ASG Meeting Night

Last night was March's ASG meeting, with a speaker from one of the local Leather Factory stores. His store is #1 in the country for this chain, so I think I might need to check it out. It would be fun to make and wear some leather clothes some day (after all, this is the Southwest), plus he has a lot of findings for bags and things. He brought a lot of hides with him, OMG! The colors and finishes (metallics! prints!) were amazing. There were also some lovely soft pieces that felt like buttah, baby. A customer of the store also came with samples of work that she's made. Sorry, no pictures. I didn't realize the meeting would be such a great photo op.


As usual, we had our Trading Post, and I picked up some great pattern treats:

These both have 1961 copyrights, are new and uncut, and are pretty close to my size for simple grading tweaks. I know I've previously said that my time for a full-on vintage look is over, but I think both of these could be worn now. I especially like that sexy yellow cocktail dress on the left. I could so see myself wearing it! Interesting how adding a collar and a bell skirt (McCall's term) and leaving off the buttons can change vavavoom to demure.


The shirtwaist envelope on the right is proof that misleading pattern illustrations are nothing new. The technical drawings on the back show a much more normal shoulder slope than the picture on the front side. What is with that look anyway? Did women not have shoulders in the early 1960s? At any rate, either dress could turn into a good, workable dress look for today.


I guess the next pattern could be considered vintage to some of you. But come on, it's only from 1985!! Love the jacket and coat. The pattern also includes stirrup pants, but I seriously doubt that I'll be making them. Never say never, but I'm done with stirrup pants, having worn many pairs during the '80s and early '90s.





Again, my size and uncut. When I pulled the contents out of the envelope, those labels fell out! They're really nice woven ones! Don't you wish Vogue still provided labels for their fancy "big envelope" patterns?


I have this great length of Pendleton Indian blanket wool coating that I'll make into a Southwestern style coat someday, so I keep collecting coat patterns that might work. This one would be great with its straight lines, hood, and big patch pockets.


I also picked up some fabric, a couple of silk pieces for linings and a mini-houndstooth crinkle rayon. They're not that exceptional, so no pictures for now. Perhaps when they become something.


After the meeting, some of us headed to Applebee's for snacks and drinks. This has been a custom for quite a while. But last night, jeez! Let's just say that I hope I don't become a curmudgeonly old lady when I'm older. True, the hostess copped an attitude and the waiter was a little spotty, but come on. The manager came over to the table and everything was made right. People, it's Applebee's, one step up from fast food. Stop being so grouchy!