Caroline, of Sew-Eng. has just announced, not one, but two summer meet-ups for Montreal sewing bloggers. Of course, you don’t need to have a blog, or live in Montreal to attend. (Oh, et c’est bien sur, un événement bilingue!)
The first takes place on Saturday, June 14, 2014 and starts at noon. It includes lunch, fabric shopping on Saint-Hubert, and then a 5 à 7 afterwards. Since lunch is involved, RSVPs are in order.
The second takes place on Friday July 18, 2014 and also starts at noon. It includes lunch, fabric shopping on Chabanel street, and then a 5 à 7 afterwards. Since lunch is involved, RSVPs are, again, in order.
Last time there was a fabric and pattern swap, so I hope there will be again. We’ll see.
So hop over to Caroline’s site and sign up! Maybe I’ll see you there.
Visitors can wander among famous names such as Schiaparelli, Jean Patou, Thierry Mugler, Arnold Scaasi and Christian Dior. This tribute to fashion will also be staring creations from designers Christian Chenail, Valérie Dumaine, Joseph Helmer, Jocelyn Picard, Marie St-‐Pierre and Tavan and Mitto.
The Museum of Costume and Textile of Quebec invites fashion lovers and the curious to be charmed by the sensuality and sophistication of the finest design.
Quite a few people have already confirmed, so be sure to hop over to Caroline’s blog to RSVP!
I don’t know about you, but for me, this summer has been crazy!
There is just so much going on that I can’t possibly keep up. I have three kids getting ready for back-to-school. Sniff! They are getting so big! I’m off maternity leave and back to work (sigh!). And I’ve been sewing up a storm. Now all I have to do is catch up with my blogging.
So I thought I would start by showing off some of my summer loot.
Last Saturday there was a Montreal Sewing Blogger’s Meetup, this time hosted by Vicki of Another Sewing Scientist. It was loads of fun. We started with lunch, then had an amazing swap.
The meetup was organized for CarmencitaB‘s trip to Montreal. And she brought us all gifts! Such a sweet thought! I got a ring pin cushion, some French bath gel and a new tape measure (the last courtesy Jalie patterns). And that was before the swap.
Loot from the second Montreal Sewing Blogger’s Meetup.
The swap was amazing! I have a bit of a project backlog at the moment, so I didn’t take any fabric except the quilting scraps. But I left with two amazing pattern magazines. I grabbed the Ottobre magazine because it has a great dress pattern, but there is also a cute pattern for pyjamas I’d like to try. I also got some fun trim, some cute kids’ belting and some d-rings. We did go shopping afterwards, but I’m on a bit of a fabric budget. I did get few fat quarters from Effiloché though.
The very best part was seeing everyone’s sewing creations in person. Carmen wore this dress, Vicki wore this skirt, Caroline wore this dress (and is organizing the next meetup in September), and Rachel wore this dress. All very beautiful! I have probably forgotton someone and their sewing. Sorry! I cheated and brought my baby with her new bonnet. I had grand plans to sew something in time, but there are only so many hours in the day. Next time.
All together we were Vicki, Carmen, Caroline, Katherine, Renée, Rhonda, Tammy, Rachel and Julie. Have I missed anyone? Thanks everyone for all the fun!
In case you haven’t heard, there will be another Montreal Sewing Bloggers’ Meetup this Saturday.
We are meeting at noon on Saturday August 17 at El Chalateco at 520 rue Beaubien E. for lunch. Next there will be a swap of patterns, fabric and whatever else people bring and then we will hit the shops. Fun!
This time the meetup will be hosted by Vicki over at Another Sewing Scientist. So hop over to her blog for details and to RSVP.
My husband is getting pretty tired of hearing about separating zippers and wool crepe. So I was very excited about the first Montreal Sewing Bloggers’ Meetup. We were seven sewists at the meetup. Not bad, especially on a very cold and rainy Saturday.
We started out with coffee at Caffè mille gusti. The service was great and the owner was super friendly. Also, cannolis! Mmmmmm. Then we had a fun pattern and fabric swap. Check out the damage.
Look what everyone brought to swap! Not much room for coffee on those tables.
I got two nice patterns for myself. A nice pencil skirt from Burda (view C is calling me), and an Anne Klein jacket. I also have a big box of homeless patterns for the next meetup. Ah, the 1980’s!
This is what I took home from the pattern swap: Burda 4400 – Misses Gored Skirts and Vogue 2047 – Anne Klein Misses Jacket, Skirt & Pants.
Then we did the tour of Saint-Hubert. Luckily for my budget, we mostly stuck to the more affordable fabric and notion stores. It was great fun. Heather of Closet Case Files knew all the shops and took us around to her favourites. I picked up a bit of pretty cotton shirting for only $6/yard. I also saw some really nice wools, but couldn’t decide what I wanted. And I think the other sewists convinced me I need a cape. I do need a cape, right?
What I picked up on Saint-Hubert: lightweight cotton shirting in white with a turquoise print.
I am so excited to find a group of people who are as excited about sewing as I am! So excited that I forgot to take photos. I’m such a bad blogger sometimes!
Everyone was so nice! Really! I’m not sure what it is about sewing that makes people so incredibly nice and friendly, but it’s awesome. And of course no one complains if you want to talk zippers and wool crepe.
I think we should definitely have another meetup and Vicki from Another Sewing Scientist and Map the Sewintists suggested somewhere with a terrace next time. But when? Suggestions for dates welcome!
And though we were only seven of us this time, there were other bloggers that just couldn’t work last Saturday’s meetup into their schedule. Hopefully they will be able to make it next time. Here are some of their blogs, in case you are looking for more local talent.
(If you are looking for more bloggers to follow, but quilting is more your thing, you can find a list of Montreal modern quilting bloggers on the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild website.)
Do you know any other Montreal sewing bloggers? Or maybe you are another Montreal sewing blogger? Let me know who I’ve missed in the comments so I know who to invite next time!
A few weeks ago I asked if anyone would like to go to a sewing meetup in Montreal, and the answer was a definite “yes”. Yay!
So I am happy to announce that this coming Saturday, May 25, there will be a sewing meetup at 2 p.m. We’ll meet at Caffé Mille Gusti on St-Zotique. It’s very close to Saint-Hubert, but it’s a bit small, so if lots of people RSVP, we may change the location. Be sure to RSVP yourself to get any updates.
For those taking the public transportation, the nearest metro station is Beaubien.
We’ll grab coffee at 2 p.m and have a quick pattern exchange (bring those patterns that just aren’t for you). Then we’ll hit the fabric shops on Saint-Hubert: Effiloché, Couture-Elle, Rubans, Boutons and more (or less, if everyone finds what they need right away). We may also try Saint-Laurent. Montreal has some great fabric shops, but there is so much to choose from that it can be overwhelming, at least for me. I need a second opinion. That could be you!
Out-of-towners are welcome and having a blog is entirely optional. If you are worried about language, don’t. All the shop clerks will speak both English and French.
Si vous êtes francophone, soyez la bienvenue. Je serai heureuse de converser avec vous dans la langue de votre choix. Je blogue surtout en anglais (question de paresse), mais je suis complètement bilingue – à part quelques coquilles ici et là 😉
I know some people would have preferred a different date, but that means only one thing! We’ll just have to have another meetup. I just hope my fabric budget can take it.
I was reading all about the recent Toronto Sewing Blogger Meetup and I thought, we should do that in Montreal! Who’s in?
I was thinking it would be nice to meet on a Saturday afternoon, grab coffee around 1 p.m and hit the fabric shops on Saint-Hubert: Effiloché, Couture-Elle, Rubans, Boutons and more (or less, if everyone finds what they need right away). Montreal has some great fabric shops, but there is so much to choose from that it can be overwhelming, at least for me. I need a second opinion. That could be you!
But when? My schedule is just crazy, but the following dates would work. Do you have a preference? Let me know in the comments, or contact me directly.
April 20
May 18
May 25
I know some would prefer a Sunday, but most of the shops are closed that day.
And of course, out-of-towners are welcome and having a blog is entirely optional. If you are worried about language, don’t. All the shop clerks will speak both English and French.
Si vous êtes francophone, soyez la bienvenue. Je serai heureuse de converser avec vous dans la langue de votre choix. Je blogue surtout en anglais (question de paresse), mais je suis complètement bilingue (à part quelques coquilles ici et là).
So who’s in?
Update: The Sewing Meetup will take place on May 25. Read more here.
The Finished Garment 