Still alive but not much goin’ on!! I spent yesterday sewing. You may experience this — when I finish a new sweater I realize that I have nothing to wear it with. This was the case with Window to My Soul. The bright reddish/orange-ish/pinkish color made it a “unique” addition to my ragged and pathetic wardrobe.
I spent the good part of last weekend shopping for fabric. The fabric stores in the Twin Cities are sad. We used to have some wonderful shops, but they have all closed. You get JoAnn, Hancock and Treadle Yard Goods: boring, boring, and small/nice-but-hit-or-miss. ** See PS ** So, I ended up at Blue Bamboo Fabrics (NOTE: I had the name wrong when I first posted!!!).
I always seem to end up at Blue Bamboo. They have expanded and are now huge. They specialize in quilting fabrics (especially Japanese prints), but quilting fabrics often work for my needs. They are not a full service sewing store — you still need to shop for notions, lining, etc. elsewhere.
For my bright reddish/orange-ish/pinkish target color, the pickings were slim, however. I settled on something I wasn’t quite thrilled with, but I figured that something is better than nothing. It is Chamberry by Adorn It (#s 387, 404).
It has a kind of vintage feel. I used my binding method again, but with a contrasting fabric. I tried the dress on with the sweater and the sweater covered up everything cute about the dress. So, the sweater needs to be worn unbuttoned. Okay…
I continue to work on my Fading Lines. I messed up and started the sweater with the wrong skein — it is too whitish and there is a definite line where I started the 2nd skein. I considered starting over, but finally said, never mind. I keep second guessing that choice, but too late now! And, no, I do not alternate skeins!! Life is too short. I’d rather stew about it forever instead!! 😉
PS — Jill mentioned SR Harris in her comment (the nice website photos must be from their new location!!). I live 5 minutes from there but it is a scary warehouse situation that screams “fire trap” to me!! I never think of going there but I know many people swear by it.
I know what you mean about the Twin Cities fabric options. If you have time to dig through a warehouse of fabric head to S R Harris up by Osseo and you’ll be amazed at what you can find.
Comment by Jill — March 29, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
Do you know the manufacturer of the fabrics? I make my own pillow cases and those to fabrics would be great!
Comment by Tricia S. — March 29, 2015 @ 3:07 pm
Nice choice on the fabric. That looks great!
Comment by Amy C — March 29, 2015 @ 3:36 pm
I agree on alternating skeins!!! And because I am bullheaded as my mother would have said. Can’t wait to see the dress with the sweater.
Comment by Penny — March 29, 2015 @ 4:16 pm
I rarely sew anymore, and I suspect that the lack of fabric adds to my reluctance to get back to it, but for quilting-like fabric, there are afew other options (besides, of course, the quilt shops): Digs,in South Minneapolis, Crafty Planet in Northeast Minneapolis, Darnit Anyway in Stillwater. The latter two, of course, also have yarn. I understand that SR Harris has a south suburban location now as well…don’t know if its better. Last winter, my daughter who lives in California attempted to order 2 yards of uphostery fabric online (there are no fabric stores near her) and was sent, instead, 2 yards of the most disgusting synthetic bright yellow fake fur…it came apart in her hands as she took it out of the box, and most of the box was bright yellow fluff: it looked as though BigBird had died in there! The prospect put me off the idea of online fabric for good!
Comment by Ellen — March 29, 2015 @ 6:42 pm
The new S.R. Harris location in Burnsville looks more like usual fabric stores, with the bonus being fabrics are still 50% off. Unlike the Brooklyn Park one they cut and put away the fabric for you too, but it can be a long wait. I personally prefer the original one; it seems more like an adventure. 🙂 Thank you to Ellen for list of other stores!
Comment by Alicia — March 29, 2015 @ 6:56 pm
The SR Harris in Burnsville really is nice and very bright. I’ve never had to wait in line for fabric to be cut and their variety of apparel fabric is wonderful.
Comment by Celeste — March 30, 2015 @ 10:02 am
I do agree that we’ve lost a lot of good fabric stores but I do love Treadle AND it is full service so you can get all you need. Nice that there are also people there who know sewing, which can’t be said most of the time at JoAnn’s. I was really worried when it looked like we might lose them. I appreciate having a spot with something more than quilting cottons.
Nice dress! I love the way you saw and wardrobe need and jumped into action!
Comment by Gerri — March 30, 2015 @ 11:00 am
Such a cute dress!!! What’s the pattern?
Comment by Terry — March 30, 2015 @ 12:00 pm
Cute! I’d never heard of Blue Bamboo, and next time you want to trek down, let me know. I have been to SR Harris, but it always overwhelms me, but I seem to shop there for knits for making pj’s for one of my kids.
Comment by Susan — March 31, 2015 @ 9:08 pm
Crafty Planet has a nice selection of fabric for a small shop.
Comment by Amy — April 6, 2015 @ 10:07 pm
I have been to the new SR Harris in Burnsville. While it is indeed bright and all that, I prefer the original. I have purchased fabrics from them for more than 40 years. The original, though enormous, has everything and then some. It is worth the trip. Wear comfy shoes.
Comment by Shelley — April 8, 2015 @ 9:47 pm
I’d like to know the pattern too, please.
Comment by Sarah — October 1, 2018 @ 6:44 am