I had a pretty full weekend personally and didn’t get to go to this months Fabric Hoarders meet 😦 but I did manage a quick trip into Newtown for the Fabric-a-Brac.
I arrived bang on time and it was already pretty busy. Curious Hubby tagged along but one look at the crowd of women and he decided to stay in the car. So I ejected myself out at the front doors while he battled the traffic to find a shady car park. Don’t worry about Curious Hubby, he came fully prepared which new music and videos on his cell phone for entertainment and I rewarded his patience with a cupcake.
Between the outside area, the big main room and the slightly smaller room next door there were lots tables full of beautiful fabrics, buttons and other notions.
Here are a couple of pics I grabbed with my phone (I love how the second photo is just heads bent down examining the bargains):
And here’s a pic from the Fabric-a-Brac website that I managed to get in, front and centre baby 🙂
Can you see my elbows? They are in “out-mode”, hehe 😉 That lady in front of me was buying up that entire table and because I really am just far too polite I missed out on a few pieces I was eyeing while stuck behind her wing-man, damn, next time I am taking a wing-woman and together we will nab all the bargains.
So when I got back to the car I was surprised that I only managed to grab 4 pieces of fabric but I do really like each piece.
I probably only have enough of these two pieces to make a skirt each. The black and grey is a heavy cotton, feels similar to an Ikea fabric and the blue is more lightweight with a chunk cut out of the corner.
I can always find use for a grey stripe, this one feels like a really nice quality cotton so I couldn’t let it stay on the table for $5. The pink and white crochet lace/cotton waves was my last purchase, not too sure why but I just LOVE it, it is so 70’s Go Go Girl. Lace dresses are everywhere right now and I can just see a super cute and simple shift dress out of this. Whether I am brave enough to wear it is another story 😉
…and then there are the buttons
I got a little carried away digging thought one box and that’s where all the smaller buttons came from. The table was outside and the sun was so warm I just stayed there digging away and collecting buttons.
I love the metal ones, they are so art-deco. The big one is from another lady, I think it cost me $5 and is about 6cm across (I should have put a ruler in the photograph for scale). The lady told me it is made out of casein (shiny on the front and matt on the back, that’s the give-away apparently) and the shank dates it to 1910. It’s hard to see in the picture but it is an amazing swirly green and looks a bit like tortoise shell. I kind of wish I had bought more from her but buttons can really start to add up in value.
On Saturday afternoon I got this far with my newest JJ.
The first ruffle (the shortest one) is in place within princess seam (I did the other side too). The other two ruffles are finished and waiting to be gathered, front facings are interfaced and sewn and the back princess seams. So once all the ruffles are gathered and attached then it’s collar and sleeves, buttons and done! This will be my 3rd JJ and then I think I’ll give this pattern a rest for a while 😉
the curious kiwi 