Tuesday, May 6, 2014

What a Wonderful Weekend! Part 1

Before I start, I just want to thank everyone for all the comments on my last post.  I have read them all but I haven't commented on each of them.  At the end of the day I wish the pattern companies would put the measurements of the finished garment on the back of the envelope so we can make an educated decision when we choose which size to buy.

But now, on with today's post!

I had the most marvelous weekend!!!  I am part of an Australian sewing group on Facebook, made up of a small group of ladies from around the country, some of which I already knew from my LA trip last year.  One of the ladies - Kim, who organised the LA trip - decided to host a get together at her home just outside of Brisbane.  I wasn't going to let an interstate trip stop me from getting together with a bunch of like-minded people, so I booked my flights and off I went.

The lovely Kim offered to let me stay with her family AND they even picked me up from the airport!!!  As well as that she organised a night out with some of the Brisbane ladies from the LA trip, and some other vintage loving gals.

This is us at Lefty's Old Time Music Hall
Love that place!  Can't wait to go back!!

Saturday was the sewing group lunch.  Kim has an amazing collection of Home Journals from the late 30s through to the late 50s, vintage sewing books, and vintage pattern books amongst other things.  We spent the first part sitting on the verandah in the sun going through the books, drinking tea and champagne and talking all things sewing.

 Look at Bree and I using our acting so it looks like we are reading that catalogue while that photo is being taken.  We totally pulled it off!

Seriously, I died over these catalogues.  Thankfully (for Kim) they were too big to put in my handbag, and my suitcase was already overweight...


Mz Vicki (who writes a blog over at Rayon Dreams in a Cheesecake World), brought a couple of things she was part way through sewing that she had questions about.  With the experience around the table were able to help her out (I may have been called a seamstress guru...!!!)

 We had an 'Ellen-Selfie' moment...

This is Bree - I met her while we were both part of Miss Pinup Australia, and we've been friends ever since.

This is Mz Vicki - we hadn't met before but had come across each other a lot on Facebook... but now we're friends in person too!!!

 This is Janis.  Lets take a minute to talk about Janis

I met Janis on the LA trip last year, and she is a lovely lady.  After spending time with me in LA she knows me pretty well, and knows exactly what I like... which is why she brought a whole lot of VINTAGE BORDER PRINTS and gave me first right of refusal.

Janis gifted me a hat to go with this one - the colours are an almost perfect match!

These pots alternate along the length of the fabric!

Cowboys chasing bison!

This may well have been intended for curtains but WHO CARES!

I think this one is my favourite by a very close margin - FOX HUNT!

I didn't refuse any of them...

I LOVE YOU JANIS!!!!!!  I know have about 7 border prints I'm intending to make skirts from...  I'm seeing a weekend making skirts in an assembly line fashion in my future!

After several promptings from Kim, we managed to tear ourselves away from the books and moved to the dining room where the chat continued while we ate delicious food and sweet treats (and drank more tea and champagne).  We even started planning possible future get togethers!

THEN we moved to the other side of the verandah were we had put the things we brought with us, and it was time for the sell and swap part of the afternoon!

 Rummage time!

Even Kim's puppy Milly got involved by guarding the stash of things that Kim had grabbed.

I gave away some of my things, and picked up a few patterns that I plan on using for bribery.  More on that at some point (if my bribery is successful!!!)

Kim had anticipated that the lunch would end at 2pm, but I looked at the time at this point and it was 4.30pm and everyone was still having an amazing time just hanging about and chatting!  It really was wonderful to spend time with such like-minded ladies!

Keen-eyed readers will have noticed what I'm wearing.  I decided to debut my Peplums and Cocktails dress and it was super comfortable to wear, fit well, and garnered many compliments!!!  Thanks Mz Vicki for being my photographer.



Isn't it lovely when you see a photo of yourself from behind and you think 'gee, my bum is nowhere near as big as I thought it was' !!!

I did have to do some very last minute sewing as I was packing my bag.  I realised that I hadn't made the belt for the dress!  The 1920s brass buckle had arrived and I'd put it down and forgotten about it!!!  Luckily making a belt takes about 10 minutes.  Just don't inspect the hand sewing too closely.

I just realised that this post is quite long already, so I'm going to leave the second half of my weekend to my next post.

Have any of you attended or hosted a meet-up like this?  Would you highly recommend it too?

Beccie
xxx

6 comments:

  1. I wish I had friends like you to share my passion for vintage. And of course friends with nice fabrics to share... Beccie, honestly, your "bum" is NOT fat! Most women think their bums are, but we're just curvy, and you look so splendid in that dress! I can see you enjoyed the time with your friends a lot, you're radiant! I'm happy for you... :-)

    And P.S.: I like the house, the door is fantastic. Perfect place for your pictures with the dress.

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    1. Hi Doris *waves*

      It is lovely to spend time with people who love what you love, and I don't get to do it often enough! I'm lucky that I can afford to fly short distances when I feel the need for quality time with ladies like these ones.

      Its funny how we all think we are bigger than we actually are, isn't it! I know I fit into the curvy category rather than 'fat', but I've had a complex about the size of my bum since I was a teenager and someone made an unkind comment. Up until that point I'd never been worried about it.

      Silly isn't it!

      The house was amazing Doris! I'm going to include some more photos of it in my next post :)

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  2. That dress is completely perfect on you, I love it. I am also loving your hair this length...can I ask if you got it layered to hold the curls better or is it a blunt cut? I'm getting a bit lopped off mine Thursday and still trying to work out what length I need to still get shoulder length curled hair.

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    1. Thanks honey! My hair is a blunt cut, so no layers. And when its straight it sits a couple of inches below my shoulders. Hope that helps xxx

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  3. First, you look really amazing in that dress. Just gorgeous! Second, how neat to get together with other like minded people. You are so lucky! The day seemed like it was so relaxing and enjoyable! Yay! xox

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    1. Bunny, it was wonderful. I had the best weekend ever and feel really blessed to have had the opportunity :)

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