Fabric Treasure Hunt
by Janet Montie
www.fcfabric.com/quiltingfabric/
My mom learned to quilt out of necessity. She came of age
during the Great Depression, and by using scraps of fabric
from home sewn clothing she and my grandmother let nothing
go to waste. Even though the choices of fabric available to
them at the time didn't allow for fine color schemes, each
of their quilts had a pattern and design. Later in life,
when she was a prosperous home maker, she continued to
enjoy making quilts. Especially since a much better
selection of fabrics was available to her then. In fact,
she became something of a collector.
As a child, I accompanied her on fabric treasure hunts,
and I remember one store especially that Mother found. It
was in a town almost two hours from home, and back in those
days, people didn't casually drive those distances. But
this quirky fabric shop was well worth the trip. Going to
see The Featherman was a major outing, and I have vivid
memories of that store, which seemed to my childhood mind
to have every kind of fabric in the world. The highest
quality selections were in the main room showcased not on
bolts, but on rolls. In another part of the multi-room shop
were tables and shelves of remnants of silk brocade, heavy
corduroy, gold lame, and whispy chiffon. If you can name
it, he had it, both the basic and the rare. The store was
unique, the fabrics were singular, and that's why it comes
to mind when I wander the rows of yet another fabric super-
store. I wonder where has all the variety and quality gone?
Fabric treasures can be difficult to find at times. If you
are making quilts, clothes, or gifts, the fabric that is
perfect for the project sometimes just can't be found at
the local store. Over time, it seems like quality fabric in
unusual and beautiful colors and designs is becoming harder
to discover. There is a solution. Now we have the option to
locate the perfect fabric at an affordable price by going
online.
A variety of patterns, colors, and textures, can be easily
discovered online - from the latest textile to vintage
material. For vintage lovers, this can actually be the only
avenue sometimes for finding a wide selection of high-
quality vintage fabric. Online stores also have patterns
and projects that are ready-made with the fabric already
cut. Handmade items can serve as beautiful gifts year round.
Arts and crafts type gifts are becoming more and more
popular. Major stores can charge up to twenty dollars for a
tiny decoration that you know you could make for much less.
Online stores often have fabric cut for patterns to make
these little holiday gifts that you can order for
reasonable prices, or if you would prefer to make your own
just order the fabric and create your own specialty
patterns. Several wonderful on-line quilt shops have also
appeared on the scene to meet all our quilting needs.
Whatever fabric you need for clothes, gifts, or quilts,
put technology to work for you. Going online can save you
time and money, but there is one drawback. All your rituals
around selecting fabric must get re-designed. You aren't
able to touch the fabric, hold it up and see how it drapes.
However, by finding some favorite web sites that have
excellent pictures and well-written descriptions, the
overall ease of online shopping is worth the trade off,
providing you with a limitless range of possibilities. Type
the word fabric in your favorite search engine, and you'll
find that millions of choices await you.
Janet Montie has made a study of topics related to fabric.
She is contributing writer of articles for First Class Fabric,
your premier resource on-line for information on fabric. Find
the archive of articles at: http://www.fcfabric.com/
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