I had intended to sew myself a pair of hiking trousers, the sort with zip off legs that turn into shorts, but alas, on Friday morning, they were still lacking half a leg and the waistband facing, and I had a last dash of work to do at the job that pays me, so no early morning sewing could be squeezed in. There went my cunning plan for a fabulous natural backdrop for my finished object post. Oh well.
Fortunately for my blog addiction, my travels unearthed another topic.
We stopped for lunch in Gayndah, and I not only trawled the op-shops, but found an old-fashioned drapery shop, which actually had dressmaking fabric as well as the inevitable quilting cottons. How exciting!
This particular shop was built in 1921, and has the shop-length cutting counter, fabrics and haberdashery behind it on shelves, and the claim to fame of a flying fox, from about 1890 (the previous shop burnt down, but the flying fox survives) that carries the cash/change to the back of the shop to a teller. My daughters really liked the flying fox, apparently it is a cool steam punk object.
I bought some thin, non-stretch denim here, possibly for another jeans attempt. There were fixed length offcuts, of many different types, at $14.65 per metre, very reasonable for denim compared to my other relatively local retail options.
My op-shop trawling was also successful.
I think the postal pattern might make a fun apron, and the dress has definite possiblities in a knit. There is not much of the seersucker, but it looks like pyjama bottoms to me. $1.50 the lot - definitely cheap entertainment.
This was about 40 minutes of my weekend. The majority of it was more like this.
Unfortunately there was a lot of burning off, and a dust storm, so all my photos of Cania Gorge are hazy. You will have to take my word for it that it looked amazing - just as well I had no new clothes to photograph!
10 comments:
Welcome back, and I'm glad you had a lovely camping trip. Sounds like it was great fun! And how wonderful that you managed to squeeze in a bit of fabric shopping too, what an unexpected bonus!
My husband originates from Gayndah so we go back now and then. Interesting what you can find. Also love Cania Gorge - we are hoping to go camping soon.
Love your va va voom outfit from the last post.
I love looking at op shops for sewing stuff - usually more misses than hits but I have found lovely silk crepe de chine, John Kaldor cotton , vintage silk and new linen all for about $2.00 max each piece. When I buy it I try to look relaxed because I think what if the ladies realise that they are selling me some bargain and change their mind about the price !I am still searching for that Liberty of London though - that is my dream - to find a heap of liberty of london !
Growing up we had a store with a flying fox, though I didn't know it by that name. It was utterly fascinating to watch. Unfortunately, that store burned down, and the flying fox went with it. How lovely that you found one that survived.
Flying Fox, I have never heard of that before, though it looks like an interesting contraption. A couple years ago, someone in blogland made a modern version of the Simplicity pattern you picked up at the Op Shop. It looked so pretty and feminine, I bought a copy from a vintage pattern site.
I think visiting fabric stores as you travel is one of the best ways to experience the local culture (:
What a fun trip, both the fabric and the hiking! Though I think I'm more jealous of the hiking.
Love the vintage Simplicity pattern. Glad you had a good time.
The flying fox brings back memories of when we used to visit our grandmother in Tingha, they had us fascinated as kids.
That's a great sounding holiday - complete with lucky scores at "found" sewing related shops!
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