I had an epiphany about my favorite polka dot jacket that I wrote about last week: why not ask my sewing contractor to create a new one just for me? And if it works, why not grade it and sell it? To that end, I attended the DG Expo on Monday, searching for a knit polka dot fabric that I could order in small minimums and re-order as needed. Finding fabric that meets these two requirements is one of the biggest challenges for a small clothing manufacturer. I didn’t find the fabric I wanted, but I found some other possibilities: a solid soft viscose knit that feels like a sweatshirt and is actually milled here in the States, a solid heavier knit, and polka dots in a “sweater weight” that would require lining. Unfortunately, the solid heavier knit is the one I really want, but the company requires a minimum purchase of 20 yards–quite an obstacle when all I want to do is make a sample to see if I like the fabric enough to order more. So I’m going to order just three yards of the sweatshirt-like knit and see if I like it.
I think I’ve written before about how inspiring fabric stores can be, and I found some beautiful pieces at Monday’s show that make me want to create something special . . . like this dotted Swiss cotton batiste. Which color would you choose, and what would you have it made into?
Or this black lace that also comes in other colors.
Happily, both the batiste and the lace can be ordered in small quantities and re-ordered as needed.
Below are some prints that I fell in love with at a jobber’s booth. A jobber buys the end rolls from other garment manufacturers and re-sells them. Sadly, once the roll is finished, it can’t be re-ordered.
