TRINA HOLDEN

So, I absolutely love Amy Butler – who doesn’t? Her patterns, her style, and especially, her CLOTH. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, follow the link and feast your eyes. I love her lucious, bold floral prints that seem to be the best of vintage prints re-incarnated with today’s flair. And I love all the crafty things people are making out of her cloth – I see it on show and tell blogs everywhere – bags and aprons and skirts and fun little folders and pin cushions and, oh, it’s all to much for me…I want a bolt of each of her fabrics, and the time to sew it all into lovely creations.

PROBLEM:
Amy Butler retails for $10 – $16 per yard.
That’s not in the budget. No matter which way you look at it, or how hard you pinch your pennies. 🙁

SOLUTION:
Thriftstores!

(aren’t they the solution to almost everything?)

It happens regularly – I see a cute print as I’m browsing the aisles of my favorite thrift store, grab it up, only to find it’s no where near my size or style. Such a shame…unless you look at it as fabric. And cheap fabric at that! So, I decided, as I set out on my errands yesterday (which included two thrift stores) to keep my eye out for cloth – in the clothing aisle, as well as the remnant bin.

And it worked.

I found a huge, (size 18) pleated skirt, and a very, very small mini skirt, both out of delicious prints that reminded me of Amy Butler style.
I also found two yards of 5o” silk duponi, and 3 yards of a teal cotton.
I looked in the linen section too, and found this old set of sheets…

Talk about bold and beautiful! And true vintage. They are hardly worn, and I think would make up into some adorable aprons!

Total spent: less than $5 for 15+ yards of fabric.
Now, that’s being thrifty!

I began picking apart the large skirt this afternoon. I realized as I set aside the 9 inch invisible zipper to add to my stash (it’s the type of zipper I use most often), that I had gotten 3 yards of 30″ wide fabric for less than the cost of a new zipper. Delightful.

Hint: most hems can be unraveled, rather than unpicked – it’s worth it to find the right thread to pull, it makes converting the skirt to yardage a lot easier!

I can’t wait till my studio is in shape enough to allow for some sewing!

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Comments

  1. Aunt Marilyn says

    Okay, I just went to the website, and she made me the "frenchy bag". I can't wait to send you pictures. You can see it under "patterns".

    Reply

  2. Aunt Marilyn says

    Trina,
    My sister made me a lovely Amy Butler bag (purse) for my birthday. I so love it. I will take a picture of it (with me in it too) and of the inside as well.
    It was one of my favorite birthday gifts of all time.

    Reply

  3. Genuine Lustre says

    Great finds! Amy Butler only lives about 75 minutes from me……….
    I'd like to try her dress pattern with the sweetheart neckline.

    I'm still thinking about your "jcrew" skirt that you made last fall – anxious to see what you'll come up with here.

    Reply

  5. Jodes says

    I love thrifting! 😀 About to go visit one of my favourites in my lunch break!

    I actually have a modern cotton print that looks a lot like your sheets – I have been calling it my retro sheet fabric! lol! Can't wait to see the aprons 🙂

    Reply

  6. Amy says

    Hi, Trina! I agree, thrift stores have got to be one of the best sources for fabric!! And clothes. . . and glassware. . .and any other 'treasures' you might happen to find!! Have fun wih your new fabrics!

    Reply

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