Material Girl

Whilst back home, I went back to the Fabric Warehouse.  OK, I went three times in two weeks, including twice in the same day.  It was lush.

Whilst there, I got some real beauties, and learning from my mistakes I am going to document what I want to make them into, so that time will not be the death of my ideas.

So, without further ado, I bring you my NZ 2014 Collection (rather grand title that!):

Visit One (28 January, 1319 hours):

Ice blue silk/cotton blend – 150 cm x 1.7 m, $5 (£2.50).  This was in the remnant box!!  I’m either going to make a shirt or a dress from it.

Khaki/purple silk/cotton blend – 115 cm x 2.2, $48.40 (£24.20).  This will be made into a loose fitting dress, with sleeves, based on my blouse sloper; to be worn with a belt around the waist.  Simple, clean lines to allow the fabric to do the talking.

Jungle print cotton -  115 cm x 1.5 m, $42 (£21).  This has been made into a loose fitting, sleeveless dress, based on my blouse sloper.  I absolutely love this dress and will blog about it separately.  It saved me from the nightmare on digital print street.

Black/White/Chartreuse geometric print, cotton with a little bit of stretch – 150 cm x 1 m, $18 (£9).  This will be a straight skirt – think J Crew – to be worn with a blouse and black cardigan.

Sequin trims – $2 (£1).  This is potentially for a cardigan jacket that I’m making and stuck on what to use for the trims. 

Visit Two (28 January, 1507 hours LOL):

Black/Gold brocade, fibre content unknown – 110 x 1.5 m (all that was left), $21 (£10.50).  Slim-fit trousers (from November Burda magazine – 11-2013-110) have been cut out and are 75% sewn up.  So far so good!

White self-striped slinky jersey, fibre content unknown but feels like rayon or some-such – 150 cm x 2.2 m, $30.80 (£15.40).  This will be made into a ruched tshirt from the front cover of the January Burda magazine 01-2014-122.

Visit Three (30 January, 1517 hours DOUBLE LOL):

Chartreuse poly/rayon – 150 cm x 1 m, $12 (£6).  Blouse to go with the Black, White & Chartreuse print skirt.  My mother said she thought these fabrics would make an outfit that was “very me”.  I wasn’t sure, but then we don’t always know ourselves as well as others do now do we.  I decided to buy the material for the skirt - £9 isn’t much to pay to test a theory after all.  Well, it turns out Mum was right.  I went back the next day as I couldn’t stop thinking about how cute and outfit it would all make, and the two were the perfect pairing – it would have been the one that got away otherwise, and I would have hyper inflated it in my mind to something irreplaceable.  Best $12 spent.

Beige lace and sequins, unknown fibre content – 150 cm x 80 cm, $11 (£6.50).  This will be made into something glamorous I hope.  Being on the RTW fast prompted this purchase – I’m at two weddings this year and felt compelled to buy it.  A not so instant fix!

Pale blue cotton – 150 cm x 4 m, $36 (£12).  This will be made into a slim-cut blouse (button down shirt type), with white rick-rack and long sleeves and a matching gathered, knee length skirt (but not too full – I’m learning from the digital print disaster).  The two will be worn together as a dress, and alone.  By the way, I took this beast of a length of material home and washed it, only to take it in off the line and find it had been on the receiving end of some tui (native birds to NZ that live in my Mother’s garden) poos – not ideal!

6 buttons (originally for the digital disaster dress, oh dear) @ $0.80 each

2 x 50 cm pieces of trim @ $2 each.

At this point I bid the staff adieu, promising them (but really myself) that I’d be back again in a few years (rather than a few hours).  What a treat.

I will leave you with this photo – I have never seen fabric so amazing.  Both of these are leather hides, with a metallic finishing.  The one on the left was iridescent shades of green and pink (depending on the angle of view) and the other was a vibrant royal blue.  Both were $90 (£45) which I found to be decadent, but decent.  I had visions of making a skirt or bag from the blue, and a jacket (or learning to make shoes) from the green/pink.  I still think about the blue.  However, they were heavy so I didn’t take either.  Especially when I already had all of the material above to pack!  That pale blue cotton (sans bird poo) is heavy!