I'm looking for a fabric resource....

[politicat]

Our local fabric retailers are Joann and Hancock, and the latter is not easy to get to. I don't like the former because they're rather... obnoxious, rude, etc. (Oh, Walmart sells fabric, but I wouldn't go in there on a bet.) Denver Fabrics is not very close.

When I lived in Arizona, there was SAS fabrics - fabric by the pound. It was usually mill ends and oddities, but worth the time to dig through the piles. They also had incredible notions.

I swear I remember seeing some online fabric stores, but I don't remember the URLs.

Help?

[Lars39]

1. There seems to be quite a few:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fabric+stores

I've never ordered material online. I've gotten sewing fever again after looking at overpriced clothes this past week.

[eleny]

2. Check out fabric scraps or fabric bundles on ebay

There are all sorts of fabric types for sale that way. Ebay has a category titled "Fabric Bundles".

Once I got a great bundle of beautiful fabrics from a woman who sewed Renaissance fair clothing. Another time I got a bundle of assorted woolens. Then there are the people who sell cottons for quilting. I think my favorite was getting an assortment of pieces cut from vintage Japanese kimono.

My favorite online fabric shop is http://www.fabric.com/Index.aspx They have a mailing list and offer very good deals on shipping. I have a friend who sews for living history and swears by them.

I remember a warehouse type fabric place in Denver. It was under the viaduct near Wazee. It's long gone with all the Lodo renewal. I miss it so much. It was the kind of place you would go to just to wander around and rummage. I think what I miss most about New York is Delancey St and all the tiny fabric shops.

Hope you find some good places for your needs!

[Horse with no Name]

3. I have ordered fabric several times from Ebay

The last was 10+ yards of Kaufman Ivory/Green stripe fabric that was beautiful

I paid around $25 INCLUDING shipping.
Comparable fabrics run about $10/yd.
Specifically this is the person that I bought from and have bought from him before and was equally pleased-
http://stores.ebay.com/FabricGuru

[politicat]

4. I am so uncomfortable with ebay.

I've been scammed once (never again) and worked briefly for the world's most dishonest ebay vendor (I quit when he asked me to pirate software and lie to customers about the things he sold.... :eyes: )

[eleny]

5. This is pretty with a nice retro feel

What are you planning on doing with it?

[Horse with no Name]

7. I love it!

It is kind of beachy.
I am going to use a white crackle paint on my wooden dining room table and chairs and then cover the seats in it.
I think I got a steal.

[eleny]

8. What a great idea!

It's going to feel so fresh in that room.

I'm partial to green. I found some ticking at the fabric shop in the green and tan stripe and had to buy some. I don't know what I'm going to do with it yet but I *had to have it. I thought to use it in a bathroom for an outer shower curtain & window covering. But hubby painted the room a white that leans to the cool, grayish shade. Subtle but still not warm enough to go with this fabric. Till I use it for something I'll just enjoy looking at the yardage! :+

[NMDemDist2]

6. i find fabric at my local thrift store regularly

i also use curtains and bedding for fabric from there

[eleny]

9. Do you *ever* !!!

[NMDemDist2]

10. ....

:P



:rofl:

so my latest score is some chocolate brown jersey to try my hand at making DH some knock around the house shorts

i had a couple pair of old "Hanes Her Way" shorts that he just loves and has worn out completely, the elastic is holding on by literally threads. don't know why he loves the cut of those shorts, but he does and we can't find replacements anywhere

anyhooooooo i'm gonna buy an old pattern that's close at the thrift store then take apart the old ones and cut a custom pattern and TRY to duplicate them for him

total cost about $3 for 2-3 pair

i'll let you know how it goes........ i've done curtains and such, but this will be my first foray into clothing

[eleny]

11. Using the old ones for a pattern will work

If you can't find a pattern for instructions, I think you just might want to cut the fabric on the bias so he has some give in the tushy. Stitch the two front pieces together and then the backs. Then the inner seam. Stitch the side seams last. After that, you can deal with making the casing for the elastic.

I'm assuming that there's no zipper or pockets.

Good luck!

[NMDemDist2]

12. zipper? no, pockets yes in the side seams -- thanks for the hints

i really need all the help i can get LOL

[eleny]

13. For pockets you'll need the instructions

But pockets aren't hard. They're fun and very rewarding. Just a little bag you pin and sew along with the other side seams. I think you'll like making these. And the price? Yow! Oh - get the right thread for sewing polyester so you get the stretch.

Have fun! In fact, you can run these up while your Artichoke Salad is setting up in the fridge. :rofl:

[NMDemDist2]

14. i'll just pay super attention when i take them apart

and good hint about the thread, my fabric is a cotton/poly jersey from the feel of it


and i dunno, mixing those two might be dangerous......

[eleny]

15. Okay - pockets

Here's some instructions with pictures
http://www.sew-whats-new.com/sewinglessons/pockets/sideseam-pockets.shtml
http://www.sew-whats-new.com/sewinglessons/pockets/sideseam-pockets-2.shtml

Some of this is overkill for you. Like I see that the sides of the garment may have a sort of cut-out. And she talks about pocket "extensions". Forget all that unless your original shorts have them. What these instructions provide is how to pin the pocket pieces to the garment pieces and then how to stitch them all together. It's really fun to have these fabric pieces flapping and then in one swoop of sewing they all come together. But then, my dad was a pocket maker for a living. Any time I sew a pocket it's exciting. :D

Edit: Apologies to politicat for hijacking her thread!

[NMDemDist2]

16. sorry policat, and thanks Eleny, bookmarked for next week n/t

[politicat]

18. No problem....

Note on clothes: Press, Press, Press.... Especially pockets.

Also trim the seams after you've stitched them - either french the seams or serge them. (If you don't know what I mean by frenching seams, it means to trim one half of the seam, and whip stitch the other side over the cut edge.

Good luck, and be prepared to do two or three versions to get them right - I've had to do that a few times with cosplay costumes.

[NMDemDist2]

19. i press press press everything, i tell hubby "Why do they call this sewing

??? it should be called ironing with finish equipment"

thanks for the tips, i'm going to study the old pair closely

[NMDemDist2]

20. it looks like there's a seam along oth sides of the opening

it looks almost like a buttonhole

i think i can handle it

[fight4my3sons]

17. I've gotten fabric on Ebay also

with no problem. I've purchased from different sellers.

I agree that Ebay is weird. I have had problems in the past also. I once was not able to sign on and when I called Ebay about it I found out that someone had "hijacked" my account and listed a John Deere tractor! I have also had non-paying bidders and once paid for something that was never sent. Now I only buy from sellers with 100% feedback ratings. (or 99+) Also people who have a lot of feedback, if they have less than 100 I really have to like what they are listing.

Good luck!

[Dora]

21. I've ordered from

www.fashionfabricsclub.com before and been very pleased. I think it was worth the membership fee for the monthly swatches.

I grew up near the SAS in Tempe. I LOVED that store, and have wished and wished that something like that would open up here, but if wishes were horses....

[NMDemDist2]

22. thanks for the SAS tip, i never knew it was there... n/t

[politicat]

23. I loved SAS....

When I come to the Valley in May for my mom's 50th (yes, she was a young mother), I'm bringing an empty suitcase specifically for a trip to SAS...

This is a picture of my Italian Renaissance gown built for a university project (I still wear it occasionally, when I can come up with a reason to wear an Italian Renaissance gown) with fabric from SAS.... Poor picture, and it doesn't look nearly as good on a hanger as it does on a person, but you get the idea.

[NMDemDist2]

24. you should call me and take me with you

i'm only a year older than your mom..... :evilgrin:

it would be a hoot to meet you and where better than a frugal shopping extravaganza

i'll take you to my favorite Snottsdale thrifts :bounce:

[politicat]

25. Sounds grand!

And getting away from the family will be a VERY GOOD THING. (Love 'em, but they drive me batty...) DH can hang out with the Brothers In Law and play D and D or Everquest or whatever game they have going (amazing how all three, very different personalitied sisters married essentially the same type of guy - quiet, smart, geeky and either military or former military....)

As long as the pollution doesn't lay me low, I'll email you when I get there with contact info!

[NMDemDist2]

26. awesome! the pollution is horrible now but hopefully better once we

switch to the summmer fuel blend

:bounce:

[politicat]

27. I never knew how sick it made me until I didn't live with it anymore....

All through university, I nursed a cold or something - turned out to be allergies to some of the fuel additives. The inversion made me sick most of the time.

Now, I'm better - cleaner air - but I still have to be careful. As long as it's not too hot, I should be okay... and as long as I can find a gym that has daily memberships.... amazingly, being active seems to help prevent getting sick.

[NMDemDist2]

28. that's why we're on a three year ticker

we gotta get out here before DH keels over

he's miserable most of the time here poor guy.....

[politicat]

29. Tucson's nice... so is Colorado....

We need more coffee shops up here.... And more dems!

[NMDemDist2]

30. he's an amatuer astronomer so we hope to move to a rural AZ town

neither of us care much for snow.....

[politicat]

31. You think it snows here??

:rofl:

It snows up in the mountains, but down here at 5500, we get maybe 6 good storms a year and it's usually gone in 3 days. Down at 4500, they get maybe a couple of dustings a year. On the back slope, sure. They get a lot more snow - gotta love living in a rain shadow. But on this side, at lower elevations, the worst we get is a cool winter and a warm summer (i.e. lows in the 20s, highs in the 70s during the winter; lows in the 50s, highs in the 90s during the summer). And out on the plains, there's gorgeous viewing.... High altitude is good for that. (Says she who is eyeing a scope that will work with her laptop so she can stop aiming by hand....)

Or Globe. Globe is nice.

(And now that I have hijacked my own hijacked thread....)

[NMDemDist2]

32. you'd love his scope then.......

that's a dew shield hanging on the front

[rhino47]

33. I bought some cashmere material to make my husband a suit

on ebay.I was very happy with the material I have purchased on ebay.