Thanks to the fabulous organisation of Kristie at Lower Your Presser Foot the Sydney sewers braved the wet weather to attend high tea at the American Club.
For those of us who don't have many friends or colleagues who sew, it was such a pleasure to meet with so many like minded talented and creative women.
I'm pictured with Maria wearing her very special Laura Nash design Fifth Avenue dress. Maria is member of my Australian Sewing Guild Group.
My dress is a bit special too, made for the occasion from Butterick 5521. Its a reversible polyester brocade, so I had the opportunity to play around with the design by using the pattern reverse on the side panels and the sleeves. The dress is fully lined with a lightweight polyester lining.
I highly recommend the pattern and will definitely make a sleeveless version in summer.
Also enjoyed meeting Lizzy who wore an exquisite 1950s lace dress and Christie who suggested an informal fabric and notions swap and ensured that I left with more fabric and patterns than I arrived with!
There were many other lovely women present and I hope that I will see them again - making my sewing world less virtual.
Next up I have a Burda colour blocked ponte dress under construction and need a blouse to wear with my new Burda pencil skirt, so that I can show it off. Happy sewing to my real and virtual sewing friends!
I look a little cross don't I? Well I won't tell you what my husband said as he took this photo.
My annoyance has nothing to do with my new jacket - Burda February 2009 109 which I'm rather pleased with despite its awfully long gestation. Firstly taking four years to trace off a pattern I loved, then taking four attempts to overcome some construction problems.
Everything was going remarkably well until I attached the collar and neck facings. Despite very carefully marking out my seam lines and joins with tailor's tacks I couldn't make it fit into place. Four unpickings and some further adjustments later I finally tamed the beast into submission.
I've had the fabric for while, vintage heavy cotton that doesn't crush easily and performs well under the needle. The lining also came from my favourite fabric charity. It was also great to use my favourite buttons in stash which I bought on sale years ago with no particular purpose in mind. They are rather flash black with greyish mother of pearl centres and I had just the right number for this project.
I have some left over fabric and eventually will make a tie belt for the jacket so that I can also wear it open over a singlet for a more casual look. Not sure when I'll get around to it. Winter has arrived in Sydney and I need some warm weather gear. I've made a short list of potential projects and will cut something out tomorrow. I've been travelling a bit for work lately which takes me away from the sewing machine. When I'm in country NSW I try to buy something from the local fabric store or haberdashery. Never is it more of a pleasure than in Armidale when I visit Fabric Fair. The range and quality is stunning. I bought a beautiful piece of gold guipure lace and a lovely print jersey and if I wasn't running for plane would have bought more!
