I need to catch up on blogging about the progress of my FFRR bodice fitting. But allow me to take a quick digression. I mean, surely you must be as bored with my slow fitting progress as I am!
So on to more exciting stuff for a few minutes. Or in my case a whole weekend: Recounting my fabric stash!
What prompted this recount is the arrival of yet another goodie package. We’re planning on a beach holiday soon and I got nothing to wear. I thought a proper make of Vogue Pattern V1159 would make a nice holiday dress.
I will write about V1159 once I’ve finished a proper make. Suffice it to say for now that thick sweatshirt like material does not a drapy dress make. See…
But it was the only 2-way stretch material I had for this muslin fitting. (Or “4-way stretch” in British parlance. I would never know why they call it “4-way stretch”. As if it’s possible to stretch to the right without stretching to the left, or up without stretching down. Weird Brits! 😉
And of course if that was the only 2-way stretch material I have, I would have to order more to do a proper make! Step in Tissu Fabrics, aka Tia Knight on eBay. I got 6 cut of fabrics from them, with about 16 more on my wish list. I’ve read good things about the store and they didn’t disappoint. Quality seems on par with RTW garments. Shipping was next day. And as I ordered from the website instead of eBay, I got the free shipping for the over £50 orders.
I had previously compiled little swatch books of my stash. But I have failed to keep them up to date because I didn’t want to swatch new arrivals for fear of not having enough when it comes to frugal pattern layouts. The swatch books are also becoming too bulky to carry around when, erm, doing more fabric shopping.
I also lost track of which fabric I’ve pre-shrunk. So in yet another effort to get on top of an unruly stash, I started a spreadsheet this past weekend.
And this is what I found:
- I wish I have a fabric dictionary with sample swatches. It’s awfully hard to figure out what to call each fabric.
- I wish I have a color dictionary with sample color chips. It’s also awfully hard to figure out what to call each fabric color.
I have 11 yards of this dupioni / shantung in a weird very pale blue-cream color that doesn’t even flatter my skin tone. What was I thinking of???!!!- I’ve been forbidden to complain about my other half’s occasional trips down to the poker club because I recently dragged him all the way to Walthamstow Market for gingham, then discovered I already had some leftover in my stash.
- My stash count is now up to 220 cuts of fabrics. Or about 590 yards. See, your stash isn’t so bad after all!
I’m so not going there! It is bad enough just looking at the boxes of fabric, never mind opening them all up and actually measuring all the bits! I’d also never get them all back in, I might find something in there…. ;D
Opening my boxes is my grown-up version of dressing up. I love it. They’re so full of possibilities when they’re still fabrics! 😀
1- There is actually a series of books with samples:
http://www.raincitypublishing.com/orderform.html
They have 3 books: silk, cotton, wool. Rather expensive if you add the shipping.
But I love the concept of a book full of fabric swatches. I think it would make a great complement to Sandra Betzina’s Fabric Savvy and the like.
The other option is to buy from a reputed seller (if only the swatches) like Mood or other well-known sources near you. The bargain places tend to be haphazard in their filing.
2- Pantone has/had a color chart thing used by online sellers. I bought one before they stopped selling them easily. You might want to check eBay etc. I’ll send you the correct name once I get home and check.
3- I’ve bought unflattering but delicious colored fabrics myself. Not I try to stick closer to colors that actually flatter me. Two options: a) wear it away from my face ex: lemon yellow gingham linen skirt UFO I plan to wear with a blue blouse OR b) dye it?
4- I tried to do the math once and it was shocking. I pretend this is in lieu of a drug habit or an expensive divorce, LOL!
5- However, I made a list but I refuse to number the lines. Just knowing how many yards (and on how many excel pages *gasp*) is enough to give me vertigo.
Good luck!
1 – Thanks for the tip. These books look good. I’ve just ordered them. I’m lucky to have relatives in the US to keep shipping cost down! Too bad they only cover silk, cotton, and wool. Might have to compile my own appendix fabric dictionary of linen & artificial fibers! I do like the look of Ultrasuede. I’ve been put off real leather & suede ever since I found out how much it cost to have them cleaned.
2 – Looked into Pantone at http://www.pantone.com. Quite expensive aren’t they! There’s one for Fashion + Home with 2,100 colors. But some of the color names seem a bit loopy for my taste…like “Golden Flame”. Typical marketing types! I think I’ll sit on this one a bit longer.
3 – Good tip! But 11 yards is still a lot of unflattering fabric. It is silk though, so maybe I can dye it. Or make curtains out of it!
4 – Better than drugs & mistakes in love! Though I do feel a bit guilty spending so much on fabric when others are struggling financially at a time like ours.