…That you are terrified to touch it. Or cut it. Or use it. Because the fabric on it’s own is more beautiful then anything you are capable of making and cutting into it would ruin it’s perfection.
Yes it’s Friday again. And since I loved reading the responses on last weeks post so much, i’m bringing it back! And this weeks theme is about material you love a little too much.
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I’ve selected two fabrics for this weeks theme – a gorgeous pink and white bridal lace, and a pretty blue brocade.
The brocade was purchased a whole year ago, along with the fabrics I used for my Red and Silver Gown and my Christmas Costume. I bought these with birthday money, and my entire goal of the fabric shopping trip was to buy the prettiest materials possible. I was a little too successful.
Within days of buying the fabric (the majority of those days were spent lovingly gazing at them) I had designs in mind for three garments. It took me over six months to use up the other two, and now it’s been a year and I still haven’t found it in me to destroy use this one.
I only have a little under two yards, not enough for an entire dress. Because of this i’ve been hoarding blue materials and trims like crazy – I have plans for frilly sleeves, a cloak, and a cathedral length train – all of which would be trimmed with hand dyed lace.
I’m envisioning a blue version of Lucrezia’s wedding gown in The Borgias. It would be wonderfully grand, but to make it I would have to cut up this brocade and it would probably get stained with tears in the process and ruin the whole thing.
No i’m not exaggerating at all.
Fabric two is a more recent purchase – I got this right before Christmas with a fantastic ball gown in mind. I had been looking for simple cotton lace to go with some pink cotton sateen I had purchased a few months before.
After searching a dozen stores I still hadn’t found any I liked – and then I saw this.
A beautiful sixty inch wide, beaded, sequined, embroidered mesh bridal lace. I needed it. You don’t even understand – this fabric and I had a moment, and I couldn’t leave the store without it. By some miracle and a lot of bargaining I got the four yard length for under $80.
This is the type of fabric i’ve seen go for $180 a yard. So in addition to being beautiful to look at, it’s also lucky.
Really lucky.
And if I cut it up i’m positive I will anger some fabric spirit – the same one that must have bestowed this beautiful lace upon me. And i’m pretty sure that angering the fabric gods would be ten times worse then breaking a mirror, or walking under a ladder.
So until I feel really confident in my construction and design skills, these fabrics will probably remain unused.
Do you have any fabrics you love a little too much? I’d like to hear about them!
Thanks for reading.
Angela Clayton's Costumery & Creations 
I don’t cosplay, but I do quilt. I completely understand about not wanting to mess up a fabric by cutting it. I always worry if I’ll do justice to it. And kudos on talking down the price of that bridal fabric. Well done.
I’m old enough to have several that I’ve had for YEARS. In addition, members of my family have died with fabric that they have had for YEARS. I’m a good stitcher, but not nearly as fearless as you are and every time I get an idea in mind, the years have past and I’m not the person that had that idea. I think I’ll work on my fearlessness and make something wonderful for myself.
I had this amazingly gorgeous cotton print with roses all over it and this wonderful poem all over it. I had to have it. It didn’t go with anything I had but it was a need. But I made the mistake of using it to make a kimono. It doesn’t fit and it was so upsetting that I destroyed this beautiful fabric that I had to immediately take it off and I won’t wear it again anytime soon.
Oh, I’ve been there. I did that with a beautiful black and white rayon. I still have the dress and hope I can salvage it.
I’ve had problems with loving fabric too much too. I have trouble cutting two pieces of fabric in particular. The first fabric I have the most trouble cutting is some navy blue silk. It doesn’t have a design on it nor is it anything “special” and I probably will be able to find it again easily. Yet, its sentimental and every time I’ve cut it, its like a piece of me dies. It’s such a beautiful shade of blue (It changes from navy blue to cobalt blue depending on the light) that I hoard it. I’ll probably use it for a wedding dress for myself, but since I’m not getting married any time soon, I hoard it. The second is gold/red upholstery fabric that I cannot find anywhere anymore. When I first bought it, I didn’t care too much about cutting it. Since then, it’s grown on me and I cannot bring myself to cut it or make anything out of it anymore. Its too pretty to be used!
In which shop you bought the fabric of the skirt of Elsa snow queen’s dress? I really need this information.
Thank you.
Both are very, very beautiful! I hope you find/create a pattern/design worthy of them soon! 😀
I purchased the most beautiful coral gold piece of brocade at abc carpet in new york..it looks like a sunrise ..everytime I look at it im overwhelmed and moved by its beauty. .it literally stirs my soul in addition to the joyous memories it brings of wonderful days in manhatten..ive dreamed of a zillion ways to use it and sometimes im just happiest draping it over a chair and thinking of the possibilities..I will use it but right now I love the flow of ideas..and the rush of color and the beauty of the weave..hmm maybe ill just frame some ! Lol
Love the fabric Gods comment. I was recently had self conviction to use my horde I said that I wanted to start over spring clean so to speak … Horde make one sound like a dragon …which honestly I can be at time lets hope I’m at least a good looking one lol….but in that horde was vintage Northcott printed cotton …dusty rose, browns, and creams I made a beautiful quilt for a 4 yr old with Rapunzels silhouette I even added faux crystals that swirled in her hair for a light and magic effect ….and now I have moments where I think oh that fabric would be great but sadly it is used up ….but that quilt has been by far my best “quilt” project. Do not to fear he fabric gods … They area nothing compaired too the designer 🙂
When i first started sewing i had no problems in cutting pretty fabric… but then i got into cosplay and lolita fashion and now i’m so hung up on my yards of natural silk that i don’t want to cut them. I first bought them for a carnival dress that i ended up not making because i didn’t have the time or energy and now i have like 10mt of light green silk with branches printed on that i don’t want to cut because i’m afraid i’ll ruin it.
Please tell me where you got that Brodace, I have been on a hunt for a month for a silvery brocade and that would be perfect! where!!!! PLS 🙂 😦
So I suppose this is a bit late, but on the off chance that you check this from time to time, i will leave my little commentary. I have been thinking about your petticoat problem on the pink ball gown and I think that you could solve it by using extra strength starch on all the layers and then drying it upside down with each layer seperated by hand. My grandma told me this is how they used to do it so that the petticoats would stound out firm and not be crushed. It would be time consuming but ironing is zen…. it might be worth it in the end if it works! If not i have seen metal hooping for 2.45 per meter, which really isn’t such a bad price and the hoop skirt could be used under other projects.