MPB Day -- Was it all a dream?

Friends, due to physical and mental exhaustion, I am postoning my Sunday vlog till Tuesday.

Instead, I want to tell you about yesterday's MPB Day!

As you already know, it was the fourth annual celebration of this very special holiday and I must say that this year's participants were more focused, better prepared, and had greater stamina than any previous group.  The months of training paid off: nearly everyone made it to the finish line and no one needed to be resuscitated. 

I'd like to personally thank Laura Mae, Carly, Joanne, Teri, Mary, Gordon, Mariya, Mimi, Oliver, Carrie, Roberta, Ron, Michael T., Kyle, James, Enrique, Tomasa, Elizabeth, Barry, Lisa, Tracy, Pam, Lily, Paula, Martha, Claudine, Johanna, Shaneve, Carol, Rhode, Karen, Gloria, Kathy, Rebecca, Baby Ruby, Janice, and Cindy.  You're all amazing!

If you read those names carefully, you may have noticed something unusual: this was a banner year for male attendance.  Not including me or Michael (who joined us for lunch), we had SIX male participants: an increase of 300% compared to 2013!

Last year, I noted a group of women who had attended every MPB Day since the beginning and they ALL returned this year.  Claudine, Joanne, Cindy, Johanna, Roberta, and Suzanne are clearly determined to fight to the finish!

Suzanne

Roberta

A brief(ish) rundown of the day:

At 9:30 am, I met a small group of early birds for a tour of the Chelsea flea market.  The weather couldn't have been more gorgeous: sunny skies and low humidity.

Teri, Enrique, Lisa, James, and Tracy

Elizabeth

Paula

Me and Enrique

As at every MPB Day, most of us were wearing garments we'd sewn ourselves.  Enrique brought the awesome messenger bag he'd made from Colette's Cooper pattern!





At 11 am, we met the larger group outside the FIT museum, where we toured the exhibit, "Exposed: a History of Lingerie."  No photos of the exhibit are allowed, but you can read more about it here.  I don't think I'm the only one who left feeling like my underwear often isn't what it could be.

After the exhibit, we headed to lunch at Panera's, where we held the largest pattern swap I have ever experienced.  A true embarrassment of riches!

Pam and daughter Lily

Laura Mae, Michael, me, and Gloria

Gordon and his bovine Butterick find!

Claudine grabs a stylish Vogue

For the first time ever, we had an MPB Day infant.  Meet Baby Ruby (here with mama Kathy)!



After lunch, we hit the Garment District.  I led a group directly to 39th Street and to such stores as Paron's, AK Fabrics, Chic, and Fabrics for Less.  Another group headed to Mood, while yet another made a beeline to B&J.  Some quick calculations suggest that if all the fabric purchased was sewn together lengthwise, it would stretch from Jonathan Embroidery to the Adirondacks.

Tomasa and Kyle

Oliver

Paula (the most organized MPB Day attendee ever!)

Mary

Carol "bolts" for the cash register at Chic Fabrics

By the time we headed over to Bryant Park around 4 pm, many of the fabric stores we visited had been emptied of merchandise.  Fortunately, new merchandise is on the way!

Teri

Michael T. and Laura Mae

In short: So. Much. Fun.

MPB Day is held the second Saturday in August.  If you plan to attend next year (Sat., August 8), now's the time to pencil it in on your calendars: it's just 364 days away.

You can see more photos of our adventures here.

Have a great day, everybody!

UPDATE:  You can read Kyle's take on the day here, and Tomasa's here.

Cindy