OK, so your friendly neighbourhood mad auntie is high on fabric sniffing, but tough! I just have to tease you with this one...
I have a nice new customer, a lovely ++ size petite Italian grandma. She has expanded out of all her posh frockery, but has a couple of Very Posh Do's to go to in the near future, and needs to replace some of her wardrobe. Fabric specifications were washable, crease resistant, minimum iron. Colours are navy, stone/beige, and quite a bright pink. Garments will be two dress and jacket suits and one skirt and jacket suit. All items will be lined...
So the other day I get the mailing from The Remnant House drop through my door... I peruse it avidly, matching little samples swatches with descriptions... Coo! Look! A totally perfect tartan cotton stuff for another Hubbyshirt! Oh! Some totally adorable mad chickens ('Happy Hens'!) on a scarlet background! And...
TaDah!
Polyester bi-stretch in a nice assortment of colours at a rediculously good price! This might well do for my lovely customer!
So I ring up The Remnant House and have a good natter to the lady on the phone. And I order 5m of the navy and 5m of the beige and swatches of the pinks. It came today. The navy and the beige are alomst exact matches for the garments the customer left with me to copy the styles of, and the deeper pink is about as close as you will get six years on from the pink outfit! A little lighter and brighter, but I almost wish I'd just ordered that too! 57" wide, £2.99 a metre. I took the risk, but if she doesn't like it, I can easily make things for me from the stuff. There's nowt wrong with a good quality poly in a dress suit weight, especially something as easy-care as this. It wouldn't do for historic garb, and it wouldn't suit a hotter, wetter clime, but it's just about perfect for a British spring and autumn.
I also ordered the tartan for Alan, and a couple of metres of hens for me... Not sure yet if the hens will become fat quarters and fly round the world or will stay here and become part of a garment for me, but I'm a chirpy chook either way round!
So a BIG THANK YOU to The Remnant House for their superb colour matching over the phone, their truly awsome prices, and their speedy dispatch! The customer will be here on Monday and can take her pick of the fabrics then.