weekend away

I have just got back from our little sewing weekend in Preston. Very spendy, but grrrrrrreat fun.
I took the SWAP fabrics from my stash stapled onto a card and purchased some fabrics which would co-ordinate with them.
I was very pleased to eventually be able to match the browned charcoal grey which is the background in my pinstripe suiting, with a lovely wool trouser fabric - so I can now make plain trousers to wear with the stripe jacket if I want to. This was exceedingly hard to match, but I was pleased with myself holding out for a perfect match and buying quality fabric.

We also swapped patterns, buttons and fabric with each other which was great fun. I have a few cool patterns to try out.
I also wore clothes each day which I had made myself from various previous SWAPs and wardrobe contests.
It was apparent when I wore my home-made jeans on Saturday that I really need to improve my trouser fitting skills. Jenni had a GREAT book on fitting which we had a look through and I might need to buy but maybe I'll try a simple burda pants pattern first to see if they work for me as so many people have good results.

And when I got home I found that Effortless style by June Ambrose has arrived and so has Ottobre design Woman 5/2008. I also brought home 1 purchased and several swapped patterns, plus fabric and notions so I am well set up.

Next week we should be exchanging contracts on our new house and then moving about 2 weeks after that, so I may not get to sew too much before my new sewing space has got set up in the new house.