Colour, pattern and Choice!
Fabric shopping when on holiday? This is the very reason to bring an empty suitcase when planning an adventure away! Whether its a weekend break or a few weeks away it just adds to the excitement to pinpoint some fabric stores to visit.
Many of my students plan holidays to the destinations where the most luxurious fabrics can be found. Both Jane and Chrissie rate Italy as fabulous places to visit to buy some lengths of cloth. Who doesn’t leave some time to visit Liberty when booking a flight to London?!
Across Ireland, I had students travel across borders with a pre-made list of the best fabric (and yarn) stores to visit.
I invite you to travel with me to Spain in this blog and visit 1 of the largest fabric stores (I visited 2 of their many locations), and also seek out the treasures to be found in the smaller stores.
Before finishing up my courses for the Summer at the start of May, I had spent a little time toiling and cutting out over 12 garments to make when on the road. Time constraints meant that I didn’t get to purchase all the bias, ribbons and buttons necessary to complete all the styles. So I had made my own little list.
ZARAGOZA
Zaragoza is a city in Aragon Province in Spain. An online search brought me to Julian Lopez which is located in the city centre. A beautiful store. With a limited knowledge of Spanish, but with google Translate and Duolingo pre-installed on my phone I purchased a beautiful silk lining for a Chanel style jacket I am making. ‘Dos metros de tela’ and it was paid for and in a bag!
The choice of fabrics in every colour imaginable was incredible, but also overwhelming.
They only stock fabrics in the Zaragoza store. So I had to venture a little further along to get bias tape and sewing thread.
I found a small but well stocked store at Novedades Paris. It is old style counter service which I loved and when I asked for bias binding I was brought a whole book of colours, widths and patterns. A full range of Gutermann thread and the perfect buttons for a thrifted pink wool jacket I picked up in France. So that was the bias ticked off my list allowing me to finish off some more sewing jobs.
ALICANTE
Onto Alicante and some city centre shopping! The next shopping stop was again Julian Lopez in Alicante. This one was bigger than Zaragoza and the sales assistant told me the Madrid store is four times this size! The fabrics were stunning and if I had all the money and the time in the world I would have bought lots! But I had already cut my fabric stash and it was in a queue to be made. I was only here for the accessories. So this store had trims, threads, ribbons, feathers. I did get a few more things ticked off my list, but not everything. I was overwhelmed by choice, sometimes you can have too much off a good thing!
The prices reflect the quality of the fabric stocked. There is a massive sale rail with prices from 3.99 Euro per metre. With regular flights from Belfast to Alicante it is well worth the visit – bring an empty suitcase! Spending an afternoon watching the Spanish style on the streets is very inspiring for new sewing designs and projects.
One more thing off my list was a satin bias to add to a jacket – and I found this in a side street in a lovely little town called Biar, 45 minutes from Alicante centre. Essentially an alterations shop, I recognised its potential from the picture of a Singer sewing machine on the window.
I am still searching for my gold buttons, but I am a long way to finishing off my Linton tweed Chanel style jacket. The search continues…I may just find the perfect buttons back in Ireland!
What have I been sewing on the road? I will reveal all in the next blog.
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Christine Boyle
Creative Director
