Sunday, January 1, 2012

How sewists go camping

Every year my extended family gathers at a camping place that allows us to tent, caravan or live in actual buildings according to each nuclear family's wont. I'm an actual building person, for the record.
Among those present every summer are my mother and sister, devoted sewists like myself, and early on we twigged to a simple idea - we love to sew, so let's sew while camping! And so we take over a corner of the mostly unused communal dining room, and do just that.
 The dining room. 1960's charm all round!
 A long shot of the interior for context. The new chairs are really comfortable. Good solid formica tables keep the machines steady too. And lots and lots of room to cut things out!
A close up of our corner. Stupidly, I only thought to take the photo AFTER I packed my machine away but my sister's is under that rather racy black and white cloth.  We are in the far corner by the servery only because there is a power point there, the light is good and the sun doesn't beat on us through the windows.
On the afternoon of NYE when it rained the dining room was humming with people - jigsaws, knitting, having a good old chat, or in a few cases bent over laptops working, playing or surfing.
We have often been teased for bringing all of this kit to camp with us (it takes two trips from home to get everythign there but it is only an hour each way) but as often as not the teaser when teased back, confesses to piles of recreational equipment from golf clubs, fishing stuff, even a waterski once! So what the heck is the difference, we have to ask ourselves!

4 comments:

  1. And if I'm not mistaken that's a yellow Bernina bag - I have a couple and they are so handy for sewing weekends. The setting reminds me of Camp Akatawara - there was a dearth of plugs too but multiboxes saved the days; we had great times and any sewing completed was a bonus!

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  2. Gosh June it's been 30 years since I stayed at Camp Akatarawa! And yup, I suspect it is a Bernina bag, Jo's in fact, althugh the machine under the cloth is Mum's old Elna, which after a good servicing runs like a dream. I love that machine - all those fab cogs to change the stitches, nothing to go wrong. The height of 1970's technology!
    I imagien you've been to this camping ground at some stage, most locals have. I'm not mentioning names though as I am a bit cross with them over other things so they don't deserve any publicity!

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  3. Great stuff!! Don't you listen to those mockers - I think its a great idea!!!! (even if you have to make two trips) and if its a nice day you can go out and enjoy the sun =D

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  4. Taking your sewing machine on holidays, what's not to like! I travelled around Australia for over a year and after the tent, the machine was packed next! I also go away for sewing weekend breaks with friends, sewing and swimming, summer holiday perfection!

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