Vintage fabrics, tags, trims, ribbons…

 

I’ve been selling fabrics for the last twenty years and in 2007/2008, I took part in the first bloggers’ vintage fair, which then expanded and grew into further vintage fairs across various parts of the south of the U.K. It was good fun! I took my vintage fabrics all over the place and I met many like minded, vintage loving people in the process! I stalled at Chipping Sodbury, Frome, Tavistock, Totnes and Portscatho, to name a few!

I had collected fabrics that were from the 1930s and 1940s and these also included what is known as feedsacks. Feedsacks have a history, but especially in the USA, where the farmers wife would utilise the feedsack material for clothing and various other household items. Don’t be fooled into thinking that feedsack fabric was hard and harsh; it came in various textures depending on the foodstuff that it was transporting. And it also came in many, delightful and unique designs. 

Here are some examples of the designs of the cotton feedsack fabrics:

However, as with most things, all good things come to an end and I eventually stopped selling at the vintage fairs but stayed selling on eBay. I love the fabrics from this era and I bought many, simply for my own enjoyment and making. However, postage costs from the US are now far greater than they were and customs charges also kick in, thus I’m buying less vintage fabric from abroad, which is a shame as that’s where the feedsacks, ‘hang out’. My stocks are running low…ish!

Moving on to yesterday. I sat pondering about fabrics…and so much more …as one does! 

As well as purchasing fabric over the years, when I was doing the vintage fairs, I also bought some lovely tags, full of ribbons, trims etc. I had found a source in the US and every now and again I would buy a few more to sell at the fairs. These were really popular and the kind of thing that would make a lovely gift for a crafter …or even just to sit on a work desk for inspiration!

Here is a selection, all sold now…but to give you the idea. The tags include a yard of each ribbon or trim. Aren’t they lovely?

Anyway, I still have a few of these tags remaining and so I pondered some more …at which point, I had to break off and deal with an eBay fabric order. The customer messaged me and just happened to mention that she did something called ‘Slow Stitching’…and that my fabrics were just what she wanted for her work. I’d heard all about this ‘Slow Stitching’ and it seems that it’s exceedingly popular nowadays. My ears pricked up! 

This got me thinking! My mind went into overtime! And I thought some more. Why couldn’t I combine the remaining tags with the vintage fabrics that I have here, and make up some packs? Slow stitchers, as well as other crafters, might like these. And so that is what I did yesterday! Here are a few examples: 

I’ve also made a few of these smaller packs…

And I’m also giving thought to the remaining Christmas tags that I already have listed for sale. I think I could do better with those …so watch this space! 

My eBay items can be found from this link

Here