Sunday, July 20, 2014

Stash Enhancement

In truth, July has been a wash up on the crafting front. But what I've neglected in sewing, I've made up for in buying! I have a couple of gorgeous new fabrics to show:

Liberty of London Dufour Viscose Jersey
Liberty of London Tana Lawn Summer D
For starters, let me tell you that I've never bought a Liberty fabric before. We do have reasonable access to the Tana Lawn in TO, but the jersey I have never come across before. In truth, I didn't even know that Liberty made jersey (though I'm sure that admission makes me seem very provincial).

I purchased both of these at Ewe Knit. (BTW, you can purchase fabrics and yarns online if you're not in the close surroundings.) I do sense that Ewe may be better off changing its name to something like Ewe Knit and Sew because, about 6 months ago, Claudia started stocking a variety of quilting fabrics. More recently she began stocking the Liberty Tana Lawn and, just this week, she got her first shipment of Liberty jerseys. I wonder, however, how many people realize that sweet fabrics are to be found in this well known yarn store.

I'm not going to suggest that Liberty is cheap-and-cheerful anywhere, but it's competitively priced here and I love that I can take a 15 minute walk and come home with all kinds of fabric including stretch fabric, the type I prefer, sewing and knitting notions and zillions of awesome yarn options. So often, one experiences the sad closure of a store that has met all the needs (Caban, anyone?). But it's terrific that Ewe has joined the 'hood because I love the stuff they stock.

A bit on the fabrics:
  • The deliciously soft, woven (tana lawn) is an awesome, moody landscape that reminds me of a rural winter. I have no idea of what I'll do with the 2 yards I purchased, but it affected me the way no pretty floral ever could. Of course, I was recently reminded that it's a directional fabric, just to make it trickier to work with! But I know I will use it well, at some point in the future.
  • The viscose jersey is a riot of Catalan colour, but it's busy in a way that's so intense that said fabric pattern actually recedes into neutral. Gillian has been doing some great video fabric reviews lately wherein she debates the stretch properties (and other features) of her newest fabrics, which has put me in mind of describing this one to you. The Liberty jersey is not spongy but it has an excellent weight. It's got about 50 per cent stretch in the width and 25 per cent in the length. The recovery is excellent as is the drape. I mean, it should be. This stuff is 40 bucks a yard. It's a perfect weight for a knit dress. It's got enough heft and drape to skim beautifully without being so heavy that it drags. Of course, the fabric is vibrantly dyed, per its pedigree. FYI, it's quite wide (56 inches).
So, today's questions: Do you like Liberty fabric? Have you used it? Did you know that Liberty makes stretch fabric? What do you think of my choices?

20 comments:

  1. You know, this makes me think that you, Sara (and Andrea?) and I need matching Myrtle dresses! Not matching fabric, but I'd love to see how the pattern would work on the group of us! I'm pretty sure my newly stocked stash has something that would work! ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would be fun. But poor Andrea is busier than she's ever been. I don't know how soon she'll be back to sewing... You have to make it too! It can be like one of our mini (semi-independent) KALs but a SAL!

      Delete
  2. I have never seen the jersey in real life, but love the tana lawns! Love your picks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Liberty and I did know about them making a jersey fabric. The pieces you bought are lovely and will make amazing garments.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks C! That lawn is so gorgeous and moody...

      Delete
  4. Those are some really gorgeous prints.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have loved Liberty since I was a child. There used to be a fabulous fabric store in Peterborough ON and since we spent our summers near there at our cottage and my mother sewed, I spent hours wandering around. The store carried Liberty and I can remember checking out the new selections every season. However, Cotton and Steel may now be running a close second to Liberty- I bought a piece of Sarah Watt's August lawn last week and it is gorgeous (photo on the website doesn't due it justice).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a great story Susan! Now I need to go look up Cotton and Steel...

      Delete
  6. I got gifted 2 meters of Liberty fabric by my old team when I left London. I'm not sure what to do with it, I'm thinking of a dress (they got 2 meters because they wanted me to have enough to make a dress!), but I'm not sure of the drape / properties.

    Actually come to think about it, the Belladone dress (http://boutique.deer-and-doe.fr/2-dresses-belladone-dress.html) might be a good pattern for this - what do you think?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think it would be great for the fabric. As is the Hepworth that I made a while ago...

      Delete
  7. One of my biggest fabric disappointments was a Liberty printed corduroy bought in the Liberty store in London. It was just as expensive and I didn't notice until I was back home that it was printed horribly off grain. I made a vest for my MIL from it and ended up cutting off grain to preserve the appearance of straight stripes. Since I don't see her very often I don't know how it wore.

    I did bring home some Tana lawn for myself and it makes lovely blouses. I think I also bought some knit remnants that I used for tees - long gone now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's horrible! I'm just not a fan of corduroy - I find it tricky, even when it's on-grain!

      Delete
  8. I love Liberty for sundresses! Oh my god the prints are so beautiful. I love the winter print you chose, too. How beautiful. If it were me I might consider making a summer sleep set (camisole and tap pants, or something) because sleeping in Tana lawn sounds so luxurious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a great idea. I never sleep in anything but jersey (I like the stretch and how it drapes over my skin), but I might have to consider something lounge-worthy...

      Delete
  9. I didn't know either and your choices are great.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey, that's the last liberty print I bought - we'll be twins!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know - I blatantly copied you. Ever since I saw that fabric (when you showed it to me at Ewe) I haven't been able to get it out of my mind.

      Delete