Friday 20 April 2012

Exercises in supporting or depressing the sewing mojo - trouser jeans

Thank you for your kind comments about my blogging absence. Thank you also for the kind words about my mojo, but unfortunately, it seems a fragile and feeble thing at the moment, rather than returning in good shape as would be preferable.
Here are some mojo killing depressing jeans that I finished prior to the trip.
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I am not a jeans devotee ,but have to admit that they are a useful item of clothing for someone who tends to dress in order not to stand out in any way, and only wants to take carry on baggage.

I do not really want to talk about these jeans, they were dull and un-co-operative to sew due to the stiffness of the fabric combined with the vagaries of my figure, which tends more the shape admired in the 1880's than one that looks its best in jeans. The pattern is my adapted TNT trouser pattern from Burda 04-2009. I embroidered one leg, then got sick of it.

They look better than RTW jeans.

I am sewing a skirt next

Lets move on to mojo stimulating activity.
Here is my $22 worth of things from Hunter Valley junk shops. (My husband loves junk shops)
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The singer binding foot and pattern tracing wheel are from Morpeth, where I did not buy an incomplete Singer buttonholer for $30, but the foot was only $1 - Did they know what it was? I am planning a bit of electrolysis this weekend to see if I can make these tools a little more useful.

The buttons and lace were from a lovely Old Wares shop in Branxton. This was well worth the visit, with a lot of vintage clothes, vintage fabric lengths, buttons and trims. The prices were what you would expect for someone trying to make a living from selling these things, except for the cotton lace in very good condition for 50c per metre which the lady said was a mistake, but sold to me for that price anyway. I hope she made a profit on my husband's purchases!

I have been on a fabric diet since mid January, which I could possibly blame for mojo depression, but had always planned to finish the diet during my trip to Sydney, as my daughter and I planned an exciting expedition to buy fabric for her self-designed high school graduation formal dress.
This dress is a very big deal to my daughter, particularly as the Yr 12 graduation dinners are highly interesting events to our country town, with all the attendees photographed red carpet style and all the photographs being published in a special issue of the local paper.
After being unable to find a suitable-to-my-daughter shade of green silk fabric in any of 9 internet shops I thought this would be a loooong day.
My plan was to start at Alexandria, then move on to the fabric district in Surrey Hills where there are 3 shops from which to choose - Greenfields, The Fabric Store and Tessuti.
This was my first visit to The Remnant Warehouse, both Gail and Sharon recommended it to me, and I am very grateful, as it is a terrific shop.
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I found it easy to access via public transport, as it is only a few blocks from the train station.
(Train station is Green Square, not Alexandria,just to be confusing)
Fortunately for me, the shop is located right next door to an enormous tool shop, for the entertainment of accomanying husbands, no doubt. We thought this person was safely off kayaking for the day with his brother, but this fell through at the last minute. Much as I enjoy my husband's company, he is not my favourite companion for fabric shopping.
The Remnant Warehouse has two shops, one for dancewear, costumes and swimwear, and one for dress and quilting fabrics.
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Here is my score from the swimwear shop, which I accidently entered first - 2 nylon/lycra pre cut 1 metre lengths at $9.95 per m, and the one my daughter fell in love with cut from a roll at $19.95 per metre. See all the lovely doo-dads useful clasps and things-I-might-want-one-day. It was probably just as well that I was on a strict time limit in this shop, there were some very interesting remnant and trim boxes.

Next door, there was a good display of dress fabrics, about half of the shop was quilting fabrics. There were silks in a reasonable range of weaves, weights and colours, scattered amongst other fabrics, but clearly labelled. Amazingly, my daughter found the exact colour she was after, in a medium heavy duchess silk.
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I thought it was a real bargain at $16.95 per metre - so I bought myself some in red as well. It took us about 20 minutes.
The service was excellent and well informed - also beyond the call of duty. I had a few 3kg flat rate post bags with me, not being keen to carry fabric about all day, (and being quite keen to buy too much fabric to fit in my carry on), and packed one of these at the fabric counter. The shop is in an industrial area and I had not seen any post boxes, but before I could even ask where the closest one was, the saleslady offered to take my parcel to the business post centre, which not only saved me lugging it about, but had my parcel delivered interstate and rurally in only 2 days for no extra cost (normally $7 extra for this speed).
The only problem with this wild success was that I had no change of convincing anyone to visit the Surrey Hills shops with me ;(.
We walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge instead.

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17 comments:

a little sewing said...

How lovely to see you back and hear your funny take on things. You got some nice fabrics and looks like your daughter is pleased, too!

shams said...

Your jeans really look pretty good, but I completely get the feeble mojo! A feeble mojo must be carefully nurtured. I hope it's feeling peppy soon. :)

And you found some lovely fabrics. It sounds like a good trip.

katherine h said...

I was so sad when I got to the end of your post and found you did not get to the Surrey Hills fabric shops. Taking pre-paid satchels is a good idea, although I do spend the evenings of my holidays fondling all my fabric purchases.

velosews said...

I'm really pleased you got to the Remnant Warehouse at least. I hope the rest of your trip goes well and your jeans look good.
Take care of yourself and your sewing mojo.

Carol said...

I never get around to getting to Remnant Warehouse when I get to Sydney. I will make more of an effort next time ...

liza jane said...

I think your jeans look pretty darn good. But I know what you mean about a fragile mojo. Mine comes and goes these days. I love that cardigan btw.

Sharon said...

Glad The Remnant Warehouse was good and you have got some lovely bits from both shops. All the staff there are wonderful.

Your jeans looks pretty good from here and it they are better than RTW you are on a winner.

Carolyn said...

They certainly do look better than RTW jeans. i reckon they look pretty gorgeous!
Sounds like you had a wonderful trip, I am quite jealous that you got to visit all those delicious fabric stores.

Christy said...

And you missed Surry Hills - poo! I try to sew through my low sew-jo moments and it's tough going. I'll have my fingers crossed that yours returns soon.

Bernice said...

I'm in the middle of making some denim trousers at the moment which I'm quite excited about. I think yours look great. Glad you had some shopping success. Bummer about Surrey Hilly...next time!

Scruffybadger said...

I also think your jeans are great - there's something wonderful about the shape, something of the nautical about them.

The Slapdash Sewist said...

Aaaaahh, I bet breaking the fabric fast felt good. Silk is a good reward for sewing uncooperative denim. I have not yet decided when I can buy again. I need to decide on an end date because otherwise the end date will be the next time it occurs to me to buy some fabric.

Carolyn said...

kbenco; I hope you didn't think I was casting aspersions on those buttons, after all I originally bought them to use on a real garment myself! (my shorts). I just meant that pj's were the perfect project to sport all those gorgeous but crazy novelty buttons that one sees... I am looking forward to seeing what garment your flower buttons grace in the future :)

Gail said...

Enjoy the trip - next time in Sydney contact me for a tour of a few other sewing haunts.

Anonymous said...

I keep meaning to send you my jeans pattern, since we know it fits. Do you think you would want it?

Mary Nanna said...

Ah sewing mojos - do you think yours might have absconded with mine?

Nice jeans, even if they are a little unsatisfying to you - and great fabric haul.

I imagine your mojo will return soon and perhaps under enforcement as deadlines and daughters draw near.

I wonder if it's a transitional season autumn thing - everything being wound down ready for hibernation?

Tanit-Isis said...

Aww, poor mojo. I think the jeans look good, and will look even better as the fabric softens up with wear. But then, I am a jeans person ;).

What a clever idea to mail the fabric home! And so glad you found the fabric you wanted, although a shame about the other fabric stores...