Replies

1. 
   Sunshine | May 27, 2007 11:33pm | #1

   Hi Pearl5, I saw your post about trying to find the fabric you had gotten from Emma One Sock.  Last year I was at a truly FABULOUS fabric store in Gaston NC called Mary Jo's Cloth Store. It's just a big store in an old mall, but they have everything under the sun there, from notions to quilting cottons to exquisite bridal fabrics. They didn't have a website then, but you might try a Google search.  Their phone number is 800.627.9567 or 704.861.9100.  They told me when I was there a year ago that they could get any fabric that had been produced.  They need as much descriptive info as possible, and a picture of it helps enormously.  Call the store to get their email address to send a note and digital picture of your swatch, or send them a note by snail mail.

   BTW, this is the only store I've been in that routinely tears fabric rather than cutting it, to make sure you have a straight end.  And their prices are Super-Fantastic!!!!!  I spent 2 hours and $100 there on fabric I loved, but didn't necessarily have a specific pattern in mind to sew.  If anyone is remotely near Gaston NC, about 50 miles west of Charlotte NC, just absolutely GO!!!  Leave DH and kids behind, bring $$ and have lots of time, and make sure you have LOTS of room in your car for all those bags of fabric!!!!!!!  I can guarantee you can't leave empty-handed......

1. 
   Pearl5 | May 28, 2007 12:13am | #2

   Oh Sunshine -- thank you so much for your response.  I have heard of the store but to date have not been there.   I would be thrilled to find the fabric.  I often order from Emma, but things sell out quickly there and you can't delay ordering.

   I am going now to check for a website.  If there is none, I'll call the store tomorrow because not only do I have a description, but I have a swatch!!!   My local fabric store, G Street Fabrics, also tears yardage.  I have mixed feeling about that.

   Thanks again.  I am so excited.  You've made my day.

   pearl

    

1. 
   SewFit | May 28, 2007 03:07am | #3

   http://maryjos.com/

   I moved to NC 7 years ago and have not yet been to Mary Jo's but I'm told it's wonderful.   I have ordered interfacings from them by mail and was delighted at the customer service and quick turn around.   It's about an 90 minutes from me and I plan to make a day trip soon!!!!  I was at G Street in Centreville, VA about a year ago and have been to the Rockville, MD store years ago.

2. 
   NovaSkills | Jun 10, 2007 06:02pm | #10

   I prefer stores not tear my yardage, as it weakens and distorts it at the tear point. I am perfectly willing to straighten my own grainlines, and never do that until after washing or other preshrinking.

   I recently had a great experience with both the Manhattan Fabrics online store and their brick and mortar version, Paron's, in NYC. I picked a great fabric partially by seeing what was available by different designers, that had the characteristics I wanted. I ordered a goodly length of two, and this arrived promptly, nicely packaged with a bonus piece of goods, even. Then, when visiting NY, I took swatches into the store and received excellent assistance picking out coordinates of blouse/top weights, and all of this from their half-priced collection. It was nice to see the fabrics with labels of which design house had used them, giving me an idea of how designers chose coordinates. I paid no more than $6.50/yard for any of it.

   What I liked also, was these fabrics were nearly always 52" to 60" widths, even on things we'd see in chain stores at only 45".

   They'll hunt from your swatch, also, by mail.

2. 
   ctirish | May 29, 2007 05:42am | #4

   Pearl5, If you know the designer and description, I would go to a search engine and just type it in with some clarifier's. If it is a knit - you might want to try -using the words - fabric, knit, "designer name", "description" - and see what happens. Type it in as shown except replace the designer name with the real designer name and for description use words that explore/expand the description - such as - paisley, flower, modern, op art, pattern, plaid, historical - words that describe it in general terms. Don't expect to find a direct match - this a research effort. And don't panic if you get a million references or no references. If you get a lot of references - go through the list and see what words matched and use those over again with more specific descriptions in the words that did not find a reference. For no references, eliminate the description words - just see if you can find who has the designer's fabrics. You may end up with manufacturers, which is OK, you can then email them to find out who carries their fabrics. Save your searches, give them names that tell you the date, time and anything else to distinguish them from other searches. If you still don't have any luck finding it, let me know and I will see if I can offer additional help. Good luck and let the computer do the work...jane

1. 
   Pearl5 | May 29, 2007 02:48pm | #5

   Jane:  Thank you for your detailed response.  I am going to Google it now.  I'll let you know how it goes. 

   pearl

1. 
   ctirish | May 30, 2007 12:57am | #6

   I hope you enjoy it, I love finding new sites that have fabrics or manufacturers. I am here if you have problems.

   jane

3. 
   rubyminky | May 30, 2007 08:02pm | #7

   If all this draws a blank, it might be worth a quick look on ebay too perhaps. There are a few people selling Emma One Sock fabric on there - perhaps one of them is your mystery swatch?http://search.ebay.com/emma-one-sock_W0QQ_trksidZm37QQflocZ1QQfromZR40QQsaslcZ2QQsbrexpZWD2SQQssPageNameZWD2S

1. 
   Pearl5 | May 30, 2007 09:27pm | #8

   Thanks!  I didn't know how to search for particular fabrics on e-bay until I read your message.  Thank you for your suggestion.  Sadly, no match.

1. 
   MaryinColorado | Jun 09, 2007 04:38pm | #9

   http://www.equilter.com has fabrics listed by designer.  Also, you can do a variety of searches.  I love thier rayon batiks.  They have excellent customer service too.  Luanna Rubin is a published/well known quilter who travels  the world to find great new fabrics!  She and her husband started the company in thier garage, now it is a large, successful company.