Simplicity Sale

Finally - something to talk about :-)

My local fabric shop has pattern sales in their monthly flyer for March. This week Tues-Thurs it's Simplicity at 5 for $5. Vogue at $5.99 is coming up soon.

My pattern wishlist at the moment is ONE pattern V8774 - I want to try these jeans. So, a wishlist of one pattern of a brand not on sale for 2 more weeks - and what happened ???

I spent last night browsing simplicity patterns and their reviews, ending up with a list of 6. One (S4076) probably discontinued and 2 others in the newly released section. Local shop does not usually have any new patterns available for their sales. It's kind of a pain, but it is what it is. So I had a list of 'maybe' 3 patterns and needing 5 for the sale (5/$5 is NOT $1 per pattern, you need to buy the 5).

10 jumped into my bag ! What was I to do ?

Pic 1 includes all from the wishlist - on either end, 1882, the Amazing Fit dress and 2860, Amazing Fit pants were the 2 I wanted most.

Pic 2 was the effect of deciding to browse the book, just in case LOL

Um, so now I really need to sew something, you think ?

No willpower, and so...

I posted not long ago that my local Fabricville is closing. In response to the comments, I must admit this is not my only Fabricville - only the closest to me. I don't lose all my fabric shopping, just the convenience of having one within 3km of my house.

Anyway, I was trying to exert some willpower and avoid the closing sale. I failed (and there's still 2 months to go).

Today, I was at the door with pattern list in hand, about 10 minutes after opening.

4 McCalls patterns @ $2.99 each (no, that wasn't my whole list LOL)

L. to R. - M5591/M5847/M6035/M6076

And, as I've said before, it's darn near impossible to NOT look at the fabric. There were a couple of displays of 3/1 but nothing on them that I HAD to have. Everything else was marked at 50% off.

There is a green (kind of lime green more than grass green) embroidered linen that jumped out at me as well as the cotton pictured below. They were both marked 50% so I just chose one (aha, there was willpower after all LOL !)

When I got to the cutting table, the girl said it was 3/1 - awesome. So, 3 meters of 115cm fabric for $8.99. It will become a skirt, M5591, above.

Now, it IS only 115cm wide and was displayed with the quilting cottons, but I don't know. It is very similar to the cotton sateens elsewhere in the store although they are wider. The feel is about the same and it has a shiny look to it. It really doesn't look or feel like a quilting cotton - but it IS pretty, no ?

I think I need to go see if there is still some of the green linen left.

I can't decide...

if it was a good day or not.

Reading the local paper this morning, there was a half-page notice that my local Fabricville is having an 'end of lease' sale and will be closing...not moving, CLOSING ! That's why I can't decide good day or not. I really don't like to see our local shops closing especially fabric shops. BUT, they ARE having a sale and I had to check it out.

Most things were 40% off. Not bad, but they don't have the one specific thing I'm looking for so I was saved from buying fabric. I did however, pick up two patterns.

B5247 has been in my hands and put back in the drawer more times than I can count. Why ? I don't know but today Buttericks/McCalls are $2.99 so I finally picked it up.
The Vogues are $5 and I picked up the one I mentioned in my last post, V8633.

From what I could gather, they will be closing sometime in June. It would probably be a good ides to short-list my pattern wish list and see what I can find. There is a McCalls shirt (have to find that number again) and a couple of dress patterns.

In weather news, the normal daytime temp in Montreal is +6°C. Today we had +25°C ! and tomorrow ? Forecast is for +27°.

I guess overall it was a good day after all :-)

Movin' Right Along...

I just want to start by saying Thank You to Summerset of Pins and Needles ! She was giving away some of her old patterns recently and on Friday this arrived for me :-). All I have to do is decide which one I want to make. I like 'em all, LOL.



And the underlining of my coat is done...doing a bit here and there, it took all week. I just finished. These are all the pieces, each showing the underlining side and the wool.



On to the interfacing................

Customer Service !

Don't you just love to deal with local merchants ?

We spend a lot of time complaining about customer service these days - it's just not what it used to be - BUT there are certainly some places that do go out of their way to provide good service.

Today's example...

I found online sewing info last December...I found my first Burda in Feb 2008 (a 40 minute drive away). Then I spent 4 months trying to locate a shop a 'bit' closer, to no avail. During which time I did manage to get all but March 2008 & May 2008 from the first shop. A special trip to a fabric store being not a real hardship, after all. LOL :-)

In July, my brain actually started to function.....Hellooooo.....I work 1 block (yes, 1 block !) from a small, local dressmaker/craft store !!!!!!!!!! Now, I've been in there many times, for cross stitch supplies, zippers, etc. So, one day at lunch, over I go - THEY CARRY BWOF !!! EVERY MONTH !!

The young gentleman also told me, "by the way, we keep a list of people who want BWOF and put one aside for them each month - and if they don't come right away, we call them & after a month or two, if they haven't come in, we put it on the shelf for sale to the regular public."

So, is it just me, or is this AMAZING service ? You bet, I'm on the list and in August, they had a BWOF with a post-it with my name on it, just as promised.

And today, I strolled over on my lunch break and picked up the September issue - AND he remembered me - not my name but enough to know what I was there for. Reading for tonight's bus ride.

Life is good (so now I just have to actually make up one of these, a one dot skirt should be a safe start)

They came !

Last week, Ann, of Gorgeous Things posted patterns she wanted to find new homes for. I asked for 2 and yesterday, there they were in the mailbox :-) Thanks, Ann !!!



Simplicity 4044 - 1940's Retro, Simplicity 4500 - Threads Collection

My sewing ability and time now need to catch up with my plans, I like all of these pieces, and can see trying most of them. I had the instructions out, reading at supper last night LOL

Having just had the enjoyment of getting a package in the mail, I hope Marjie soon gets the Threads mag and the pattern I sent her.

And speaking of Marjie, I just took her 'milk bread' out of the oven and tasted the first piece. Fabulous !



No sewing before Tuesday...I'm traveling tomorrow night for a VERY quick trip to New Brunswick - the bus ride between Montreal and Saint John is 14 hours each way. My Dad will be 80 on Sunday and there is an open house Saturday afternoon for him. He drove a city bus for almost his entire career and knows practically everyone in the city (it seems like it, anyway) - my sister placed an announcement in the paper for this so her place could be a zoo on Saturday.

That's it for now - next week, I'll adjust the sleeves on the coat muslin and hopefully be ready to cut the wool.