Sunday, 15 January 2012

Spoilt for Choice

I have been busy with the tedious task of tracing patterns from a few of my magazines and, as usual, I am crippled by choices.  I choose a pattern but then cannot find a suitable fabric from my huge stash, then I get drawn to a fabric, but no pattern seems perfect for it. 

So, you can understand my ambivalence that the wonderful fabrics from the 1937/38 Fall & Winter Sears Catalogue (picked up cheap on Etsy) are not available to buy... I don't need more options, but these are vintage heaven:









These 'Tiara' Pebble Print Crepes are my favourite



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9 comments:

  1. rachel sew-n-sew15 January 2012 at 14:45

    Great catalogue! Can you recommend anywhere other than the City Road shops for buying decent fabric in Cardiff/South Wales?

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  2. Annabelle15 January 2012 at 14:46

    These are some great images! I have the same problem as you when it comes to fabric - I always find the perfect fabric for a pattern I don't have and have trouble finding fabric for the things I want to sew - grr. I never wanted to accumulate a stash, but at the moment I definitely have one.

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  3. Claire15 January 2012 at 15:48

    Rachel sew-n-sew – I’m afraid not, as I rarely buy new fabric, and when I have I’ve bought it off Ebay. I seem to remember City Road had limited dressmaking fabric last time I went, but some good sari shops. Are you interested in vintage fabric? I trawl charity shops and vintage shops for mine and also buy from Etsy. I did see this website for a shop in Swansea and it looks as though it may be worth a visit: http://www.leemillfabrics.co.uk/fabrics.html

    Annabelle - It's frustrating isn't it! I often find I don't have enough of a fabric for a project, which is the downside to buying vintage/second hand.

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  4. rachel sew-n-sew15 January 2012 at 15:54

    Thanks, Claire - I'll check Lee Mill out. I buy new and vintage, the vintage mostly online. I don't seem to have much luck in charity shops, which is a shame as I really prefer to get my hands on fabric before I buy it!

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  5. Claire15 January 2012 at 16:05

    Charity shops used to be great, always had old patterns, notions and fabric, but that's rare these days. Lydney has some cool charity shops, and it also has a vintage/antique shop too, not too far over the bridge and I stop in Chepstow for a charity shop browse enroute - scored a 1930s pattern last time!

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  6. Urban Rustic15 January 2012 at 21:34

    Another gorgeous selection.If only we had such a great choice of fabrics available to buy now.I will have to try to remember your suggestions about Lydney as I often go through Chepstow on my way to see my son in Bath.

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  7. rachel sew-n-sew16 January 2012 at 19:48

    Great tips, thanks!

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  8. Jennifer Gregory Miller19 January 2012 at 16:04

    Curious as to what materials do you use to trace your patterns?

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  9. Claire19 January 2012 at 18:44

    I use grease proof paper, used for lining tins in baking, a 25 metre roll costs £2 in the UK and it's durable too.

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