Recently, I’ve been reconnecting with my fabric art. It’s bringing me such a sense of joy, I wonder how and why I ever stopped making fabric art, wearables, and quilts.
So, after rediscovering a box full of wonderful fabrics that had been in storage for around 10 years, we went to Portsmouth, NH to shop for useful sewing patterns.
A LOT of fabric art will be in my future.
The first stop was Jo-Ann Fabric, for “costume” patterns.
(I put “costume” in quotations, because they’re sold as costume designs, but I’ll make minor changes and use them for everyday, fabric art wearables.)
And then, it’s like the Universe said, “Yes, get back to fabric art!” I could practically hear the angelic choir, somewhere above the fabric store’s cabinets of sewing patterns.
Really, this was an amazing moment of serendipity: For just three days, McCall’s patterns were on sale for $1.99 each, instead of $18.95 (or more) for each costume pattern.
And yesterday was one of those three days.
Wow, I saved over $100, buying patterns I’d have cheerfully purchased at full price.
Yes, I love them that much.
And yes, that confirmed how well my life clicks into place – with lots of serendipity – when I’m making fabric art.
Then, after shopping there, we went to Portsmouth Fabric Company. Even more wow!
If you have an opportunity to go there, do. It’s the most astonishing fabric store I’ve ever been in. Everything in it is gorgeous!
I snagged three patterns for $1 each, and the fourth at full price. That saved me close to $60, though I’d have happily paid the usual price for those stylish, adaptable, wearables patterns.
After that, we strolled around Portsmouth, steadily dazzled by the beauty and history-is-everywhere style of that comfortable city.
Here are a few photos.
The first shows the view up an alley near the fabric store.
I love it because it’s intriguing, but also because it highlights that even the graffiti in Portsmouth is artsy.
Next, here’s the view from the street corner just west of the fabric store. Portsmouth harbor is always lovely and kind of quirky.
Next is a photo my husband took on the rooftop of the garage where we’d parked. The scenery up there is lovely, with a delicious sense of New England tradition and history.
(The woman in the photo is me, carrying my stash of patterns back to our car. This photo was all I needed to see, to decide to improve my diet and fitness, immediately. And, sewing future vests, I’ll choose dark/slimming colors for the side panels, not ivory white! LOL )
At home, late yesterday afternoon, I spread my new patterns on my art table, and felt very, very pleased.
This is SO cool! These are the kinds of accent pieces I want to sew and embellish. (Yes, even men’s vests and frocks. They look equally wonderful on women.)
Total spent for all of these new patterns…? $25, just slightly more than the usual cost of just one McCall’s costume pattern. Yaayyy!
All in all, it was a tremendous and transformational day, and one that affirms that things are moving (in our case, literally as well as figuratively) in the right direction.
P.S. And yes, especially in sunglasses and a mask, I can look a lot like Cousin Itt. LOL
