The Sewing Place

Liberty fabrics

Miss Blossom

Liberty fabrics
« on: November 11, 2017, 18:29:05 PM »
Now that Standfast & Barracks no longer print or sell Liberty, is anyone else succumbing to 'panic buying' when you find reasonably priced Liberty? I managed to acquire over 20 metres yesterday, in my lunch break! Can someone ban me from Birmingham Rag Market - I can't afford to keep saving money like this! 

Sewbee

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2017, 18:35:35 PM »
Now that Standfast & Barracks no longer print or sell Liberty, is anyone else succumbing to 'panic buying' when you find reasonably priced Liberty? I managed to acquire over 20 metres yesterday, in my lunch break! Can someone ban me from Birmingham Rag Market - I can't afford to keep saving money like this!

Good for you. Feel proud of yourself for saving money because you know you will use it all!!

Sounds as if it's worth a train ride down to that rag market!

Miss Blossom

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2017, 19:16:47 PM »
Thanks Sewbee, I am normally a total ditherer when it comes to buying anything, so having parted with nearly £100 in the space of half an hour is giving me palpitations! I work 10 minutes walk from the rag market so I'm probably spoilt / bankrupt for fabric and haberdashery... Half of me feels I should keep away from the place, and the other half says 'buy everything!'
I got needlecord, lawn, jersey, and silk.. And I absolutely love it all, I'm going to be poor but extremely well dressed.

StitchinTime

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2017, 19:17:53 PM »
I had a final splurge of a few metres from their Ebay shop just before it closed and that only just fitted into my Liberty stash boxes. Probably a good thing for me that it is not as easily available now, though there's a 25% off offer coming up at Abakhan soon. They have Liberty and are only 5 minutes from where I work ...

Tamnymore

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2017, 20:04:14 PM »
Miss B, you got 20m of Liberty fabric  for £100!!! Quick, when's the next train to Brum??
Although I didn't deliberately stock up in S&B and Katsfabrics before they stopped selling Liberty I have bought so much there and elsewhere over the years that I'm in no danger of running out..... ever  :devil: . And I managed to acquire 9 and 1/2 metres of 90cm wide vintage tawn lawn for £14.99 on ebay the other day (and have smuggled it into the house and hidden it from Mr Tamny).

However if you see it cheaply you should definitely stock up as you never know when you will see it cheaply again. Someone I know was in S&B on their last day of Liberty and they were giving an extra 3m for purchases over £25 (whimper). They have stopped printing Liberty but wouldn't say where production is going to. One assumes it will be overseas and if that's the case presumably we are less likely to see cheap Liberty fabrics. Even more reason to stock up!  :D
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Miss Blossom

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2017, 20:23:40 PM »
Glad it's not just me! According to the man at the Liberty stall in the rag market, all the fabric production has moved to Italy, and Liberty sold off the contents of their UK warehouses -hence his stall.. And his stock is dwindling. I've got so used to sewing, and wearing, beautiful liberty fabrics on the cheap I'm in a bit of a tiz at the prospect of not being able to get any more. Hmm.. Maybe another stroll to the market in Tuesday! DH is all for it, but then he loves his tana lawn shirts in mental prints!

Tamnymore

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2017, 20:32:52 PM »
I'd heard it was Italy from somewhere too! What a good idea to enrol your other half in your Liberty habit. If you do stroll down to the Rag Market again soon be sure to take a photo of the stall so we know what we're missing.
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

StitchinTime

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2017, 20:42:20 PM »
There's an article in the latest Liberty newsletter about their tana lawn - it is now printed near Lake Como in Italy. A nice location for a factory shop, but perhaps a bit too far to travel.

Edited: There's a brief comment about the printing in this item on the Liberty website:
http://www.libertylondon.com/uk/liberty-life/lifestyle/a-legacy-reinvented.html
« Last Edit: November 11, 2017, 20:46:10 PM by StitchinTime »

Sewbee

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2017, 20:57:44 PM »
Thanks Sewbee, I am normally a total ditherer when it comes to buying anything, so having parted with nearly £100 in the space of half an hour is giving me palpitations! I work 10 minutes walk from the rag market so I'm probably spoilt / bankrupt for fabric and haberdashery... Half of me feels I should keep away from the place, and the other half says 'buy everything!'
I got needlecord, lawn, jersey, and silk.. And I absolutely love it all, I'm going to be poor but extremely well dressed.

I can totally relate, although I have yet to buy garment fabric. I do have a little quilting fabric, though. I am putting a total freeze on spending (except for buying a few patterns at 50% off) until January or maybe February. I've spent a literal fortune this year - car, laminated 90% of flooring in house, bought sewing machine, bought serger, painted rooms, in addition to buying various items as I go along because I don't have them (e.g. gardening tools) having moved back home from another country. Literally starting again.

Sewbee

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2017, 20:58:38 PM »
Glad it's not just me! According to the man at the Liberty stall in the rag market, all the fabric production has moved to Italy, and Liberty sold off the contents of their UK warehouses -hence his stall.. And his stock is dwindling. I've got so used to sewing, and wearing, beautiful liberty fabrics on the cheap I'm in a bit of a tiz at the prospect of not being able to get any more. Hmm.. Maybe another stroll to the market in Tuesday! DH is all for it, but then he loves his tana lawn shirts in mental prints!

So there will no longer be a Liberty of London?

Tamnymore

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2017, 21:20:00 PM »
Don't worry Sewbee. There's such a demand for Liberty I can't see it disappearing It's just that printing of their tana lawn has moved from Lancaster to Italy. Another thing once made in the UK now made elsewhere. Sigh. :'(
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Sewbee

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2017, 21:25:25 PM »
Don't worry Sewbee. There's such a demand for Liberty I can't see it disappearing It's just that printing of their tana lawn has moved from Lancaster to Italy. Another thing once made in the UK now made elsewhere. Sigh. :'(

Such a shame, though. Liberty cottons were such an English legend.  :(

Miss Blossom

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2017, 21:40:54 PM »
It's probably bloody Brexit, but don't get me started...

Sewbee

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2017, 21:59:01 PM »
It's probably bloody Brexit, but don't get me started...

Pet peeve of mine as well.

Miss Blossom

Re: Liberty fabrics
« Reply #14 on: November 11, 2017, 22:06:21 PM »
 I just want my fabric back!!!
« Last Edit: November 11, 2017, 22:09:54 PM by Miss Blossom »