New fabric shops!

I had to take Miss M to Lewes on Saturday as she had been invited to an Enrichment course at Lewes Castle, although we live very close to Lewes I’d never really had call to visit there before.  My only knowledge of Lewes was concerning the bonfires which I went to years ago and had to be taken home as quivering wreck as it was all too much for me!

(source)

It wasn’t worth leaving and coming back for her so I did what any good sewer does and Googled fabric shops!  I was very happy to find there were a few!  So once Miss M was dispatched to Lewes Castle, off I went using my phone for sat nav.  Lewes is a charming town with lots of olde worlde charm.

The Fifteenth Century Book shop!

This is where Thomas Paine lived before leaving for America to become a Founding Father.

Would you put this as Regency or Georgian?

A very cute door that Miss M fell in love with!

Lots of Twittens

Anyway onto the fabric shopping, first up was The Patchwork Dog & Basket which can be found at The Needlemakers, a brilliant collection of vintage shops, craft shops and cafe. 

 

curtain material and vintage clothing

Medical Supplies

Vintage patterns and fabric

High End Retro Clothing

When I dragged myself away from all the other lovelies I found The Patchwork Dog…..

ribbons and ric rac and felt and beads…

…fabric and fabric and more fabric…

…books and patterns and thread…

…buttons and buttons and buttons…

…and more fabric if there wasn’t enough!

I spent ages browsing and chatting to the lovely assistant.  I’ve been wanting to make my first proper quilt for ages since making my Christmas Tree Quilt but I’ve had real trouble making a decision.  I wanted to get a Jelly Roll and go from there as I wasn’t confident about picking fabrics that work together but then there's so much choice in Jelly Rolls!  I finally plumped for pretty and vibrant Sophie…

I’m still umming and aahing about what to do with it, at the moment I’ve veering towards a stacked coin quilt but nothing definite yet.   I’m going on holiday to France for 2 weeks in August and I’m think maybe I could take it there to finish the binding as that takes ages.  But then again it might not happen for ages yet! 

I also bought some buttons for a specific project I’ll get round to making soon….

Another fabric shop in Lewes was The Stitchery which is located in the Riverside which is a lovely little shopping arcade with a great style and mixture of shops. 

variety of fabrics

even more ribbons

drawers of trims and motifs

lots of poly cotton

habby, who doesn’t need habby!

right opposite the brewery!

There was even a tiny little fabric shop selling more upholstery type fabrics

and a workshop making clothing from ethically sourced cotton

where the staff are making the clothing right in the shop!

All in all my day out in Lewes was great, its a very arty town with lots of pretty things to see and shops to visit.  I imagine it costs a lot to live there but I’ll look forward to visiting again some day soon….

 

P.S.

I know I owe you a dress for June, I’m working on it but making slow progress I might even skip a dress for July, its my challenge and I can cheat if I want to!!!!