I have another new found addiction in the form of fabric shopping. It has got out of control over the last few months. And clearly my shopping time outweighs my sewing time!
I blame the number of charity shops on my way to work and in my way of a lunch time visit to the super market!
I am blessed to be living a stones throw away from fabric heaven in the Goldhawk Road and Shepherds Bush Market , but nothing outweighs that eureka moment when you spot 5 metres of eyelet cotton for £3 or a pretty vintage sheet for £2 in a charity shop. Of course there is that do-goody factor when you buy from these places but I also like the self-centred fact that you can make a toile for the equivalent of 50p a metre and if it turns out good you have an amazing dress for around £2!
You really have to check over the fabric properly first, before you leave the shop. It might be £2 for a reason. It could have a small tear, which you could possibly work around or a massive horrid stain slap bang in the middle!
The last two dresses I have made (70s dress in blue and vintage sheet dress) are from remnants bought in Oxfam shops. Come to think of it so are my Danielle dress and my floral mini skirt.
But here is a small selection of some other remnants that I have accumulated. I have an idea for what some of them might be good for but any suggestions for the others would be most welcome.
This mono print lightweight cotton might lend itself to a tea dress…
Black, white and grey, lightweight cotton. 4 metres.
The shiny metalic stretch material below is a really interesting one. But only 1 metre. So it might make a mini a-line skirt like my plaid wool version.
stretch metalic fabric with wave design. 1 metre. £1.50.
The orangy, pinky, peachy flower print below is a lightweight furnishing fabric that kind of yells 60’s a-line mini dress to me.
Orange flower lightweight furnishing fabric. 3 metres. £4.99
Theres a pattern for a lovely little girls dress in one of my burda magazines that would be perfect in this pink and brown flower print…
pink and brown flower design cotton print. 2 metres. £2.50.
And you should have been there to hear my squeals when I spotted this beauty…. 7 metres of vintage Laura Ashley fabric. Its 100% cotton and presumably a lightweight curtain fabric but it feels like linen and Mr Ooobop has firm plans to be sporting a 70s fitted shirt from this in the very near future. I’m a bit hesitant, only because I haven’t attempted one yet. But hey…. if it goes wrong I will have a good few metres to spare!
Laura Ashley 1970s linen-like fabric. 100% cotton. 7 metres £10!
I have a thing about turquoise. Maybe its because it is my birthstone. Maybe because it simply is an amazing eye catching colour. Not sure if this is vintage fabric or not but the print will lend itself nicely to a vintage shift dress of some description I’m sure.
Turquoise black and grey cotton print.
And finally…. if I haven’t yet bored the pants off of you. My piece de resistance!!!! I love this retro shoe print. Turquoise background colour an’ all! This is firmly earmarked as a 1950s dress with a shirt buttoned top.
retro shoe cotton print fabric
The downside to having such a stash is that however big it is, am I compromising the intended garment by limiting my choices of material? Sometimes the dress screams a certain fabric and although I would like nothing more than to cherry pick the exact colour and fabric in mind from my local ‘heavenly strip of fabric shops’, I feel a duty to employ my precious finds.
I decided that I had to use 2 charity shop finds before I purchased any more new fabric. But that didn’t really work this week. I got a bit excited at allowing myself a legitimate shopping trip and I bought 5 lots of new fabric.
Best I get sewing!
ooobop! 
Oh that shoe fabric is too die for, you lucky, lucky thing. Weirdly enough, I’ve just bagged a few lovely fabrics myself from a charity shop, but it’s the first time ever I’ve found anything nice, I’ve been looking for years in my local shops and it’s always a load of rubbish. Please don’t tell me any of your charity shops are in Ealing! I’ll be so jealous if they are! x
The shoe print is great isn’t it. I agree you have to visit the same shops over and over to get lucky which can get a bit tedious when you have no results for a long time. But its always worth it when you do eventually score a few metres of treasure! Im scared to say…. but….. the shops are mostly in Ealing!
Your charity shops are better than my local fabric store! Totally jealous of that orangy floral!
Aw. Now I feel like a spoilt girl! I will make sure I put it to very good use! x
lucky you! 🙂 lovely fabric finds, i especially adore the laura ashley. gosh, 7m at 10pounds. unbelievable..
I think the Laura Ashley is going to be the first to be used. Im hoping I get Mr Ooobop’s shirt right first time so I have enough for a dress for me too!
I am totally with you on the fabric addiction, can’t stop buying stuff in charity shops, and don’t get me started on ebay… When I was little our spare room was wallpapered in that Laura Ashley print, only in olive green. I hated it at the time but love it now.
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