My Goldhawk Rd haul!

I've spent possibly the last day of summer wandering around West London, in particular Goldhawk Road and Shepherd's Bush Market. Following the bloggers trip to Goldhawk in June (blogged here and here, to mention just a couple of blogs), I've always wanted to get over there, but not made it, until today.

The weather was lovely, but I forgot my camera to take some happy snaps :-( I wore my old faithful dress, made for a friend's wedding about 11 years ago. No you can't see the photo here, it'll be on my weekly update for SSS'11! Patience please!

What I want to show you is my fabric haul and this isn't all of it... The rest is quite boring to photograph, so you'll have to wait for the finished pieces to see it!

First selection, a brown linen with a patterned linen to go with it. The patterned one has sequins on too. I was intending to make a skirt, but I've got a metre of each and they're 60" wide, so methinks there may be a bit more than just a skirt there!

I fell in love with this. It's a burgundy red with cream. The plan was to get enough just to make a Sorbetto, but I was coerced into buying the remainder of the roll, so I've two metres! OK, so what to make now? It might actually make a top using the Simplicity peasant pattern I managed to thrift. It's a lovely soft cotton, I can't wait to use it!

Finally this lovely teal green and black tweed type fabric... It's got silver thread running through it too. It's going to make a lovely straight skirt. I found this brilliant lining to go with it too! This will cheer up the winter days. Straight skirt or A-line? Which do you think??

I could have spent a fortune and didn't get all I hoped to get. I've got two patterns I want to make, but didn't get fabric for those (more a case of not making my mind up, rather than the lack of choice!) Not sure I'll get back to London for a while. I think they may be an online purchase. In the meantime, I've enough to keep me out of mischief I think!

Goldhawk Road is to be recommended though. Leave time to browse, don't forget the basements and secondly, just treat the staff as they treat you. You'll get sweet-talked in some shops, saying viewing is free for today only and hello lovely lady, etc. In others, they are so polite and quiet and will only talk when asked. I even got asked if I wanted a massage today, as the assistant did them in his spare time!! Enjoy!

Sew much to do, sew little time...

I've been trying to put together my first Sorbetto, but it's taking me ages. I got it all cut out and the main pieces sewn together. The bias strips made and pinned to the neck and armholes and there it's sat for the past week! So more of this in a future post...

We went to Mum's for the bank holiday weekend, so that put paid to any sewing I planned then. We had a lovely time and in preparation for Self-stitched September, I wore lots of RTW clothes. Mum was happy to see us though and the weather wasn't bad for a bank holiday!

Mum and I at Eastnor castle

Tuesday Mr N and I both had the day off and went into London. The idea was to use some theatre tokens we'd had lying around for ages. So we went to see The Mousetrap. If you haven't seen it, go, it's brilliant! A typical "who done it", but brilliantly staged.

Lots of people in the way, not to mention the lampost!

Before the show, we managed to get a two course lunch for about £40 for the two of us (including drinks). Yes this was in central London! Plus Mr N let me stray over towards Berwick Road! If you ever have cash to spare, this is one place to buy fabric in central London! I was like a child in a sweet shop and if I'd have had some money there could have been some serious spending going on!! I was very good, I allowed myself to touch and dream. We don't have fabric shops like that where I live in Hertfordshire, so you can imagine what I was like!!

Anyway, since then, it's been back to work and it's been a bit busy too, so little time for sewing. Choir rehearsals have started too, so Wednesdays are out. Perhaps the weekend I'll find some time...

Anyway, I've still been thinking and buying... (not spending a fortune buying though!)

I've scoured the charity (thrift) shops in five different towns (I get around in my work!) and only one had any dress patterns in. :-( Knitting patterns aplenty, but my knitting is not good and I don't like things once I've made them. This was my one single pattern purchase.

I'm assuming this is from the 80's. It's even got the transfer pattern inside!! I just like this sort of top and have only had RTW peasant things before now, at last I've found a pattern. They are so comfy and at work, they are great, because I can move around and shift things easily.

I also found this...

The plan is to turn this into a pencil skirt. It's not lined, but I've got some lovely bright red lining which I could use, or maybe just plain black?? Which do you think? The fabric is stretchy, so I'm hoping it'll be really comfy to wear and warm too. Each square is about half inch. Here's the fabric close up.

Last but not least, a lovely parcel arrived from Kym at As Cute as a Button. I've a couple of cardigans which have, quite frankly, lousy buttons on them. They're horrible. So I'm going to change them. Just a bit of refashioning, but one has 13 on it! Anyway, these were my purchases, aren't they lovely??

So, to cut a long story short, I've lots to keep me out of mischief! I've also got Colette patterns Voilet blouse to make, as well as Vogue 1178. I'm hoping I can get some made before the end of September so I can wear them for SSS'11. Watch this space!