The Sewing Place

I need your recommendations.....

hernibs

I need your recommendations.....
« on: September 15, 2019, 16:43:09 PM »
I never thought I'd be posting in this thread but this mug rug thingy has served to create some interest in me. 
What I need are your recommendations for fabric in the U.K.  I have got a Moda  charm pack from Cotton Patch....but I really would like to know where the most economic place to buy is - one that gives quick turn around for orders plus
what is the ultimate quality fabric on offer....really tasteful fabric, regardless of price.
Thanks, I know you will help me on this journey !!

Tamnymore

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2019, 16:48:16 PM »
I'm not a darksider but Fabric Guild (www.fabricguild.co.uk) does some bargain cotton fabrics at £3.30 pm or the equivalent in FQs and a number of these are fabrics I've seen at double or triple the price elsewhere. Postage reasonable and they are quick.
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

Acorn

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2019, 17:06:56 PM »
I agree with Tamnymore - when I have ordered from Fabric Guild they have consistently sent out the order two working days after receiving it (they are closed on Mondays, so Monday isn't a working day).  Delivery is pretty much at cost - one FQ is a large letter, £1.75).
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Sheilago

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2019, 17:44:45 PM »
@hernibs , I tend to stick to brand name fabrics like a Makower, Moda, Robert Kaufman,Michael Miller, Riley Blake, Dashwood. The brands that Cotton Patch stock will all be good. I have a big stash with lots of colours and so tend to look out for offers on good quality fabric if one colour gets a bit low. I buy from Cotton patch and a fairly local shop Karelia House ( as I like to support local business if I can) but I do also buy often from Ebay sellers- you can then easily look for offers on fat quarters - I find delivery quite reliable and quick .

Acorn

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2019, 19:03:22 PM »
Just to add that Fabric Guild do have the big names at bargain prices - they won't ever have the full range of anything, but they always have some.

They currently have quite a lot of Makower, Rose and Hubble, John Louden, an Alison Glass panel, Riley Blake and lots of other named brands that I'm not particularly familiar with.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

hernibs

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2019, 19:23:59 PM »
Thanks everyone - good to have the brand names for reference - what I ommitted to say was that I probably will only buy charm packs or jelly rolls - I'm not good at cutting out and don't want to invest in rotary cutters and cutting boards.
Lots there for me to ponder.  Ta

Lisalou1965

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2019, 20:21:12 PM »
Thanks everyone - good to have the brand names for reference - what I ommitted to say was that I probably will only buy charm packs or jelly rolls - I'm not good at cutting out and don't want to invest in rotary cutters and cutting boards.
Lots there for me to ponder.  Ta

I get that you don't want to invest a lot of money in rotary cutters etc, but it actually doesn't need to be a lot; I say this, because I have actually derived a lot of pleasure out of cutting my own stuff over the years, and buying precut fabrics is often expensive.
If you see me with a seam ripper, now is not a good time

Ploshkin

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2019, 20:25:18 PM »
If you like batiks, Hannah's Room have some nice precuts.  If I remember correctly, delivery was quick too.
Life's too short for ironing.

RJR_38

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2019, 21:42:21 PM »
Moda, Makower, Dashwood, Kauffman and Lewis & Irene are my favourite. For charm packs Moda is probably the most prolific producer.

I would recommend Bramblepatch in addition to cottonpatch. Depending on how fussy you are about fabric styles I would recommend their monthly subscription box. For £19.95 a month you get sent fabric and patterns to make mats, cloths, bags, cushion covers etc and they are always fairly simple designs. For example this month (Christmas theme) I got a moda charm pack of 42 squares, a fat eighth of cream fabric and a fat sixteenth of some gold. The pattern was for a large table mat. Other times you get 6-8 fat eighths with some haberdashery etc. They are very good value for money and if you don’t like the pattern you can use the fabric for other things.

Acorn

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2019, 21:57:03 PM »
If you like batiks, Hannah's Room have some nice precuts.  If I remember correctly, delivery was quick too.

Oh dear... another emporium of temptation...  ><
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Iminei

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2019, 04:45:08 AM »
What are your favourite colours @hernibs  ???? Do you favour patterns or plains ?

What a lot of shops forget is you must have basics and blenders to go with all the novelty and pictorial prints.
Case in point is our local quilting shop, Cotton Moon (Blandford) who has some gorgeous stuff but is nearly always busy patterns and cute pictorials leaning heavily to the kiddie market ... I should open a shop next to hers called, Batiks, Basics and Blenders and then when she sells someone their two fabulous must have prints, they can come over to mine and buy the five blenders they need to go with!!!

We must also remember that you are in Ireland, so delivery wont be as quick as to the UK; I particularly like my local to me (well not really, its an hour and a half away) Emporia Gloriana ..... that is Midsomer Quilting (Chilcompton, nr Bathish)

They are so helpful and will post same day at cost.

Apart from that, Doughty's ( They come to you too ) ...  Lady Sew'n'Sew ... Cotton patch, (not so quick on Delivery I found recently)

Welcome to our world   :devil:  !!!

The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

wrenkins

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2019, 07:09:34 AM »
We are in the UK.
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Iminei

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2019, 07:38:46 AM »
My bad ... I know I went to school, I think ... but ......
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

wrenkins

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2019, 07:47:45 AM »
 :D
Good to see you've been bitten my the bug @hernibs. Most of us have an eye for colour but @Iminei has a magic eye!  :loveit:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Sewingsue

Re: I need your recommendations.....
« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2019, 08:12:53 AM »
We are in the UK.
But not on the mainland so I always assumed that would affect delivery times.
There are parts of the UK mainland i.e. north Scotland which magically become 'not mainland' when it comes to delivery times or even willingness to deliver.
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.