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Resources => Your Favourite Suppliers => Topic started by: maliw on May 11, 2017, 16:08:57 PM

Title: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on May 11, 2017, 16:08:57 PM
I've just had a newsletter from Abakhan and it says that they are opening a new store in Altrincham town centre in June. So for anybody who is within a reasonable travelling distance there will be a new emporium to visit.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Vegegrow on May 11, 2017, 18:50:08 PM
Perhaps I could email them and ask for a shop in East Anglia.....
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Bodgeitandscarper on May 11, 2017, 20:36:27 PM
I do miss Abakhan, we definitely need one over on the east side.  There don't appear to be any decent fabric shops anywhere near me  :'(
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on May 11, 2017, 20:47:31 PM
I must admit that I feel quite lucky with what we have available and feel sorry for people who can't get what they want locally. Buying fabric via the internet isn't the same as being able to go and have a look and feel what a fabric is like. I was in the local Abakhan shop today and saw some lovely 'linen type' fabric but when I touched it it was far too thick for what I wanted.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Acorn on May 11, 2017, 21:03:54 PM
Our small but lovely local fabric shop closed a few months ago - not through lack of business,  Now there is a fantastic quilting shop 17 miles away - but it hardly sells any dressmaking fabric.  The next fabric shop is 30 miles away, but it is better for upholstery and furnishing fabrics than dressmaking. 

I think there is another one 30 miles in the other direction which I really must investigate soon. 
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: BrendaP on May 11, 2017, 21:22:47 PM
Perhaps I could email them and ask for a shop in East Anglia.....

and down here in Kent.....
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Didi on May 12, 2017, 00:15:58 AM
I'm very lucky I live 15 minutes drive  away from head office in Mostyn love the cream tea ! Work in Chester so can get there easily and have to go to Liverpool for work so get to go to that one as well
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Tamnymore on May 12, 2017, 07:43:13 AM
Yes I noticed the new shop opening in Altrincham but I'll probably continue to use the Abakhan in Manchester more as I'm in Manchester more often and the city centre shop will be bigger but it is  certainly an excuse to visit Altrincham sometimes.

So it is good for Altrincham. I lived there many years ago and have fond memories. I was always sorry that the town centre suffered quite a bit from the opening of the Trafford Centre, the big out of town shopping centre for the Manchester area (a shopping centre which I dislike, won't visit and has no fabric shops anyway!).
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Addict on May 12, 2017, 09:03:26 AM
Perhaps I could email them and ask for a shop in East Anglia.....
and here in Norwich or Great Yarmouth
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Francesca on May 12, 2017, 11:06:19 AM
and down here in Kent.....

If my boyfriend lets me have my way (which he will eventually realise he must), I will be opening my fabric and knitting shop in Otford, Kent in 2020  0_0
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Jane on May 13, 2017, 16:23:32 PM
If my boyfriend lets me have my way (which he will eventually realise he must), I will be opening my fabric and knitting shop in Otford, Kent in 2020  0_0

Ooo can I get a job?  :D
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: UttaRetch on May 13, 2017, 16:52:43 PM
Jane, would this be a wise move?  :D
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Jane on May 13, 2017, 17:02:21 PM
I'm sure I'd be buying enough to go home with no wages!!  :S
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Francesca on May 15, 2017, 10:21:30 AM
Wages? Who said you're getting wages.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Acorn on May 20, 2017, 09:04:13 AM
We may be making a fleeting visit to the Wirral in a few weeks.   :flower:  Which Abakhan shop should I choose out of Birkenhead and Chester, if a choice has to be made?

And is there anywhere else I really Should Not Miss?  We won't be going across the water this time.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on May 20, 2017, 10:30:02 AM
It depends where you are staying, of the two I prefer Birkenhead, maybe because that is my local store but there is just something about the Chester one that I'm not keen on. I think Birkenhead may be slightly bigger. Don't forget that most of the fabric is sold by weight and they will cut pieces but a metre needs to be left after what you want except craft fabric which is now 1/2 a metre (I think) . If you want fabric places the other place I go is CalicoLaine, Clayhill Estate Neston or their shop in Liscard
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Acorn on May 20, 2017, 16:05:14 PM
Thank you - staying at Greasby, so Birkenhead is much easier and Neston and Liscard very easy if we have time.

I've never heard of fabric being sold by weight - how does that work?  How do you know how much you will be paying for (say) 2 metres?   :o
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Tamnymore on May 20, 2017, 16:21:49 PM
There are piles of remnants of different sorts and each type has a price per kilo. You find a remnant which takes your fancy, take it to an assistant who will weigh it, put in the price per kilo and tell you what the remnant will cost. You can ask them to measure the piece so you can see how big it is and you can work out what it will cost per metre so you can decide whether yiu want to buy it. They will cut a remnant as long as a piece 1m is left.

Some of my most exciting fabric finds ever have come from Abakhan remnant bins. It is almost always cheaper than you would find on a roll of fabric and quite unusual things turn up. Once you have tasted an Abakhan remnant you will be addicted!
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on May 20, 2017, 16:55:06 PM
The other thing to be aware of is that some of the fabric is 'seconds' so check in case there are any faults/flaws in the piece that you want. It doesn't always happen but I'm warning you just in case. If you go to Birkenhead the fabric on rolls is as you go in and the remnants are just through the 'first shop' and up the stairs. I hope you are lucky and find something, sometimes I go and come away with nothing although that is very unusual as the state of my swing room will testify. ;)
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Acorn on May 20, 2017, 17:06:36 PM
Thank you, both.  I'm so glad I know about the system in advance - I might well have gone in, got completely confused, and just left again.  That would be terrible! 

It is a very long way from us to any large fabric store so I will be going with Money To Spend - whch is usually the kiss of death to finding anything!  I'll do me best though.   8)
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 13:24:07 PM
I must say what fabulous quality fabric from the Abakhan store, I ordered online on Thursday and my fabric got delivered this morning. This is bad news finding a good quality online store, I having a feeling I'm going to be a regular customer at this store :loveit:
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on June 10, 2017, 13:47:20 PM
This is bad news finding a good quality online store, I having a feeling I'm going to be a regular customer at this store :loveit:
Oh dear, nothing against Abakhan, my favourite go to place but for online have you tried
https://www.thetextilecentre.co.uk/
I've had several orders and all have been great.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 14:00:35 PM
Oh dear, nothing against Abakhan, my favourite go to place but for online have you tried
https://www.thetextilecentre.co.uk/
I've had several orders and all have been great.

Oh no, not another fabric website :loveit: I've bought so much fabric this week I should be locked up. Will take a look and report back.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 14:15:46 PM
Just popped on to the textilecentre.co.uk and Oops two metres of fabric accidentally fell in to my basket  :devil: naughty me.
Thanks for the info Maliw
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Tamnymore on June 10, 2017, 14:33:31 PM
Although I have bought online from Abakhan you only get the weighed remnants in the actual shop so it's worth planning a visit if you possibly can. I agree that the Textile Centre is excellent.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 15:00:27 PM
Unfortunately i'm nowhere near any of the Abakhan stores, I'm on the south coast, maybe that's a good thing otherwise I'd be in there all of the time.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Tamnymore on June 10, 2017, 15:07:07 PM
Diane, have a holiday in North Wales so you can visit Abakhan HQ. :devil: :devil:
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on June 10, 2017, 15:16:36 PM
Unfortunately i'm nowhere near any of the Abakhan stores, I'm on the south coast, maybe that's a good thing otherwise I'd be in there all of the time.
Think yourself lucky - your bank balance wouldn't appreciate it. Ask me how I know!!! I used to work across the road from the Birkenhead store - oh dear.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on June 10, 2017, 15:17:33 PM
Lovely fabrics from the TC by the way. Happy sewing when they arrive.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 15:19:14 PM
Diane, have a holiday in North Wales so you can visit Abakhan HQ. :devil: :devil:

I love North Wales and we've holidayed there every year for the past god knows how many years, but this year we are off to Leicestershire, just checked and there are no Abakhan stores nearby  :'(
I will check and see if there are any other fabric stores near where we are staying so I can accidentally go past them :devil:
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 15:21:13 PM
Think yourself lucky - your bank balance wouldn't appreciate it. Ask me how I know!!! I used to work across the road from the Birkenhead store - oh dear.
Oh my god, working across the road from one of their stores, how unfortunate Is that  :devil:
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on June 10, 2017, 15:23:34 PM
The one thing that didn't suffer was my stash 0_0
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 15:31:24 PM
I love a big stash of fabric, I've only just got back in to sewing so have been replenishing my stock :P. It's a bit pricey, but like my husband says "you can't put a price on a hobby if you enjoy it" haha he won't be saying that if he knows how much I've spent this last week  :D he doesn't mind really bless him.
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: maliw on June 10, 2017, 15:39:04 PM
My OH doesn't mind - I don't think, he says that sewing keeps me quiet and out of his hair (he hasn't got a lot bless him). If I'm happy then so is he!!!!!!! 0_0 0_0
Title: Re: New Abakhan store
Post by: Diane on June 10, 2017, 15:45:27 PM
My hubby has just given up his "man pad" as he called it so that I can have it as my sewing room  :loveit: he's even offered to buy me a new fancy sewing machine, he said I deserved it for all the hard work I do :angel: