A Meet-up, A Gathering, A Reminder...

Originally I was going to write this post in the order the title appears but Imma start from the end and go backwards...

A Reminder ~

First the fabric discounts still in effect:
The first one is from Smugglers Daughter.  The 20% off discount is still in effect and will be until Saturday, September 30th at midnight PST. Use the code "FANATIC" to get 20% off your total order.

The second discount is from LAFinch Fabrics.  They are also offering a 20% discount off all fabrics including sale fabrics.  The discount is in effect until Saturday, September 30th at midnight PST. Use the code "FANATIC" to get the discount.

The giveaways:
1. The All New Fabric Savvy - How to Choose & Use Fabrics - the new book by Sandra Betzina - If you'd like to win the book, please leave a comment using "Book 1"

2. The Clapper with point turner - If you'd like to win the clapper, please leave a comment using "Clapper 2"

3.  Magnetic Pincushion - 4" magnetic bowl to hold your pins - if you'd like to win it, please leave a comment using "Pincushion 3"

Only entries left on my original blog post will be entered into the drawing. The drawing ends tonight at 11:59pm EST.  I will shut the comments section down after that.

* * * * * * * * * * *

A Gathering ~

(This wasn't all of the attendees, some had left by the time we took the picture)

#wineandcheesewithkashi has become an annual event. This year though it was merged with the #NYSewcialisthour so there wouldn't be two events occurring in the same week.  Well that was my thinking! *LOL* Anyway, we had a great turnout.  Sewists from the NY Tri-State area came to shop, sip and talk. There were a lot of great fabrics pulled, ooohhhed and aaahhhed over and purchased.

I will admit to walking away with two shirting fabrics myself. I think everyone had a good time and thanks to everyone who came through!

* * * * * * * * * *

A Meet-up ~
Meg from Cookin' and Craftin' reached out to me this summer about meeting up when she visited NYC in September for a wedding. I follow Meg's blog and her IG account and love what she sews. I was also interested in the fact that she spent the last couple of years living in Thailand. So being my nosey self I said yes...even though she was only available to meet on a Friday and I work from home on Fridays. 

I'm so thrilled that I came to work that Friday because Meg is as amazing in person as she is on her social media accounts.  We ended up having lunch with Claire - domesticcoquinette.  We were talking so much while walking around the fabric stores, that we decided to just sit and talk!

However, we did make it to Mood, and met Marcy at the elevators as we were leaving! Fortuitious! It's the only photo of the day because we were enjoying each other's company so much.

Please don't forget the fabric discounts and this one last opportunity to enter the giveaway.  The giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST and the fabric discounts end at midnight PST.  These are the last offers for National Sewing Month for 2017.

...as always more later!

The Last Tuesday of the Month + Wine & Cheese with Kashi

I'm late...I'm late for a very important date! So says the White Rabbit and me...

See I was supposed to share with y'all last week about how The New York Sewcialists, "Last Tuesday of the Month" meet-up and Wine & Cheese with Kashi is merged this year.

Group from 2016

All sewists in the NYC area are invited to come out to Metro Textiles on Tuesday, September 26th from 5:30 to 8pm.  You can socialize and meet other sewists, shop and have Kashi pull some fabrics just for you.

Group from 2015

There will be wine and cheese served AND 20% off your total order! So come out, shop, socialize and buy a couple of new pieces for your stash at 20% off!

Last Tuesday of the Month Meet-Up/Wine & Cheese with Kashi

Tuesday, September 26th

Metro Textiles

265 37th Street, 9th flr.

New York, NY 

5:30 - 8pm

Looking forward to seeing you there!!!

#wineandcheesewithkashi 2016

About 30 women gathered at Metro Textiles last Thursday evening for some wine, some cheese and ALOT of fabric shopping! I want to thank everyone who came through and made the evening a success.  

A few photos ~

Some of the women who came out to shop

Peggy who came in to go to CampWorkroomSocial

Andrea (KnitKnac) and Arlette (arlycorr)

Clio Phineas and Rachel from House of Pinheiro

Rachel and I meeting for the first time!

Beth (SunnygalStudio), Rachel,  Claire (domesticcoquinette), Carol (makeitanywear), 

Jinxandgunner, Sonja (GingerMakes), Andrea (KnitKnac)

Kashi was thrilled with the turnout especially since he was closed for two days this week for Yom Kippur. 

One of the reasons I do this every year ~ besides the gathering together and fabric shopping ~ is to make sure that this fabric merchant endures. There have been several businesses in the garment district that have disappeared lately for various reasons. I know that we sewists can't buy more fabric than we can afford or store but these fabric stores do depend on our patronage.

So I may make this a spring and fall event next year.  If so, I hope you'll come out, shop, socialize and help insure that the garment district continues to thrive!

...as always more later!

A New Dress and an Event!

A couple of weeks ago Kashi asked me to invite a few friends over for an evening shopping event at Metro Textiles. We decided to add a little wine and cheese and since I didn't want anyone to be slighted, my friends (@oonaballoona @gingermakes @sownbrooklyn) and I shared the event on Instagram...opening it up to anyone who wanted to stop by and shop. 

However, the day before I stopped by Metro Textiles to finalize a few details with Kashi, and he came up with an idea. He asked me if he gave me a piece of fabric could I make something to wear to the event the next evening. Can anyone say "Challenge!" I left work a half hour early and made it home by 6:10pm which left me about 6 hours to make a dress.

Now of course I wasn't going to start from scratch using a new pattern because I would definitely be rushing the process and might end up with a wadder. Instead I went with my summer fave ~ McCalls 6559!  The day of the event was supposed to be hot and humid in NYC (summer is hanging in rough in NYC this year) so McCalls 6559 was up to the challenge!

The Dress Materials...

2 yards of a cotton knit houndstooth
5 yards of a polka dot foldover elastic purchased from Pacific Trimmings
A little seam tape
Fusible stay tape

This is what I ended up with...

A little construction information ~
The good thing about choosing this pattern is that it's already been fitted to my body and made numerous times this summer. The second thing was that I could figure out my cutting and construction process on the train ride home which made it easier to sew. Lastly since it was a knit there are no seam finishes inside the dress.

The construction details are in photos below...

I used my knee length version then added 6" to the bottom

by using pins to designate the extra inches

Design Plus Straight Fusible Stay Tape 

was added to the neckline & armholes

Then the polka dot foldover elastic 

was added to the neckline and armholes

using a zigzag stitch

The question I was asked most about the dress was how did I get the fringe so even... 
I used a June Tailor Shape Cut purchased a hundred years ago and stored with the other quilting supplies in the cave. Yes, I own quilting supplies because about 20 years ago, I was really into art-to-wear sewing. It's easier to cut shapes with squares, triangles, etc.

So I pulled out the Shape Cut placed it on the fabric and cut 1/2" strips using my rotary cutter. Here's a link on how to use the Shape Cut. Mine were cut 7" from the hemline so the entire bottom of the dress would be fringed.

The June Tailor Shape Cut, seam tape, fusible stay tape and cutting mat

Shape Cut placed on top of the dress to cut the fringe

To be perfectly honest all of the strips aren't the same size but it works. I'm not sure if making the fringe prior to constructing the dress would have made the strips equal sized. However, I was working in a short time frame so I went with what was fastest!

#wineandcheesewithkashi ~
About 25 women showed up to shop and I think a great time was had by all.  A few pictures are below... 

...if you're on Instagram, use the hashtag wineandcheesewithkashi to see other pics from the evening!

Kashi has asked us to sponsor a few more of these so we will.  When dates are decided, look to social media where it will be announced first. Thanks to everyone who came out and shopped. It was a great event!

Also my McCalls 6559 did not let me down!

...as always more later!