Fabric Woes

[my_stitching]

I really want silk taffeta for the Victorian skirt and ballgown bodice. I also want to get enough to make a daytime jacket/top so that I can wear the skirt during the day if I want. For the skirt I need a minimum of 9 yards and a minimum of 2 for the bodice. I haven't decided on a pattern yet for the other top, so I'd allow 4 yards for that. On top

Comments

[serenalyons]

Yet one more reason to damn Denverfabrics.com for selling out. I realized recently how spoiled I was from buying from them. Finding Black cotton velvet was a nightmare. I eventually had to settle on velveteen *shudder* stupid, short pile fabric.

[mlsdesigns]

don't pin your hopes on shepherd's bush, they are pretty useless for silk, they have the thin floppy satin you use for modern evening gowns, and chiffon and that's usually about it. one of the shops did have some striped taffeta, which i considered for 18th century, but it was £20 a meter i think, so no :)
berwick street shops have loads of silks, but they are mostly very very expensive.
(just so you know, if you are reduced to synthetic, my blue ball gown is poly something curtain fabric from dunelm mill, and it's not hot at all)

[my_stitching]

That is good to know. I plan on lining it with linen and combined with the cotton and linen undergarments, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to use a synthetic.

Today I found a place that sells a gorgeous array of silk taffetas at $12 a yard. I'm not sure if they are a wholesaler who sells to businesses only or not. I sent them a message but haven't heard back. They also sell a sample book for $25 and you get a $25 coupon. That way I would have all of the colors for this and future purchases. Hopefully that will come through.

I have also sent for a swatch of a synthetic from a local company. It looks like it might be a very pretty blue. We'll see how it looks/feels.

David isn't very helpful. I told him of this topic and he responded right away that I should buy the silks at Hyena. I'm tempted but that is a lot of money.