The Sewing Room

tirlittan

Well, I tried to do my first collar yesterday evening after buying some 'invisible' thread from JLew1s. It's not really invisible at all, it's fine as long as I followed the neckline really close but it's pretty shiny so you can easily see it if you go off. Also managed to somehow so the back of the neck all crunched up when I got there again so it needs to come off and I need to start again. Looks alright otherwise though so am sure it'll be fine in the end and I'll be an expert by the time I've done 6 of his shirts!

hayleyholly

Hiya,

Hope someone can help.... Does anyone know where (online) I can buy shabby-chic/retro fat quarters relatively cheap?

Thanks

lolarosa90

Hi all

Some beautiful makes here

I'm bit of a fabric newbie and was wondering what is considered cheap and expensive per metre of fabric?

Would help a lot.

Thanks

Savvy_sewing

lolarosa90 wrote: »

Hi all

Some beautiful makes here

I'm bit of a fabric newbie and was wondering what is considered cheap and expensive per metre of fabric?

Would help a lot.

Thanks

Depends on the type of fabrics really.
Curtain fabrics at around £3.99 - £9.99 are cheap.
To me anything over that is getting too expensive unless its really georgeous materials!
Cottons, etc are usually around £2.99- upwards. However now that the patchwork market is huge, the cost of fabric has rocketed. Making it difficult to see as they sell fat quarters. Which you can get around 6 out of some fabrics by the metre!!
I will pay up to £12 a metre for fabrics, if I have too, but I hate to do it. I think that around £6.99 - 9.99 are middle ground prices.

But of course this is just my opinion, and others may think very differently.

Savvy_sewing

hayleyholly wrote: »

Hiya,

Hope someone can help.... Does anyone know where (online) I can buy shabby-chic/retro fat quarters relatively cheap?

Thanks

Take a look at the No chat Thread. Sorry not brilliant at links but its often been flagged up.
Its difficult to say, as shabby chic can be ginghams, and they are from around £2.99 a metre.
Cath kidston stuff is around £18 a metre!!

Tamster150

hayleyholly wrote: »

Hiya,

Hope someone can help.... Does anyone know where (online) I can buy shabby-chic/retro fat quarters relatively cheap?

Thanks

There is an ebay seller often recommended on here - possibly favourite fabrics or fab fabrics for cheap shabby chic fabrics.

I usually buy instore from fabricland, basic cottons are around £3m but if you are buying online or in another store (including JL) I would say average price is £8-£12 pm for "designer" fabric. In the US fabric is much, much cheaper but by the time you add postage & customs tax you don't save very much if anything at all. Unless you know someone in the US that could forward your parcel on as a "gift".

I have bought most of my stash from CB and CS. I normally go for pillowcases and pieces of fabric, but some of the people on here buy duvets, dresses and plus size/mens clothing. You need to find the old fashioned type of CS, usually they are independent and volunteer run. As most of the chains send all the donated linen to the "rag man"

Or you might be lucky to have a fabric stall in your local market. (One of the best places for fabric shopping in London- Goldhawk rd/Shepherds Bush market, is a short walk from (west) Westfields, should anyone be there Christmas shopping?)

non-chat thread is here - you will find a long list of uk stores

hayleyholly

Thank you both very much

pollyskettle

Two stockings down, one to go (but I'm waiting for the fabric!). The fur is interesting to both cut and sew, but I got there. I think I shall spend the afternoon making small stockings from the off cuts.

shirlgirl2004

Lovely stockings. So you wouldn't recommend fur then? I'm wondering what else to use. We have made a very slow start on our stockings.

pollyskettle

I would because it looks really good, but it was just novel! My machine struggled a bit over the seam when joining it to the stocking because I had two layers of fur (from the seam which made it a tube) and then six layers of the main fabric (two for the seam in the stocking and double the loop to secure it)! I suspect that had I thought a bit more about the design rather than playing it by ear as I went along, I could have made it easier on myself! It took a while to get cutting it right too and I found that folding it in half with the right side out and then cutting on the fold kept the edge seam nice and not looking like it'd had a hair cut

All in all, someone more experienced than me would be fine with it, I 'll be fine next time - I just had to think a bit iyswim!

I know that makes me sound like a fruit loop, I promise I'm not!