Plotting, Pattern 'n' Fabric-ey Fun with Rachel... Thursday 10th October 2013

Rachel and me planning and plotting away :)!!

I'm a wee bit late in posting this (BTW is it just me or is a week in real life, like a month long equivalent in blog-land... ? It just always seems to fly by when I'm reading all those lovely new posts in Feedly which is definitely my favourite RSS reader of choice LOL!) Rachel was super-efficient and has already posted :)

Back in January the lovely Rachel (who blogs over at House of Pinheiro) shared with us that she'd been inspired by a lovely 60's shift dress to create a self-drafted dress pattern. And, me being me I happily volunteered to digitise her pattern so she can eventually share it with fellow sewists as a PDF pattern (yay!).

We planned ahead and swapped loads of emails - and we at last got to meet up last Thursday in Rachel's home town to discuss our plans.

But, before heading off to Rachel's place we had a lovely time perusing the local charity and second-hand antique shops she has all practically on her doorstep (lucky thing!).

   

Pretty Blue Brooch, Vintage Buttons: Red-Plastic, 2x sets of Black Glass, Dark-Green Plastic

I picked up a bunch of these vintage buttons and a fabulous sparkly blue second-hand retro brooch in one store (Rachel nearly bought a 50's/60's style solid wooden retro sewing box for £35, but resisted the urge... if I didn't have to go back home on the train that little lovely might have come home with me instead LOL!).

Can you tell? Rachel lurvveees fabric ;) ?

I then succumbed to the allure of fabric and bought some of these cotton quilting fabrics, plus some very cute mini wooden spools of ric-rac.

 

Cotton Fabrics:

1m of Multi-Coloured Elephant Print (designer/manufacturer unknown),

Fat Quarter of a Tape Measure style print in Black & White - "Tailor Made" by Cosmo Cricket for Andover Fabrics, 

and 1.5m of "Raindrops" from "Washday" print in shades of Blue - part of Henley Studio Collection by Makower UK. Plus, in centre: Mini Wooden Spools of Tiny Ric-Rac Trim: Blue, Red, Yellow and Green.

I spotted the unusual "accounting" type of print design fabric below, I've not seen anything like that before!!

 

We had an absolutely delicious lunch in the centre of town before heading off to Rachel's sewing room to get busy on the Brasilia Dress Pattern.

 

Mmmmm... yummy lunch!

So, we got things all sorted out, and this week I shall be digitising the pattern and sending it back later on to Rachel to proof-check things. I think the allure of Rachel's yummy homemade cake (see massive dish of yumminess in the photo below!) spurred me onwards and upwards for this collaboration!!

Here's a parting shot of me with my serious planning-face on (LOL!)

P.S. In other news... my BurdaStyle Twisted Tank Top is nearly finished - I've just got to find my overlocker manual and practice rolled-hems on some scraps and she's all done! Plus, I like it enough to make a couple more this week if I've got time too :)