One of the loveliest things about blogging my sewing and knitting endeavours has been meeting new, like-minded friends. Last year I caught up with Hélène, who came from Montreal to New York to have breakfast with me – how cool is that?
On my recent trip to London I managed to meet Sally from Charity Shop Chic and Capital Chic Patterns, and Kate from fabrickated.
Sally took me shopping in Goldhawk Road, after a longish lunch where we got to know each other a bit better. I took a selfie of us, which is rather shocking of me, but quite lovely of Sally, so I am putting it up here in the spirit of blogging veritas, as it were.
Underneath my coat and scarf, I’m actually wearing one of Sally’s patterns – her White Russian sweatshirt, which I really like as it’s quite close fitting and therefore fairly flattering. I added zipped pockets to this one and have worn it to death already.
Anyway, off to Goldhawk Road we went and I felt as though I was in Arab Street in Singapore. This street could take many hours to do thoroughly, but we made a fairly quick visit. Sally took me to her favourite shops and I managed to score a small amount of fabric. I am really trying to be well behaved, but it’s difficult when one is faced with scenes such as this
and this was just a small sample. Now I’m having a look at these fabrics, the one on the left hand side looks really appealing and I want it! I did manage to catch Sally amongst the bolts and she’s carrying the fruit of her labours!
I wasn’t very alert to the photography so belatedly captured some views of the shops whilst we were on the run. A to Z Fabrics is one of Sally’s favourites and I think I bought something there.
Shops are on both sides of the road
and are quite imaginatively named!
Basically you could probably find everything you want here, but I suspect it requires serious digging and I’m not that good at digging – I like my fabric to leap out at me!
That evening Mark and I were invited to dinner with Kate and her lovely husband in their beautiful home which was a real privilege. It is so nice to see where people create and to look at their projects and basically ooh and aah, because Kate is a bit of a powerhouse, creating high quality garments in fairly short order.
Kate has only recently begun knitting and I suspect that she’s already more proficient than I am, but I wore my Hanne Falkenberg knit, which is by far the most complicated thing I’ve ever made, and my most favourite knit.
A few people have asked to see what I bought, so here is my rather paltry UK collection. The striped fabrics are all ribs for sweatshirt bands, etc. The charcoal is a small piece of tweed to make Mark a cap, and the floral is a remnant that I bought in Goldhawk Road. I also bought the pink knit in Goldhawk Road, and the grey at bottom centre is some fabulous waterproof fabric for me to make another raincoat in the same style as my red one. That red raincoat was brilliant by the way and is already packed for my next holiday!
Oh. My. Goodness. Look at all those fabric shops. Living somewhere where there are only a few independent fabric shops, and they’re scattered all around the city at significant distance, that looks like heaven. You were very restrained!
That is a gorgeous photo in your Hanne Falkenberg knit.
Thank you Fiona, it was heaven for me too as we only have about three independent shops left where I live.
Sounds like a great trip all round and added bonus of fashions shows, fabric buys and sewing friend meet ups… what more could a girl want!
Exactly! It was brilliant.
A lovely and sweet post. What a way to meet some fellow sewers while you’re travelling and visiting all the beautiful fabric shops. I’ll bet we will be seeing in the future some beautiful makes from fabric souvenirs.
Oh you certainly have had a wonderful holiday Sue. All those fabulous fabric shops so close together. That must have been so much fun and meeting other sewing friends from the other side of the world would have been wonderful. You certainly were very restrained with your purchases.
You look so happy in the pics, Sue, surely you have had a lovely time with your sewing friends! I have known several German sewing bloggers in real life and I can imagine how wonderful it has to be to meet sewists and artists in other countries. In September, I was at London but on a rather rainy day, I didn’t find the right direction to Goldhawk Street. But I can see that next time, I have to look for it! I am looking forward seeing the well made garments you will make out of your bought fabrics! 🙂
I followed your London adventures on IG with absolute delight but hadn’t seen your fabric haul. Nice sound picks, I must say. But no Liberty? What a reasonable fabric shopper you are! Besides, I see nothing shocking in your selfies/photos. You all look beautiful and radiant and so happy. Makes me wish for an international meeting… Why don’t we organise that in 2017?
2017 is currently being planned Hélène and it includes Canada!😘
Goldhawk Road sounds amazing, but like you I don’t like to dig. Blogging does have this wonderful benefit and how lovely that you could meet up with Kate and Sally. Oh now you have me wondering where you are heading to in Canada, as we are looking at heading that way ourselves next year.
I am not sure when we are going to Canada, probably April/May, and we are still fiddling around with the itinerary, but I shall let you know.
Fabulous way to make friends and in particular friends who inspire your creative streak!
Totally Roma, it is the best way to find like-minded people.
I’m glad you had so much fun and you let us participate! Always fun reading your traveling posts 🙂 If you’re ever planning on visiting the black forest let me know 🙂
Liebe Grüße
Katharina
I certainly will Katharina! I have visited the Black Forest in years past, so need to schedule another visit!
Awesome!
Love living vicariously through your travels and meet-ups!!! Thank you so much for bringing us along! You look so happy in all these pictures and can only imagine what fun you were having. The photos of the shops were so interesting…… both inside and outside.
thank you Lisa, we had the best fun!
I’m so glad you had a good time in England. It would have been great if our schedules had fitted. Maybe next time 😃
Not catching up with you was one of my only disappointments with the trip Kim, but you live so close to my sister that I’m sure we’ll manage it!
Best sights to see when travelling? Another city’s fabric shops! Glad you had a lovely visit!
We had the best trip thank you Linda, and I really enjoyed many fabric shops!
You and Mark were such lovely company, you felt like you could or should be near neighbours. I wish you could just pop in again. And I loved that sweater so much. And everything about the pair of you.
What a privilege, meeting these girls in person! (Before I read the actual blog I thought the pic of you and Sally was of you and a relative…you have the same all-over-the-face smiles!)