I am trying very hard to reduce the size of my fabric stash, honest!!! It’s just so hard! They are definitely coming in faster than I can sew them at the moment…I think the problem is that the more I sew, the more I need to visit fabric shops for all the extras, like lining, or interfacing, it’s just too tempting!

Yesterday afternoon I was in need of a little retail therapy, so as I was in Harrogate I wandered down to the Remnant Shop, it’s an Aladdin’s Cave of fabric! I found a really pretty batik design which I hope will make a summer top. There’s quite a lot of batik around at  the moment, I’ve got a skirt length waiting to be made up already.

This morning the Northern Sewcialists Meet-up was in Leeds, thanks to Myfanwy of Craft Alchemy  for organising such a great day. We met at the train station before setting off for the market. There’s about four good fabric stalls on Leeds market as well as two haberdashery stalls and a sewing machine repair shop. My favourites are Fletchers and B&M Fabrics. Fletchers is in the old part of the market, they have some lovely fabrics, both dressmaking and furnishing fabrics. I’ve bought a couple of lengths here recently but to day I managed to resist, though I was very tempted!

B&M fabrics have a large stall in the 1976 hall, further down the market. They also have recently opened a gorgeous shop on the outside of the market. I fell for a pretty cotton print for a top and a heavier navy cotton as I want to make a straight skirt for summer. I keep falling for prints and I realised I need some plain tops and skirts to wear with them. At the last minute I spotted another print, with a nice drape to it, it’s a bit different for me and I think it’s one of those that’s either going to look great or awful, there will be no half way! That’s for a top too.

There was about twelve of us altogether. We had lunch at Crowd of Favours (I can recommend the fish finger sandwiches!) where we sat and chatted for ages about sewing, patterns, fabric. We had a fabric and pattern swop too, which was a great idea, now I know how it works I’ll remember to bring something next time. Basically any fabric in your stash which realistically you know you’re never going to use (admit it, we’ve all got some!) bring along to see if anyone else wants it.

After lunch we had a peruse round Samuel Taylors, where I bought a couple of patterns, before going our separate ways. It was a great day, it’s lovely just having people to chat to about sewing stuff. I guess I need to go and start sewing…!