The Great Sew It Together Weekend

The Sew It Together weekend was fantastic.

Friday night was champagne and laughter with old and new friends... bloggers from near and far putting names to faces and connecting like old friends.

(Although I think Cathy is trying to hypnotise Lara here.....)

Saturday was a hoot. I think I should have won the prize for the least crafting done (I did more on the 15 minute train trip to the city than I did for the rest of the day).

I did lots of chatting, making cups of tea (occasionally drinking them but mostly leaving them scattered about the room to go cold) and even squeezed in a trip to Tessuti.

There were fabulous giveaways from sponsors and there was endless warmth and sharing of ideas and experience amongst the fabulous bunch of women who attended.

You can see the linky list here and more photos here.

There were lots of photo opportunities...

...and opportunities to have one's photo taken (that's Lara and me below... thanks Andi!).

.... and don't you just love babies' velvety little ears and warm little baby heads...? Esther is lucky - she got to take this cutie home. (Well, she actually brought her there, too, so I suppose it's only fair).

Supersized THANK YOU to Sheridan for all her work that made the weekend a complete and resounding success. I'm sure we're all looking forward to meeting up again in Sydney next year!!!

Kah-shhhhhhhhhh..... secret bloggers business.

My sewing buddy arrived with a brand-spanking new industrial iron yesterday (to replace the one she brought over from the UK recently, which only lasted a few weeks before it died of a Brighton-water-related disease). We're splitting the cost but it gets to live in my studio. Yippeee!

That elastic looking thing is holding on a solid teflon plate (seriously non-stick!) and that big red button releases a high-pressure Kah-shhhhhhhhh of steam.... which gets sucked through the vaccuum board and makes everything FLAT FLAT FLAT. Love it.

And the tank.... it only needs to be filled up about once a week. As a high-temperature-and-super-steam-loving gal, when it comes to irons, that feature means a LOT to me! (A pet hate of mine is filling the iron every five minutes).

The domestic steam station I bought (on Ebay) last year hasn't really cut the mustard. It spits water rather than steam, and right now is shooting more steam through the end of the handle than through the plate. A good brand but I think I bought a dud. We live and learn.


And you know, I love Blogland. I love that I can devote a whole post to writing about an iron and expect that more than a few people will find it interesting, and might even have something to share on the subject.

That's why I'm looking forward to the Sew It Together convention. The chance to hang out with a bunch of other people who can wax lyrical about the joys of a teflon plate and get excited about the blissfull sound of high-pressure steam through fabric.... well, let's just say its got me a bit skippy-hoppy-happy.

I was in Ikea yesterday, stocking up on display items for the Stitches and Craft Show (and, ahem... other assorted handy things that I never knew I needed) and I bought a few boxes of cheap champagne flutes for the little Friday Night Shindig on the 14th May. It occurred to me that I should organise some sort of formal RSVP thing so I can be in some way prepared.

We've relocated to the downstairs boardroom at the Brunswick Business Incubator from 5pm, but when everyone is in we can have a tour upstairs to the studio (so you can visit my new iron).

If I know how many folks will be there, I could quite possibly cater adequately with enough drinks for everyone and a plate or two of eatables. I'd also really appreciate it if a few locals could bring a plate of something to share - if you can do food (edited to add: don't worry about drinks - that's my shout) please let me or Sheridan know - by Monday 10th May if at all possible.