Hello friends, it's been a while! I've found it really hard to catch up on blogging and sewing since my recent visit to Cyprus, so I'm breaking myself back in with some good news for crafty folk in and around Leicester.
A few weekends back I went to visit my favourite fabric stall on the market, only to find out that the owner was winding it down in favour of a permanent shop just up the road, called Material Magic. I can't tell you how exciting this is for us locals, because there's a serious lack of choice when it comes to fabric shopping in Leicester. The two market stalls are excellent, but obviously not there every day, and the haberdasheries in the big chains (John Lewis, Fenwick, etc) are pricey and lack selection.
Anyway, Material Magic certainly didn't disappoint! It's a relatively small shop, but packed with a good variety of fabrics which are very reasonably priced.
Cottons of all weights for any project
Fancy fabrics for special occasions
Fun animal prints
Jersey in a range of solids and prints
Colourful linen for Spring time
Cotton lawn in brilliant florals
Of course, it would have been rude to leave empty handed, so I brought these adorable prints home!
Have you discovered any good local crafty shops recently?
ooh that;s lovely. i love the ladies print in the cottons pic above! those teapots and cups have sew dolly clackett written all over them! we don't have any great little fabric shops but we do have fabricland which makes up for it. i suppose we're not so far from london either and the delights of goldhawk rd!
ReplyDeleteOooh Fabricland is a cool 'local' to have ;o)
DeleteOooh I have that last one in baby blue. There is one rather creepy bird that's putting me off the fabric though :-s have you spotted him?
ReplyDeleteHehe, do you really?!? I haven't spotted the creepy bird yet...and hope I don't anytime soon. But I'm sure I'll go looking when I get home ;o)
DeleteHave you spotted him yet? I saw it's actually been used on a modcloth dress!
Deletehttp://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/tropic-the-charts-dress
PS. I'm in love with your teapots now I've seen them made up. Gah!
That's incredible! We used to have a shop like that in town here, but it closed several years ago. There aren't any decent fabric stores left here. :(
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame :o(
DeleteOh how great for you! (Well, or dangerous, hee hee.) I wish there was a small fabric shop that was local to me. We do have a couple of gigantic ones in the city (at least) but honestly they are just usually TOO big for my taste, and I wouldn't quite call them local either. I love the looks of the prints your new store carries. What a fun place to shop. Glad to see you back after your trip!
ReplyDeleteYes, very dangerous indeed! I know what you mean about the gigantic shops...they can be so overwhelming when you just want to browse and pick up a little impromptu treat!
DeleteOh, I love your bird fabric! And how could you leave without some of that cow jersey? (Or is it "jersey jersey, heh heh.)
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how fabric is displayed in your new store -- not the way I've seen it done in the US stores I've been in. Bolts are always placed on their ends in racks, not lying flat, and my big local fabric store puts the long tubes on their ends as well (with clearance tubes just jumbled on a flat surface).
Hehe! The cow fabric is actually a cotton...so I may have to go back for some for a baby make I have in mind ;o)
DeleteI think the way this store displays its fabric is due to the fact that it used to be a market stall. Once they get rid of this stock, they may start displaying it differently in future?!?
So many gorgeous fabrics!!!
ReplyDeleteSo much temptation!
DeleteHow lovely to discover a new fabric store. I found a shop dangerously close to me that does Liberty tana lawn.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, that sounds heavenly!
DeleteLooks good! I like your choces, and some of those cotton lawns are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThat teapot print is really adorable! It looks like Material Magic is a wonderful shop! I'm sure it will be insanely convenient for you to have access to it more regularly than the stalls at the market.
ReplyDeleteYes, insanely convenient...and dangerous!
DeleteI love the teapot and teacup print. It reminds me of Dolly Clackett. I'm jealous as the only haberdashery in my town is miniscule and has rubbish selection.
ReplyDeleteWell I think I'm going to have to listen to the masses and make myself a Dolly Clackett dress out of the teapots!
DeleteThat bird fabric is lovely! It's so nice when you discover a fabric store near you which you like - I think the one near us is closing down :(
ReplyDeleteOh no, booo to that!
DeleteI'd love to have a decent fabric shop near me...my bank balance however is glad there is not! Excellent print selection...particularly the parrots...I'd even go so far as to say it is spiffing!
ReplyDeleteHehe, thanks! And yes, I'll be crying a few months down the line when I'm bankrupt!
DeleteHi. I just got back from Leicester and have detailed my fabric haul from Stuart's Fabrics on my blog at daisycreatesinsussex.blogspot.com/. I didn't have time to seek out other fabric stores but will check out this new one when I'm in the area again. Looks like a lovely selection of floral ditzy prints.
ReplyDeleteWhat a haul! Stuart's is great too, especially for his gorgeous range of jersey...love it! Next time you'll definitely have to visit Material Magic too...it's just up the road..literally 1min away from Stuart's ;o)
DeleteOooh, lucky you! Lots of interesting looking fabrics there!
ReplyDeleteHehe, thanks!
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Argh! You have to convince them to open a webshop! ;-) They have the most adorable fabrics.
ReplyDeleteThat crockery one is a beaut. Happy stitching pop tart xxx
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that is some shop! My husband will be very relieved that we don't live near enough to visit, but I am rather gutted. Thanks also for your wonderful write up about chalk paints, I had been considering buying some and now my mind is made up! I've had a wonderful visit to your stunning blog and will be back again soon x
ReplyDeleteWow! Rabbits for 5.99? Yes please! I might need to visit Leicester in the near future :)
ReplyDeleteThere's a great shop in Kidderminster called oh sew crafty, they're online too. I hold them responsible for the disappearance of my wages every month....
ReplyDelete