The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Fun with Fabric => Topic started by: Gernella on May 29, 2018, 13:04:18 PM
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It really hacks me off when you go hunting for fabric, find something you think will be suitable but then all you get is picture of the fabric, what it is, price and width.
What you really need is what is the fabric is made up of; what the washing instructions are; what the weight is; what are suitable uses for the fabric and if you are really lucky a nice description and video of the fabric. Which is why I like using Clothspot even though some of the stuff is expensive.
I looked on MacCulloch and Wallis last night and all you get is bare necessities. Some of us like a story to tempt us.
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I like the photographs to include a tape measure to give an idea of pattern size, and bonus if you can see it draped over a hand or stand to get an idea of how it falls and how opaque it is. Fibre content is a must.
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Myfabric will give you some information, with pictures of the fabric being made up in different garments, although I think this is computer generated rather than the real thing. And they always give the weight which I find really useful.
Sometimes, I almost make up my mind to order but then think I will send for a sample first. This is where they fall down. The samples never turn up!
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Also washing instructions - personally I'd rather infer it for myself as I feel I have a good understanding of how to wash different fabrics and prefer it my way.
But fibres, yes, that is a definite you need to know.
Or then they go over the top and no matter what it is put the dreaded 'P', even if it is linen/cotton etc.
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As a novice fabric orderer I read and re-read everything to death and agree that some sites just don't give enough detail. Sometimes when a fabric is directional it isn't always obvious what the direction is; I have seen stripes going horizontally AND vertically for the same fabric.
I was looking for something for a future project and it has a kind of stand-up, grown on collar. I would like the drape of fabric to be graded 1-5 for drapiness or I could end up with a cowl neck jacket! :S
Slightly off topic but on Minerva's website only some of their patterns show the reverse of the envelope but they and others show both sides on evil bay. I have to flick between the two for details of line drawings and yardage.
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It is also intensely irritating when a site gives good information for some of their fabrics but not for others. And, much as I like their fabrics I do get fed up having to wade through Croft Mill's poetic descriptions to find any useful information.
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The very least I would expect is the name and content of the fabric. Nothing at all is very poor.
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When fabric is shipped from the suppliers it doesn't always come with all the relevant information. That can include the name of the fabric, % of various fibres and even the fibres themselves. So it's not always the retailer at fault. I think it's got worse in recent years.
As a dressmaker I like to know what I am buying as I don't really like wearing polyester, even mixed with other fibres.
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I think it's just poor inventory control. A roll fabric is delivered in protective wrapping with a label describing the fabric stuck on the front. If the vendor doesn't bother to enter this into the system, then nobody knows what is being bought and sold.
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It's hard enough buying fabric on the internet, without essential information being omitted, but when you are paying a lot of money for fabric, and postage, it's pretty poor service.
I rarely spend a lot of money on fabric, but when I do, I expect to get what I pay for, and you can't do that if the fabric isn't properly described.
I stick with my local fabric store mainly, at least I can see what I'm getting. I do know I'm lucky though, some of you haven't got a local fabric store any more. :(
Jessie
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And, much as I like their fabrics I do get fed up having to wade through Croft Mill's poetic descriptions to find any useful information.
Crikey, is he still going with his stupid descriptions? That used to drive me nuts pre-Internet when it was a paper catalogue. I look at their website occasionally but I haven't noticed anything as bad as I used to see.
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OTOH I used to enjoy the descriptions and other comments in the Croft Mill leaflet.
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I quite like their descriptions, but my favourite top is made from fabric that they clearly didn't like - they gave it the heading 'A Mess'. -< Pah!
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Now I have had a look at the Clothspot site I see what you mean about the quality of the descriptions.
They have some lovely fabrics too.
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I'm on a destash group on FB...and the amount that get posted saying just 'fabric' drives me MAD. I keep asking, but they tend to just 'haha' and think I'm joking. FFS.
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And it's surprising how much fabric on ebay is poorly described. I've had I think 3 occasions in the last year where I've had to ask the seller what were the dimensions of the fabric piece. Some people can't measure at all accurately. I've had some measurements which were way out. Recently a length of fabric described as 3.70 m was 3.07m when it arrived. When I queried it the seller did give me a reasonable partial refund.
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I think it's just poor inventory control. A roll fabric is delivered in protective wrapping with a label describing the fabric stuck on the front. If the vendor doesn't bother to enter this into the system, then nobody knows what is being bought and sold.
Not always @UttaRetch. Would be lovely if it was but that isn't always the case.
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I don't want to be disputive, but I have been in a number of fabric shops and witnessed delivered rolls. All of them had labels identifying the fabric and content. I don't know what goes on with online businesses and how they obtain their stock, but I imagine they buy rolls just as do the bricks and mortar shops.
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As someone who takes delivery of the stuff I can assure you it,s not always the case. It depends on the supplier. And even when tags are attached to bolts and rolls they are often dislodged by customers pulling stuff around.
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Now I have had a look at the Clothspot site I see what you mean about the quality of the descriptions.
They have some lovely fabrics too.
Funnily enough I bought some fabric late Tuesday night from them, then on Wednesday afternoon I sat looking again and bought a different lot, just in case it went as I don't think they keep a large stock. This morning I've had a message from them that they got the order just as they were packing the other one so put together and refunded the second lot of postage. I certainly didn't expect that. <3
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I like Clothspot too, their customer service is brilliant. Might have just got yet more fabric from them this week too :devil: The only slight downside to me is that a lot of their fabrics are polyester and I don't do synthetics. Apart from that, 10/10 from me!!