My girlfriend called to say a friend of hers was emptying her mother’s house and there was a ton of fabric she wanted to give away for free. I said I’d be interested if they were natural(ish) fibers and big pieces because a fluffy girl like me isn’t getting to far with a half meter! She said there were, so I made an appointment to go rummage. Turns out the woman was a fiber artist (a very good one) and she had a collection that makes mine look dainty and sweet. It was all very well organized and labeled so I had no trouble finding things I’d be interested in!
This is the pile shoved into the house…
This is the pile sorted!
This pile, circled in the photo below, is natural fibers but wild colors so I think I will use them to make modern clothes. Hmmm. I wonder how long that will take to get too?
There is a lot of velvet. Some of it is stretchy but such a nice color. Do I use it (with a lot of flat-lining to hide the stretch) or just make plush toys or 1980’s sweat suits?
There is quite a bit of good velvet. One is black and one is a lovely deep purple.
There are small bits of real silk that would be nice for trims or hats and purses.
What am I holding over my head?
I know I’m supposed to make a muslin of a new pattern. I never do. My excuse is I don’t have any and I can’t justify the expense! No excuses now!
The other larger pieces are big enough for at least a skirt if not a full dress. The question will be: do I have a project in mind? if I don’t have a project, what do I do with it? Well, Lottie and Shirley, this is where you come in…I’m going to go through my old hoard and this new batch and anything I can’t see a future for in the next 10 years should probably go to a good home. By our next outing, ladies, I hope to have a pile or two set up for you to pick over for yourselves. You too, shall benefit from my wind fall!
Anything you don’t want, will get offered to a sewing niece and daughter-in-law. If they don’t want it, I will hang onto it. (The woman I got the stuff from, didn’t want to see it end up in the garbage or donation box.) Inspiration is unending!
