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In which I moan again

Friday, July 13

I know, I know.

It seems like all I do these days is moan. That is what happens when you are at home all the time. Not everyone though. Some people sit at home and make wonderful use of their time. Not me. All I do is plan things I want to make, start making them, and then get distracted by all your lovely blogs. Lovely blogs, which fill me up with intense envy. Ha! I said it. Yes I get envious when I see some really cool stuff on blogs, and wish I had the skills to make those things, or had access to some of the cool gadgets I see on those blogs. The american blogs are most often the guilty ones. Yes you Americans, with your Joanns and Walmarts.



Just the other day I was reading Sunny's blog. She is currently doing a sew along for not one, but 2 dresses from Simplicity 1880. I have that pattern, and will use her instructions when making mine. First I have to do my Cambie dress, which is becoming a challenge, as I have somehow managed to ruin my pattern. That, I fear, is the subject of another post. Now where was I? Ah yes. Sunny. She was doing a post on button hole placements, and she had this cool tool, the Simflex expanding gauge.


 I had seen this on the Jaycotts website, but had not really convinced myself I needed it so, I never really paid any attention to it. After seeing it featured on Sunny's blog however, I decided it was time I bought one. I went back to Jaycotts, and what do you know, it was out of stock. Come to think of it, it has always been out of stock. I am talking a year from when I first saw it there. Get your act together Jaycotts. I searched high and low for it here in the UK, to no avail, and finally bought it here, on ebay. I probably did not search low enough though, because one day, I found it here.


 Yes people, in a place called Sew-Quick. According to their website, they are " A leading supplier of American sewing notions". Truer words have never been written. They stock items from Nancy Zieman, Clotilde, Sandra Betzina, Collins, Dritz and Palmer Pletsch, and are based in Scotland. I am beginning to love Scotland more and more each day. Not only has it given me Andy Murray, who I love with a passion (sorry Mr.Dibs), it is now leading the way in providing me with american sewing notioins. Take that you American bloggers.

Now on to another thing. Stabilising tapes. 
Source:Professional Sewing Techniques for Designers by Julie Cole and Sharon Czachor
When I flicked through my copy of the most recent Threads magazine, I saw a feature on stabilising tapes.


Naturally, as I am wont to do, I went searching for them. And again, did not find them. I'm sure we have them here, but probably under different brand names. I don't care for that. I want what I see on those blogs. After searching extensively, I ended up ordering some from a US based shop on ebay. And that is not the only thing I have bought from american based shops on ebay. I also ordered some Hug Snug seam binding from this place. All is not completely hopeless though, because I managed to find Steam-a-Seam fusible web from this Welsh ebay shop. England what are you doing?


See the pattern here? Why do we in the UK not have access to these nice notions? If, and that is a very BIG if, we do see them here, they are most often expensive. In my last moan about our lack of visible sewing experts, Karen mentioned the size of the US compared to the UK, and that the craft industry there is massive, and well supported. True. However, the craft industry in the UK is growing, and we need the all the support we can get. There are probably more shops selling these goodies, but either they are not publicising themselves well, or I am just not doing my research well. 

What about you, have you seen and sourced something locally that helps you with your sewing? or in the absence of that, can you recommend useful sewing gadgets which you bought from another country?






34 comments:

  1. Hi Dibs, like you, I suffer from US envy - they seem to have everything!! We're lucky if we find a decent button, and even then the price for buttons sometimes exceeds the price paid for fabric! I think I'm still living in the dark ages, using tailors tacks and a pair of scissors to cut my fabric - I was beside myself with giddiness when I discovered you could buy time erasing marker pens - wow.

    I have yet to discover anyone locally who actually makes their own clothes who isn't over 70. People marvel over anyone who can throw a cushion cover together round here (I live in Cheshire).
    Thankfully, we do have a great chain of stores in the North West called Abakhan, where I buy 90% of my fabric and gadgets from, which although does have a website, it does not resemble really the shops at all - very poor choice on the website and nothing to get giddy about at all. If you ever find yourself in North Wales at any time (???) they have their main store there, which is a sewists paradise and probably, I would go as far to say, the best place in the UK for anyone who makes their own clothes.

    Sorry I couldn't assist with any new websites for you - I use the same pitiful few you have found :(

    Anyway, as Tess and Bruce might say if they were that way inclined 'keeeeeeeeeeeep sewing'

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    1. hahahaha. Keep sewing indeed. I used to live in Manchester (2 years) but back then I was not into sewing. Yeah I know what a waste. But i went back last year, and I went to Abakhan. It is a truly lovely shop, and they have so much.

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  2. I agree - there are loss of home seekers in this country, but a difficult economic climate probably puts retailers off opening stores catering to what is viewed as quite a specialist area. Can you imagine going to a bank manager with a business plan for a haberdashery shop? We all know it's a good idea, but unfortunately most people wouldn't. We just have to keep supporting the ones who stick at it. At least in London we have a few to choose from. Klein's in Soho is pretty good, and William Gee in Dalston is old fashioned but very useful.

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    1. Yes Kleins is ok, but I have never been to William Gee. Dalston seems to have cool places. Now that makes two places I would like to visit. Dalston Mills and William Gee.

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  3. Oops, sorry us spoiled US bloggers are causing serious envy! But let me know if there's anything you can't find-- I'd be happy to send over anything you'd like!

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    1. You might come to rue this day, and these words you have so temptingly typed here. lol

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    2. Anytime, girl! I'm all about enabling people's sewing addictions. :)

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  4. I've been to Dalston Mills and William Gee - went looking for FOE to make Zoe of SoZo's free vest pattern - neither stocked it at all :(!

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    1. I think you can find loads on etsy in lucious colours. but they are all american based. or try

      http://www.englishcouture.co.uk/category_Elastics_Foldover_1.htm
      http://corsetmaking.co.uk/store/index.php?cPath=41_141

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    2. You can get FOE quite easily on ebay, I just got some a few days ago. Also lots of UK based internet stores which specialise in nappy making supplies sell it (just google it). It's quite reasonably priced too. Hope that helps.

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  5. Oh, this store is v, good it has $3.33USD worldwide shipping costs! http://www.gonesewing.com sells sewing notions, machine parts, needles etc. But does not sell elastic/binding etc.

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    1. I'm always very wary of US sites as I've been horribly stung by import tax.

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    2. I got the stay tapes from them Claire. The posting was very quick.
      Miriana I know how you feel. I bought fabric from the US, and forked out an extra £15 in custom charges. I was not amused.

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  6. True, I love learning the gadgets our American friends have, I'm going to get this stabiliser tape.. I been eyeing for a long time

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  7. Oh My God do you know what you've unleashed on me with this Sew Quick site? Gingher shears! Zips on a roll! Coloured snaps! That's the afternoon gone...

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    1. I can most definitely assure you that was not my intentio.n wink wink. lol

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  8. Thanks for the useful reference to Sew Quick, there's a lot there! Who would have known it would be Scotland that would serve up this wonderous sewing booty?! It's a shame they don't have an actual shop, as Paisley isn't far from me.

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    1. hahahaha. who would have known indeed? I was impressed by what they had on offer though.

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  9. I'm a Canadian, and I'm envious of both the Americans AND the Brits! Americans have everything cheap from stores... but you have the legendary markets where fabric is apparently miraculously cheap! Canada has... well, one fabric store. The same on, in every city. With the same fabric. And that's about it! I've been on a bit of an Etsy binge lately too: Ricrac, coverable buttons... and I just ordered fabric from the states. Guh. I'm afraid to look at the bills! :P But you are right, it's oh so tempting...

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    1. Exactly. What Gillian said. There is basically one poor excuse for a fabric store (Fabricland) in Canada. No markets like you have in London. Some cities Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal (don't know about others) have some other fabric shops. It is easier for us to get our greedy hands on cool notions like a Simflex expanding gauge. So really, the Americans have it made in the shade and we should all resent them. Right? 8-D

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  10. Would that be fabricland? I've seen it mentioned a couple of times. Don't you guys have markets there? As for etsy, going there always makes my bank balance shrink.lol

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    1. No markets, only farmers markets. Nothing like you have there.

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  11. Thanks for the Sew Quick link - that's going to be hard on my credit card!

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    1. No Worries. I did not want to descend into poverty alone you see. lol

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  12. Phew, I'm glad I'm not the only one who gnashes teeth at gadgetry and notions I can't get! I admit to getting green eyes at Londoners too though - there is one fabric store here in Norfolk that's less than 20 miles from me. It's rammed to the ceiling but the cheapest meter is £5 in there! I long for £2 Walthamstow... One day I'll go to London...

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    1. Let me know when you decide to come, and I shall see if I can join you.

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  13. this is a bit off topic--as an american i can say we do have GREAT cheap notions. and honestly they are everywhere. but what makes me laugh is that we all want EUROPEAN sewing machines. most US machine are plastic and total crap. i sew on a elna air electronic su from the early 80's. i would never buy an american machine unless it was made prior to world war II.
    makes me wonder if the great machines are euro why are they lacking in supplies for those using their machines!
    just an observation. love your video series BTW.

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    1. WW II? hahahahha. HAve things gotten that bad?
      Ah the myth of European machines. I'm afraid the manufacturing has been outsourced to Asia. Thanks for liking the video series. I will try to do more.

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  14. I'm happy to have access to so many great materials here in the US, but I have to admit that I envy all of the get-togethers you UK seamstresses have! I don't know of a single sewing blogger who's within 6 hours of me.

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    1. Yeah I've heard the US is pretty massive, and that makes it really difficult. But the New Yorkers seem to meet up fairly often. Have you tried sounding out on your blog? You might be surprised.

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  15. I was pretty much saying, "Yes, yes, yes" as I read this post. I have the same problem living in New Zealand. I see all these US sewing bloggers using all these fancy gadgets and notions and then I try and find them here and I have no luck.

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  16. I just went shopping at the US eBay site you used - oops! But the shipping is so reasonable it would be crazy to buy only one item , no? Thanks for thel links, Inbuy most of my sewing supplies online as the selection and prices here in Luxembourg leave a lot to be desired

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    1. Ah Luxembourg. I had a penpal there when I was in secondary school. She used to send me pictures of the town she lived in. So beautiful.I'm with yu there . I found the shipping so reasonable I bought extra things.

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