Fabric Store Memories

 

I have a sewing mama.  And my granny was a seamstress as well.  Some of my earliest memories are of my mom sitting at the sewing machine.  I was interested in the way they worked, and sometimes my mom would let me press the foot-feed with my hand to make it go.   She made curtains and bedspreads and dresses when I was growing up.     We would go visit the fabric stores and I loved going in between all the bolts of fabric.   I still do.  

When my granny passed away, I bought fat quarters of fabrics that reminded me of ones she had used in a quilt she made back in the 30's.   I felt close to her at the fabric store.  After she retired, she still sewed, even though she had been doing it for a job all her life.   We would visit fabric stores and Granny would buy fabric for a dress for one of her grand-girls. 


This is one of my favorite fabric stores.  Yes, it is Marden's.  They don't just sell fabric - they sell the craziest things because it's a salvage store.  They buy stock from businesses that are going out of business.   They often stock the BEST retired and discontinued quilting cottons.  And it's only 10 minutes from my house.  I can get into some serious fabric buying trouble at this place!  

 

They have reproduction fabrics there 
that are perfect for antique inspired creations.



This is a classic print that reminds me of 1850's dresses. 

And don't these prints below make you think fall?



Sometimes I just like to go and look at all the colorful bolts. It gets me in a creative frame of mind.  But watch out if I put one bolt in my cart.  It's all over then.   I have a hard time just buying ONE piece of fabric.

3 comments:

JDConwell said...

My mother hated to sew, but she tried to teach me how. Well, she showed me how to operate the machine, but the rest was up to me. :~)

But I did manage to learn, some of it, and I LOVE fabric stores. Sounds like the one you have near you should be called either Fabric Heaven or Clothaholic's Temptation.

McNally School said...

Some of my earliest memories are of Mom at the sewing machine. When I was about 3 or 4, she made some red gingham curtains with ruffles for the windows. They were soooo beautiful to me. Mom is still sewing up a storm and so am I! I'll never stop!

Anonymous said...

Oh my Dixie just looking at all those beautiful bolts of fabric gave me a rush. Whew. Love the color feast to my eye but when you get to touch the fabric and look at the fiber content in person, the prints can just feel the blood rushing through my viens. haha
Both my grandmothers sewed. My father said he wore his patches long after the pants were worn out. She could make a patch look like art. My other grandmother was the doll artist and painter and her sewing was so beautiful, I know she did sewing for other people too. Mom liked to sew but wasn't a person to go the extra mile for a really nice finish.
Artis


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden