Shop Small Saturday

Saturday 4th of December is the last shop small day for 2021, which for retail has been a very difficult year, so if you can please try and support your local independent shops on this day. This day will also be the last Saturday of 2021 that Fine Fabrics will be open, Normal Saturday opening will recommence in January 2022, Fine Fabrics has never been a Christmas shop, the shop has been particularly quiet in the last few weeks so I have taken the decision to spend some time updating the website and concentrating on the online side of the business for a couple of weeks. If you are intending to visit the shop please call or check the website for the new opening times.

Hopefull this Christmas we will be able to celebrate with our friends and family, the last eighteen months have made us all appreciate the small things in life and what is important to us, not necessarily the material things but the memories that we share with those we love. I for one will be dressing up for the festivities even though they will be spent at home, I have had enough of jeans and sweatshirts, I am opting for dresses, skirts and jumpers

McCalls have bought out some lovely new patterns for the winter season, I have plans to make McCalls 8248 (below) in both a brocade, BE0011 which will make the skirt be quite full below the hip, teamed with a simple black cashmere jumper which will be perfect for Christmas day, then for family walks on boxing day a viscose twill crepe VC0050, teamed with boots.

For a more casual attire, I am currently making some trousers from a Merchant and Mills pattern called Eve , which I hope to team up with McCalls 8240, pictured below, which I intend to sew up in some organic french terry jersey in very bright pink, BJ0011, think we all need to be bright and cheerful, but I would also like to make it in the Autumn leaves jersey BJ0057 pictured above

I would like to Thank you all for the support that you have shown Fine Fabrics during this last year, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, and a happy healthy 2022.. If anyone is interested in a sewing class taking place on a Tuesday 10.30 until 3pm please email me, starting in January 2022.

Best wishes, Happy sewing

Sandra x

Anniversary Reflections

On this day 14 years ago I picked up the keys to Fine Fabrics, I remember being like a rabbit in headlights, the whole prospect of owning the shop dawned on me that first day… what had I been thinking….My first customer has become an amazing friend and ally, fate definitely stepped in that day and helped shape the future of the shop though little did i realize it at the time.

Over the years I have met some truly wonderful people all whom have had a small effect on the shop, for instance whenever I do a fabric buy I always think of Mrs. D and Mrs. M they were sisters who frequented the shop on a regular basis, they would arrive immaculately dressed shoes, handbags and quite often gloves, all co-ordinating with their perfectly sewn outfits, they were French Belgian with immense needlework talents, they taught me about colours and fabrics, the importance of choosing the right fabric for the right project and how colour impacts on the skin tone, truly wonderful ladies. I am fortunate to have very talented customers, dearest Della who is the best tailoress in the world, I have learned so much from this incredible lady, she has so much knowledge of tailoring and is so happy to share that knowledge, she never minds me picking her brains on how to do things. Then there is wonderful Julie who has so much talent and is highly sort after in the theatrical costume industry she works in, again she is so generous with her time and expertise, thank you Julie for getting me through the lockdown. Then there are the suppliers that have enabled me to curate the fabric collection in the shop, a special thank you to Graham Smith Fabrics they are a delightful family business based in West Yorkshire, both father and son held my hand for the first few years teaching me so much about fabric compositions and dying processes.I may have to chase an order from time to time and I have been known to go and collect it, always a delight to deal with them. Lindsay, Carol, Sarah and Cheryl who all receive texts, emails and phone calls from me needing things urgently, you are all shinning stars, i really appreciate all the lengths you go to to get me samples, colour matches and fabric orders, you often go above and beyond

Finally, the biggest thanks go to all of you who over the years have supported the shop, come rain, shine, and snow many of you have battled your way to the shop..I thank you, For those of you who have faithfully ordered through the mail order service, I really wouldn’t be here without your patronage. An enormous heartfelt deep gratitude to the marvelous sewing group Ladies for your weekly devotion to class, making me smile and laugh with your wonderful one-liners, you are truly remarkable.. thank you

Tonight I will toast all of you with a glass of wine, here’s to the next year.

Keep sewing, stay safe and healthy

Sandra xx

All systems go……

Week commencing April 12th 2021 will be such an exciting wee,k not only will the doors of Fine Fabrics be opening on Tuesday 13th at 10am but also the Great British sewing Bee will be aired on our tellyboxes, like buses everything happening at once………but we are so ready for things to change, well I am. This last lockdown has been very difficult lots of issues with the shop building, once one thing went wrong a domino effect occurred. Thankfully with Spring arriving things are looking so much brighter.

I would appreciate you wearing your mask and sanitising your hands on entry to the shop, then you will be able to touch the fabrics to your hearts content. New summer fabrics have been ordered, some have already arrived and I have uploaded them onto the website, others are taking slightly longer than expected but I assure you they are worth the wait, I am keeping my fingers crossed that they may still get here in time for opening.

The fabric featured below is one of my recent purchases, such a vibrant ocean blue cotton lawn absolutely perfect for summer dresses, blouses, shirts, camisoles, beach cover ups (if only…..) this fabric just makes you smile.

CO1225

The cotton pictured below would make a perfect shift dress, shirt or skirt it is crisper than the cotton lawn featured above.

CO1045

The sewing classes with not recommence until after May 17th, as this is when adult education opens in line with the Government regulations. The classes will be smaller than we were able to do and will take place on a tuesday or wednesday so if you are interested in joining the daytime classes can you email me as soon as possible

A year ago our lives completely and utterly changed , we have learnt to value the smallest of things which we all took for granted, hugging a friend , being with family, even just being able to go outside . Along with all the awful and tragic events that have occurred there has been so much to celebrate and reflect upon. I do hope we all become nicer versions of ourselves and remember to thank all of those who have worked tirelessly for us , which has made it possible for us to enjoy this new freedom, by respecting the guidelines we can avoid having to go through another lockdown.

I hope to see you all very soon.

Sandra

It’s a New Year

Photo by Polina Kovaleva on Pexels.com

Hope you all had a lovely, if what quiet, Christmas and New year. Now is the time to look forward and plan for brighter, warmer days when we can get together with family and friends, so lets us plan for those get togethers.

I have treated myself to a new planner and this is going to be the first dress that I will enter into it, I have had this striped linen (LN0012) Viscose in the shop for a while and I feel it would be perfect for this McCalls pattern (M7950) version C. During the November lockdown I was lucky enough to attend a zoom meeting with the Rowan team, even though I can not divulge their Spring collection just yet, I will say there are several items that would be a perfect partner to this dress.

I have spent many days in jumper and jeans, like many other people I guess, so I want to make some pretty tops for the Spring in Viscose and linens, the ones I have inserted below arrived just before Christmas and i thought McCalls pattern 7976 would be an ideal choice.

Finally as I can’t quite give up the relaxed at home look, but I wanted something with a little more sparkle, I just could not resist these two rayon knits

Top of the list is a pattern from Cosy Little World, monceau cardy or maybe a simple Linden top by Grainline studio.

Wishing you all a very Happy 2021, stay safe and sew

love

Sandra x

Lockdown part two

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Well here we are again, I thought it might happen but it still came as a blow. Like a lot of small independent businesses I felt that I was starting to recover from the last one , all be it very slowly and nothing will replace the income we have all lost. I had got use to the new normal of masks, sanitizer, distancing and cleaning every opportunity to make the environment safe and secure, I thank my lucky stars that all the people I know are safe and well. But this second wave I struggled, I admit to feeling sorry for myself, closing the doors for a second time really hit me hard. The roads still seem busy, many shops are still open, it seems that if you have anything remotely identified as food you can stay open.

During the first lockdown the weather was brighter and warmer but this time it’s damp and miserable, I slobbed around for the first couple of days in a very oversized sweatshirt and baggy trousers, I looked in the mirror and no wonder I felt sorry for myself, I looked a mess. So I decided to revamp my lounge wear, i am not a trackie bottom sort of person so looked for patterns that would make me feel more comfy and relaxed, but at the same time had a more stylish appearance.

One of the patterns i searched out was the Nina lee Carnaby dress, followed by the Sew over it Heather dress, I had already got the jersey in mind, for the Carnaby I am using the quilted jersey in Navy and turquoise ( BJ0017), I think I will bind the neck and lengthen the sleeves and hem. For the heather dress I am going to use a plain navy ponte (BJ0047), I have made this dress before so I know i have to widen the sleeves and deepen the armhole, I will make it a loose fit as I am also baking at the moment…probably be fine if i didn’t keep tasting the results!

I am in the process of finishing off a couple of Christmas projects, I have been making up the Advent calendar kits, they are a really quick make, you can quilt by hand or by machine if you wish. I prefer by hand in the evening, to try and stop me from snacking. I can not decide which i like best the traditional red and white or the more contemporary pastel version, both are available on the website as panels or as a kit.

I hope you all stay well and if possible enjoy this second Lockdown, which hopefully will enable us to have family with us at Christmas time.

Happy Sewing and Knitting

Sandra x