A Pledge Broken...

...so I'm gonna dust myself off, confess my stumble, and move on making today the first day of my new pledge.

Here is my confession ~
I broke my fabric pledge. I had sewing friends scheduled to come to town this weekend and we were going to spend the weekend together fabric shopping in the garment district. However, this is not what broke my vow. I can shop the garment district and not buy since I now work in the midst of the district, I don't feel any pressure to buy. 

What made me break my vow is that Chic Fabrics posted to Instagram that they were closing at the end of January because they lost their lease. I didn't partake in the Paron's closing sale because I felt I should have done more to support them but I'm in Chic Fabrics at least once a month. So pledge broken.

Let me back up and tell you how I spent two wonderful days and one night with an amazing group of women. Cennetta and I had been speaking about her coming to NYC in January for a couple of months. Airfares and hotel costs are the cheapest to NYC during the months of January through March so we planned for the MLK weekend. 

During that time a few other sewists joined in but we ended up with a small group of four ~

Friday Evening ~
I get off work at 5pm and almost everyone was arriving in NYC after 8pm so I took myself to see Hidden Figures.  If you haven't seen this movie, please see it as soon as you can because it is AMAZING. The story it tells about these three women is awesome and the 60s fashions are all fantastic. I will be seeing this movie again because it was just that good!

Katherine G. Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan 

and the actresses who portrayed them.

A church scene with the women dressed in their Sunday Finest

The black computing staff at NASA

After the movie, I met up with Gaylen (Gmariesews, CarriageCornerB&B) and Andrea (knitknac) for dinner while we waited for Cennetta's (Mahogany Stylist) plane to arrive. I had the best dinner, dessert and conversation with these women.

Saturday in the Garment Center ~
Cennetta is one of the Mood Sewing Network Bloggers but she'd never been to the Mood Store in NYC. She purchases her fabric from the Mood website. Because of that we made Mood our first stop where we spent a good portion of our time.

Cennetta with Eric, Owner of Mood Fabrics

Here is what I bought at Mood with a lot of enabling from my fellow sewists ~

L to R - Lt. Blue Tencel Denim, Paisley Print Cotton Stretch Twill

Roberto Cavello Denim w/Lycra that three of us purchased

Our next stops were SIL Threads, Spandex House and Pacific Trimmings. After that we took a quick break at Pret A Manger to rest and regroup. While there it started to snow, so in the snow we headed over to Chic Fabrics, our last stop of the day.

Here is what I bought at Chic Fabrics ~

L to R - a white pique ponte, a printed stretch jersey

and a border print ponte in black, red, grey and white

We talked to the owner about his situation and future plans. Of course, the Landlord has raised the rent, but an offer was made to make the space smaller and let him stay. If it's not accepted, he will move all of his stock out at the end of the month to a warehouse and look for another space in the district. Though after speaking with both him and Eric at Mood Fabrics, the rents that are being charged in the district are rising at alarming rates. We may see other fabric store closures in the future.

In the snow we trudged back to the hotel to wait for our dinner reservations at Rosa Mexicano. I have no pic of this although Sheila (sheila-ctz) and Olgalyn (O! Jolly! Crafting Fashions) both joined us for dinner. This is because while Rosa Mexicano has great Mexican food, the lighting is not conducive to taking photos. When we hit the street, it was still snowing, cold and dark. Yeah we were making it to the subway back to the hotel.

A few selfies that I got from Andrea ~

Andrea and Sheila

Gaylen and Andrea

Gaylen and I headed out after that. She graciously drove me home before heading back to the Inn. It was a wonderful couple of days. There were so many great conversations, a lot of fabric buying and quality time with fellow sewing sistahs who love our craft as much as I do ~ even though there was a lot of knitting going on! *LOL*

I'm headed back to my sewing machine since our offices are closed for MLK Day tomorrow. I have to finish up the cardigans that I started weeks ago.

...as always more later!

Sale Alert - One Day Only!

Mood Fabrics entire site is 20% off TODAY ONLY!!!  This is a rarity peoples so I would jump right on it! 

Now I'm sure you're wondering if I'm going to partake...actually no!  I'm sticking with my "no more fabric until 2014 rule" unless it's for Mood projects! But this is a great opportunity to acquire some fabric that you might normally pass on...so don't miss it!  As Betty Rubble and Wilma Flintstone would say, "Charge IT!"  *LOL*

...as always more later!

Instagram Did Me In!

Seriously peoples if you're not following Mood Fabrics on Instagram, you are missing out!  They posted this the other day...

...and with some encouragement from my friend, Elizabeth, I hopped on the A train in the pouring rain to go claim some for myself.  It's a wool double knit that has a medium to heavy weight hand.  It's not coat weight as in outerwear but it is definitely jacket weight and it comes in the chartreuse pictured as well as the purple I purchased.  Although not so heavy that you can't make a winter dress with it...which is part of my intention!  C'mon you knew I was making a dress...when ain't I making a dress! *LOL*

Anyway this fabric just kicked my next couple of projects down a notch.  It will be my September Mood Project (thereby not breaking the can't buy fabric until 2014 rule) and since I've sketched a pretty involved outfit for it, I will start working on this sooner rather than later. It definitely will be a part of my sewcation!

But in full disclosure, this isn't the only piece I've purchased from Mood after seeing it on Instagram.  Y'all know I love me some pleather and leather is trending hot for Fall 2013.  It is EVERYWHERE! So after seeing this on Instagram...

I bought a 1/2 yard when I purchased my menswear fabric last month. Just to let you know, this is already cut out and waiting to be sewn. Just.need.some.time!

I know what you're going to ask next.  Don't they show fabrics on Instagram that are only in the NYC store?  Yes, sometimes and sometimes things are available online too.  It's noted in the comments when it's in the store or when it's online. If it's only in the store, ask, they tell you who to call and what department.  So see it's win win!  You can come in, call in or surf in but you CAN purchase the Instagram fabric.

So what are you waiting for?  Pull out those android phones, iPhones, and iPads and install the Instagram app...it's free and it's fun!  Oh and I'm "diaryofasewingfanatic" on Instagram!  See you there!


...as always more later!


p.s. Only four more work days to sewcation! *doing the Snoopy happy dance!* 

One more time...

This is just a quick reminder that I'd like you to join me at Mood this Saturday at 11 am.  Since I'll be talking about how to use your TNT patterns in many different ways, I'll be bringing along a few of my favorite dresses made from my TNT dress pattern.

If you'd like to see The Chanel Dress, The Linen Erdem Dress, The Leather & Ponte Dress and of course, The Lace Oscar Dress, I will have them with me.  There are still spots available in the class, so if you're interested you can register here.

Register and come on over to Mood on Saturday.  We'll have a good time, I promise!

...as always more later!

Join Me @ Mood

Click on the picture to enlarge it

for all of the details.

Register for the class here!

Meeting Barbara at Mood = More Fabric!

Yesterday I met Barbara Emodi who authors the blog, Sewing on the Edge, and people can I tell you that she's as funny IRL as she is on her blog!  I had the most delightful afternoon and evening with her!

As you can see from the picture above, we met at Mood for some 'light' fabric shopping and then dinner.  Now to be truthful I've been badgering Barbara to meet each and every time she announces that she's coming to New York to see her son.  So after much pestering (I mean non-stop emailing, leaving messages on her blog repeatedly asking her to meet me in NY) I even thought of offering bribes...she finally relented and set up a date to meet.

I'm sure you're asking why I was so invested in meeting her?  Because when I first started my blog, I got about 30-35 visits a day, and at least five of those were mine.  Barbara contacted me and told me that she wanted to include my blog on a list of her Top Ten Favorite Sewing Blogs for an article she was writing for Australian Stitches.

Of course I said yes because someone was reading my ramblings besides me. And c'mon if you're really honest you know you want people to oooohhhh and aaaahhhh over your garments and acknowledge your sewing skill or you wouldn't make your blog public!  Anyway, I've always wanted to meet Barbara to thank her for not only acknowledging my blog but also for thinking so highly of my sewing.

I learned tonight that Barbara and I share a passion for sewing.  Sewing isn't something we do to pass the time.  Sewing is essential to our well-being.  It allows us to breathe, to take stock, to be our true selves.  Honestly, I've only met a handful of sewists who live in that space, who even know it exists.  Barbara is one of those people.  She gets it and I was thrilled to spend a few hours with her.

So at Mood I introduced her to a few of my favorite fabric people, George and Eric, persuaded her not to buy a couple of "iffy" pieces and to definitely buy more than she intended.  Hey, if you want to save money, don't fabric shop with me! *LOL*

After a quick run through SIL Thread and a more leisurely stroll through Pacific Trimmings, we headed off to find food.  Dinner was great because of the conversation way more than the food.  I was actually sad to say goodbye...hopefully we will be able to get together the next time she's in NY because I now think of her as a friend!

On another note, I will be sewing this weekend and alot next week since I'll only be working 2.5 days.  I've pushed picture taking back to the Sunday after Thanksgiving because I want to sew in the zone without interruptions.  Expect a lot of progress posts before the fashion shoot posts.

Finally, I know you don't think that I went to Mood and didn't buy any fabric! *LOL*  I kept saying that I would only get a piece or two, of course I ended up with a little more than that!  Here's what came home with me...

A black/ivory/gray wool knit

(there's still plenty of this on the 3rd floor!)

This is a ponte knit that looks like a laminated

fabric on one side and a brushed on the back

(This just arrived today, if you're in NYC run

don't walk to Mood and buy some of this fabric!)

A silk border print

Another silk border print - this

one is actually down the center of the fabric.

Barbara bought some of this fabric too

because it's so gorgeous!

Don't forget if you see a fabric here on the blog that I've purchased at the Mood NYC store, call the store and ask if they have any left.  I'm sure they would be happy to send you some if you live in the Continental USA.

Stay tuned because I'm "back in the Mood" and there will be much sewing going on at Casa de Sewing Fanatic during the next couple of days...

...as always more later!

The Mood Sewing Network

The blogosphere is abuzz!  Yes, yes it is, because Mood Fabrics has announced a new network of sewing bloggers...The Mood Sewing Network!

"Welcome to the Mood Sewing Network, a collective of fashion sewing bloggers from across the U.S. The nine women we've chosen to help us launch the Mood Sewing Network represent a cross-section of home sewers: some still consider themselves beginners, while others are at the more experienced end of the sewing spectrum. No matter where they fall, we admire their enthusiasm for sewing and their love of fabric. Follow their adventures here in sewing and creating with Mood fabrics and use them for inspiration with your own sewing projects.  Each month Mood Fabrics provides the Mood Sewing Network bloggers with an allowance for fabric that they can spend online at MoodFabrics.com or in our NYC or LA stores. The bloggers, in turn, will sew a garment with Mood fabrics each month and then blog about it on their own blogs and here."

I have to tell you that I'm so honored to be included in the company of such awesome sewists.  The experience of working with Meg and the team at Mood has been amazing and can I say that I'm so thrilled to be involved in this project!

I hope you will continue to follow along as I start this new journey!  And please make sure that you check out my fellow  Mood bloggers, the amazing Amanda of Amanda's Adventures in Sewing; the stylish Miss Erica B., of Erica B's DIY Style; sweet Ginger of Ginger Makes; the chic Sarah of Good-bye Valentino; my girl Cidell from Miss Cellie's Pants; the fabulous Marina from Frabjous Couture; the outrageous Marcy from Oonaballoona and finally adventurous Amy from Sew Well who has an awesome entry in the Sew Tessuti contest.  Am I in good company or what!?!

So can you hear it?  The distant rumble of sewing machines...gearing up to turn out some new and fantastic creations with fabrics from Mood!

...as always more later!

Calling all New York Sewists!

If you're looking for an interesting, info-infilled, stimulating and mojo-inspiring sewing adventure, head on over to Mood Fabrics and register for the Kenneth King Seminar on interlining.  I will let the ad below speak for itself...but if you've ever taken a class with Kenneth King, you know that you're in for a treat!  So head on over and register...you know you want to do it...so go ahead...I guarantee that you won't be disappointed!

Mood NYC Seminars

Seminars and tutorials

Interlining for Fashion Sewing

Want to sew dresses and other garments that look and wear like high-priced RTW and couture? The secret is in the interlining. Noted sewing authority Kenneth D. King will explain how adding an interlining layer can improve the look, feel and functionality of your fabric. He’ll review the many different types of interlining, from organza to wool flannel, and will discuss which interlining fabric is right for any type of garment. Knowing and understanding about interlining will kick your sewing up to the next level, guaranteed! Space is limited, so register today!  Wednesday, July 18, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Mood Fabrics NYC 225 W. 37th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY About the instructor: Kenneth D. King is a couture designer in NYC. He is also a contributing editor of Threads Magazine, author of Cool Couture, and a leading sewing instructor.