Sometimes You Have to go for Broke

And, go for broke, I did!

I'm back from my trip to Toronto and I come bearing fabric (and photos).

The very first store I stepped into was The Wool House (which has now moved five doors down from it's old location - sorry I can't remember the new address). Here are a few of my fabrics on the cutting table. Wait to the end of the post to see my entire haul, with descriptions.
I love this store. It is an anal retentive fabric lovers dream. The fabric is gorgeous and the organization and presentation is impeccable. Check this out:

This entire section consists of neatly shelved Zegna fabrics. Each fabric is more amazing than the last












This section holds all the high end wool/cashmere and pure cashmere. The prices in this area run from $100 to $1000 per yard. Yes, you read that right - there is a pure cashmere suiting that runs $1000 per yard. The salesman said that they have difficulty keeping it in stock because so many people are having suits made with it. Although I did get a piece of amazing cashmere from this section, I didn't shell out that much!










This section holds all the Italian cotton shirtings (although there is one amazing silk/cotton shirting in there that is exquisite). They sell for $16.50 per yard, which really is a steal for this quality. I got one piece for my inaugural voyage into dress shirt making for my husband. Wish me luck, Liana, oh goddess of the dress shirt!







This is a sampling of the Irish linens. They are the softest, most sumptuous linens on which I have ever laid my hands. And the colours, the glorious colours...just look at the colours - it makes me salivate.









This is a new fabric that they are carrying this year and they are having a hard time keeping it in stock. This fabric is a linen/cashmere blend (it may have some silk in the mix, too). Although, the stripes are not really my cup of tea, the hand of the fabric is TDF.








My next stop was L. A. Fabrics. This store carries both day and evening wear fabrics. There are silks, wools, wool/cashmere blends, linens, cottons and much more. Every time I go to Toronto, I succumb to a great fabric (or twelve), at a great price from this store. Once again, like at The Wool House, I love the neat organization in this store.













I wanted to show you one other store, which makes me giggle every time I set foot into it. This is World Sewing Centre. It is a a neat freak's nightmare (and I imagine the fire marshal has a special place in his heart for it too). It is floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall fabric. There are places where the fabric is stacked so deep, there is no hope of extracting the bolt on the bottom of the pile. In most sections, the aisle ways are so narrow that I have to turn sideways to get past the encroaching fabric. It is always an adventure. Every time we go in there, my husband says that we should keep an eye out for a single skeletal arm poking out from beneath the piles of fabric. He figures some poor soul was crushed by an avalanche of fabric in 1974 and has yet to be found amid the chaos!















Alright, I know what you're saying...show me the fabric. So, without further ado, here are my new babies,
From the top:

1. Coral orange cashmere from The Wool House. I spent more per yard on this fabric than I have ever spent in my entire sewing career. I have finally hit the big leagues with this one. I have a very special project in mind for this fabric, but I'm not giving any info just yet. A girl has to have her secrets!
2. Rust wool/cashmere from The Wool House.
   
3. Orange wool/cashmere from The Wool House.
   
4. Light green Italian cotton shirting from The Wool House.
   
5. Coral wool from L. A. Fabrics.
6. Hunter green wool from L. A. Fabrics.
7. Heathered brown wool from L. A. Fabrics.

Believe it or not, I actually have projects in mind for every single piece. I have been collecting a bunch of vintage Vogue Couturier and Vogue Americana designer patterns and I plan on putting them to good use.

So, there you have it - that's what I did on my summer vacation!