Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Shopping Spoils + a Birthday Giveaway!


It's my birthday this Friday, and Mitchells Fabric was kind enough to offer a 25% sale this past weekend in honour of it! Understanding of course that I'd be far too busy celebrating to have a chance to shop this weekend. Considerate of them, eh?

And because it's always more fun to shop with a friend, I dragged my sewing buddy Sheila out to the sale on Sunday. She has a Will of Steel though, and managed to not buy anything. *GASP* I know, I'm as shocked as you all are. It's a sale! You're supposed to make unwise fabric purchase decisions!

Although this could possibly explain some of the disasters in my fabric stash.

ANYWAYS, this is what I walked away with:

From top left corner, clockwise: 3 m of 60" wide light-weight interfacing; 3 m of vintage 100% cotton (it's only labeled as "vintage". Oh Mitchell's, I love your wacky basement selection); 4 m of mousseline cotton for lining things; New Look 6107; and 0.4 m of cotton lace. Not too much damage, if a little boring.

The shirt pattern was a bit of a fluke, actually. On Saturday, I stopped in at a little boutique in the village. I fell in love with this blouse they had on display, but when I tried it on, it was more than a bit of a disaster.

What is with the wings?! I suspect it's meant to be worn tucked in or with a belt, but there's no way I was dishing out $95 for this hot mess.

But it had some sweet details, and I snapped some pics to remind me to incorporate them into something. Someday.

Actually, I love the back, with all the soft gathers and the pretty lace yoke. Not so much with my black bra strap though, sorry about that.

(That's my new camera, btw!)

I don't know, there's something about the soft floral print and the pretty lace details, never mind that length of sleeve. Mmm pretty. Shame the rest of it was so gross.

Well, on our Mitchell's adventure, I was keeping an eye out for lace that would go with a piece of Springy floral fabric I have, half thinking of altering a pattern to include a lace yoke on a blouse. I idley flipped open the New Look pattern book, and what did it turn to but this:

Well then, it was just meant to be! It has soft gathers where the fashion fabric meets the yoke on the front, and I may draft in some gathers for the back as well, since I think it looked so pretty in the inspiration blouse.

Here's a closer look at the lace I found, along with the blouse fabric and some pearly buttons I picked up last year at a thift shop. Doesn't the whole thing scream frilly girly blouse?! I can't wait to work on it!

Now, that black, yellow and white wild piece may be familiar to some of you. Last summer, I brought you guys along with me on another adventure at Mitchells, and this print was in one of the photos. I hadn't even noticed it until a bunch of you drooled commented on it. Now every time I go back there, I always seem to trip on this bolt.

On Sunday, I finally had enough. And one of you lucky readers will benefit from it!

Happy Heather-is-Getting-Old Giveaway!

In honour of my 31st birthday (dear me), I'm giving away 3 m of this vintage 100% cotton cloud/popcorn printed fabric. It's light-weight and a bit sheer, and while it has a slightly stiff hand right now, I think it'll soften up beautifully once it's prewashed.

Just leave a comment below with your email address and maybe what you'd considering making with this fabric. I'll draw a name this Sunday at 12 noon Winnipeg time. I'm willing to ship internationally so anyone can sign up!

Happy Sewing All!

16 comments:

  1. It is a gorgeous piece of fabric, no wonder you keep tripping over it - some things are just meant to be purchased!!! Would love the chance to sew up something with it....

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  2. Happy Birthday! I don't need more fabric (drowning in it!) but wanted to say how much I like your new blouse. Great selfies.

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  3. I think a cute jacket would look smashing!
    carriemak at aol dot com

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  4. Cute! I'd probably make a blouse for myself or dress for my niece, or both if possible. I think I'll give in and buy that New Look pattern soon - pretty blouse and simple pencil skirt, right up my alley.
    acbrown28 at gmail dot com

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  5. Ok, I am counting myself out on the fabric front---having just had my own bad splurgy weekend---but I just wanted to say I think that blouse is going to be adorable, too. I like the original, but WTF? is up with that armscye? Man, low droopy armscyes piss me off so much...

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    1. I think there's also just too much fabric gathered at the front and back yoke, which isn't helping the situation. It looked mostly fine when my arm was down, but the whole thing was just weird. Looked better on an immobile mannequin than on a mobile body.

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  6. I love that blouse! With that fabric I would probably knock off something you have made like I usually do! With 3 meters I'm thinking a dress.

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  7. Yay for fabric shopping! (And birthdays - I just need to buy the blank DVDs to get your sorta-present going). Fabricland is having their big sale this weekend and I'm scared to go in, but need more blades for my rotary cutter. Must be strong!

    Love the giveaway fabric! Sadly I'll be bowing out of the contest though, that colour yellow doesn't love me nearly as much as I love it.

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    1. Aw come on, the main colour is black. The rest is just fun accents!

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    2. Ok, ok, that sure was some arm-twisting you pulled on me a few hours ago. Consider me entered :P

      What will I make? Circle skirt or half-circle skirt of course :)

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  8. The wings are kind of weird! But the blouse does have some nice details. Good luck with figuring out a way to bring those into your project!

    And lovely fabric! I think I'd go for a pullover-type top with some fun sleeve details. Like a flutter sleeve or something. It's pretty fabric, and I think that the yellow might be ok on me since the black is way more dominant. (Is it bad that my first thought when I saw the print was "popcorn!")

    Happy birthday! I turned 31 about a month ago myself. It hasn't been bad so far!

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  9. Yeah, I remember that post and all the cool vintage fabrics. Sign me up too! (Not that I need any more fabric, but you know, giveaway....)

    Happy Birthday! I'm about to turn 31 (ahem.... plus 11) myself, so I think I deserve a birthday present. ;)

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  10. Happy Birthday! Hope it was/is a great day for you :) (I will bow out of the giveaway - I am trying to get less fabric, sadly, not more.)

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  11. Happy Birthday!!! A fun peplum top might be nice . . . thanks for the giveaway

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  12. Happy Birthday!! I think a nice long sleeve blouse would be great frtom this fabric. Please enter me in the drawing.

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