MEETING MELISSA

On Friday I took the train into NYC to meet Melissa Fehr of Fehrtrade a great sewing blog.  She and her husband James were spending the last part of their honeymoon in NYC and she scheduled a day for fabric shopping.  We met at Global Leather and that is definitely a place worth visiting, but like many shops in the garment district it is only open Monday -Friday.  I wish I'd thought to take my camera out because they have a huge selection.  She bought enough for 4 projects and knowing Melissa they'll be done sooner than later and you'll get to see them on her blog.
This is the only picture I took.  We were rather wet and bedraggled as it poured off and on for most of the day.

Lindsay T joined us for lunch and then a trip up the street to Botani Buttons.  They've expanded lately, in fact they are still a work in progress.  They've added an Italian line of zippers and their trim section is going to be huge when they finish.  They also have the largest and maybe the best handbag findings I've seen.  Want to make a frame bag?  I've never seen a larger selection.  Quite amazing.  Melissa bought some findings for the leather bags she has planned.  She also bought all the  details she needed for her trench coat.  I finally have everything I need for my trench coat so no more excuses!  I bought buttons with a gunmetal edge and a matching buckle and eyelets. By the time we got to Mood she had pretty much spent her budget but she did find a wonderful trench gabardine.  On our way to the train we returned to  Bottani to buy her findings and buttons for her trenchcoat.

I am still cleaning up my studio and putting away patterns.  What a mess I let it get to be! I am not a naturally neat person, but I can't stand working in chaos so I really have to work at putting things away.  I do have places for everything so I don't have to work on that as well.
But, next up is tracing my trench coat and wool jacket and making muslins for both.
My foot is still bothering me and so I am taking frequent stretching and icing breaks.  
Sewing will not be going on until I get everything cleaned up.  I have enough work that I really need to get my second drafting table cleaned of patterns so I can put some work on it!
 
Edited:  A comment asked what I am using for my trench.  A few years ago, and it's going on 3 years I think, Michael's Fabrics in Baltimore had real Burberry laminated raincoat fabric.  There's a waterproof layer between the outside cotton twill, black btw, and the striped wrong side, also cotton.  I have a rayon lining also bought from Michael's that's from Burberry, not their plaid, but a stripe in their colors.  I also bought red wool and cashmere for the button out lining, from Banksville Designer Fabrics,  which I am binding in ready made cotton binding.  Ann Rowley who has a Burberry raincoat was kind enough to photograph the details a few years ago.  I am, as you know making a single breasted coat because it's more flattering for me as is the lapel neckline.  I was getting ready to combine patterns when I found the  LMB trench pattern.  Melissa bought some water resistant twill for her trench when we were at Mood and they poured some water on it to make sure that it was water resistant, which is not a bad idea when you buy your fabric.