So long anticipated, so quickly over! The Pattern Review Philly weekend is over – insert sad face here! It was such a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. My blogroll, which is 90% made up of sewing friends whom I have met in person, is overflowing!
Highlights for the weekend for me included…
1. Driving down with Geralyn. We met for the first time on a lonely road in rural New York State, and talked non stop for about five hours! I likely should have been a titch worried when she suddenly pulled out a pair of scissors, but they were a very thoughtful gift for me in return for driving her! The scissors are made where she lives, so I will definitely be thinking of her every time I use them.
2. I got to stay with Karen, who, since we met for the first time in 2006, has become a good friend. We always start up our conversations right where we left off! As an added bonus, she has a sweet boyfriend who thinks that I look like Kristen Wiig. 
Yup. Mario is now on my fave guy list!
3. Amazing women. Did I mention amazing women? Wonderful, talented, friendly women? Women with diverse backgrounds who come together for a weekend of comaradarie, laughing, talking, learning and shopping? Our Friday night dinner sounded like we were, as my husband often said of our daughters, sounding like “a gaggle of giggling girls”! 
4. Kenneth King. Irreverant, intellectual and immensely talented. The workshop was oh so fun! My camera hated the lighting in this room. Either that, or the fact that the first thing I did in Philly was drop my camera in the parking lot….
5. The hand on eyes glued on, up close and personal, access to some vintage pieces was wonderful. Even if one was not interested in vintage (I am though!), seeing couture work was great. It was interesting to see the construction details- some of them oh so simple.
6. Meeting over 50 women with similar interests. Oh wait. I said that! Well, it needed saying again!
7. Shopping, shopping, shopping. Nuff said! The customs guy at the border asked me what I did for a living when I told him how much fabric I bought! My eyes were suffering from visual overload by the end of the day! 
8. New inspiration and new ideas. I am full of style and pattern ideas garnered from seeing what everyone else made.
9. I finally realized that I am not nuts! Now there’s a revelation. Driving down Walnut (was it Walnut, Karen?) six of us were continually commenting on the clothing of tourists. You know, this neckline, that hemline, that drape. DeeDee commented that her daughter always said to her to stop staring so intently at people. To a woman, we agreed that that had happened to us too! We get so intent on looking at clothing details, that we don’t realize that we are staring. So sue us!
10. Reality shows! At breakfast on Sunday, we decided that there should be a reality show based on us! Call it Desperate HomeSewers. Or American Sewers. or Sewers of Pattern Review. Or something.
…Picture this. Women at airports, in cars, on trains. Missed flights. Falling asleep on the train and going to NYC by mistake. Wrong turns.
…..Fade to hotel shots. Woman in the lobby frantically stitching a hem.
Women running up to one another-”I know you- that’s the Allyn dress”! “You’ve got to be one of us- That’s BWOF Jan 09 #135, isn’t it?!”
….Cue to woman crying to camera…”I just knew her topstitching would be straighter than mine. I can’t wear that jacket now”
…Fade to two women giving sideways glances to try to figure out that origami collar.
…Short clip of woman speed tracing a pattern in her hotel room, with envious eyes watching every move. Serger fights. Fabric store hair pulling over the last two metres – whoops=yards- on a bolt. 6 women in a lineup buying the same denim, determined to get those Jalie jeans as perfect as “hers”. We decided there would be no elimination though. Additions yes, but only self eliminations.
Okay- it sounded hilarious on a Sunday morning after a long, fun weekend. I won’t hold my breath on the networks calling though!
Yes it was a great weekend. I met so many wonderful women, reconnected with old friends and padded my stash! Thanks ladies, I had a blast! To Karen, Lee, Annette, Andrea, Mimi and Elaine. Pat yourselves on the back, and accept all the kudo’s coming your way. They are very deserved!
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Trying to “look up the skirts”?? (Like we did at YSL in Mtl??)
<3
R-E-A-L-L-Y looking forward to seeing ya again SOON !!
Soft hug, Rhonda
That is EXACTLY what I was thinking- I even told them about that! Save up the energy Rhonda, we are going to need it!
I can’t WAIT until Montreal! Like, seriously! I’m even making some clothes so I things I have worn to like the last three PR weekends!
I had heart palpatations last night thinking of all the sewing I want to do in the next couple of weeks! Montreal will be a blast- I will look forward to meeting your mom!
I laughed til I cried reading about the reality show idea. It’s all so true. I had a great time in Philly and can’t wait til next year!
We had so much fun working that idea over breakfast!
Thank you for calling by my blog – Happy Birthday to you too.
Beverley
http://www.beverleylovestosew.blogspot.com
Thank you for popping by my blog – Happy Birthday
Beverley
Thanks Beverley. It’s always great to find new blogs.
It was a pleasure meeting you and spending time with you! You were a wonderful hostess and I’m sure you will do a great job again in Montreal.
Thanks Lisette- I really enjoyed meeting you as well!
Too much fun! I just wish I could come to the Montreal weekend, but I can’t. I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for the NEXT PR weekend, so I can get it onto my calendar before anything else pops up (like pesky work stuff).
Darn that work! By the way, the Allyn dress is on the very top of my “to do” pile! I want to get it done before Montreal.
I’m still recovering. It was a pleasure meeting you. I had so much fun. You know I was crazed about getting that jacket done to wear on Saturday LOL!!! It was so worth it. I wore it 3 days in a row. I finally put it to rest last night after wearing it to work yesterday. I think I need to make another one.
You are one dedicated woman! I loved meeting you as well, Andrea!
It was great meeting you Connie. I was surprised you drove all the way down for Canada for a PR weekend, but by the end of the weekend I understood. It was so much fun. I love the idea of a sewing related reality show.
Likewise Audrey! You are as lovely in person as your photo suggests! I have been called crazy before – I’m glad you see my reasoning though!
Great pictures! I loved DeeDee’s comment. I find myself looking at people’s clothes and saying, “that’s like pattern …” LOL The weekend was so much fun!!!
So true. I must remember to ask you what that grey top you wore on Friday was though. I think you said it was a Simplicity….
It was great to meet you in Philly. I had such a wonderful time I had to buy another suitcase at Jomar’s to bring home my fabric. I’m going to miss Montreal, to my dismay, but I have enough fabric to sew until the next PR weekend!
Whew- another suitcase. That is dedication! It was a pleasure to meet you as well!
It was a fantastic weekend, and the PR team did a great job. I loved meeting you (and all those other committed sewists)! Love this post, especially number 10
I loved seeing the Michael Kors on you — the pattern envelope didn’t look very interesting to me, but it suited you perfectly, and looked as if it were designed just for you. (I guess it was, in a way!) You did a beautiful job on it.
Thanks! I loved meeting you too. And blushing at the compliment. Which reminds me – I need to review that dress.
Although I was not there the whole weekend, I enjoy myself totally on Saturday and it was an awesome pleasure meeting others. Love the pic of me pointing at something….lol. I was weighted down heading back home, now I need to make room for my new fabric purchases
Connie – it was such a treat to meet you in person! And Mario is right you do look like a very lovely Kristin Wiig. When I think of you I remember that fantastic Michael Kors dress you were wearing…and it was sooo much fun to watch everyone’s eyes glaze over from fabric haze by the end of Saturday!
Wah!!! My son’s field trip to the amusement was so lame compared to this excursion. I had to go because of his medical issues, but next year it won’t be an issue. Thanks for sharing the pics, and I’m so glad you had such an enjoyable time.
It was wonderful to meet everyone; I found you all absolutely inspiring! Wish I could make the Montreal trip. Perhaps the trip after that! I’m so thankful that Carolyn, Cidell, and LindsayT told me about the whole sewing blog thing. I didn’t realize there were so many great blogs. I might just have to start my own
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