Birmingham Fabric Haul

Hi all,

Just wanted to show you all the beautiful preciousssssesss that I got in Birmingham last weekend between the shops and the swap!

First of all, we had Barry's Fabrics. It was like walking into a heavenly planet! There were so many rolls of fabric, I spent the first 15 mins just walking up and down the aisles. Up and down. Up and down.

(trying not to trip up any of the other 30 sewists along the way!)

Eventually I found a cream cotton with roses that caught my eye, but it was £10/m and I didn't love it enough to justify the cash.

But then I stumbled across this beautiful heavy cotton stretch sateen (I think!) in a lovely cream and mauve floral swirl. I decided to get 3 metres. At £4.95/m it was definitely worth it!

Then I decided to pick up these beautiful checks. They looked so vintage, I couldn't help but picture the garments that they could create!

Then, as I was getting everything cut, I mentioned I had been looking for some Broiderie Anglaise (after some inspiration on the train from Elisalex), and I was taken a beautiful array! I had been looking for a simple white eyelet one, but I came across these beautiful embroidered ones. And in a Lemon and Pale Mint. They will be wonderful sundresses.

I love love love them! And thankfully you wonderful people let me cut back into the queue to finish off! My dodgy shoulders could hardly take any more carrying bolts of fabric! 

I was pleasantly surprised when 10% was taken off the bill, the girls had negotiated a super deal.

And that was my race winnings gone in one fell swoop... 3/m of the sateen and 2/m of the other four came to £49.00 after discount. And all wide rolls. Amazing.

At Cafe Soya, we had a wonderful lunch, and an even better swap.. Tables piled high with fabric and patterns.

Claire was the chairperson of the swap!

I brought a few bits of fabric that I had no use for, and a couple of patterns. One girls trash is another's treasure! I only took a couple of pieces of fabric to begin with, but after a while it became clear that some other cute bits weren't moving so I took a couple more. I have more than enough patterns!

This is what I picked up. I sometimes can't believe that people could let them go!

 I really love the green patterned piece in the back, very vintage. I know the green polka dot was from Amy. Thanks Amy! She had a cute little label on with the length noted. Something to remember to do next time! 

The blue fabric is nice and heavy and I think I'm going to make a diyCouture cape from it. I also really like the ivory lace. The pink is lovely but when I was putting it away I noticed it has dark tracing markings all over the back. Hopefully they come out in the wash??

I was actually just about to sign off the blog post here - but I've just remembered that I've forgotten the best bits!!

In the rag market, I basically came across this stall as soon as I walked in. He had the most amazing heavy cottons, and I had an internal mental war over spending! I had to walk away, but I couldn't stay away.

 Let's just say that they are on my credit card.

 At £10/m, it was the most I've ever spent per/m on fabric, but there's no way I could leave them behind.

Maps! In olden language, and in a beautiful muted tone. I got the last of the roll. Ooooohhh yeah.

And these beautiful China patterns. They are the most beautiful shades. I was trying to choose between for so long but I just had to get them both. There was a grey version too. I did try to haggle him down a little as I was buying 6 metres of fabric, but he wouldn't budge. In a nice way though!

I stupidly had gotten him to measure the map piece out for me, as he had thought there was only 1.5m left on the roll, but there was just over 2m. Silly me. 

But I really don't care. They are exactly what I have been looking for.

I am gutted I didn't get to Fancy Silks. But to be honest I couldn't even carry any more. 

You should've seen me running through the tube and train station to try and make an earlier connecting train in London. I must have looked like a mad woman.

Just so you know, I made the train! 

And of course, came upon a friend of Mr.G's, all sweaty, breathless and unable to speak or breathe. 

Attractive.

Squeeeee pretty fabric.

Love you Long time x

Sewing Space, Singer and Stash

Hi all,

Sorry I've not posted over the last couple weeks, been working my way through the Frankenstein Dress (chickened out at the zip, but don't worry, it's in now!) and was at the Birmingham meetup last weekend, which has totally converted me to Birmingham fabric shopping. With a railcard, its only £14 return from Kent on a Saturday if you plan it far enough ahead. Which is cheaper than a travelcard to London for me. And, even with missing out on shopping in Fancy Silks, it beats Goldhawk Rd for me on this occassion! I'll have to take a few pics of my fabric haul tonight and pop them up for you to appraise!

Since I hadn't finished my dress, (although it is in the background of this post, whoops, pretend it's not there, shhhh) and because I had a belated spring cleaning, I decided to take some photo's to show you my sewing space.

My sewing space is basically the far end of my sitting room! Thankfully, due to the fact that my flat is the ground floor of a Victorian semi, so the ceilings are huge, and the rooms are large. I don't know how I would manage otherwise! I spread out a lot when I'm sewing and take over most of the room when I get into it.

So the space consists of my sewing table, my dining table, my mannequin and my ironing board. The sewing table has my Janome, and all of my accessories/implements/notions in random tins and boxes. I would kill for some shelving above the table but I'm renting so no holes in the wall for me. I keep my stash in boxes underneath the table so I can always see it and it can be close to me. My precious.

Some of my favourite things on my sewing table are the lamp that my Mr.G's mum got me. Its super strong and bright for when I'm hand sewing or unpicking. Usually unpicking. 

I also love the striped tin with all my scissors, its the perfect size and never falls over!

One thing missing from the picture is my corkboard, which I use when I want to trace things or cut things out on my lap. Which I do quite a lot when I'm lazy and they're small enough.

The clear boxes are a new addition during the spring clean and house zips in one, buttons in another and random notions in the last. I like that they are all segregated now. My patterns used to live on the sewing table too, but they were stressing me out because I couldn't rind a decent storage box, so they now live in the drawer beside the ironing board for the time being. The drawer next to that has some small fabric scraps and items I'm refashioning/altering. Let me rephrase that actually, item I'm (supposed to be) refashioning/altering.

My dining table is usually covered in scattered pattern pieces and random offcuts but today it houses my new pride and joy, my 1938 Singer 201k.

This was recommended to me by a quilter I befriended at work. For those who don't know about the different Singer models (and not that I do - but I know about this one!) - The 201k has been noted as the finest domestic sewing machine that the company ever made and many enthusiasts say that there is no machine that will stitch better, even today. I haven't had much use yet as I had issues with a ghost-ridden pedal, but my friend prefers to sew on it than her £2000 Bernina. 

Back when they were made they could cost up to 6 months wages! I have seen a receipt from 1940 which showed one would set you back about £13. They ceased production in 1961 as they became to expensive to make. The older ones weighed a tonne too, which I can definitely attest to! about 20kg I think, I can hardly move it. The pedal is fixed now and I've bought new needles so will use it for my next make I think! It runs so smooth, and from what I can remember, can sew through something like 6mm of leather like butter. Not that I'm a leather fiend myself but everyone gets bulky seams every now and then!

Lastly theres my stash. I have it in 3 boxes technically, but one is hidden in the back. That one has my wool & knitting needles and my embroidery hoops and embroidery threads. The two at the front are all my fabrics (although there may be a pair of curtains thats in that plastic bag). The top box is my most precious!

It is a bit ridiculously big for the amount of things I've made and the rate at which I sew. 

( I like to tell myself that you all have more than me to make myself feel better about buying!)

As I said, the top box is my most precious. What I like about buying new bits is that what used to be the most precious gets pushed so far down the line that I feel like I can use it without fear.

I'll give you a sneak peek into the box of treasures

I don't pre-plan purchases, or match patterns with fabric before I buy one or the other. I just fall in love. And I fall in love a lot. 

Thankfully, I feel like I've gathered so much beautiful stuff that I have a benchmark now. If something doesn't live up in price/quality/love quotient to what I already have, then its not worth it! And yes, most will be dresses. Mostly because I have no tops to wear with skirts. Which would make you think - make some tops so you can make skirts! But I also had a look through my wardrobe the other day and found out I have over 50 skirts already. Don't know how that happened.

Whoops. (not sorry).

Bit it does not take away from the fact mean I should make plan block colour tops.

So now I proposition each and every one of you. Show me your sewing space and, most importantly, show me your stash!

Vintage Fabric & Notions

Hi All,

Just wanted to share the goodies I got last weekend at the Chelsea Vintage Frock!
I took out lots of money when I went (as that usually jinxes me finding something to buy) but I left with empty pockets.. oops :)

I sure as hell didn't go there expecting to find any sewing bits, but I sure was wrong!

First thing I found was some vintage Grosgrain. I had encountered this before, and its so stiff, and perfect to support waistbands. This one was even stiffer, and I was bloody delighted. I bought the whole roll and the remnants of another. That was my first score.

Then on the same stall, I found this lovely fabric. I thought it could be a beautiful Shirtwaist dress so I closed my eyes and asked for the price.... and he said £25 so I snapped it up! There's just over 2 metres so I should be able to squeeze something out of it!

Then I stumbled across this beautiful vintage dress stall, although at £150-£300 they were well out of my price range! But he had some lovely patterns too and I got these two.

THEN I found this little old lady with beautiful notions and lace, and I carefully chose a few bits. I tried to ensure I would use them all, so I spent a lot of time picturing what I could do with it. I thought the lace and Broiderie Anglaise could trim a skirt or waistband to make them more vintage styled. I even thought I could make a press stud waistband with some of them.

She also had some cards of button, so a picked out my favourites of those too! I hate when I want to do a project and I don't have any buttons and she was selling them off cheap!

Happy happy happy.... The OH has told me that I need to stop buying things now and start using them!

(Shhhhh...... also picked up these two patterns on eBay.)

Don't tell!!

Love Emmie x