Polka dot Pants!

Ok, so I hope that I am not the last to show what fun we had last weekend! 

Winnie issued the invitation to come for a meet-up and knicker workshop sometime in the early summer and I was keen to sign up.  After much discussion at home, Husband and I decided that we would use the weekend to visit family in Cheltenham and have a day trip to Bath to show our girls the sights.  We used to live in Bath for a short period when Eldest and Middlest were little (too little to remember it) so it was a lovely trip down memory lane, and I got to see some bits that I hadn't been to before. 

I meet up with everyone eventually after much, probably unnecessary, stressing.  Note of advice - Do not drive into the centre of Bath on a Saturday unless you want to spend alot of time sitting in traffic!
Whilst on my brisk walk to meet everyone, Husband texted to tell me he had seen 5 Mr Darcy's! I, on the other hand, had seen a hen party clutching inflatable unmentionables - talk about one extreme to another!

The reason for the Mr Darcy's was that it was the 12th Jane Austen festival that weekend, which I have to say was an added bonus. I'm not really into dressing up, but it did look great fun and we spent a while admiring people's costumes.

Regency ladies waiting at a pedestrian crossing

We had a great time wandering around the City taking in the sights,

Having fun with cameras and timers

 then it was on to lunch at the Tramshed. Here we all are en route from The Royal Crescent to lunch:

Photo by ScruffyBadger

• Winnie (not in photo) from Scruffy Badger Time
• Rachel from House of Pinheiro
• Roisin from Dolly Clackett
• Jane from Handmade Jane
• Melizza from Pincushion Treats
• Shivani from Pins and Needles
• Amy from Magpie Mimi
• Me from Pimp my Curtains.
• Laura from Laura in a Tangle
• Dibs from Dibs and the Machine

We were joined at lunch by Sheena from Tottieweeminiatures.

Lunch was delicious and over coffees and sticky toffee pudding, we got down to the serious business of swapping.

just before the swap...

I had taken some material that I had had for years, that I have never thought of using, even for the girls (I had got a bit scissor happy in Ikea!) and about a metre of some flowery lawn that I had left over from making my Portfolio tunic.  I am pleased to say that I came home without the material, but I did bring home a very sweet shirt dress pattern from Kerry.

The Makery was just round the corner from the Tramshed, so we finished up our swapping and went to make knickers.  Our workshop was run by Jane, supported by Cerys, who were both very patient with us all as we got to grips with our fabric, elastic, lace and 'driving' unfamiliar sewing machines.

Our pants had been precut for us, and our first instruction once we had got our selves settled was 'to grab a gusset and pass them on' which, I have to say, set the tone for the rest of the class! Much discussion was had over the size of the cut pieces and how much they would shrink in the construction process.

fabric, instructions and gusset

concentration

frillies under construction

construction phase 2

I was surprised at how quickly the knickers went together, the most time consuming part was at the beginning trying to decide on the trims and embellishments.  I have not worn my finished frillies yet and to be honest I'm not sure I will, but the class itself was as much fun as I hoped it would be.  It was lovely to meet up with people that I had met before, and just as lovely to meet the likes of Shivani, Kerry, Laura, Mimi & Roisin.

here most of us are, standing under/behind our knickers!

 Many thanks to Winnie for such a fun day.  It was great to spend the day with people who enjoy the same thing as you... My school gate friends admire what I've made, but most are not that interested in the process, so to have a day with like minded people was lovely - thank you ladies!