Monday, June 30, 2008

What followed me home from Baltimore

Okay, so here's the goods. I would have probably gotten this up sooner, but I stopped to fondle the fabrics for a while and that delayed photography.

First up, I have to say A Fabric Place is pretty much heaven. The owner of my dinky local store, when I told him where I was going, said, "Oh, I know how you shop, you'll never find anything there. It's all high-end stuff." Maybe I don't shop like that in his store because he mostly stocks fleece and icky polyester with the occasional stunning remnant. I buy thread at his store.

So having proved him wrong within minutes of walking in, I fell in love with some buttons. And not the cheap variety, either. Turns out that these were $3.50 for the big ones and $2.00 for the small. I decided that I didn't care; these will look fantastic on a jacket. I got four big (for the front) and four small (for the cuffs). In the end, they cost as much as lunch. I probably could have gotten away with one for each cuff, but it was a holiday and I didn't want to skimp and regret it later. The buttons are resting on 3yards of leaf-patterned fabric that I debated buying until Michael's nephew told me it was $1 per yard, cheaper than muslin and I'd be crazy not to buy it. He was right.

The first fabric that grabbed me on walking in, though, was this gorgeous Diane von Furstenburg knit. Does this have dress written all over it or what? I can't wait to cut into it. Sharing the photo is some (not very photogenic) copper-rust poly charmeuse that probably is going to end up as a lining in something. Michael told us that anything 4 yards or less on the bolt would be 50% off. So I bought the last 3 yards.

Next was an end-of-roll boucle in olive, gold and rust (I'm not sticking to my colors at all, am I?) made for CHANEL. That trumped DVF in my books, and I'm not generally a label whore. But it was fluffy and soft and gorgeous, and even though there's not too much of it, I'll manage some kind of cute little jacket. Photographed with its lining, bought at the same time.

My big purchase of the day was this embroidered velvet. It grabbed me when I briefly stuck my head into one of the "expensive fabric" rooms, and I kept coming back to look at it. The price on the roll was $150 per yard. I don't actually know how I had the nerve to pick it up and drag it to the cutting table and say, "How much?"

The nephew actually fondled the fabric too. "It's Versace," he said, almost worshipfully, "that's why it's so expensive. How much did you want?"

How much is it?" "How much do you want?" This went on for a while, until I finally said, "$50. How much can I get for $50?" And he said, "3/4 of a yard." Sold. Gasp. I spent $50 for less than a yard of fabric. How come I feel both dizzy and ecstatic?

So now I have 3/4 yard (60" wide, at least) of ridiculously, excessively, gorgeously embroidered VERSACE velvet. Whatever pattern I choose is going to be muslined out the yingyang before I cut into this. Though it's already looking a little worn from being petted so often, and the photo doesn't do it justice at all.

"And it would have been the fabric that followed me home in my head, the one I would have regretted. I would have ended up calling them about it, only I wouldn't have gotten as good a price over the phone, post-sale and possibly with Michael or Monya. There's no buyer's remorse here, just a sense of shock and awe that I own a piece of Versace and I get to decide what it becomes.

What a responsibility.

13 comments:

cidell said...

So interesting... what I see (in comparision to other fabric posts) are some very classy high end looking finds. Truly. The boucle is to DIE for. Gosh. Maybe I should go back and buy that silk I wanted to badly!

Elaray said...

Oh, Karen! I wish I could have gone with you!!!! (stomping my feet and whining!) That velvet is amazing! You did good!

Meg said...

You go right ahead and be a label whore--those fabrics are gorgeous! Speaking of Chanel bouclé, tomorrow I am having my coat bouclé professionally fused with an underlining while I shop in the garment district. Ann Steeves told me about this place and the price is right, so we'll see. I'll blog about it later...

melanie ajumma said...

SO PRETTY!

MarilynB said...

The Versace velvet is gorgeous. When something this lovely talks to you, you have to listen. Glad you did.

Maryissewfast said...

Wowsa!!! Great fabric...can't wait to see what you create! Mary

narcissaqtpie said...

Beautiful fabrics. totally worth it. I remember you holding on to that boucle for dear life. I had no idea it was CHANEL. No wonder!

Vildy said...

Loved reading about your trip and seeing what you brought back. I'm crazy about that boucle, too.

Here's a funny copper satin lining story: I bought an ankle length reprocessed wool coat at a thrift store. Looked like I just got off the boat from steerage. So I was amused by that for awhile and then I turned the whole coat inside out so that the olive breen wool just rimmed the coppor satin lining at points and it was a sensation. People are constantly stopping me to ask where I got the coat. :) I do tell 'em I just turned it inside out and they stand there gaping.

Kitty Couture said...

Your fabrics are all awesome! Think of the wonderful hours of sewing ahead...

Dana said...

Thanks for the great description of the "meant-to-be" purchase! I'll remember it often. Your fabrics were definitely worth the trip!

Cennetta said...

Karen, you are so funny. Everything is absolutely beautiful. You are such a brave soul. I have yet to buy fabric over $50.00 per yard. I must say it's gorgeous.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

I absolutely adore the Chanel boucle and the gold lining...ummm I need to step away from the computer because I am getting dizzy with desire! Wow, wow, wow!!!

AllisonC said...

STUNNING fabrics, can't wait to see what you do with them. I think you should go and wave them at your local store owner!!