Thursday 19 June 2014

Minervacrafts Meet Up - June 2014

 British Sewing Awards 2013
Hello, hello, hellooooo. Is anyone  there?

Yes I know, it has been so long, and even when I do blog it is nothing to do with anything I have sewn *bends her head down in shame*.  I will blog some creations I promise, am going to learn how to make tops/blouses and not bore you with any more simple skirts. I have a couple more skirts to show you, then it's something a little more interesting. Er stop yawning y'all.


Am not an avid blogger but I have never left it this long but when life gets in the way, it gets in the way. I noticed all my images have disappeared from a couple of my previous posts and my profile pic. What's gone on there? It annoys me that kind of shiz. Anyway on to the topic of this post, Minervacrafts meetup (hereon Minerva).

I follow a lot of blogs and besides seeing images of the bloggers fab creations they also wax lyrical about sewing meet-ups they have been on or about to go on. I read about this dozens of times, which got me thinking, hey T why don't you get in on the action. This year I did. Not one but two, NYlon which was held in London, May this year (blog about that another time) and Minerva this month, June the 14th to be precise.

I was intending to go to Minerva by car with a sewing group gal but work intervened and they had to cry off much to my disappointment but hey that's how the cookie crumbles.  

Photo: Courtesy of Minervacrafts

Minerva is a craft store based in Darwen just outside Darwen train station. Love it  when a place is that close to a train station when you don't drive. Minerva won four sewing awards in 2013 and decided to celebrate the fact. The beauty of these awards is that they were voted by the likes of you and me, not the establishment. Okay I have no idea who the establishment might be but I have been dying to say "the establishment"  sounds gangster.  
 
So here I was left to my own devices, bouncing back and forth as to whether I was going to go as I wasn't feeling well and the the fare was about £14 aka fabric money. To cut a long story short I decided to attend. Up I was at the crack of dawn, showered and dressed, eyes struggling to adjust to the daylight. I jumped the train, arrived too early for the event, went for a wander, returned a few moments before the doors opened. 

Friendly faces, bucks fizz and a bag containing the agenda and other bits and bobs was there to greet me, yes, ladies and gentlemen  I was glad I decided to go.  As the old adage goes, you regret more the things you didn't do than the things you did, or something along those lines, you get the gist.  Or to sound gangster . . .  You get me ?

Golden Girl Vicki - Sales Director

It was nice to meet the sales director and co-ordinator of the event Vicki in the flesh and in the dress I had seen sneak previews of on instagram. Glancing around the store, to say I was like a child in a candy store is to put it mildly. Okay we UK'ers say sweet shop but the Americans 'candy store' sounds so cute besides my grandad was American so I will use that as my excuse. A quick glance around this fabric heaven was enough for me to wish I had more money, much more money. This was further cemented after fondling touching the fabric Ooo eee. Where's that genie when you need him?


I couldn't resist adding a caption. 

Me: Hey Vicki, doubt I will be buying any fabric today.
Vicki: Yeah right! You crack me up, you should be a comedian.

Various workshops, quizzes, competitions were the order of the day.  if you were lucky to find one of the gold tickets hidden amongst all that fabric you won a prize, simples. Do people still say 'simples' ? Not heard it for a while but I kind of like it, even though I don't use it. Great talks by Elisalex and Victoria -  By Hand London and Karen who blogs over at Did You Make That. Have you spotted Karen above in the fabulous dress, I kept eyeing up, as I love a funky print, yes sir. 

With regard to BHL I desperately want their Elisalex pattern, I mean WANT! I only noticed it in Minervacrafts after I had spent my money, damn! Same when I was in London for the NYlon meet-up, I thought yes I will pick this up but I don't think we went near a stockist. The opportunity only appears to arise when am skint.  I suppose it might be a good idea to learn how to make tops before I start crying over fully blown dress patterns. I even have the fabric for this pattern, so I know I will have it one day, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but one day. A little homage to Casablanca.

Vicki and two of the cool By Hand London gals Victoria & Elisalex
 

Back to Minerva there are a plethora of fabulous photo's here on the Minerva website, gorgeous photo's of the bloggers et al in their evening clothes, referred to as the Big Reveal. 

Anyway if you are not far away from Darwen check them out one day or order fabric from their award winning website, which I will be doing in the future as they have some fabulous jersey's which is hard to get hold of in my neck of the woods. Am sure I have just seen a notice that said they were having a 20% promotion on selected fabrics, mosey on over. By the way it's free UK delivery on orders £20 and over, again am going to use that word . . . simples.

Before I go I will leave you with this pearl of wisdom . . . Cool Girls Sew.



Excuse any typo's am dog tired




Until Next Time

Sassy T

 







3 comments:

  1. How fun to go to a meet up! I'm glad you had such a good time. Your caption on the photo re fabric shopping cracked me up!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hellou, You can put photos on facebook with link, thats not problem!

    ReplyDelete
  3. That sounds like a great event! The By Hand London ladies are all gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete

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