Sydney and a Reality Check

and sew it seams that a girl can have a whole lotta fun doing a sewing course in Sydney ... I have recently returned from doing the Palmer Pletsch FIT AND SEW KNITS course with Sue Neall in Sydney. It was all about tissue fitting commercial patterns and learning about sewing with knits ... here is Vogue 8151
and here is the top I made - using fabric from Georgeous Fabrics..... it's lovely to wear - a mid season weight and it fits like a glove!
Here is an old BWOF pattern from 2005.
And here is the little top I made. It's cute and I must mention here that the course was held at Martin & Savage Fabrics Warehouse in Waterloo - oh my .... I'm even palpitating as I write this ... this top was made using the bits and pieces of fabric made available to us ...
We were allowed to roam the warehouse and choose fabric to purchase ..... the quality is exceptional and the colours, prints and textures were to die for ... it's such a shame that Martin & Savage isn't readily available in my local fabric stores .... here is a very clever piece called "Ready To Wear" it's in panels with a shirred top - perfect for a skirt - just whip up a seam and hem it ..
and it's reversible! So maybe do a flat fell seam and bob's your uncle! I purchased two panels to make a dress to go around my girth - but if you are a skinny minny you could get away with one panel.

Here is the shirred / elasticised part ....
Here is a lovely textured piece ...

And more fabric ...

While we were there we popped into Europress up the road in McEvoy Street and picked up some back titles ......
As I said, Martin & Savage gave us remnant bits to play with ... here are a few of the lovely things I brought home ...

As I said, the course was about tissue fitting and adjusting patterns, pictured above is an adjustment for a fuller bust -it's a very clever method ... and below is the remnant couch - a treasure chest!

Here is the overlocker table and the cutting tables in the background, and of course, wall to wall fabric .... phew, it was hard to concentrate ....
Bernina supplied all the machines - here is my little friend ...
I made a little trip to Newtown and found the Bollywood shop ..
And this lovely shop was unfortunately closed ... All Buttons Great and Small - check the cool window display ..

and now for the reality check ..... remember this pattern? I made the jacket and then the brown dress .....

Well ..... I'm not sure why I don't look exactly like that lovely tall model on the pattern envelope ....ouch! Nice pattern though!