Sunday 18 August 2013

24hrs on the bus for 3m of fabric: was it worth it?

Duh.  Of course it was.  Was there any doubt?  Especially when it's fab laser cut pleather....


....and the exact weight/size/colour of breton stripe I've been looking for all year.


I had one last 3-day weekend of the summer left, and Greyhound was having a web deal, so I thought, what the hell.  Last trip down to NYC in September of 2011 went quickly, and the wifi on the bus meant that I had 7 hours or so each way to catch up on some blog reading.  Unfortunately, it seems that the whole of Quebec decided to cross at the I-87 border that Friday, which meant a 5.5hr hold up for customs and immigration.  Sigh.   Luckily bus people are a patient lot who don't demand to skip the line because don't-you-know-who-I-am and I-have-somewhere-very-important-to-be, like business class fliers tend to!  Everyone settled down for a long wait, broke out their packed lunches, shared everything around, and I got to meet some great people and hear their stories about summer travels to family reunions. 


There have already been some great blog posts about Male Pattern Boldness day 2013, so I'll just do a quick recap:  
from Peter
I met Peter, Suzanne, Teri, Linda and Tracey early at the Chelsea Flea Market.  Really, it was more of an antiques market, with prices you'd expect in Chelsea.  That didn't stop us from taking a good look at everything, including one handmade 1920s black silk dress that caught my eye....but for $450, I had to pass. 
 

I'd been wanting to meet Suzanne for a couple of years now, so it was a treat to get to talk for a while before the main crush of MPB day overtook us.  By the time we got to FIT for the RetroSpective exhibit, we were 25+ people (plus one husband/fabric carrier).  No photos allowed in the exhibit, but there are lots available on the website


 We invaded a cafe en masse for lunch, during which we got to swap patterns, meet Michael and refuel for the epic fabric shopping to come.

Suzanne and Nettie at Mood
I had a Project Runway fangirl moment at Mood:  we saw Sandro (PR S12) getting fabric cut by Kooan (PR S11), and then Uli came up in the elevator as we were leaving!  I can't remember all the stores we visited, but the usual culprits (Chic, Paron, Pacific Trim, Mood, Spandex House) were in there somewhere.  Check the Shop the Garment District website for a complete list of fabric shops, if you are planning a trip there outside of MPB day.

We ended the day at Kinokuniya Japanese books, where I picked up some treats for my kids and a pattern book that I'd been thinking about ordering for a while.


Then we flopped into a corner of Bryant park and spent the next couple of hours rehydrating and comparing fabric.  I did a little speed-dating turn around the group so that I'd get a chance to talk to everyone.  Now I can say that I've actually met all these NYC bloggy friends, rather than trying to awkwardly explain to people that I have a huge group of friends that I "talk to" regularly, but have never met.  You know what I mean, don't you?


Thanks for hosting Peter!  And I'll see you at MPB 2015 perhaps?  But I think that next time, I'll fly....


23 comments:

  1. Looks like it was a great and fun trip. Love the laser cut pleather!

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    1. I will definitely be doing muslins before I cut into it. I'm a bit intimidated, because it's the most expensive yardage I've ever purchased.

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  2. I have been contemplating a 4 hour bus ride to NYC to get a hard to find fabric...hmmm, you've just convinced me to do it! NYC here I come!

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    1. If you're not too far from NYC, you should totally plan a weekend there. How about MPB day 2014? Or there is a big meetup planned for October 2014 that Lady Katza over at Peanutbutter Macrame can tell you about if you contact her! See you there?

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  3. Love the laser cut pleather. My daughter found a beautiful shirt this past week while she was shopping and it was faux suede with laser cutouts at the hemline! I have yet to find anything like it in local stores or on the internet. I would ride a bus for it though!

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    1. Too bad you're not in Montreal, because I saw some faux-suede with laser cut borders this past weekend at Goodman Carlyle on rue St. Hubert.

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  4. it sounds like such a great day! a trip to NYC is always worth it :) hell, i'll fly 7h to go there (and yes, visit family and friends in Montreal) btw, i just realised you live close to Montreal?

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    1. Yes, I'm outside of Montreal. Have you seen my mapping project? Add yourself here!: http://goo.gl/maps/O9F4G

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  5. I just love that pleather -- totally worth the bus ride! -- and the fact that bus people are always so fascinating! That stripe is pretty darn perfect, too!

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    1. I have very, very few interesting people-on-planes stories, but I always seem to have an adventure when I travel by bus. Especially in the developing world. I should do a blog post about it sometime. Like the time I spent on a bus in Laos with a live rat in a plastic bag swinging from the luggage rack above my head, and the Yao woman who refused to move it. Or the time I was on a bus in Botswana, 35 weeks pregnant, and a man cat-called me "beautiful mamma!". Or the time I was vomited over in Vietnam night bus. Or the time....

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  6. how cool....im oogling the laser cut loveliness - any plans for it yet ?? :)

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    1. I only forked our for 1m because it was expensive, so it will have to be something straight and fitted. Mood had a mannequin mock-up that you can see here (August 8th): http://instagram.com/moodfabrics#

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  7. Oh it sounds like you has a fabulous weekend! I loved reading about your recap here. And that fabric... **drool drool drool*... To die for.

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  8. Hmmm...maybe my next jaunt should be to New York to meet up with you guys. I have nothing planned for next year...yet...

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    1. I LOVE for you to come to the 2014 get together! Get in touch with Lady Katza for the info: http://peanutbuttermacrame.blogspot.ca/

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  9. I adore that pleather. It was so great to meet you!

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  10. I'm so glad you braved the bus to hang out with us New Yorkers!! Next year, I'm clearing the whole weekend!

    And, yes, I know what you mean about the various reactions to mentions of "online friends". But you all add so much to my life I am completely past caring about it!!

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    1. I have quit trying to explain to my work colleagues who you all are; I just say "my american friends" LOL. But then CarmencitaB was visiting Montreal last weekend and I had to explain how I know a woman who lives in an isolated coastal french village.....

      BTW, I've had Soul II Soul on repeat in the lab this morning, driving all the younger folk up the wall.

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  11. such restraint! was it because you were too busy drooling over your perfect picks? That. LACE.

    i missed you!!! could you hear my cry of dismay from texas?

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    1. I brought one carry-on sized suitcase with me, and I was determined to buy something special, not just stock up on basics. Well, laser cut pleather certainly isn't basic!

      When are you back in NYC my dear?!?

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