Why I CAN'T Tell You Where to Buy Historical Fabric!
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- Want to know the best place online to find and buy all the fabric, cloth, accessories and trim you'll ever need for your medieval and historical costuming and reenactment needs?
Me too. Tell me when you find it!
Every week I get comments, emails, and messages asking me where to buy fabric from, and I always feel bad replying "it depends". This video explains why, even though I wish I could, I can't give you a catch-all, universal answer on which online store to buy your clothing supplies from.
But! (Butt) I can give you some advice for your own journeys finding the right fabric and fibres for you. So join me as we take a look at some of the tips and experience I've picked up as a (very) amateur costumer!
Find me elsewhere:
Patreon: / jimmyjohnson
Ko-Fi: ko-fi.com/thewelshviking
Insta: @littlewelshviking
Business and collaboration email: thewelshviking1@gmail.com
Letters, parcels, packages?
The Welsh Viking,
PO Box 821,
YORK,
YO1 0PY
Music:
Intro: Sosban Fach, Welsh (trad).
Sunset Over the Seine by Trabante
The First Baby Steps and Bicycle Ride by Vendla
OH MAN the fleece issues make me SO MAD! One of my mom's friends has a sheep ranch (for meat) and ranches used to get their sheep shorn for free because even the low quality wool was useful for all sorts of things, but with the advent of polyester as a cheap fabric/fill, the ranches have to pay to have their sheep shorn and then DISCARD the fleece!!! Couch stuffing, moving blankets, other low quality fiber goods SHOULD BE MADE FROM CHEAP WOOL! Let's stop using plastic when we have really great natural materials available!!!
happens around me :( I've even offered to take it off their hands, as I spin, but they always "forget" to contact me to collect it after they say yes and I then find out they've burnt it or thrown it into landfill T_T
@@daisanders82 see if you can get in contact with shearers maybe? I think shearing season is really crazy for everyone so once it passes and they realize they forgot to save some back for you, it's too late. But a shearer could tell you when they are scheduled to go to the farms so you could be there as the sheep are shorn? Then you get to save some of the wool, and they don't have to think twice? :)
@@lizzyrbits1283 Oh I've done that too, when the shearers (a local group from down the road) have turned up next door and messaged the owner and the main shearer to remind them and all that jazz but still no cigar :(. I'm probably literally going to have to go over there and do a snatch and run deal as soon as it comes off the sheep lol
Right? One guy I know has goats with nice fleeces and they have to get thrown away , but thats because his goats get into weeks and tangly
@@daisanders82 🥺
I am now very jealous of everyone who lives near proper fabric stores, and not just quilting and craft stores.
That was also my reaction. The US is surprisingly *bad* at providing non-Chinese goods
@@rd6203 Same here! Sorry, Jimmy, I just don't want a personal relationship with [giant craft/fabric store of your choice.] So it's all online for me. I do have a deeply satisfying relationship with my laptop and my credit card, LOL!
Same here! When he mentioned going to a tailor shop, I laughed. I’m surrounded by quilting stores. None of the employees even know what I’m asking half the time. The closest fabric store to me doesn’t even sell wool because the owner’s mother is allergic to it. The best natural fiber I could grab there was some bleached muslin.
Oh, we used to have proper fabric/yarn/book stores everwhere. I worked in one. Every day people would come in, inspect our goods, ask us questions, take notes, buy nothing, and go home to the internet. I truly applaud the ones who were nimble enough to survive because most didn't.
@@melissamanning2015 😢
I truly cannot fathom walking out of a fabric store without having purchased something... unless the line is long. I don't wait well
Everyone: Hey, Jimmy, what tips do you have for buying fabric?
Jimmy: THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP
Teamwork makes the dream work.
"I need the money"...
So... You're just a poor student doing whatever it takes to get you through Uni? Fair enough!
I can't afford all that Patreon stuff, but I can definitely afford a "like" and a comment to show engagement with the content for algorithmic purposes!
Don't mind me, just trying to helping the algorithm
Oh, all mighty Algorithm, take this offering from this drab human... {pppst... pass the butter?}
- Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown
@@stevezytveld6585 Hi Cathy, being called "Steve" is surely not the worst thing that could happen. I've been called significantly worse things.
(Have we appeased the algorithm yet, I wonder? Also, I'm Danish... I have LOTS of butter, so help yourself! No bacon, though; all the back rashers are exported so we can only buy streaky belly-bacon here. See, Algorithmic Overlord? We're having meaningful conversation in the comments! SUCH ENGAGEMENT!!!)
@@CopenhagenDreaming Such Engagement!!! I am so proud of us all.
We're a couple of Gen X Luddites, so I didn't realize I was using Mister Husbands YT account until The Algorithm was trained to know me. Ah well. There are worst things.
(I brought the bacon, so we're covered for that, mmm if you could pass the butter... cheers!)
Appreciate the honesty, one full viewing, coming up. Living Anachronism sent me your way, FYI.
"Keep this running in the background, because I need the money."
~keeps this running in the background, because I need the noise~
"I need the money."
Brutal honesty!
I live by the banks of the river Tweed. I can literally see it flowing from my cottage. Around my area there used to be a thriving industry, an amazing amount of high quality tweel (aka tweed) used to be made in my area, and some still is but hoo boy is it expensive! It's just not reasonably priced for the average sewist, it's priced for the market where wealthy people can shop. It's a crying shame that our local mills and weavers mostly died out, and the locals have to buy in from other places if they wish to sew with it for any other reason than making high priced items that are mostly for tourists.
don't forget that once made up into a garment you should be able to wear it all your life then pass it on down the generations. So it's not that expensive in the long run.
@@cadileigh9948
That depends on how often you wear it, but yes, a good quality wool garment should last for many, many wears.
@@cadileigh9948 My daughter would not be caught dead wearing her mom’s clothes, and is far taller to boot, so… Definitely won’t have *that* lifespan.
Hahahaha, the General Advice joke cracked me up way more than it probably should have 😂👌🏼
I'm an American knitter who primarily works with wool. I don't know much about where the fabric industry sources their raw materials, but for yarn, most of the wool comes from Peru.
Additionally, fiber arts in general appear to be on a bit of a downswing here. A few years ago I could walk into the craft store and find yarn in a wide variety of fiber contents and colors. Now it's all plastic with a limited selection of colors. If I want to get yarn that I consider acceptable for my purposes, I have no choice but to order it online. As I watch this video, I'm knitting a sock using yarn that I ordered from an English shop (it's not sold anywhere in the US) that was spun somewhere in the EU (per the label) using wool grown on South American sheep (per the company's website). The environmental impact of these socks is almost as crazy as I would be if I was no longer allowed to knit.
One place I would recommend for folks in the USA is looking for clothing at Renaissance Festivals. While some places there do sell more of what we could call costume pieces (still awesome and high quality) there are venders who specialize in historicaly accurate. I have gotten a lot of my stuff from Ren Faires and Celtic Festivals.
I've had no such luck, sadly. I have found plenty of good leather and fur that I can use to make kit pieces.
I have just relocated across the United States to Seattle (toxic family, had to have space) and I’m in the progress of changing my life and how I do things. I guess “detoxing” a bit and cleaning my situation up.
I really like the idea of learning crafts like spinning and skills like buying local, sustainable products. It’s a bit overwhelming at the moment (moving’s hella expensive and I’m swamped with debt) but I’ll do several rewatches of this vid and others to get the hang of what I need to do.
Thanks for all the inspiration! ❤
This mans videos, just keep getting better and better... Im proud to call myself a Welsh Viking fan! 🏴
Agree :)
"Every single piece of re-enactment kit I've ever made is wrong." I totally feel you on that. I try to make it less wrong when I redo it, but I've had to get used to "close is good enough" because I am making it for me, not whoever made it in the past. I want to do it all myself, but I think my hobbies already take up most of the house so no matter how much I want a spinning wheel and a loom, it's not happening in this house...
Those antique linen sheets are perfect for base layer things. They've already been washed 1000+ times so are lovely and soft and any garment you make will immediately look lived-in.
I was going to say - it you can find fabric in a reuse shop and can find out fibre content, it's twice as nice.
I have made so many shifts, smocks, corset covers, petticoats from linen sheets. I love them.
Where do you find actual linen fabric ? All we have is cotton polyester sheets 🥺
@@ah5721 I mostly find mine at charity shops and on-line for used. New sheets can be pricey but Restoration Hardware and lots of other retailers sell them, too.
@@ah5721 I got a stack a few years back on Ebay, apparently from a house-clearance in France. It's a bit pot-luck as to what condition they're in but if you pick a seller with a decent reputation you should be OK.
Our irish linen sheets and table cloths were only ever washed on the sunniest days and laid flat on the lawn to sun bleach. When I was younger I could card with the best of them but I only ever tried scutching flax once that was a serious skill
It's a balancing act:
1. What can you afford?
2. What is available: locally/ships to your area without prohibitive expense?
3. What compromises are you willing to make?
You think wool is hard? Try textiles that look like what was being made in 16th c. Japan.
You don't even have to go to Japan, even getting brocades that look like the long Regency-era brocades is pretty much impossible. EVERYTHING has more dense, all-over patterning than was popular at the time. EVERYTHING.
Leaving it on in the background during my lunch at work because you need the 💰🤑money 💰🤑🤪🙃😅
If you live in the Vancouver area, Sanjo Silk @ 1531 Johnston St has the most marvelous, soft ,100% plain white wool broadcloth from Japan. It is exquisite, reasonably priced and sold in meters. They also specialize in equally wonderful silk fabric, linen&silk fabric plus silk yarn. I love this shop and highly recommend it.
Ooooo ! I think the U.S.A. dollar is strong against the Canadian at the moment, so that would possibly make it worth to get it shipped ?!
@@m.maclellan7147 These fabrics dye beautifully and would totally be worth the shipping cost for that special outfit.
I'm also a big fan of dressew on Hastings. Tends to be more affordable. Unfortunately I don't live in Vancouver, but when I come to visit, I always spend money at dressew. Packages of elastic for 25 cents. How can I say no?
@@AnnAnonyme Sssh, not so loud...we don't want everyone to know. *)
i live in north America and most of the time i go to thrift or second and or antique stores and possibly get lucky to even find wool fabric,
find wool thread and yarn no problem in them kind of stores though,
My first Viking apron proudly woven myself on a Warp weighted loom made out of an old bed frame,
funny thing though if you ever weave, even if its warped straight, when it gathers like a triangle to the bottom for some reason its the same shape as if one made a Viking apron the upright weaving or the rocks at the bottom seem to tighten as its going along and it develops that way Don't know why but it works though i didn't have to cut the fabric to make it triangular or dress shaped it already wove itself that way.
The Textile Society (UK) do two antique textile fairs a year. One in Manchester (Fallowfield) in March and one in Chelsea. You have to get tickets for them via Event Brite
This is still a good list of things to think about when buying fabric!
This is actually super helpful to me! Thanks!
Also, I'm SCA Viking, but I went to a local Viking group's demo this past weekend, and one of the guys was talking to a visitor about "this channel where the guy is from Wales, and he talks all about Viking stuff." My adhd brain immediately but right in with "The Welsh Viking!! I love Jimmy!!"
as someone who no longer needs the fabric but misses your face i put this on just to get you the money so i laughed when you said that.
I always feel jealous of you & Bernadette Banner for being able to have fabric/garment districts so accessible. But I do have one of the shops some of the reenactors of the Scottish 1630s like in driving distance. I have to say it's very sad that those fleeces are being burned. Even though I don't need any roving, yarn or fabric, I'd rather add to my collection of backed up projects than see such resources go to waste!
The backed up projects is a true mood!
My 3 week old kitten, Thor, was glued to this video in between getting his formula fix. Lol
Prrr. Meow. Sniff sniff. Lick. Prrrr prrrr.
Thanks for mentioning charity shops--second-hand stores are good, too. Great Gran passes and her fabric stash gets donated. I've had some wonderful finds there. (And there's a lot of fabric in a pleated wool skirt!)
Loved the peek inside your local fabric shop. There are no longer any real fabric stores within several hundred miles pf where I live, just small versions of the bog box fabric store chain. And nothing even pretending to be wool anymore.
I
LoL. I did once wet ret flax in the upstairs tub. Mom vetoed that after the smell made it's way downstairs.
I bought an old tub from the tip shop to ret my flax in - it lives outside, with netting over it to stop the mozzies and flies laying eggs in there!
@@catherinemcnamara1141 that's an excellent idea. I am mostly spinning wool these days, but I am sure I will get back to linen at some point. I still have all my tools
In Norway sheep farmers usually only sell the spring fleece. When they’ve been out all summer the fleece is full of twigs and dirt and tangles, so the wool factories aren’t that interested… Which is really sad. Other than that Norwegian wool is quite high quality!
If you live in Scandinavia or Germany, and you’re a beginner, you can shop for wool at Selfmade (earlier Stof og Stil). They have some patterns for simple garments as well (trousers/ shirts/ tunics/ etc)
I used to work for Selfmade and a lot of the wool is mixed with polyester :)
The fleece with dirt and twigs in it makes for some amazing compost. Slow release nitrogen as it breaks down, helps improve water retention but also improves aeration, and also provides some insect prevention when used to top dress the soil. Maybe some organic farmers or gardeners would purchase the dirty fleece?
@@nannalange6696
That’s my impression as well. I haven’t looked there recently, but the times I have looked it’s been impossible to find 100% wool, only wool blends. They also don’t provide much information about the weave of the fabrics.
@@ragnkja When I worked there, we didn't get super many reenactors (even though there's many in our area, especially viking reenactors). They'd rather go to StofShop in Åbyhøj instead. She has great wools, but I don't know if she ships outside Denmark.
Wool in Australia is mostly shipped to about 52 countries (but mostly China) to get turned into fabric. Given we only have one wool mill left in Tasmania and but not so much on a roll as a queen size blanket for $550...., the fabric we can get hold of here is imported from some other country. (Probably from China).
The locals laughed at us when we bought some Australian wool in Spain. It's just tricky to get. :)
It is utterly infuriating. I saw NZ wool the other day! Which was at least better quality than every other wool I saw on the shelves.
That brief shot of burn severity prediction of various polyester %/ cotton % was so good! Blacksmiths won't wear any polyester, not even shoelaces, if they care about not getting more burnt than is unavoidable.
I don't even have any interest in historical reenactment, and only fell upon your channel by accident, but your enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge are really great things to witness, and all of the information you share is super interesting, even if I have no connection to the world of historical reenactment.
As a knitter and spinner, your wool addiction warms my soul.
The advice you provide is sound for any types of specific purchases for anyone who may be interested in accurate historical materials for whatever use needed. 👍🏻👍🏻
For Europeans and specially for the brits, if you are traveling to Portugal for vacations, check out the fabric stores that are all around, even in small towns. You can find natural fabrics made locally by very specialized workers.
Ooh, that sounds wonderful
I've found lovely stuff from an upholsterers, really nice linens, so that's worth a go.
As someone who lives down the road from the Leeds Markets fun to know you found good stuff there!! (as I always find too). Lots of excellent advice even when you don't re-enact and just want to make nice clothes... Thanks very much to General Advice for the information.
I'm not a reenactor myself, but do make costumes, and I love the fabric hunt. Last year I discovered that one of the fabric stalls at fantasy/reenactment events also has a webshop. They are located in the Netherlands, called Classic Fabrics. And I believe they ship worldwide.
I have not burn tested the fabrics, but the linnen felt great as did the wool. Now I do wanna burn test them to know. Thanks Jimmy for giving me the urge to set things on fire :P
I can tell you as a repeating customer their stuff is great and also somewhat catered towards viking reenactment. Btw also check their facebook page: a selyem turul (or @dezijdenvalk) for their hand dyed fabrics.
Since you mentioned Australia and NZ, I wanted to shout out a good place for people there to buy from - The Fabric Store! Great selections of linen, wool, silk and cotton, and they’re very clear on fibre content too which is great. There are of course smaller shops in each city, but that is a good one that has outlets in a few major cities, and a great online shop that isn’t shipping from across the world (=affordable and ethical)
Oh amazing, thank you so much, Caitlin!
The Fabric Store is pretty amazing, they really do include a lot of information, I’ve seen staff burn testing fabrics that have just arrived to confirm the fibre content.
If you’re on a budget, don’t mind a blend and in or around Melbourne I’d also recommend Darn Cheap fabrics, they generally have a pretty good range but what’s in stock can vary quite a bit seasonally
They are great (as are their colour ranges), but when it comes to wool you are really only set if you want jersey. But if you want broadcloth then they are not very helpful at all.
Ahahahaha finding wool in Australia that isn't light weight, that is a challenge. We also export most of our wool in the first place leaving us with a dearth. Although we are pretty set for linen. :)
How often do you _want_ to wear heavier wool in Australia?
@@ragnkja All winter, partsof spring and autumn. It is currently 2C outside without counting wind chill. Not all of Australia is tropical or hot.
I'm in Northern Ireland, I thoroughly recommend The Flax Mill in Dungiven. Amazing linen (including handwoven) and 100% wool.
Yes, if you’re going to be around fire, use organic fibre, not synthetic! When I was a child, a girl in my school got severe burns from a red spirit burner that was refilled while it was still very hot. She was wearing a synthetic jumper, so her arms and much of her torso ended up with third degree burns, but her bra and her trousers were cotton, and those almost certainly saved her life.
Well I am actually from Normandy just near Vernon, so... Thank you for showing my home !!!
Hello Jimmy and all,
While I knit, crochet, sew, spin and weave, I am currently not able to do much homespun woven fabrics at this time.
Access to the wool is a bit limited living in a small town like I do. However, I do try to get all natural fibers in various weaves.
It's fun to stitch my totally inaccurate clothing. I enjoy the hobby whether or not I produced the garment from raw materials, or from modern materials.
Thank You Jimmy, for another lovely video. I am glad that you aren't trying to work outside your wheelhouse with recommendations. You Sir, are a gentleman in my opinion.
Take care all. Hugs from Minnesota.
Hey neighbor
@@madinahagberg4942 howdy, huge hugs neighbor
@@tetchedistress have you perchance had any fabric luck at S.R. Harris in Anoka? I can’t find wool locally anywhere...except Longville
This is even more difficult then getting genuine heirloom seeds for gardening. Great video! Thank you for the fabulous information.
Thanks for the video, Jimmy.
I picked up a free floor loom last year... and I still don't know how to use it 😂😭 my English cotton-weaving ancestors must be so frustrated with me 😬😅
I got you fam. I'm listening to this while driving a 13 hour trip here in the US. No worries though I turned it on at a gas station and left this comment before I left the parking lot.
If you go on eBay, and then look at the fabric section under the crafts sections, one of the sort functions is item location. I just had a quick look at wool within 20 miles and near the top was a 3m length of something described as all wool, made in Huddersfield, around £15 but pending further bids. Obviously based in West Yorkshire, there is plenty of bits. NB this is stuff being sold within 20 miles, not made within 20 miles. The listings can also give you clues about shops that are around and local. Sometimes just going on Google Maps and using the search function for fabric shop can also give clues. Thank you for sharing this.
The situation of wool production is just sad. Wool is one of the best fiber we have. In its best it is a fiber produced by the sun. (Sheep eat the gras which grows with sunlight and sheep grow their hair by eating gras.) And meadows are great carbon dioxide accumulators. So, buy more wool. Preferably local wool.
I am Welsh, but grew up in the US w/an English Gran & EVERYTHING she had, clothes, blankets etc, was all real 100% wool. Certain things were a little itchy, but nothing beats the the durability of real wool👍 My sister still has some of the wool blankets Gran brought w/her from where they lived in Cambridge. Thanks to them being stored in cedar closets & hope chests. Although I have seen an ad the other day for 100% wool socks & the company owns/shears their very own sheep!! Unfortunately, I cannot remember the name. So sorry to hear about the waste of all that wool😕 Bums me out, mate🐑
I’m a huge advocate for buying as locally as I can for all things I cannot currently produce for myself. But now you have me torn after discussing wool growers in the UK burning sheep’s wool due to lack of demand. I’d be happy to support a small scale wool producer in the UK despite being in the U.S. if it means keeping quality, ethically harvested wool from going to waste!
Sheep farmers in the US are having to do the same burning of their wool, I believe. It’s an international issue.
@@katherinemorelle7115 it’s so frustrating that a quality product is going to waste because consumers prefer cheaper, poor quality stuff instead.
Your video reminds me of how lucky I am that my SCA Barony has a Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet in it. The cloth is no longer made down the road from the outlet 😥, but the outlet still has really great prices on 100% worsted wool.
When I first played SCA in my teens, it was pre internet, and research was really hard, especially because on the US west coast in the 70s and early 80s, libraries mostly had Victorian and early 20th century books on fashion history, and we were far removed from any sort of European medieval history stuff. Costumes of that era were very strange and alarmingly inaccurate, acetate satin and poly cotton twill much? Same when I played again in my mid 20s.
When I returned to playing about a decade later, the internet had become a thing, and SCA research had blossomed. Now, at events, when conversation moves to garb, newcomers get pointed to the Pendleton outlet during their first event.
I live in Portland, OR, USA, and I finally went to the Pendleton wool outlet here last week. There was gorgeous wool there at gobsmackingly good prices. And as far as I could tell from the informational signs at the store, it's all, or mostly all, sourced from and processed within the state of Oregon. If you live near one of these outlets or or are visiting this area, definitely stop by.
Thrift/ Op shops can give you amazing finds, especially if you live in an area with an older community. I found 4m of silk taffeta for $2. I have a local op shop that regularly has suiting fabrics, sometimes wools.
A lot of the sites I have found for fabrics that might be suitable, is through the local sewing community, modern bag makers and seamstresses have all sorts of weird and wonderful recommendations :)
I genuinely love it when people with a lot of experience in a certain area sit down and chat like this. I love your videos and this was no exception. I have no need to buy bolts of fabric myself but listening to the things you’re passionate about is super inspiring, and a lot of the topics you cover are good advice for sourcing lots of types of material/object anyway. There’s always that balance or trade off between what you can afford and what your criteria are done ethical buying. Great video, looking forward to more in the future as always.
I thought I would put this on in the background while I did some little chores but NO I was glued all the way through 😂 thank you Jimmy!
I don't sew, only knit, in New Zealand. It's an odd situation. If I go for NZ produced wool, it's either a raw fleece from the farmer, which may or may not be sent to one of the several local mills for scouring and carding, or it's coming back to the motherland via a detour through something like Holst Garn in Denmark.
You need the money, I enjoy hearing your voice even though I don't sew or need fabric. Win win
As a New Zealander, I will say it's just as frustrating here. Farmers are paying more to sheer the sheep than they can sell the wool for yet New Zealand wool is super expensive overseas. And buying wool or wool fabrics made here is super super rare.
Yeah, we don't have the tech to spin/weave the really fine stuff here in NZ. A lot of NZ wool goes overseas to be made into fabric, and then comes back to NZ to be sold. It's a real shame.
Not only will reputable places be able to tell you the details of their products, they'll be *happy* to tell you the details of their products
ok, this went in a different direction then I assumed :D I assumed it was going to be about wool, and more specificly about the different breeds of sheep and which are the closest the period sheep. But this was also good
Well said. I grew up as a civil war reenactor in the US and building a community with the people making the goods was one of my favorite parts of the hobby.
On the topic of being an 'expert' on something, I had an anthropology professor who gave me my favorite way of describing my knowledge. Even when referencing his own credentials he'd say this was his 'area of least ignorance'. And I now give that phrase to you to use as you please!
Great advice if you sew clothing for any reason, I have been in Edinburgh looking for fabric just for fun, to bring home a souvenir of Scotland- I think it’s awesome you are keeping history alive,
Thank you ❣️
Since clothing for the common folk was made at home, wouldn't there be a variety of thread count, and quality in historic clothing?
Some, but cloth weavers have been very good at what they do for centuries, even in cottage scale production
You get good very quickly. I taught myself to spin, hoping for interesting textures. Within a short time I was making fine yarn, it was very irritating. Same goes for weaving which I learned on a tiny loom as a teen. Incredibly boring but you quickly get the knack. The modern image of "homespun " is very much due to the whole arts and crafts movement and people trying something once.
For northern Europe a peasant girl would start spinning and weaving very young, like at 3 or 4 year old in order to create her needs for married life. You get good very fast.
@@lenabreijer1311 even up to post WWII, a girl here in the Midwest US was expected to have a hope chest. Linens, quilts, etc. My great aunt and grandma made things for mine, though it was falling out of fashion quickly by the 1950s.
I do not sew but there are two huge fabric stores in downtown Houston that get mentioned when reenactors come to visit.
One sells for clothing, the other for decorating, owned by the same Asian family. Serious digging will probably produce results.
Do the shops have names, or should we guess?
Couldn't agree more. I am forever on the lookout for linen, and charity shops are in fact a godsend for costuming. Find your locals and lurk. Sometimes the staff will recognise you and set things aside if you ask nicely!
If you're in Auckland, New Zealand, pop into Geoff's Emporium on Dominion Road or Ike's Emporium in Devonport. They never have the same thing twice (though they'll almost always have plain-coloured cotton or linen), they will let you do burn tests if you ask nicely, and once I got 5m of 100% mohair wool fabric for $10/metre.
Also, I'm really glad that you're honest about 'I need the money' - I'd rather that than someone being all delicate about it.
Your method of fabric buying sounds much like my method of buying food at the farmers market, which is delightful. I'd never thought of buying other products that way. And now I wish I could always shop that way...
Jimmy needs the money! Fun aside... is there a video of you and your full viking outfits? I'd like to see stuff worn on a full person...
Same!
I now feel lucky to have a woolen mill just 5 minutes down the road from me!
I have a lovely friends who I know though the SCA, who I purchase all my tablet weave from. Made some awesome garters from their weaving. Great advice get to know your artisans, fabric vendors, and merchants. It takes time but worth investing in the relationship.
as an 18th century reenactor... was surpried to hear you mention Burnley and Trowbridge... Excellant video and advise...
I was SERIOUSLY WONDERING AND RESEARCHING THIS ALL DAY LONG!!! Seriously coincidental and helpful. Thank you!
I always love a good charity shop trawl. Sadly, even charity shops are starting to get ridiculously expensive. I miss the old fashioned jumble sales, where I picked up fantastic table cloths and embroidered table runners etc. I have a friend who has recently got a spinning wheel, and has a weaving frame. Think I may hit her up 😁 also, what about Birmingham rag market?
Aww hubby and I went to Harris and Lewis a few years ago! Not only is it wool heaven , but it is stunningly beautiful to visit 🥰🥰
I love listening to anyone nerd out about fabric and fiber. Hearing Jimmy do so is just lovely icing on the fabric cake :)
Thanks for the honesty "please don't leave.... I need the MONEY"
I need to figure out how to even START when I don't know any of the background things you talk about...
I need to even know where to get linen or wool
nothing is made in Saskatchewan... and no one has been here LOL
My two best pieces of advice go hand in hand. 1) Do your research. 2) Don't ask the vendor if it's historically accurate. For instance, there is a fabric vendor near my home that sells on both Etsy and eBay. All his linen and wool blend listings have "Pennsic" in the title. Pennsic is a huge annual medieval re-enactment event. I know most of those fabrics aren't suitable for historical accuracy so I asked him if he sells a lot of them at Pennsic. He admitted he doesn't even know what Pennsic is. He just puts that in his listings because people kept asking, "Is this good for Pennsic?" Rather than admit he didn't know he said yes so he could sell his fabric. Anyone that aims for historical accuracy should find out what that means before they go fabric shopping.
Cultivating a relationship with local businesses really is worth it if you plan to buy fabric more than just once.
I like going to my local fabric store because the woman who runs it now knows me and will get the wool out from the back (because it is Summer and nobody else is buying wool) and she knows the colors I like. This Spring we had to do some “Call&Collect” because non-essential stores weren’t allowed customers inside the store; her knowing my preferences ensured that I was super-happy with the fabric she chose based on what I’d asked for over the phone.
I will always watch your videos all the way through, you are just too damn adorable.
For me, the process is has always been the fun part of making anything. I learned to knit when I was in elementary school, and as soon as I learned to cable, I started seeking out the most complicated stuff I could make. I don't make a lot, because I don't end up using it that much, but I'll try to find unique patterns when I need to make someone a gift so I don't get bored while doing it.
I picked up a book called "Knitting with Dog Hair" from a used bookstore a LONG time ago, more than a decade, and always intended to try spinning. It took until now for me to start, after reading "Medieval Garments Reconstructed" and looking at all the information on the spinning and weaving techniques used. So I'm learning to spin now (on a drop spindle! Spinning wheels scare me. Though sewing machines also scare me, so that's not too surprising). And it's fun. Once I get good enough, I hope to make enough to learn to weave with. I live in Southern California, so I'm going to see if I can get in contact with some local or semi-local sheep raisers that can't sell their wool so I can buy it (I got my initial 2 pound batch of Corriedale from Paradise Fibers up in Washington). I've gathered shed fur from my dog and processed that into rolags so I can make something with it (it makes a very nice grey). I haven't reached out to any local reenactment groups about anything yet, and this all started within the last 2 months or so, but I'm looking forward to where this ends up going. I might even end up making some videos about it.
Just what I needed to hear today. It was brutal but fair - and a bit hilarious :)
That diagram with the burn test 'odor' etc. was great information. Thanks!
Going to Hedeby tomorrow, imma find some good stuff!!
Well said!! I think it's so important to make these points about what goes into the sourcing of fabrics. Relationships are at the heart of living history in so many ways and this is definitely one of them!
I'm with you on your standards, Jimmy, they're awesome standards to have. Nature is beyond priceless! Bottom line. I prefer the natural/organic fibers as well. I live in Denver and unfortunately we don't have a fabric district. So sad. :( We don't even have any real fabric stores anymore. Everything has turned to arts and crafts with very little fabric, so I have to order my fabrics online - but I do read all the FAQs, descriptions, and such. Burnley & Trowbridge has become my go to for now. I found them through Bernadette Banner. :) I don't mind too much except that I really miss and enjoy being able to walk in and actually feel the fabric textures and look at it all up close, and be able to ask questions. Love that orangutan, he's beautiful. Nature is worth fighting for. ;)
There's a local place called Mill Fabric Outlet in Colorado Springs that carries nice wool and linen on and off. Its always a bit of a gamble though, they also sell a lot of crappy polyester.
Haha! Not going to lie, I feel called out Jimmy. 😄 I did comment on your cloak video that I had one coming from Europe to Australia lol. You raise some good points about the benefits to the planet and individuals of buying locally. I love to support small businesses and local crafts people where I can. I have come into this hobby at an unusual time. All the events that would have allowed me to meet Australian crafters are cancelled so I have been ordering from international crafters online. I am slowly learning to make my own kit but wanted to buy enough so my family and I could turn up at events looking reasonable. But this video has me pining even more for local community events to start again. I can't wait to see what items are being produced here in Oz.
All the fabric stores in NZ are garbage for finding fabric suitable for historical garments.
On another note. A list of stores that do worldwide shipping that you could compile would be excellent and extremely helpful!
I care a lot for the environment, but that also means I often have to find some very specific items from overseas as most of the stuff we get here is plastic. Plastic plastic plastic.
Thanks for the insight, Jimmy 😊
As a re-enactor in Australia it similarly burns my soul that we produce a huge proportion of the world's wool - and it's near impossible to find here. It's a specialty and it's expensive - but it's made right here! I have legimiately bought wool from overseas...made in Australia. Insane. Not to mention sheep are pretty awful for our eco-systems.
Thank you! Lots of tips on what to look for, for when I'm at Torm this weekend, Cheers 🍻
I found this video both very entertaining and very informative. Thanks Jimmy for being honestly you. It's why we love you.
:3 Gawrsh
When I was reenacting the first time, my character was meant to be wearing wool. Thing is, until a few months ago I never saw wool. It’s 80-100 F at least 9 months a year.. but… I did the best I could do.
oddly raw silks mimic medium weight wool decently at arms length
I do reenactment for various time periods. Etsy has always been my go to but one does have to have prior knowledge to know what to look for. Great video!
Heck yeah, fabric discussions! I really appreciate the disclaimer at the start; I see a lot of questions around yarn (because crocheter rather than sewist), and it's so hard to convey what the best solution is; but I do try to explain there isn't necessarily right or wrong. It's down to individual situation, in location, ethics, finance, project, preference, experience and so much more. So much of it can just come down to F around and find out. lol. I am more and more responding to questions with that phrase, because so much understanding comes from own failures/mistakes/issues, rather than an answer from someone else's experience.
add this to the list of things that bend my paperclip, the shops that didn't survive. Ten years ago, i could have my pick of 15 shops, some wool exclusive as there is some angora sheep raising in the area, all closed now with only the wal-hobby-Ann's still around. Texan appreciates your shout out to Dusty, may his family be easy for his passing.
Fantastic video! Thank you!
As much as I found this entire video fascinating and very interesting, may I say how much I enjoyed 'Helpful Jimmy's' background music ^*^ - so chill
Thank you. I am all process, but I will get to wearing it yet. Dying fabric just now. Fall is a good time for it.
For some reason this video is where it really clicked for me that part of this hobby is about having a relationship with your "stuff" that is more grounded than just... I saw it in a shop. About knowing things about the history of your material culture and about construction methods and even knowing some of the people who made the things and how and when they did it. Having a connection to the things you use. I know many people have talked about this in different ways but here is where it really clicked, that this is what attracts me to the hobby.
Can I just say, Love the music
It's The Elevators , they play it in malls after they close
right?!
Well, this one I listened to all the way through! Hope the payoff was as good for you as for me 🤗 I’ve had very good luck trolling through the local thrift shops…don’t neglect old curtains and bedding … but it takes developing one’s eyes and touch. And your point of view is quite valid. - 😌 and that glimpse of your local shop makes me so envious. 😩 Thank you!
In Cape Town we have fabric centres/stores, the owners and staff are extremely proud of their industry - so, always willing to assist. Asking nicely works wonders.
I go to estate sales sometimes, and the first thing I check is whether the house had a sewing room. I once staggered over to a checkout table with my arms full of as much wool and linen as I could carry, asked "how much?" and one of them said bemusedly, "ten dollars?" Estate sales can be very good sources (although not always.)
I know exactly which stall in Leeds market you would have bought that linen from! we hoover up their stock pretty regularly for "coolthentic" LARP kit
I love it so much and I miss it like heck