I made a pretty spontaneous (for me) decision to take a long weekend in New York in September after realizing the cost of shipping everything I wanted from Mood was more than a quarter of a flight there. I wrangled Sallie into coming with me - it was high time our internet friendship translated into the real world. The whole trip was really an excuse to meet other internet buds like Marcy, Ginger, Wanette, Devra and Kelli, with a heavy dash of "buying way too much fabric under the false apprehension that I won't need to fabric shop for at least 6 months" (you fabric hoarders know how this goes).
It was a magical weekend filled with crazy meals, lots of sewing talk and the realization that all these women I've been in love with online, I'm pretty much head over heels with in real life... I even met a few new pals like Jennifer and Latrice (whom Sallie and I shared a rather epic night on the town with, ending up at the uber swanky Standard hotel bar, resulting in Sallie and I lying in a Williamsburg park in near tears the next day with hangovers that could have taken down Courtney Love).
I would like to make this some sort of annual pilgrimmage. Maybe organize a bigger meet-up next time. It seemed too overwhelming to pull a Lladybird and shop with every blogger in the tri-state area but maybe next time I'll have the balls. If Lauren is by my side, that is.
Oh my pretty, pretty ladies. Miss you to pieces (not that guy playing cello. He was not one of us).
So what did I bankrupt myself buying? Ohhh boy. The first day was pretty overwhelming, what with all the female bonding and Mood despoiling. I ended up with a crazy beautiful piece of metallic stretch suiting (the most I have ever spent per yard) which will hopefully turn into some kind of impossibly chic skinny trousers. It's the Season of Pants this year, so I also picked up some black and magenta sateen, grey striped drapey wool, a drapey black cotton/wool mix and a some gorgeous denim, all to clad my legs in high-waisted work appropriate glory in the months to come. Additionally, I snagged some gorgeous cream cotton for my Sewaholic Cordova jacket (next up on the docket), 3 yards of stretch silk charmeuse for slips, 3 yards of the most beautiful green silk blend (I think cotton?), and a few yards of a stable cream knit for a circle skirt (already made and worn a few times).
I went a little bananas on notions as well. Friends, if you ever get a chance to buy thread in the fabric district, DO IT. I got many, many spools of 1000yd Gutterman for under $3 a pop. Less than half the cost at my local sewing emporium. I also stocked up on lingerie supplies and various odds and ends I have trouble sourcing from home.
Then I discovered Spandex House. Maddie raved about it when she got back from NY last year and holy moly.... the girl wasn't lying. Two breathtaking floors of every colour of every imaginable knit for swimwear or lingerie... I lost my mind. Many yards of powernet and mesh were aquired. And then these beautiful spandex selections for my next foray into swimwear design....
I almost broke myself getting it all home.
It's been a few weeks since I got back and I still find myself smiling and giggling at all the amazing memories. NY, I heart you. Sewing buds, I heart you even more...
