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Hi and welcome…a quick word about this blog…
I'm a mad fabric collector but I've gone a bit overboard, so I've started this blog to re-home some gorgeous, top-quality fabrics at really great prices. Mostly ex-designer fabrics from places like New York's garment district and Milan's fabric mills, and mostly single pieces. Please see the 'About' and 'FAQ' at the top of this page for more info. (Australia only)Archives
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Anna Sui cavalli charmeuse cotton cotton voile crepe de chine designer dress embroidery flowers french georgette Gucci italian Italy Japan japanese linen M@rc Jacobs Marc Jacobs marni Milly Miss0ni Moschino NYC NYC designer Oscar de la Renta print rayon/lycra remnant scuba silk silk/lycra silk charmeuse silk cotton silk crepe de chine silk georgette silk twill stretch stripes thakoon viscose viscose/lycra wool woollen
Tag Archives: designer
Petite flower silk crepe de chine
So sweet. Really. A lovely, delicate print of little cream flowers cascading over a deep lavender background.
Flowerburst Silk Charmeuse Lycra
This piece really is a veritable bursting profusion of stylised flowers in outline and in eggplant, caramel and kiwi over black. This is a beautiful silk charmeuse with lycra, giving the fabric wonderful stretch and give.
Little French Jacket Anyone?
Here’s the first of a few fabric pairings I will have to make the most perfect French jackets. These are, of course, styled on the famous Ch@nel couture jackets, which feature a tweed (mostly) outer fabric and a quilted lining…all hand-tailored and moulded beautifully to the individual. That’s the version that many sewists have gone to couture classes to learn about. It’s a wonderful goal for enthusiasts. Of course, there’s a simpler version to be had with a great pattern, and machine instead of hand-stitches, because…time.
I have collected authentic fabrics for just this purpose and have made a couple of French jackets which I have adored. But my sewing days are over I think. So I am letting these fabrics go. This is a length of Ch@anel wool blend tweed boucle, paired with a stunning ellipses silk for the jacket lining, quilted or otherwise.
Roar silk
I was going to say you can’t be too shy, wearing this fabric, but then I don’t know that’s true. Obviously this is an animal print, leopard, but it’s got a fuzzy abstraction to it and also muted shades are used so while the print has real presence, you could still cut and wear it in a regular way. But if you wanted to make this a stand-out print, you could of course go to town.
This is a designer piece and is a silk double crepe/viscose blend.
Fine Italian cotton via NYC
This cotton came from one of the higher-end shops in the NYC garment district which used to buy a significant lot of fabrics from the Italian mills that serviced the European designer community. It is a superb quality cotton, just so soft to the hand, lightweight but opaque. They got everything right with this cotton.
GONE NOW THANK YOU – Missoni returns
I only have a couple of Missoni pieces left and this is one of them. Featuring the signature zig-zag pattern and perfect blend of colours, the Missoni lengths are perfect for wraps but I especially love them for coats.
This length of Missoni is a wool blend, in perfect purple, aqua, ochre, black and brown zig-zag combinations.
A burst of spheriforms cotton voile
This fabric was an Australian or New Zealand designer. It might have been Trel1se C0oper, but a bit of time has past since I rustled through my (enormous) collection of fabrics and I just can’t remember. If it wasn’t them, it was a designer in that milieu. I so love the colours here: persimmon, wheat, duck egg blue and manila against a warm brown background.
GONE NOW THANKS Anemone silk georgette
Can you spot the anemone? I used to plant them for spring and they are the most beautiful flower. I’m sure that they must have been at least some of the inspiration for this beguiling print, those glorious shades of raspberry, musk, violet and magenta positively singing across the fabric.
The view above is of the fabric doubled. Being a silk georgette (with a gentle crinkle) the fabric is semi-sheer. When given a base under the fabric the colour has a chance to explode and really show off. That doesn’t have to be a lining or a second layer. You could wear a top underneath and drape a top in this beautiful silk over it and achieve the same effect. But if you did want to put a second layer to this fabric for a dress, top or skirt, you can see the effect it has.
(more…)GONE NOW THANK YOU Delicate grey quietly luxe knit
I’ve put up some pretty bold prints in the listings done today. Which seems like the perfect moment to introduce this beautifully understated luxe stretch knit. The base fabric is a delicate weave grey wool knit (probably a blend) over which the most beautiful silver filigree has been patterned and then highlighted with understated silver sequins. It is very beautiful indeed.
GONE THANK YOU Into the garden designer silk
Oh this piece is divine. It came from the New York City and I can’t exactly remember which high-end designer had this silk, either Pr0enza Sch0uler or JW Anders0n. I spotted this bolt in a whole tangle of fabrics and fell in love. Even when we had a lot of fabric stores in Australia we didn’t really see designer pieces like this.
GONE NOW THANKS – Armani red dimpled wool
Gosh this stunning red wool was hard to photograph. I am not selling the knitting yarn in this image but I found the only time I could get close to the true red colour of the wool was when another colour was laid against it to help the camera understand the colour values. While my photographing of this glorious Armani winter wool has failed this beautiful fabric, it means I am marking it at far less than I paid, so please read on.
Miu meets Sui
Thinking of tapping into the paisley-inspired prints dominating the catwalks and stores? This Anna Sui silk ticks all the boxes…
Roberto Cavalli green leaves silk
This fabric is the product of a hunt. I had seen a woman looking fab in this sensational green leaves top while she was at the stop light next to me. I could see the “Just Cavalli” signature in the fabric. Hence the hunt began.
I trawled the silk sections of a number of stores and asked widely. (more…)
SOLD – Colour Card Crisp Cotton
Sold thank you.
There was probably room for the word “crinkle” in the heading somewhere as well but that would have been taking it too far and the crinkle in the cotton is only a touch really. How can I name this fabric anything other than colour card as I see myself lined up in the paint section absorbing the panorama of paint colours…a process which I love, by the way, because the endless colour options are quite inspiring. But anyway, enough about paints, it’s all about the fabric!
SOLD – Hypnotic Black & White Marc Jacobs
Sold thanks very much.
Ok, so this has been one of my absolute fave fabrics for a long time. Again hailing from the NYC garment district, this is a fantastic designer fabric, Marc Jacobs, that can only have been inspired by hypnotic images, surely. Except better than them, the way the pattern is arranged and repeated in the length.
SOLD – Byron Bay floaty white cotton
Sold now thanks very much.
We are the start of the wrong season for this analogy but I’ll use it anyway because why not tuck away this length of perfect warm weather fabric as the seasons will change soon enough. This is a white cotton with that certain something that makes it an understated fashion fabric. It’s a lightweight breezy cotton with a delicate lattice or window pane weave and a slight crinkle…so much more than a just a white cotton and the sort of fabric that Easton Pearson would have worked with.
Cheetah print silk/lycra charmeuse
Hold off on emails until I locate this piece. It is in the stash, just have to put my hands on it. Thanks.
It’s a designer one, from M!lly.
Animal prints can be as bold or understated as you wish. With this silk piece, I envisaged a classic shirt or simple top to be worn underneath a black jacket, or more casually, a cardigan.
Fleur-de-lys designer cotton
Need to check whether or not I still have this. Hold off any emails until I confirm thanks.
Thinking of making some really cool trousers, shorts (Bermuda or otherwise), a fitted dress, a sculptured skirt with lots of top-stitching or a sharp and perfectly tailored jacket…all or any of them? Well, this fabric from designer T0ry Burch is for you.
Phoebe Philo…before there was Celine there was Chloe…
Phoebe Philo is well and truly anointed as queen of cool for the work she has done at Celine. Innovative silhouettes, high restraint, opting for less rather than more, though never ‘simple’, luxury fabrics, surprising twists, healthy doses of irony in the clothes…cool, cool, cool.
But before there was Celine, quite few years back, there was Chloe. It is quite a mark of her design prowess to be able to master aesthetics at such different points on the spectrum as Celine and Chloe represent. At its height and throughout many seasons, Chloe was the epitome of the feminine romantic. And the whole world was in love with what Phoebe sent down the runway. Especially this jacket…
Rococo string of pearls M!lly silk crepe de chine SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
Perhaps some of you may share the M!lly fabric infatuation that I’ve had? This one is a charm too.
This print is full of the whimsy that I love so much…
Italian designer deep crimson roses wool woven SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
Now I know none of my images will be able to capture the full beauty of this stunning wool woven. Trust me, it is swoon-worthy.
This image captures the tone and colours of the fabric as much as my camera will permit. The actual colours are deeper and moodier and even closer in the tonal range than depicted here as my camera just loves to pick up the reds and highlight them. I don’t know how to adjust that!
Silk/lycra georgette with swirling aqua & blue graphics SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
No surprises that I have a fondness for lovely little silks and here’s another one. Again, it’s a silk georgette/lycra straight from the garment district in the city that never sleeps.
Designer flowers silk/lycra georgette SOLD
SOLD NOW THANK YOU
Softer shades of maize, sand, nutmeg, willow green and lagoon blue blend beautifully in this silk georgette.
They are actually very Australian colours, even though I snapped up this lovely fabric in the NYC garment district.
Multi coloured polka dot designer winter wool GONE
ALL GONE NOW THANKS
Oh what fun this fabric is! This fabric is how you make sullen winter days a whole lot brighter…
Stunning graphic cotton Anthr0polgie
Please hold off on emails. I am not sure that I have any of this incredible cotton left. I will amend this post once I know.
This fabric is a big wowee. The colours are so brilliant and the graphics are fascinating.
Obviously this one is for lovers of prints, but if that’s you, the timing couldn’t be better because there’s simply fabulous ideas for eye-catching prints out there.
Black and white Ikat-style designer silk/cotton SOLD
THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS
Ikat prints have an enduring popularity and when they are the combination of classic but edgy like this print on offer, even better.
Missoni wool SOLD
FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS
A billion $ fashion house built on a chevron pattern, that’s the genius of Miss0ni. They have absolutely made the chevron pattern their own and all other designers who use the chevron are mere pretenders.
In this piece, the chevron is a small-scale one. And how’s this exquisite colourway?!
They honestly blend colours like few others. If you are a knitter, you might know the Noro yarns and that colour mastery. Miss0ni and Noro are counterparts I think.
M@rc Jacobs flowers on white stretch cotton SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
Bumping this fabric up again — a gorgeous M@rc J fabric at a bargain price! Such a pretty fabric, a bit hippie…neat rows of serrated edge flowers in saturated blues, purples and pinks.
When doves cry Milly silk SOLD
GONE, THANK YOU
Milly does THE best prints and this tri-colour (off-white, grey and deep navy) doves silk is right up there as one of my favourites. I went searching for this fabric and was very happy when I found it.
I have had a number of people ask about decent dress-lengths of good silks and this one fits that bill. (more…)
Jewel in the crown designer silk satin SOLD
NOW GONE, THANKS
The most exceptional digital prints have emerged in the last few years hot on the heels of the works of designers like Mary Katrantzou – the absolute star of digital design – and Peter Pilotto. I can’t attribute this fabric to a particular designer but I understand that this print is from the Italian mills.
Rubik’s cube silk/lycra charmeuse SOLD
FABRIC IS GONE, THANKS
I have many, many pieces of lovely silk in just the right length for floaty tops or perky blouses. This silk fits both the fun and classic mould at the same time.
And, it will match everything… (more…)
Demi-Couture Part 2 – Prada
I debated whether I should title this post part 2 in the demi-couture series (such as it is…which is coming along slowly!) or if I should kick off a new ’embellishment’ theme.
Demi-couture would normally be understood to involve a lot of handiwork in the garment construction, not just the embellishment of the final piece. (more…)
Grey with black etched ellipses silk SOLD
GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
Just because I am offering up a lot of fabrics it doesn’t mean that I don’t love them. This is one of the very loved one – it is a superb quality silk, the print design is perfect, classic but modern, the colours are versatile. It is a great piece.
Brilliant designer wool/silk gazar SOLD
GONE NOW, THANKS VERY MUCH
There is a story to this fabric, and a few people can probably tell the same tale. 
(more…)
Black & white graphics cotton Sold
ALL SPOKEN FOR NOW, THANK YOU.
Now for a classic black and white fabric with an nice modern and clean graphic.
This is a medium/suiting weight fabric. The bonus is that it is completely reversible, with the black emphasis on one side and white on the other. (more…)
Flowers on fire hammered silk panel SOLD
GONE NOW THANK YOU
This is an amazing fabric. First, it is a hammered silk, and you don’t see this type of silk often at all.
Second, it is superb quality. The weight and drape is sublime. Third, the print itself is gorgeously intense with shades of deep cobalt, fire engine red and poinsettia submerged in shadows.
Milly spirograph daisies suede silk/lycra SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
Ok, I really love this Milly print. I spotted it sitting high up on the top row of a wall full of fabrics in a tiny NYC garment district shop. Couldn’t touch it, couldn’t even see closely, but something about it called out to me.
When they finally got the bolt down for me, I swooned.
Chl0e black & cream stripes cotton SOLD
ALL GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
My last piece on offer now.
Well, I’ve just set the scene for Chl0e in the post underneath this one (now further down in this blog). This particular cotton is from one of Chl0e’s best collections and made runway appearances as these dresses and tops.
Designer botanical gardens cotton SOLD
GONE, THANKS
You could learn a lot about botany examining this lovely cotton. So many lovely blooms tumble around in a free-fall of flowers.
Milly spider mums silk charmeuse SOLD
NOW GONE, THANK YOU
This was a Milly favourite from a few years back, a fabulous silk that sort of suggests an oriental influence with the print pattern, hence the spider mums reference, but that could be just a rorchach test thing going on.
Foil & foliage silk/lycra SOLD
This is a New York designer fabric, not sure which designer though. It is a substantial silk/lycra fabric.
The fabric is fluid and completely malleable. It has the texture of a crepe de chine, but it is much closer to a 4ply weight silk, though it falls just a little bit short of that classification. It is a really top quality silk; just wonderful.
Th@koon 4ply silk crepe yellow paisley catwalk fabric SOLD
AND IT IS NOW GONE, THANK YOU!
Ok, so this one is special. It will probably go very quickly, if the interest expressed behind the scenes is any indication, but it is worthy of a longer post.
First, it was a big-time catwalk design for Th@koon from a couple of summer seasons ago. (more…)
Interlude – this is surely the dress of the year…
This is a dress of magnificence by Valentino and has now made more appearances in the recent magazine editorials than any other dress this season I think.
Image from Grey Magazine
Moschino neon flowers silk crepe de chine remnant SOLD
GONE, THANK YOU
Moschino designed the right garments for this sunny silk – lovely, swishy caftans.
Unfortunately there is only a remnant here, but it is still a sunny silk, no matter it’s a small piece! (more…)
NY designer white and green chrysanthamums silk SOLD
THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD, MANY THANKS
In Phi!!ip L!m’s hands this captivating silk became stunning, embellished skater dresses that were snapped up at lightening speed.
I was very lucky to get this piece. It arrived the afternoon I visited a particular garment city shop. There was only this one length, and I understand that was all that ended coming out of the studio. (more…)
Deconstructed plaid designer viscose/lycra stretch SOLD
GONE NOW, THANKS
…keeping the stretch fabrics coming along here… They are so quick to make up, so versatile to have. I’m not sure about you, but I’ve struggled to find good quality, good fibre (non-poly), good design and reasonably priced stretch fabrics here in Australia, so I have bought up over the years.
Designer cosmos silk GONE
GONE NOW THANKS
Here is a Phillip L!m silk and this is a new type of silk for me too.
Apart from the great good luck to have visited the NYC garment district many times, one advantage is to be exposed to so many different fabrics types that you ordinarily don’t encounter in the stores. It makes me realise that I have to expand my fabric knowledge when I have no idea what to name the types of silk.
M@rc Jacobs exotic birds silk crepe de chine SOLD
ALL GONE, MANY THANKS
Here is a beauty, straight from a M@rc Jacobs resort collection from just a couple of years ago. This is such a colourful and happy print and the fabric quality is fabulous.
Cynthia Steff blues ikat crinkle silk SOLD
SOLD – MANY THANKS
I’ve called this an ikat print because I thought it had some of the ikat features, but maybe it is actually more like a tie-dye effect? Either way, it is a contemporary fabric from the New York design studio of Cynthia Steffe, who made the most adorable dresses in this fabric.
Fuchsia, mushroom and teal art nouveau silk SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
Sigh. I’m letting go of a very favourite.
This is a much loved fabric that I bought in NYC a few years ago from one of my favourite shops on West 35th Street…way up high. The best shops in the garment district are not on street level, just remember that if you ever intend to visit.
Stunning Osc@r de la Rent@ silk twill SOLD
GONE NOW THANK YOU
Next up, a superb silk twill from the late great designer Osc@r de la Rent@.
M!lly link print fine silk twill SOLD
GONE NOW THANKS
M!lly developed a series of link print fabric from small to large scale and based a whole range around them. This silk comes from that range.
It’s Milly Feathersssssss…. SOLD
SORRY – IT’S GONE
Alrighty, this is possibly one of the most popular of all the Milly fabrics, with simply unbelievable jewel colours in a stunning digital feathers design.
This is a silk charmeuse, and it’s a dress length, and I suspect trigger fingers will be needed.