Fabric Hunting

I went out with a friend today on a quest to buy synthetic organza which was not too shiny and wasn't crystal organza. Juliet wanted matte organza to use for the construction of the fabric panels for the Melville Community Textile Art Project.

She had scoured fabric stores south of the river and decided to venture north. I volunteered to go with her and we had a pleasant day. We bought quite a few pieces, but found that almost all that was available was too shiny for what she wanted. We both remember that a couple of years ago there was plenty of the matte - why it has changed is hard to work out.

We went to a fabric store in Subiaco, then to a wholesalers - Parkinson and Mann in Osborne Park . Their organza was not suitable but we got a great buy on Olfa rotary cutter blades - a bit less than $7 each by buying 6. Juliet bought some for the project. I bought some for myself.

After a fruitless visit to Fabulous Fabrics in Balcatta we decided to call in to Collins Craft. Juliet had not been there before - I hadn't been for a couple of years. We both bought some metal shim and some other bits and pieces. A visit to Textile Traders yielded a couple of bits of organza and provided some temptation in the form of printed silk chiffon. I resisted, however.

Then we went to West Leederville where we discovered the outlet was for wholesale curtain fabrics, so we consoled ourselves with a coffee. What next? We could have gone home, but we went to East Fremantle to a textile exhibition at the Old George which was still open. Fabulous stuff. Textile pieces by Jennie Abbott, silk painting and shibori dyeing by Marlene Page and delightful jewellery by Debbie Dieckmann. I am planning another visit before it closes next Sunday.