crowded and with all the walking I lost 1 1/2 kilos!

One of the best parts was meeting up with Allison. We managed to have lunch, get in a bit of shopping and later in the week some drinks out.

It is amazing how you can meet up with an internet friend and talk away like you have know each other for ages! We could talk about you all as though we both had the same circle of friends :) And how funny that HK now has Spotlight - Allison blogged about that here. Cheryl and I didn't venture out to see it (but I was tempted to see if it looked the same).

Shopping was a bit hit and miss. Fabric wise I only bought a few pieces.
Two green pieces from the Western Market - one is a nice cotton shirting and the other an unknown blend (the vendor did say viscose something or other but I have my doubts). The grey is a linen blend purchased from the Yen Chow Street Market in Sham Shui Po.

Yes, that is the market under the trees!

While out in Sham Shui Po, I stocked up on zips!

I also bought some trims, buttons etc.

We also dropped into Angus International for some silks. That was an adventure in itself. Finding the place, going up the ancient lift and into a private residence. They were renovating their store and the stock wasn't there but the remnants were! So here we were rummaging through neatly packed silks in someones kitchen, without aircon. It was hot!!! They did not have a lot, just basics. This is what I got:
As to other shopping, I bought three RTW suits, 2 pairs of shoes, 3 handbags, 2 pairs of jeans, a Chanel trench (nice find in an outlet shop), makeup, perfume and some things for the girls.

I have uploaded all my photos here. Enjoy!

Fabric!

I bet you all have been thinking I have dropped the fitting challenge. NO WAY! I have been at it since the last time I posted. I have taken photos, made more muslin's, sat and stared at my photos and......obsessively compulsively been working away at it. I have now tried something new, but I am not going to report on it yet just in case this doesn't work either.....but I am feeling hopeful.

So today I thought I would share with you some recent fabric purchases. I went to the Astratex's (formerly know as Artextile) 50% off summer sale. And these are my goodies....

A lovely pink pinstripe Pierre Cardin wool and my first ever silk jersey. Nice match huh? I was thinking skirt for the wool when I purchased it but maybe a nice jacket? A skirt is perhaps too predictable.

The left fabric is a nice linen blend, the next is a wool skirt length and the piece on the right is a Versace mixed blend I got for $10 a metre. They only had 1.6 left and now it is mine. Apparently there is a small fault, but nothing that can't be worked around. I'm thinking some nice pants!

I have also received my Amazon order which included this book that Carolyn recommended.


And I love it!! (Thanks Carolyn!) So you see I am very keen on getting fitting slopers so I can start playing around. My plan is to use this as a text book and work my way through it. What fun!

More fabric and......shoes!

Your comments and feedback on my last outfit were greatly appreciated. :) And in celebration, I have been shopping.

My sister and I went to Shepparton for the weekend to visit mum and ......well we visited the local Spotlight for some fabric therapy too. Last time we were there I saw a really appealing poly lycra pink and grey knit. I didn't buy it then but thought if it was still there it is meant to be mine. It was there - and now it is mine...along with a co ordinating grey knit and several other knit pieces that were found on the clearance table:

Most are viscose/elastine. The two at the top right are the only wovens and are poly satins. They are usually about $10 to $15 a metre and were on clearance at $5 a metre. I hear they are as low as $2 a metre at the Narre Warren store! You can also see in the photo that we visited Diva as well - 5 pieces for $10.

Cheryl and I also ventured around town and came across a shoe sale at Jeff Young Shoes. The already heavily discounted shoes were being offered at buy two and get a third free. Unfortunately I couldn't reduce my wants to only three, so I had four! Yes four new pairs of shoes. Here is the first pair:

and this is what I wore with them to work today:
The skirt is a simple straight skirt edged with lace and ribbon that I made pre blog days. The cardi and cami are RTW. The necklace was one of my Diva purchases.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's shoes.......

Vintage sewing....back when it wasn't vintage...

I just read Marji's post about the first garment she made and also Carolyn's post about some sewing that is several years old.

I think this McCall's pattern was the first thing I ever made. I made the short skirt, the long sleeve top and a scarf as well! I used a pretty groovy knit fabric as well - plain interlock I suppose as spandex was not around back in the early 70's. I still have the top (not sure what happened to the skirt and here is a picture of Ellen modelling it....

Here is a close up of the fabric (and if you check out the shoulders) and a close up of how I fixed the problem of too much fabric from shoulder to bust ...mmm...

I don't remember buying this fabric, but I do remember a very early on fabric experience. It was a red cotton with I think flowers, or it could have been abstract design, that was outlined in gold metallic paint...ahhhh...I HAD TO HAVE IT. I made the following pattern. Unfortunately I don't have any photo of the shirt.I wasn't really happy with the shirt as it was too big and the collar was too stiff - the old interfacing problems!

While I was searching through old patterns I found the following. My sister Cheryl was after one that we both made up way back when - are these what you were after sister dear?

Out with my babies...

.

Today we went shopping along Brunswick Street. This is a very bohemian shopping strip in Fitzroy (Melbourne). Sofie bought a pair of white ankle boots and I managed to find a bargain or two at Clear It - the Alannah Hill clearance shop. I found a tweed at $2.50 a metre and a satin at $6.00 a metre. I thought the tweed was silk, but on testing back at home (burn and smell testing) I think it is cotton acrylic.

It burnt readily and was not self extinguishing and some fibres could be crushed and some not. Anyway, at $2.50 it is still a bargain - I bought 5 metres. The other one is silk. The burn test confirmed this. I bought 3 metres. It would make a great top, skirt, dress or lining. Very, very soft and silky.

After Brunswick St, we went to Bridge Road, Richmond. Another strip shopping road that has a lot of outlet stores. Sofie bought a tunic top/dress and I managed to buy some gorgeous shoes.........

Poor Ellen did not score in the purchases department but had a good time anyway!