(Clothes, toiletries, bedlinen, towel, fabric, sewing machine, sewing toolbox, camera, handbag and food/drink. Phew.)
... made an apple pie for dessert. It also ended up being breakfast for some campers the next morning.
... had a bath. Ahhhh! No photos of that though.
... found that pre-cutting fabric at home really helps the packing light AND the productivity, which is a blessing in light of my own self-sabotaging efforts later on in the weekend. I'm always going to try to do this from now on, the pre-cutting I mean, not the self-sabotage.
... made 3 versions of the Blog-Famous School House Tunic, because I like it when other crafters tell me which things are good to make. Looking in pattern books in a fabric store makes me panic and I never buy any. Such is my sewing confidence now that I adapted the pattern to make 2 sleeveless versions, doing my own facings and everything.
... realised that complacency is my worst enemy when I sew. Just because I'd made the tunic twice already did not mean I could afford to stop being mega-careful with checking and re-checking my ins and outs and my right and my wrong sides. I had to attach the skirt to the bodice FOUR times [Four!!! Aaarrrggghhh!!!!!] owing to dumb carelessness in this department. Here you see the tunic after the 3rd time sewing skirt to bodice, by which stage you would think I would have learned my lesson, but no. Notice the skirt seams are on the outside and the pleats are facing the wrong way. A long howl of Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! reverberated round the sewing table at that point.
... had a lovely refreshing, relaxing and reviving time with Suse Teaches Crochet & Knits Pretty Blue Yarn (not to mention sews pretty purple paisley), Janet loves Liberty (and making bias tape but hates sewing), Lisa the quilter (don't let me do this before that, you can't tell me what to do), Kate the Younger (feted owner of the wool-winder and seriously over the grey yarn), Kate the Elder (photographed looking industrious this time, drapy dress designer) Sue Makes The Best Pants (and the best little felt dogs ever too) and Eleanor Can Crochet (could we get a round of applause and a photo opportunity?) More photos here.
Thank you once again Suse and Janet for organising it, and to all 7 of you lovely women for great conversation, laughs, food and company.
THREE! THREE! And with only six bodice to skirt attachments!
ReplyDeleteI think you're ace. (And envy your proportioned Schoolhouse Tunic conducive figure)...
awesome! Three tunics, I'd call that power sewing. And they say that how good you are at sewing has to do with how much unpicking you are prepared to do....
ReplyDeleteAnd your apple pie - great for desert but also seriously good for breakfast.
Unpicking....
ReplyDelete..your anguished howl is still ringing in my ears.
I like Tania's glass half full - only six attachments resulted in four tunics. That sounds like a better ratio.
ReplyDeleteI do love that broderie anglaise one particularly. Well, and the gorgeous floral one too. And not to mention the beautiful full length version with impressive complementary trim. Ok I love 'em all.
I wish you'd stop posting about these weekends you have. They sound like so much fun and I get very jealous.
ReplyDelete(nice work on the tunics though)
I am consumed with envy. All of you in the one place, having fun.
ReplyDeleteI hate you all.
Gosh, I only saw tunic one. Two and three are tops as well. You remember I wielded the unpicker with tiresome frequency on the weekend? Not pinning, not thinking, not being careful...it hasn't gone away. I've been working on sewing for over twenty years and still I unpick...still.
ReplyDeleteYour apple pie was the best I've ever had. Thanks for the sublime experience.
One day, when I'm grown up, I am coming to a craft camp to eat apple pie for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteYour crafting is lovely. A worthy reward for a weekend of industry.
I just can't get over the fact that you know how to make clothes. I've rarely met anyone amongst my own generation who can do that. For me, it is akin to invention of the wheel, the sewing machine, probably because it is such a futile endeavor in my case.
ReplyDeleteI think craft camp sounds fun. I would do all the cooking and let you crafty people craft, if you invite me.