Crafter's Ceilidh: The Debrief

I took my anxiety disorder on a field trip on Saturday to meet twenty five other sewing / knitting / crafting enthusiasts for the Crafter's Ceilidh in the city centre. Now, meeting new people and meeting new people on masse is right at the top of my Likely-To-Cause-Hives list, but I'm happy to report that everyone was very nice and friendly and I only blushed to my roots and / or wanted to bite my hand a couple of times. Which is less than in the school playground for pick-up so I'm filing this under 'result'. Can you spy me in this group shot?

Crafters' Ceilidh Group Photo, From L to R: Kerry, Karen, Winnie, Rachel L., Kari, Roo, Carolyn, Amanda, So-Ha, Kiran, Rachel, Debi B., Kristen, Franca, Alana, me, Hannah, Katie and Melizza. Not pictured: Clare, Anneleen, Tom and Cat.
Photo and blog links courtesy of Debi.

I am the teacup human in the red coat. PhD anthropology students, submit your dissertation proposals now: Are crafters taller than your average bear? This sample set suggests so.

After group shots, we trouped over to the treasure-trove that is Armstrongs, a vintage emporium in the Grassmarket. I took a selection of terrible photos, including this petticoat hanging from the ceiling. And then the fabric shopping commenced, hitting Edinburgh Fabrics, Mandors, and The Cloth Shop. Although I am sure many of you (correctly) doubted my restraint after the weekend's stash shot, I only bought £12 worth of fabric:

Do not adjust your monitors, they really are that lurid. There wasn't fabric composition noted on the bolt, but my guess is 100% lycra. Speaking of fabric content, there were a couple of fabrics at The Cloth Shop that were labelled 100% various! Trust me, non-sewers, that's hilarious. I'm not sure what to do with these slinky, stretchy prints but could not resist them as they were reduced from £7.99/m to £2/m. Maybe a wrap dress? As always, feel free to tell me what to do.

Fabric-lust sated, we then headed over to a soon-to-be-open sewing cafe on Leith Walk to swap patterns and fabrics. At the bottom of the above picture, you will see the herringbone wool and polkadot velvet that I lugged around all day in a black plastic Gap bag. Did you know that if you eschew the treacherous cord handles of a Gap bag and instead bunch the plastic in your hand while you carry it around, your hand will turn black? It is scientifically proven. By me.

In exchange for the two fabrics I contributed, I scored this piece of pure silk. Again, I have no idea what I am going to do with it but if nothing else it was much easier to carry around.

Picture courtesy of So-Ha

Do not be fooled by that look of extreme concentration on my face while looking at patterns, I knew it in my heart of hearts that I was probably one of the least likely people to sew for myself from a pattern and so abstained. Although I was sorely tempted just to take one for the LOL-factor. Such as:

Picture courtesy of scruffybadgertime

Version two, please, with the fake fur sleeves.

Photo courtesy of Debi.

And then, finally, to the Voodoo Rooms for a dinner of delicious but bijou chicken. It was funny doing so many things as a large group; being a hen party destination I don't think Edinburgh was used to such a well-behaved and impeccably (and sensibly) dressed group of women out on a Saturday night.

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