Out and About ~ Fabric Hunting

Hi! Oh my, it's only mid November and there is snow piling up on Mo's and my deck cushions outside.

We had no idea.

My poor sad lime tree, I don't think its tiny lime babies will make it.

I ran out and snipped the last last last hopeful marigolds and susans. The marigolds even still have buds. So much for my hopeful thoughts of a long warm summery autumn.

A few weeks ago I talked my friend L into a trip to The Fabric Mill. This ad had popped up in my email, seems they had restocked their mill end quilt fabric.

We only go every few years, it's a long, heavy traffic drive. I like to stock up on their quilt fabrics at 4.99 for quilt backings. With online and locals shops' prices for cotton pushing $11.oo a yard, it is worth the trip. (Or so I think--- L who drove, said "Never again!")

My lure to L (who doesn't quilt) was that the drive east and north through the barrier islands and parkways would be a lovely autumn leaf peeper drive.

But no, this year the marshes and trees were still a tired olive green.

This store usually sells gorgeous, $$$$$$ home fabrics and creates custom drapes, slipcovers, upholstery etc. L has had lovely drapes made here.

We walked through the warehouse, ooohing and aahing.
Tropicals! for summer slipcovers. I especially loved their large selection of blue and white beachy/ fishy prints.

Birds and Texts:

I'd love to make a duvet cover with this lightweight 100% linen bird print. (it was something like 60.oo a yard!)

Toiles! but no purple to toile to jump-start my interest in my 9" Schoolgirl Album project, too bad. Aren't they gorgeous, though?

And then there are the stack and stacks of mill end cuts of high quality, once expensive  home fabrics.

The mill ends are very amazingly priced at just a fraction of the bolt prices. The only drawback is that you must buy the entire end cut. I fell in love with this very large scale almost barkcloth textured heavy linen, at 5.99 a yard for 5 yards.

I want to make a new slipcover for my computer chair, Mo having eaten the white linen cover a couple years ago, as a chewing puppy. I am tired of seeing its threadbare duct taped edges peeking out from under the throws and quilts I use to cover it now.

I only needed 3 yards, and finally talked the saleswoman into my request. $5.99/ yard, 60"

Usually the shop only--oddly--stocks quilt fabrics as an admittedly huge selection of superhero and cartoon/ Disney prints; I suppose used for home decor clients' kids' rooms? But as advertised, the recent restock of discontinued regular cottons was extensive and wide ranging, with many styles to choose from. Mostly from Quilting Treasures and long-defunct [I believe] VIP Fabrics, upper left in photo below. 

 Not displayed well at all. Massive stacks of bolts laid flat.

So many choices. You have to know what you're looking for, what you can use for a future project.I settled on three:

I love the drab brown bag colors.

And one in pumpkin tiny sprig.

The quilting cotton fabrics mill ends are allowed to be cut, so I took up to 5 yards at the $4.99 price.

A few other remnant finds from the mill end tables, too:
Quilted grey velveteen,. A vest for Mo? Throw pillows?

A lovely Belgian linen ikat, for pillows, sachets.

An odd wintery tapestry.
Christmas stockings? Cedar sachets? Mix with the ticking stripe somehow?

Just cost pennies! They also sell enormous clear trash bags full of remnants, as ''grab bags'', for,I think, 12.oo! How I'd love to gamble someday and buy one.

The Fabric Mill has a great website,  though the mill ends and remnants aren't available online. They do have sales now and then though.here
....................
As I have typed this, off and on this afternoon, about 3 to 4" of snow has fallen! Not looking forward to Mo's next walk in a couple hours. What's with this January in November weather, anyway?

.....................................................
Must share this beautiful and apparently easy tutorial, for making a wonderful Christmas gift, for all the girlfriends, moms, daughters, on your list: here

have a good weekend!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

********************

maybe click for slide show? playing w/ new camera in my new phone. It's great!