Well this is a bit embarrassing. After all the hoopla about my fabric acquisitions it turns out I have very little of interest to show.
Don’t get me wrong. I have been naughty. Quantity-wise anyway. The load came in at 63+ yards, not 43+ yards as I claimed earlier. But it seems like I’ve been way too good in sticking to my boring shopping list. The bulk of my purchases are dull Dull DULL to show & tell.
So here’s a group shot to spare you too much excruciating details!
From left to right:
- Sweater pile: Sweater & rib knits from NY Elegant and B&J.
sweater knits from NY Elegant
sweater knit & rib from B&J - Cardigan pile: 5 sets of sweater + rib knits for cardigans from NY Elegant and Mood.
- Foundation pile: I thought I might tackle foundation wear this coming year. So I got some Powernet & Milliskin from Spandex World, plus foam fused poly lining from B&J which I hope is like the stuff they use for bra pads.
- SWAP pile: Mostly important but boring supporting casts from B&J, Mood, and NY Elegant for upcoming projects, such as…
bamboo stripe knit from B&J
stretch netting from Moods
rainwear cotton from NY Elegant - Just 4 Fun pile: Tame by many of your standards, but as exciting as life gets around here. Mostly from cheap & wacky Spandex World, but a couple from B&J and Mood.
glissenette from Spandex World
metallic spandex from Spandex World
metallic fake leather from Spandex World
metallic fake leather from Spandex World
stretch cut velvet from Mood
lycra snake print from Spandex World
coated linen/rayon from B&J - Ooh Charmeuse pile: Just because it’s so hard to find Charmeuse in London I got a few more from Mood.
charmeuse from Mood
As you can see I got mine from only four stores. It was just too overwhelming otherwise. Especially when I’m shopping with a list and luggage limit. If I were living locally I’d probably shop more from the smaller stores and go with an open mind. But with a list, I find huge stores that have good organizations easier. I can see at a glance whether they have the type of fabric I need in the color I need. It does mean paying more. But my sanity is worth it!
Of the four I go to, I’d say NY Elegant is the most expensive, then B&J, then Mood, and Spandex World is pretty affordable though obviously specialized. NY Elegant & Mood seem to have a better selection of sweater knits. I do like NY Elegant’s system of swatches already attached to many fabric rolls. B&J has lots of fabrics on big sample cards so that it’s easier to browse, see the fiber content, and ask for samples. Some of the Mood fabrics are marked with famous designer names. But as they’re pretty basic looking fabric it seems a bit pointless to name-check. I’d save it for the more unique fabric designs. I mean who cares if your bog standard looking charmeuse is a Ralph Laren, right? 😉
There were also a bunch of notions. But I’ve already filed them away & can’t recall where they all are now. So just a couple of highlights here:
Pacific Trimmings have these cool mix-n-match buttons where you pick a base and the accent to go in the center. There’s quite a variety of base and accents to choose from, and the base come in different sizes. How cool is that!
I also got a couple of kits for fabric covered buckles from Daytona Trimmings (as well as more of that lovely bobbin lace I got last time). I’ve been looking for these for ages. They are so hard to come by these days. Granted the selection isn’t great – only two sizes, both big. But better than nothing.
I bought a fair few more buttons, including these gold ones from M&J Trimming (where I also got petersham ribbons in a few different colors). And big coat snaps, including gold ones from Pacific Trimmings. The black snap fasteners and the gold button with anchor motif in the striped jersey photo above are also from Pacific Trimming. So too are the bag D-rings, bag feet, and magnetic snaps. And RiRi zippers. And lingerie elastics. And eye & hook tapes. Boy, did they get my business this time or what!
But majority of my zippers are YKK that came from SIL Threads. I also got an Italian Lampo zipper from Botani Trimmings on recommendation from Clios. They’re suppose to be really high quality & expensive (she says Chanel use only Lampo). The ready-made metallic teeth one I got wasn’t too bad price-wise. And the zipper action IS super smooth – essential for a tote! I also got a custom reversible zipper in the smallest size available (#3) from Botani. Now that was expensive. The reversible skirt it’s destined for better be a success!
And that was it. Apart from these four pairs of shoes from Macy’s. I did leave four old pairs behind after all. So surely MR can’t complaint about my shoes stash, right?
Clockwise from top left: Michael Kors boots, Circa Joan & David pump, Circa Joan & David sling back, Alfani ballet flat
Your just for fun stash is very very fun! It was great to see you!
Hankering after the charmeuse and knits just the same.
Hmm thanks for sharing that, looks like a pretty successful haul. I must be pretty avaricious… I can gloat over YOUR fabric stash too! Like the look of your sweater knits and that stretch mesh. I have to buy almost everything over the internet so knits are quite a gamble. Plus the decline in the AUD might be good for the economy but it’s really starting to bite, so misses are that bit more painful. And notions, well…. You must have had a pretty large suitcase on the way back. I went to Paris this year and bought three fantastic pieces, but I was just 0.2 kg under the limit on the way home after forcing all my toiletries etc into my daughter’s bag.