Fabric-polooza!
Those of you who know me know that I am usually rather conservative in my purchases from LA-LA Land, but I had a bit more money to spend, thanks to a bonus gotten from work and a rather hefty tax return (most of which went to paying bills).
So my first stop was the place that I go to get my heavy chenille velvets. Charlie has been dying for a new version of the violin patterned brocade that came out. I have two suits made of said brocade - one in red and gold for when I play the Earl of Oxford (which I never wear anymore. I have gotten a bit larger since then), and the other which I wear as Henry III made in purple and gold. I do love this fabric, but lately have been growing tired of it because I have seen the fabric or similar everywhere! I am still glad I was the first to have it... I do love setting trends. Anyhow, they have come up with a new color combination - instead of gold, they are doing the inlays in color - so it is black chenille with red inlays. It is a very striking combination, and I can see his love for it. I also purchased the creamy heavy brocade for my friend Carrie's gown - which incidently has pomegranites inlaid in it (she is playing Catherine of Aragon to my Henry VIII).
Then it was off to Home Fabrics, which I really should learn to avoid. It's all too tempting, and this is by far becoming my favorite store. There isn't much in terms of haggling, but my goodness the fabric!!! I could bathe in it - I am such a fabric slut...LOL! Here I found the gold brocade I need for my Henry VIII suit, purple/black SILK satin/taffeta, a 3 yard remnant of delicious DARK purple/almost black velvet, and the blush pink brocade for Cassie's gown. Exeunt there.
I then traveled over to my silk merchant, who was in a foul mood but whom I nonetheless prevailed over! I got all of my silks at my usual price of $8.00 a yard - I am thinking if his attitude does not change soon Michael Levine's is looking more and more convenient (the price is about the same, but with the silk merchant I get 54" wide silks, vs. Levine who only sells 45" wide from what I can tell). Here I purchased some screaming royal purple silk for Charlie's suit (which he later gave up - this happened later), black silk for Mary's kirtle and my peacock suit (I have teal/purple shot silk to go with this already), rose colored silk for my Leicester suit (it will be paired with a cream colored brocade I purchased long ago), white silk for my Henry VIII suit, gold silk for Cassie's underskirt and sleeves, and wine colored silk for Greg (which I am pairing with a smoky black corduroy).
We then went over to Michael Levine's proper and there I purchased buckram for hats and suportasses, and I also purchased some blue corduroy for my son Jojo's suit (which he traded for a teal corduroy later). I also found linen remnants with which to make ruffs.
Then it was over to Michael Levine's Loft, which sells fabric by the pound! Two dollars a pound to be precise! It was here Charlie found a deep purple corduroy that he really wanted, which I made him swap me for the purple silk I bought earlier (hey, it pays to play a couple of kings. One can never have too much purple!). A new member of my guild found a full bolt of brown corduroy, and some teal to compliment it (which he traded with my son later - see above). I also found lots of little notions and appliques and such for .25 a piece. All in all I spent only $30.00 here.
On my way out, I haggled with a street merchant and got cotton shirting, 60" wide muslin, and two rolls of trim - one white, one black - studded with gold beads for only $20.00! I left quite satisfied.
After coming home with all of my above purchases, I realized that I now have a functioning fabric warehouse again... LOL. Unfortunately, one bit of fabric needs a home desperately. I have absolutely no idea what to do with it! I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought it either - it's a fushia/purple shot silk. According to my Elizabethan dye color guide it is a period color, although it is very bright and again I have no idea what I was thinking. I thought I might pair it with something from the above purchases, and nothing really goes with it, except the white and cream for which I now have other plans. It's a shame really because no one in my group can really wear it but someone who plays a monarch. None of whom like the color at all - save me, but again I am not sure fushia will go with my skin tone... LOL.
Such are the ways of fabric purchasing. In the eight plus years I have been doing this seriously I have never made a bad purchase. I will find the poor unwanted fushia a home. In the mean time, I will be bathing in the glory of what is to come with all of the pretties I just bought.... ::::cackles madly::::
Oh, and I did a massive amount of Spring cleaning, which I will continue to do throughout the week. Suffice it to say that some who have been to my house will not recognize it from the last time they were here... I have moved things around so much it really feels like a new home!
So my first stop was the place that I go to get my heavy chenille velvets. Charlie has been dying for a new version of the violin patterned brocade that came out. I have two suits made of said brocade - one in red and gold for when I play the Earl of Oxford (which I never wear anymore. I have gotten a bit larger since then), and the other which I wear as Henry III made in purple and gold. I do love this fabric, but lately have been growing tired of it because I have seen the fabric or similar everywhere! I am still glad I was the first to have it... I do love setting trends. Anyhow, they have come up with a new color combination - instead of gold, they are doing the inlays in color - so it is black chenille with red inlays. It is a very striking combination, and I can see his love for it. I also purchased the creamy heavy brocade for my friend Carrie's gown - which incidently has pomegranites inlaid in it (she is playing Catherine of Aragon to my Henry VIII).
Then it was off to Home Fabrics, which I really should learn to avoid. It's all too tempting, and this is by far becoming my favorite store. There isn't much in terms of haggling, but my goodness the fabric!!! I could bathe in it - I am such a fabric slut...LOL! Here I found the gold brocade I need for my Henry VIII suit, purple/black SILK satin/taffeta, a 3 yard remnant of delicious DARK purple/almost black velvet, and the blush pink brocade for Cassie's gown. Exeunt there.
I then traveled over to my silk merchant, who was in a foul mood but whom I nonetheless prevailed over! I got all of my silks at my usual price of $8.00 a yard - I am thinking if his attitude does not change soon Michael Levine's is looking more and more convenient (the price is about the same, but with the silk merchant I get 54" wide silks, vs. Levine who only sells 45" wide from what I can tell). Here I purchased some screaming royal purple silk for Charlie's suit (which he later gave up - this happened later), black silk for Mary's kirtle and my peacock suit (I have teal/purple shot silk to go with this already), rose colored silk for my Leicester suit (it will be paired with a cream colored brocade I purchased long ago), white silk for my Henry VIII suit, gold silk for Cassie's underskirt and sleeves, and wine colored silk for Greg (which I am pairing with a smoky black corduroy).
We then went over to Michael Levine's proper and there I purchased buckram for hats and suportasses, and I also purchased some blue corduroy for my son Jojo's suit (which he traded for a teal corduroy later). I also found linen remnants with which to make ruffs.
Then it was over to Michael Levine's Loft, which sells fabric by the pound! Two dollars a pound to be precise! It was here Charlie found a deep purple corduroy that he really wanted, which I made him swap me for the purple silk I bought earlier (hey, it pays to play a couple of kings. One can never have too much purple!). A new member of my guild found a full bolt of brown corduroy, and some teal to compliment it (which he traded with my son later - see above). I also found lots of little notions and appliques and such for .25 a piece. All in all I spent only $30.00 here.
On my way out, I haggled with a street merchant and got cotton shirting, 60" wide muslin, and two rolls of trim - one white, one black - studded with gold beads for only $20.00! I left quite satisfied.
After coming home with all of my above purchases, I realized that I now have a functioning fabric warehouse again... LOL. Unfortunately, one bit of fabric needs a home desperately. I have absolutely no idea what to do with it! I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought it either - it's a fushia/purple shot silk. According to my Elizabethan dye color guide it is a period color, although it is very bright and again I have no idea what I was thinking. I thought I might pair it with something from the above purchases, and nothing really goes with it, except the white and cream for which I now have other plans. It's a shame really because no one in my group can really wear it but someone who plays a monarch. None of whom like the color at all - save me, but again I am not sure fushia will go with my skin tone... LOL.
Such are the ways of fabric purchasing. In the eight plus years I have been doing this seriously I have never made a bad purchase. I will find the poor unwanted fushia a home. In the mean time, I will be bathing in the glory of what is to come with all of the pretties I just bought.... ::::cackles madly::::
Oh, and I did a massive amount of Spring cleaning, which I will continue to do throughout the week. Suffice it to say that some who have been to my house will not recognize it from the last time they were here... I have moved things around so much it really feels like a new home!