At a party last weekend, I ran into a collegemate who I hadn’t seen in a couple of years and I ended up having the best conversation with her I’ve ever had. The topic? Fabric! Turns out she started sewing her own clothes frustrated by the lack of retail options where she lives. She wanted to know where I buy my fabric.
I really can’t decide which I love more--collecting fabric or sewing! To be quite honest, I’ve been collecting fabric most of my life. I don’t even know why. I didn’t have some grand ideas for projects I was going to do, I just acquired it. So it was very convenient when I actually did start sewing to already have boxes of fabric sitting around.
I use a lot of recycled materials. So that means heading to the thrift store. It also means that my mom very sweetly never gets rid of any item of clothing without showing it to me first. My advice with recycled material is to look for big items. Sheets are the best because they are so big and therefore, easy to cut to the size and shape you need. Skirts usually work really well too and a moo-moo is quite a gold mine. I have one I bought years ago that has yielded tons and tons of fabric--and of course, there is the bonus of its good time, tropical, psychedelic pattern.
Another source of fabric is people I know. I often joke that the more I sew, the more fabric I have. You’d be amazed at how many people have given me old clothes to cut up as well as actual fabric that they just never got around to using. I’ve received big bags from my neighbor across the hall, a co-worker and my husband’s boss. It is almost as though people are just collecting these piles of fabric waiting for something to do with it. I guess that’s how I used to be! The one pit fall to watch out for is accepting everything people give you and then never sorting and purging. If you don’t, it will take over your work space.
The top number one score in terms of fabric that has been given to me is the big bag of scraps my grandmother gave me a couple of years ago. A model in the fifties and a life-long-lover-of-clothes, these scraps from her old garments are the most gorgeous fabric I own. I’m saving it until I have exceptional skills at sewing or I might just hang onto them forever. It is fun to look through them and imagine the clothes they came from.
I get my absolute nicest fabric from my friend Margaret who works for an interior designer. When there are old fabric samples that they don’t need anymore, Margaret gathers them up and brings them to me. The one draw back is that they are somewhat small pieces and I always want more, but man, oh man! This is really beautiful fabric. Last time I moved, she stopped by while the apartment was still full of boxes and left some fabric in the drawer of a little side table. I remember her telling me, but I was rather preoccupied and didn’t remember to look at it. Then a month later I stumbled upon the samples. It was like Christmas!
If I’m talking about fabric I have to sing the praises of my husband’s hometown of Paducah, Kentucky. It is a small town and there’s not a whole lot that goes on there, but Paducah happens to be Quilt City, USA, the location of the National Quilt Museum and home to the Hancock family. Hancock sound familiar? There is probably a Hancock fabric store where you live. A big chain. Hancock's of Paducah is the original and then some Hancock uncle or cousin started the seperate franchise business. Hancock’s of Paducah is a huge warehouse full of row after row after row of fabric. It is all cotton since the store is oriented towards quilters. I love the huge tables in the back full of remnants. It is fun to search through them and you’ll find all sorts of interesting patterns. Their website is pretty cool, too, and you can flip through their catalogue page by page online. So next time you’re headed down I-24 take a break in Paducah and get in some fabric shopping.
My final favorite way to get fabric is when I’m traveling. A lot of women go shopping for clothes while on vacation; I shop for the fabric to make new clothes. When I went to Boston a few years ago I read in our guide book that there were lots of good places to buy Asian fabric. I didn’t really have the chance to hunt around too much and I didn’t have enough money to buy more than half a yard, but the half yard I bought that day is one of those pieces that are so beautiful to me that I’ve been saving it for just the right thing--I’ve had it for four years now!
Last time I was in New York was this summer for Renegade, and I had the pleasure of joining Ileana from india*romeo and Christine from Twospace for some fun fabric shopping in the garment district. We went up and down Fashion Avenue (7th Avenue) and found all sorts of fabulous yardage. My favorite was Paron Fabrics at West 40th Street. They have two store fronts side by side, and while I thought the deals were great in the first one, the second is an actual discount store. As an added bonus, the people who work there are a very jovial bunch! It rained the whole afternoon that we were shopping, but it was worth it just to see some of the fabric in the different shops that I would never be able to find anywhere else.
I’m still using fabric saved from the days when I didn’t sew and then I’m constantly adding to it. I’m curious to see if there is ever a day when I’ll run low or even run out. I guess it all depends on which passion is stronger--collecting fabric or sewing!
Christy Petterson lives in Atlanta where she writes, sews, works in PR, organizes crafty events, roadies for her drummer-of-a-husband, eats the yummy food he cooks her, drinks coffee, goes for walks and occassionally watches dumb tv and sleeps.
comment by girlsavage Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 11:13 AM
Nice to see another fabric collecting junkie!:) I used to go to Hancocks in Paducah at least once a month when I lived in So. IL.! I loved that place! The quilt museum was so great to visit too!
Next time you are in NYC I suggest you head down Broadway almost to Canal to Pearl River Market. They have the most beautiful Asian fabics and notions. As well as all the fun stuff you go to China town for, dishes, chop sticks, soaps ,ect. all for amazing prices!
comment by how to by ceebee Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 11:17 AM
girlsavage, that's so cool that you used to go to Hancocks too! I lived their for about 4 months once and would go all the time! And thank you for the NYC tip. I'll check that out!!
comment by Sewlittletime Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 01:12 PM
Ceebee~
You lucky girl!! Those silks are GORGEOUS!! And I love the baby print at the bottom. So cute!
How far is Paducah from Chicago?? If it's close by, I may have to make the trek there next time I go visit my sister!
I've got some fabrics from my mom, and 50's and 60's patterns.
Ditto for my friend who buys box lots at auctions ocasionally. Anything crafty that she finds in the box lots goes to me...fabrics, patterns, notions of all sorts. (Not to mention any hats or gloves she gets. She even gave me an old folding shoe button hook!)
Otherwise, I'm always wandering JoAnn's clearance fabric aisle. A few weeks ago, my son was helping me clear out some storage cubes full of my fabrics since they were getting moved to his room. He was totally bowled over by how much fabric I have!! It's positively obscene! I save clothes to save for other things too.
comment by ceebee Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 01:47 PM
hi sewlittletime!
sounds like you have some great hook ups as well !!!!! :)
paducah is about 6 hours from Chicago so not super close but in the same region.
i'm so glad i'm not the only one with this obsession! i wish i could just fill up an entire closet!!!! that's cute that your son was so amazed!
comment by flyingfish Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 02:19 PM
ah, the fabric. taker of studio space.
if anyone is ever in LA. the garmet district there is amazing. lots of little hole in the wall spots to find cool stuff.
it is near the american apparal wearhouse, so you can swing by their showroom as well!
comment by yardenxanthe Wednesday November 02nd, 2005 06:22 PM
Good stuff!!
comment by belleepoque Thursday November 03rd, 2005 07:27 PM
OMG, this is fabulous. instead of being sad of being out of my favorite recent fabric, i now feel excited about how much there is out there waiting for me.
thank you ceebee! i'm going home to NYC this month -- I didn't sew when I lived there before so the garment district will be like a new world to me! I'll definitely go to Paron!
comment by ceebee Friday November 04th, 2005 10:18 PM
flyingfish, i've heard LA is THE best place to buy fabric. i can't wait until i can head out there!
thanks yardenxanthe!
belleepoque, i know you've been so sad about the end of your spiro-fabulous fabric. i'm glad i could cheer you up a bit!!!! have fun in NYC ;)
comment by ruis2002 Monday November 07th, 2005 02:03 PM
Some more great places to buy great fabrics:
http://www.sttheresatextile.com/
http://www.baerfabrics.com/
http://www.fabric.com
Plus, there are lots of fabric shops participating in the FabShopHop, that just started over the weekend again. Register, look for the bunnies, get chances to win free fabric:
http://www.fabshophop.com/
I didn't win anything last time, but I also signed up for the monthly giveaways at the shops that do that sort of thing, so maybe someday.... *sigh*
Happy fabric shopping (or winning!)
comment by ceebee Monday November 07th, 2005 06:15 PM
winning fabric sounds like a dream come true..i'll be sure to check that out! thanks ruis2002!
comment by Diana Wednesday November 09th, 2005 03:47 PM
Really terrific fabric sources!! Lately my best source has been my neighbours. Once they found out that I did sewing and quilting they started leaving boxes and leaf bags full of fabric on my front porch!! Does anyone have some good fabric sources in the Kansas City, Missouri area?
comment by ceebee Wednesday November 09th, 2005 07:14 PM
Diana, what sweet neighbors! Hopefully you have an empty closet or space under the bed!!!!!
comment by joy Thursday November 24th, 2005 06:03 PM
Wow...
It's good to know there are other fabric lovers out there and I am not alone! I have such a hard time getting rid of fabric and I don't always get around to using it. I have beautiful fabric and some from other parts of the world. Can anyone give me some ideas on how to store the fabric I have? I have many different sizes, weights, textures, and types. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!
Joy
