Material Girl
Whilst browsing through some blogs the other day I was struck by the fabric that so many of you lovely ladies use. I have searched high and low, far and wide for such things and haven’t found a shop or a website in the UK that seems to supply such things. No bright florals, fifties prints, geometric circles nothing. The designers that people seem to take for granted, Amy Butler, Denise Schmidt and others. (I’m only a beginner I’m not quite up on the names yet!) These gorgeous modern prints that seem to scream out their colour. Whilst all I seem to find are the drab and the nondescript, pastels and ice cream shades. Which while all very well and good in their place, and there is a place for them, sometimes a girl just needs a Hawaiian print, a bit of kitsch something a bit retro.
Last night I was perusing Plump Pudding’s blog and drooling over the divine fabric that she has used in her friend’s basket and was moved to ask where she found them or did she do the unthinkable and order from the States. (Like I did for this little lot. My next quilt project!)
Turns out I have been rather blinkered in my thinking. Of course fabric doesn’t just come as fabric, it comes as clothes, as bed linen, as tablecloths. A multitude of items all made of fabric and an awful lot of it with delightful colour schemes and scrumptious prints.
I went to the charity shop just as you suggested my Pudding friend!
And then I picked and I picked and I picked them apart. Two skirts on the right and a dress on the left. The colours don’t seem to have come out, I can only assume a cloud passed as I pressed the button. But the one on the right is this gorgeous bright turquoise, just perfect for a summery something. I think this one is my favourite though.
Who knows what will become of it though? I can but wait and see what happens when inspiration strikes. Which will hopefully be next weekend. G is off to his Mother’s so I shall have a weekend to litter the floor with thread to my heart’s content.
You’re so right about UK fabrics. The other thing that gets me is how fabric is so expensive relative to finished garments and linens. Why is that?
You found some great stuff.
Funky UK fabrics are hard to find, Ebay sometimes has good stuff on though, and there are various quilt shops that do mail order if you do a google search. (I find I never live near enough the good ones to just pop in!) and then, if you go to the odd quilt show here and there you can usually pick up nice fabric. The other thing is buying from US shops or US ebay, as their prices are so much cheaper that even with shipping costs you will probably be surprised at the good value! I like the charity shop finds you made though, and it is instant fabric gratification!!
oh my gosh…I love, love, love fabric.
And this month’s Martha Stewart Living has some beautiful ones, and they do this bleaching thing which is awesome. I wish I could sew.
Great finds!
I can’t wait for my upcoming trip to the States — I’m going to bring an extra suitcase just for fabric.
But did you really order those Rowan prints from the US? The Cotton Patch (online, UK-based) stocks almost all of Kaffe Fassett’s prints, as well as some of the other Rowan designers, and Liberty stock what seems like the full range. Good luck! (And good charity finds!)
Lovely finds. I can’t wait to see what you make. : )
Gemma- love that fabric. What are you talkin about? You can get the best stuff in the UK.. hello Liberty of London!!!!!! Eeek. I wish I could go back there (went there once!) I’ll never forget it. Enjoy your project honey : )
xoxo
Katie
It’s really rare that I buy fabric, everyone passes their old shirts too me, clothes bed linen. Even if the item is rubbish the buttons are usually good to cut off and keep. Look out for 50p rails!