Hooray, my Near Sea Naturals order has just arrived! Eight days from New Mexico to Reading, and no customs fees to pay. Exactly what I needed to cheer me up on such a miserable morning!
In the background is a metre of black and grey stripy jersey. This was intended to be sleeves for a top for Paul, but it’s so soft and lovely that I might just have to hijack it for myself. I’ll see how generous I’m feeling!
The little cone is organic cotton sewing thread, which is impossible to find in the UK. My sewing machine can be a little bit fussy about what kinds of thread it likes to eat, so I’m hoping it’ll get on okay with this one.
On the right is a little piece of organic cotton jersey bias binding – another thing which doesn’t seem to exist over here! I know that I could easily make my own jersey binding, but it takes such a lot of fabric that buying it readymade saves an awful lot of time and money. I’m hoping that this is the right width to feed straight through the fancy bias binding foot on my sewing machine. That would save a lot of time as well!
The two booklets are swatches of Near Sea Naturals‘ “Business Builder” organic cotton jersey fabrics. They’re the ones that they try to keep in stock all the time, and can sell on a wholesale basis. I’m not quite up to being able to buy on a wholesale basis just yet, but it’s very useful to know which fabrics are going to be continuously available.
I’m particularly in love with the pointelle and waffle fabrics that you can see in the picture. Yes, I know they’re most commonly used for thermal underwear, but they’re so soft, and absolutely gorgeous. There’s also a jersey with 8% spandex, which will be great for leggings, and a really interesting herringbone weave, which would make a lovely skirt.
I only wish it was possible for me to convey to you exactly how soft all of these fabrics are. I work in a fabric shop, for goodness’ sake, and I’ve never felt anything as soft as these!
I can’t wait to draw up some designs, and work out what I need to order.