July 4, 2009

I HOPE SEWING CONTINUES AS A FAMILY TRAIT....

Well, I finished up my summer vacation this afternoon after arriving back in H-O-Tgeorgia! But I must say that it was an extreme blessing to be able to spend 11 gorgeous days with my family in upstate New York where the living is easy - mainly because you don't have to crack a sweat! Every minute of my trip was GREAT, and although I didn't take a sewing machine with me much of my trip was still sewing related. I did pack a sewing kit with things I knew I'd need if I did sew - so I was ready when the occasion did arise.

My 16 year old niece Au
riel was more than ready to participate. We did a Walmart and Joann's run and ended up with three pieces of fabric each from that trip. Arrie had taken her first design and sewing class during the school year and was ready to go with a new Hillary Duff McCall's pattern that she picked out. I'll tell you this kid was really gong ho. We started cutting and sewing on Friday afternoon and sewed well into the night. The end results that night were two completely finished dresses.

I shared a room with her during my visit, and when I woke up on Saturday morning to find her already up and gone, I dashed downstairs to find that she had already laid the pattern out for her third TNT dress. I was shocked because it's rare that you find today's teenagers so enthusiastic about sewing. She listened and followed directions so well. So within a 24 hour period she had constructed three dresses from this pattern, and was well into new detailing by adding contrasting fabric. I really think she has mastered the use of bias tape as well along with understanding laying patterns following grain lines. We are all so proud of her - and look forward to continuing to encourage her with her sewing. Here's pictures of her hard at work, and also of her dressed in one of her designs ready for Church on Sunday.




This time part of my vacation included a day trip to NYC. Can imagine how long I had longed to get to that garment district. Me and my two (none fabric or sewing) sisters took on Manhattan, and as you can probably guess, soon had to go our separate ways; with them going off to shop for their shoes and me on my fabric quest. So with list in hand I was able to find Mood Fabrics, Ebad Fabrics, Spandex House, Metro Textiles and several others that I can't remember names of. I picked up about 7 really nice knits from Metro Textiles at an extremely nice price. At Ebad Fabrics I picked up some really nice light weight English Wools, gabardines and several rayon pieces for blouses. All of the fabrics selected were geared toward my fall and winter sewing projects. I was also able to pick up a few sewing notions and some foldover elastic that I had heard about but was unable to get locally.

All and all I had a successful shopping trip t
hat ended abruptly when it started raining cats and dogs. I do look forward to being able to shop in the garment district again soon...and think I will now that I know it's a doable trip.

The first store I saw was Ebads, so I made a mad dash to get in. This man was soooo nice and the store was soooo small as a lot of them were. I can't remember his name, but this salesman gave me some super deals on woolens. My sister Pat just barely had time to snap this for me as she was backing out the door (lol) thus the dazed look on my face - didn't have time to pose for the picture(hehehe).

No picture of Spandex House (which was highly organized by the way). I was a little dazed when I went in there (kept remembering my first and last spandex experience which was surprizing and a little less spectacular than expected). So I didn't make a purchase there.

This was a project runway bulletin board posted at Mood where I think the fabric was beautiful but the prices gian- orous. I tho ught, "how can project runway contestants shop here on the $40.00 budget that they sometimes get". (lol) So I had to leave all of the wonderful fabric of Mood right there in New York. (Afterall, New York or not, or like it or not, I was still on a budget and had to go there with some sence)

It was sort of hard getting pictures taken because I was traveling alone so I didn't get very many while there. And pictures of buildings - no way, I really wasn't there for the architure - but instead had a one tracked fabric mind. I found Metro Textile just as the big, bad, dark rain storm came up, so this was the last store I could visit. Naive, as I thought those kinds of thunder boomers only happened in Georgia. But I couldn't go to New York without getting my picture taken with Kashi at Metro Textiles (wouldn't have been a good trip without it).
I was so suprised that a lot of the stores were so small an narrow. It's not hard for a Georgia Peach to be overwhelmed (lol), but I think I did a good job and used good financial sense because I still need to get the fabric home. Next time I'm only taking one outfit so I can pack all my fabric. I don't have any pictures of it as it's being shipped to me later this week. Good trip, Good experience!

29 comments:

  1. Your neice did a fabulous job! Glad you enjoyed your shopping trip in NYC.

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  2. Wow - your niece is just zooming!! Great job. One of these days, I'll get down to NYC to meet people for a trip - I'm in Upstate NY also, so it would be a bus trip for me, but that's no big deal.

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  3. Wow, what a fun and productive trip!

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  4. Kudos to your niece, she did an outstanding job and looks so cute in her creations. I'm going to get to New York and fabric shop one day, good idea to ship it.

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  5. I'm so glad you got a chance to go to the garment district. I'm happy and a tiny bit envious :) I can't wait to see the pictures of your fabric haul. So, tell me how does Gail K stand up to the stores in New York? Going to the garment district is a dream of mine. A dream that I'm going to have to plan for...like next year.

    You're niece did a wonderful job on her three dresses and finished those dresses so quickly. Ohhh, to have the energy of a teenager :)

    CarlaF-in Atlanta

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  6. Ohh! I'm jealous of your shopping trip.

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  7. How sweet it is to hear about your wonderful adventure. Great pictures! I think sewing is in the family blood. I also think your little visit changed your nieces life. Something the both of you will remember for a long time. I can't wait to see what you make with all your new fabric. Welcome Home! It's nice to go away - better to come home and sleep in your own bed.

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  8. Your niece's dresses are beautiful. She did a great job. Glad you had such a good shopping day...I think the picture with Kashi is a required post now LOL ! I hope to get there myself one of these days.

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  9. I know you are proud of your niece. I know she is so proud of her new found abilities. She is so lucky to have Aunt Faye to spend the time to teach her and give the attention to her that she needed to accomplish making 3 dresses in one weekend!! She looks beautiful in the one she chose for church! What an experience in NYC. Believe me, next time we go into NYC with my DD and her family we're going to the garment district. Afterall it is her girls I sew for mostly. According to my DDs who live in CT and MA these thunder storms they are having up there are new. My one DD has lived up there 11 years and this is the worst they've ever had storms like this. Her 9 yr old told me that they were having weather like Seattle WA. I asked her how she knew what Seattle's weather was like and she said that is what her mom is saying all the time this summer. They didn't even get to have fireworks up there because of the rain.

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  10. No doubt about it-when sewists go on vacation--they can't get away from it, and don't want to! Hey, your niece is doing a super job. Good for her. Sewing is such a creative outlet. Congratualtions on coming home without hving to feel the pain of an overloaded credit card! That will make your trip a happy memory!

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  11. I hope my younger female relatives (or male) pick up my love of sewing. My boys all sewed a little and can mend their own clothes, but so far, I'm the sewing go-to girl.

    My dream trip-fabric in NYC!

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  12. What a fun post. Your niece did a wonderful job on her dresses. What a wonderful way to spend time with family.
    You are very brave taking on the garment district by yourself :)
    I'm looking forward to seeing your creations with these fabrics. Kashi must be the most famous fabric store owner in NY :) I'll one day get a picture too.
    I love the white top you are wearing. The detail in the front is very smart. Did you make it?

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  13. Your niece did a really good job on her items. It looks like you had a really good time in the fabric district of NY. I want to go!!

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  14. Excellent shopping for a first-timer! Take heart: I get overwhelmed by the garment district and I shop there every three weeks or so! It does make your head spin, doesn't it?

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  15. Your niece did a fantastic job on her dresses! Glad you had a great vacation.

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  16. Wow, your niece was really motivated! That kind of energy for sewing is so inspiring.

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  17. SHe did a fantastic job!!!

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  18. Sounds like a great time. I've got to get to NYC at least once this summer.

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  19. Sounds like a fabulous trip! When the fabrics arrive you're going to have to share photos with us!!!

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  20. I am so proud of your neice, she did a fantastic job.

    I wished I'd known you were in New York, I would have love to have met up with you, as I've never been to any of those fabric stores, despite living in New York.

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  21. Great telling of your vacation. Your niece is amazing. Don't you love the energy of young people. They are so inspiring. The dresses are ultra chic and Auriel is adorable in them. I'm sure she received tons of complements.

    I'm glad you had a grand time with family; and it so cool that you connected so well with your niece. Thanks for sharing.

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  22. Hi Faye. So glad you were able to see family and still get some good fabric. I am elated about your neice and her enthusiasm with sewing (you may have to start texing her to keep her motivated) :-). It's so good when we can pass a great tradition and hobby like sewing on to our youth--especially when it's family :-)
    Nice pics, too!

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  23. Mom I am so proud of you! You are such a go-getter. I sooo wish I was with you, I promise I would have stayed with you every step of the way & snapped pics for you,lol. I'm so sorry the sewing bug never bit me. I think you even bought me a little singer sewing machine and with all the sewing classes I had to go to with you, lol But, I know your thankful that I was so appreciative of everything you ever made me in gradeschool, highschool & even college. You are absolutely the BEST!
    I am so proud of Auriel her dresses are AWESOME! She made 3 dresses wow! I know Grandma was proud. I can't wait to show Ashleigh.

    Smooches

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  24. I am loving your nieces outfits. She did great. Looks like you all had a great time shopping. I can't wait to pass down my sewing traits to my girls.:)

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  25. Super fun and exciting!!
    Faye, i did a podcast and speak also about fashion sketching, the basic principals, sewing, creating and thought you might enjoy it -
    http://craftsanity.com

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  26. That's so awesome that your niece is learning to sew. She did a beautiful job on her dresses. Nice choice of fabrics.

    www.sewingwithtrudy.blogspot.com

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  27. What a fabulous job she did. I know how proud you are!

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  28. Your niece did do a beautiful job on her dresses. It's so nice to see someone of her age taking to sewing like that.

    I am so glad you had a nice trip in NYC. I can't wait to see what you make of your lovely purchases.

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