Leather Bag Handles, City Quilter Closing, Woven Label Giveaway

Hello from a random vacation day.  The weather was phenomenal today!!!  Anyhoo, it's a bit of a smorgasbord post, with three topics that don't necessarily warrant their own post:

1.  The Leather Bag Handles have Stretched.

They have also stretched on the other side of the same strap, I just didn't point it out in the photo above.

• I have been using and enjoying my leather tote.  It is a great size, not too big and not too small.
• It is lamb leather, so it is incredibly soft, and those who touch this bag in person remark how much softer it is than they thought it would be.  One of my coworkers was compelled to bury her face in it, that's how soft it was!
• The handles have started to stretch, though.    I was very concerned about the handles separating from the bag (which is not happening) but had not considered that the straps would stretch.  Next time I will insert buckram between the two strap layers to prevent that from happening.
• I still haven't sealed the raw edges with gum tragacanth, and I'm not sure that I will.

The City Quilter Is Closing

The City Quilter storefront in 2013


My first pillow "quilt" top, pieced but not quilted yet, Elizabeth Hartman Fancy Fox II pattern. I bought the original Fancy Fox (and a few other quilting patterns) at The City Quilter, even though I don't quilt.


The City Quilter NYC subway fabric as an interior zipper pocket from a bag I made in 2014

• MPB Day 2016 was amazingly hot (I don't think I've ever sweat that much in one weekend  in my whole life) and also really fun.  I felt so incredibly happy throughout the day.  
• Alert:  I did not buy ANY fabric during MPB Day this year. My sewing room reorg really made me not want to add to the stash.  And it was soooo hot, I didn't want to carry more fabric around.
• However, Anne told me  that the City Quilter is closing their bricks and mortar store in October.  A google search found these two posts here and here.  
• I'm not a quilter (slowly venturing into quilting) but I have always loved the CQ for many reasons: .  
• This is the only source for the NYC subway fabric that I have used in many zipper pockets and also a few gifted zipper pouches, and they will continue to sell that fabric online (it is their own design).  
• I've always been tempted by their umbrella kit, but truth is I'm never going to use an umbrella that is that big.  If I lived in NYC though, I could totally have seen myself going to one of their umbrella kit classes for an afternoon.
• I purchased a few sashiko kits at the CQ.
• It's also how I discovered Heidi Boyd Crafts--I saw her kits at the CQ last August.   As you know I am a huge Heidi Boyd fan and have stitched many of her kits in the past year.
• ATP and I will visit the CQ in September, but I'm not sure what their store will be like then, so close to closing.  I will miss you, CQ!!

Heidi Boyd Craft Excitement

Woven Labels Giveaway

• Sometimes people ask where I get the woven labels with random words on them (not the custom-made labels with "Vacuuming the Lawn" but the other kind.)
• I bought some at Joann's but found many through variety packs on eBay, particularly the "Me and My Big Ideas" or MAMBI woven labels that I think are intended for scrapbooking (set up an eBay search alert if you want to buy some yourself).
• I am purging some of these labels because of my sewing room reorg; would you like any of these? If yes, just leave in the comments which one(s) you want and I am happy to mail them to you for free, even internationally.  They are very light and thin so I can mail them like a letter.  First come, first served.

Be well!

MPB Day 2015 recap

With the man himself.  I'm wearing a Vogue 8571 pattern I picked up at the MPB Day 2013 pattern swap, failed to finish it in time to wear to MPB Day 2014, but wore it this year


At Chelsea Flea Market: The early bird men of MPB Day 2015.  Peter, James from Craft Space Continuum, Enrique from EnriqueSews

Modelling for Enrique, en route from Chelsea Flea Market to the FIT Museum

Enrique says don't smile.  Peter with Lynn (who shared her birthday with MPB Day!) of You Sew Girl!

Hoof it to FIT

Right this way...on a bright, gorgeous sunny day

James and the clever tote bag he made from a dog food bag.


FIT Museum exhibit dress--white rolled hem on black fabric--I want to try that idea sometime--the white on black rolled hem, not all those appendages.

Tomasa from Sew Much Fashion and me at Panera

Peter outside Panera outlining the afternoon's agenda

Crossing 33rd at 7th in midtown Manhattan

At my favorite store in the world, Pacific Trimming, in my favorite aisle: elastic and piping!


MainelyDad, his amazing shirt and I unite over our taking pix with our self timers in our back and side yards

Tomasa and Anne from Sewing to Soothe My Soul rejoice over their finds in the free box at Paron's

What's that, you say? Paron's has a free box?  Don't know if they have a free box every day, but they had one on Saturday.

Petting Amanda's fabric on 39th. See the video Peter captured (with sound) here.

Bryant Park.  MainelyDad and his fabric from....Kashi's was it?  That's a Kashi shopping bag....

Checking out Lynn's jeans--that she carried around with her all day just so I could try them on--gold star to you Lynn!  Left to right:  Lynn, Tomasa, Claire from England, Anne


in Bryant Park




Say "sashiko!" (Pretend there's no "i" in it...sash-ko).  James said I have inspired him to try sashiko.  That's awesome!  (You can see my Butterick 6072 backpack hanging off my shoulder...)

It was quite fun to meet up with old friends and meet some of my blog followers like James!  My only regrets were not having a photo shoot with Enrique (whose immense enthusiasm for sewing inspires me to keep on sewing when I sometimes feel like giving it all up) and not having enough energy to see Kashi again, though I'm sure my credit card and stash closet are ok with that.  (He opened Metro Textiles on Saturday just for us, but I ran out of energy.  Kashi, that white leaf eyelet is still burned into my brain!)

Also if you introduced yourself to me, thanks for saying hi!  Can you please leave a comment with your blog name or other way I can reach you (twitter, instagram)?  Thanks!


As darkness descends....

The Empire State Building as seen from Chelsea last night....

Thank you Peter for bringing the sewing community together in this way for 5 years in a row!

Be well!

MPB Day 2014 Recap: A celebration of all things Peter Lappin

I. love. this. photo!  I stole it from Suzanne's Instagram--thank you Beau Baby!

This was my third MPB Day.   It was the largest and the most man-filled MPB Day ever, as Peter pointed out in his recap.

I had a rough night the night before and felt terrible when I woke up.  I thought about skipping the event entirely, but then I read a comment on my Friday night post from Mae who said she's in Australia and wished she could go.  So I dragged myself out of bed and went partly for her, a woman I've never met from a place I've never been, because I could go if I just got over myself.  And I'm so glad I did!

I wore Vogue 1351 that I made last summer (since I didn't finish my MPB Day dress on time) and carried this bag I made last November.

I did a little pre-MPB Day shopping at the City Quilter, then joined the group at the FIT Museum where we saw "Exposed", an exhibit about the history of lingerie.  There I ran into Tomasa, aka TJSews on PR.  I hadn't seen her since PR Weekend NYC 2012, and it was great to spend the day with her!

We all ate lunch at Panera, where Kathy of spottedroo joined us with her newborn and her sister.  I'm sorry we didn't get to talk more or get a picture, as I've read her blog a very long time and enjoyed it so much!  And I met Enrique of Enrique Sews.  What a talented guy--sewing his own dress shirts and skinny ties at night after he spends his days working on cars.  I also met Paula of Getting Things Sewn--she was the woman with the index cards with her fabric swatches in Peter's recap!!  We dumped, I mean swapped, our unwanted patterns right there on the second floor of Panera.  I brought my friend's unwanted patterns and took none....win!  (well, maybe "win for me" as I'm guessing poor Michael had to drag the remainder home.)


Me with the King of Sewing Blogs, Mr. MPB himself

Crowding around Mr MPB post-Panera, to give directions for the afternoon

Tomasa and me with the garment worker. Tomasa just posted her first blog post, on why she sews. Great topic--I might have to cover that in a blog post of my own as it's a topic I struggle with every time I have trouble fitting.

My chunky metal zipper, cut to 60cm for the Maria Denmark Lotta Bag, descends from the second floor at Pacific Trim

Reach for the zipper! Reach!  Pacific Trimming is my favorite store on the planet, but the lack of a/c makes for a brief visit in the summer.

The scene at Paron, everything was 40% off and I wanted it all but showed shocking restraint. If you are a long time reader of my blog, you know that buying only 2 pieces of fabric *is* shocking restraint.

Tomasa only bought one piece of fabric, this green Irish Linen at Paron's she saw on a prior trip.

Loved this description!!

I know, I know, more blue non-wrinkly non-natural fiber fabric was purchased! But it wasn't a ponte knit and it has amazing drape.

Anyway, Tomasa and I hit up Paron (twice, I had to go back for a second piece of fabric), Pacific Trimming, Daytona Trim, SIL Thread, and, um, was that it?  We also tried to find my favorite chocolate shop near Bryant Park but it was gone!  I didn't go to Mood this trip but heard that Tim Gunn had been there that day.    Rats!  We finished off the day at Bryant Park, where more peeps than ever from the original morning group met up to show off purchases and recount the day.  Peter is correct; stamina is increasing with every MPB Day.




My purchases.  The green tag had my shopping list and swatches of stretch lace, for color matching FOE.



I'm going to make a denim jacket and these compass shank buttons from Pacific Trimming are perfect.  I didn't want the boring star ones...



Black tailoring wax (which looks gigantic without scale) and square snaps that I have been coveting since PR Weekend 2012 from Daytona Trim.


I wonder what musical this is from...I guess I could google it...Peter gave us a list of stores on the back of sheet music.  The lyrics on mine start out innocent but become a bit risque....

Thank you Peter for getting the sewing community together in this way every year!  and thank you for all your sewing inspiration all year long!

Be well!

MPB Day 2013 recap

I. had. SO. much. FUN!
MPB Day was a blast (and that was without gunshots this year.)

I got there for the 11am visit to the FIT museum, to see the RetroSpective exhibit.  First we stopped for pictures on the red carpet (ok, next to the red carpet) in the lobby of the FIT museum.

We started as 25 strong but this group grew throughout the day.    I'd say a third of attendees were MPB Day alums.
 
The exhibit was small, the talking was loud, and pictures were prohibited.  I met one of my blog followers, Mary, and we hit it off instantly.  We were joined at the hip for the rest of the day.  For someone I had never met before, we had so much to talk about!

Lunch was at Panera, and the pattern swap was on...
 
Then it was time to hit the garment district.   Half of us followed Clio and her purple hair to Mood.
Here's Mary and the delight that is the knits aisle at Mood Fabrics

Me and my first love, I mean, the double knits section at Mood Fabrics


Suzanne saw Sandro (yes Sandro!), Uli and another PR alum during our visit there.  I saw lots of fabric.

Then it was a blur:  SIL Thread, Spandex House, Pacific Trimming,  Chic Fabrics.

Express your love with rhinestones (Pacific Trimming)
 
Random truck (follow the jaywalking ladies on the left to SIL)

Mary and moi posing with the mannequin at Chic Fabrics

The day wound up at Bryant Park for show and tell (this is maybe a third of the group):
Me and Mr MPB himself!

I'm wearing M6078 (polka dot cowl top), NL6843 skirt, and the bag is S8331.  I'm even wearing my own undies, but I didn't flash anyone. 

Then Mary was going back to the train station but she readily agreed to procure doughnuts from Doughnut Plant first.  I don't think I'd ever noticed the carrot doughnut before...or the banana one for that matter.


And then she agreed to take a later train so we could have dinner at Brgr (no need for vowels!)

On the right is their "shake shot": 5oz of milkshake. Clever idea.

Thanks for coming with me back to Chelsea, Mary! It was so fun getting to know you!

As far as what I bought, I only went $66 over budget.  You know that bag that everyone made for the Super Online Sewing Match?  I want to make it.  I bought the swivel clips, webbing, D-rings, and had a zipper custom cut at Pacific Trimming (which is the BEST---they cut it on the balcony upstairs and then attach it to the end of a rope and lower it down to you while the guy yells out "zipper"...wish I took a pic of that).  Only $1 to cut it to the right length.  (The fabric is some kind of vinyl I bought in June at Kashi's with velosewer).


Zippers, piping, FOE from SIL Thread and Pacific Trimming:

All the fabric is from Mood except for the navy silk charmeuse from Chic:

Ivory silk organza (for the PR class on garment cloning, and a bit extra to use as a press cloth);
Navy Silk charmeuse
Black cotton and silk voile
Tan cotton jersey
Silver acetate and polyamide in center.

What I picked out of the pattern swap.  I *love* that Vogue pattern!!!  And am interested in the knit shirt on the right.


Thank you Peter for providing another opportunity for the sewing community to join together--see you next year!!