Pattern Review Weekend in LA

What a great time we had meeting each other, shopping for fabric, and creating fashion at the Pattern Review weekend in LA last week. I realized I've been neglecting my blog what with travel to Jackson Hole, flu, and then a whirlwind trip to LA to connect up with on-line sewing friends. I was still coughing and dizzy but my friends Kelly and Barbara took care of me. I sat in the back seat of the car for the drive down and back vegging out while they chattered in the front. We got to the Sheraton Hotel in downtown LA Friday early afternoon to find many of the group engaged in hands on sewing with Susan Khalje. We met Deepika who greeted us warmly and gave us gift bags and info booklets. We set out down the block to FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Marketing.... or something like that) to see the amazing exhibit there of costumes from movies including Oscar winning Elizabeth, Atonement, and many others. Great to see these beautiful garments up close.

Around the corner was the scholarship shop for FIDM which had lots of youthful clothes at bargain prices. We found the bolts of fabric in the back which led to some exciting purchases at $1 a yard. Barbara had commented on the way over she was on a fabric diet so she wouldn't be buying any. That vow lasted about 15 minutes. I've sewn up 3 garments already from my two purchases there so those reviews will be coming soon.

In the evening it was out to dinner with half the group and then a trunk show with Susan Khalje. Lots of techniques shown and Kelly modeled lots of them. Somehow neither Barbara nor I remembered to bring out cameras this evening. Sorry Kelly.

Next day off early to the fabric district for shopping. How overwhelming!! 100s of little shops with all variety of fabric and notions. We all bought stuff. Deepika added up the yardage at the end of the day and 56 shoppers bought 645 yards that one day. In the evening it was out to dinner with everybody and then back to the hotel meeting room to share and play the crazy design an outfit game. Each of us brought 1 yard of undesired fabric. 8 teams of five set out to create with 5 pieces of this fabric. We had duct tape, clips, pins and sticky back tape plus scissors at our disposal. We could cut but had to use some of all 5 fabrics. 30 minutes allowed. 

My group with BarbaraV, KellyD, Leslie (loohoo44) and SusiM created a "Krakatoa Geisha" outfit quickly before we realized we had 30 minutes so we spent the rest of the time enjoying watching the others create.

Now at home once again I will try to catch up on my sewing reviews. I think I have 5 things I haven't photographed yet.