Tuesday 28 June 2011

Fabric shops - a dying breed!

Hubbie & I had a lovely day up in L'Derry yesterday, spending my birthday money!

I got some much needed jeans & t-shirts & accessories.

The highlight of my annual trip to L'Derry is visiting one of the cutest quilting shops we have in N.I.  - Quilt Cottage (nee Mission Hall Quilts).

I had my shopping list ready ( moda jelly roll, fat quarters etc.) but when we got there it was all closed!!!! Disaster!

We found out from a neighbouring shop owner that the owners have gone into liquidation and the shop is no more.  The stock was bought up by a shop owner in Belfast.

This is a real blow for good quality fabric shops in N.I.  There are so few here.  I know there is a lot of online buying these days, especially of designer fabrics, but I still love the experience of walking into a wonderful sea of colour and pattern and being surrounded by creativity and inspiration.  

So this is all I've managed to pick up so far.


I've had to turn my attention to online buying, which is sometimes risky when you can't gauge colours so well.  But what can a 'girl desperate to buy fabric' do?

There is one more place I might try before relenquishing the plastic to the virtual fabric shop.  It's half an hour drive away and I would need to be sure I'm going to buy something there to make it worth the petrol expense!!

Will keep you posted.  

P.s. We've had sunshine all day here!  So glad I didn't go to Wimbledon for my 40th!!!!!!

6 comments:

  1. aw, shame... good luck spending the rest of your birthday money - lots of lovely spots is a great start ;-)

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  2. I see this from both sides - as you know I have my classes and lots of the ladies who go to these give great support to the shop that I work in......from the shop side I can see how difficult it is to compete with the online stores, prices are rising so much, everyone loves a bargain.

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  3. Fabric shops shouldn't be allowed to close! I'm sure there is a law against it. Like what you did manage to buy and good luck in the continued hunt.

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  4. What a pain! Love the green spotties tho'!

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  5. One of my favorite quilt shops, about an hour from my home (so I don't get there all that much) is also sadly going out of business. There are about 3 remaining small shops within 30 minutes of my house and I do try to support them, but I do also purchase fabric on-line. (In fact I am eagerly awaiting an order of Asian fabrics in the mail). You found some lovely fabrics and I look forward to seeing what you create with them!

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  6. I hope you head off to the other shop, just checking out the fabrics might be worth the trip and likely you would see something you like. Before we moved a couple of years ago, my drive to work each morning was half an hour to 40 minutes and then back again at the end of the day, distances in Canada are just different I think.

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