Summer A-Line Skirts for a Bestie.

Recently, when I was trying to think of a way to return a favour to my friend Lisa, it occurred to me that she is my size, wears skirts and she doesn't sew.  I had the perfect gift idea....

 

Even for me, my A-Line Skirt pattern is the pattern that keeps on giving. I've lost count of how many skirts I've made with it, and it's my all-time best-selling product.

 

 

It took about an hour to whip up a new work skirt (for her fab new job) in linen with a Japanese print.  Lisa is a Melbourne gal, so a trans-seasonal black skirt with a flash of red will never go unworn.  We like our clothes like that, it seems.

 

Besides being a high-achieving powerhouse in her working life, at home, Lisa is the queen of casual gourmet lunches and barbeques, a passionate urban farmer, mother and dog-owner (..and an expert pourer of wine on the back decking).   Casual summer skirts are the go here (knee-length, methinks).

 

Oh how our lives have changed over the 30-odd years that Lisa and I have been friends!  From high school, through crazy university days, travel, baby-raising and school-kid wrangling....  Nightclubs and loud bands have made way for weekends of coffee dates, kids' activities and craft/farmers-market browsing (...ahem... and laundry and supermarket shopping). 

 

Our grunge fashion made way for stylish-urban-chick, and now our weekend wear is all about flattering styles and comfort, with a nod in the direction of individuality.  We like a well-cut garment and a good fabric (and the blue in this print, I thought, popped like the brilliant blue of Lisa's eyes).

It was awfully handy to be able to try things on to see how the length would look on someone Lisa's size.  (And it's a shame I wore that scrappy slobbing-about-the-house singlet top when I took the photos....).

If you're looking for a copy of my skirt pattern, you can find your nearest (or favourite online) YOU SEW GIRL stockist here.  If you're in or around the USA, you can buy the pattern through Pink Chalk Fabrics. 

First Post from Quilt Market

Apologies for the social media and email silence from this end.  Things have been a little busy, to say the least.... but the good news is that I did indeed make it to Quilt Market in Portland, Oregon. 

All manner of technological glitches, a hefty dose of jet-lag and a hectic work schedule have hitherto prevented me from sharing the experience with the online community. 

In short, I had a lovely time, met great people, talked a lot about exciting possibilities and picked up some new US-based stockists for my sewing patterns. 

There were 3 trips to the local department store the day before set-up and a spot of last-minute, late-night hook-making, when I discovered that the Ikea hooks that were pre-ordered would not fit the top edge of the booth.

Of course, I had lovely travel companions and Quilt Market neighbours...

My samples in Riley Blake fabric attracted a load of attention, and 3 of them are staying in the Riley Blake warehouse, with a few of the patterns.

The Hobo (above), the Laptop (below)....

and the Sling (below again)

The super-popular A-line Skirt pattern will be available through Pink Chalk Fabrics as soon as the Pink Chalk team recover from Market and upload the details.

I was so happy to met Kathy and the girls from Pink Chalk - every one of them is super-lovely.  They've been selling my pdf patterns for a long time but we'd never met before.

As we sort through the invoices and organise the new stockist listing, I'll keep you updated on where to find my patterns in the USA.  My Facebook and Twitter feeds will be the more immediate source of updates, but my post-market resolution is to bring more attention back to my blog, so I won't forget the non-Facebookers-and-tweeters.

I'm off to pour myself another glass of wine and put my feet up. I'm staying with my sister and her family who happen to live in Portland, and I feel that I should perhaps make an effort to interact and make conversation, now that the market madness is over.