Sourcing Vintage Fabrics

This week I'm going to let you into my secret world of sourcing my supplies. If you follow me you will be aware that I mostly use vintage and reclaimed fabrics, and you may wonder where on earth i find such beautiful cloths.
Initially it started out with a friend of mine that sells vintage clothing, and she would supply me with textiles and notions that she had found. It helps to be in a network of like minded people who share skills, products and ideas, as they say, its not what you know its who you know.
My friend regularly goes to a Sue Ryder vintage car boot, and would pick up all sorts of shapes and sizes of fabrics, zips and trimmings for me.
She also would give me vintage maxi dresses to cut shorter, as she wasn't selling them, so in payment for the work, I would keep the bits  I cut off (always enough to make a skirt).

Upcycled 70s fabric. From Maxi to mini

Available at Pandoras Box

I like meandering round charity shops and will often pick up vintage clothes patterns and old sheets and pillow cases. Sheets or quilt covers with geometric prints, flowers or bold pattern from the 60s and 70s are always a great find, as there is so much fabric to them. I love getting a nice vintage pillow case, they can easily be turned into bags or cushion covers, and are they perfect width to make a size 10 skirt (half of the work is done for me then.

70s Geometric pillow case

Skirt made from the pillow case

When sourcing vintage fabrics, I will give them a sniff test, this tells me that they are genuinely old. i can also tell by the texture and look of a fabric, then I may do further research to try and determine how old it it (its not always easy to be accurate). Mostly I will date them by period, as opposed to specific years, this can be easier if its a striking print as they are more identifiable, and if you have a length of actual fabric, you will often find the designers or textiles companies name on the selvedge.

Hemingway Designs and Andrew Foster

Wayne Hemingway founded Red or Dead, and when I started getting into designer fashion, was one of my first heroes, in fact I dreamed of working for him. I was a raver in my late teens early 20's, and those that could afford it would wear Red or Dead or Vivienne Westwood's Destroy range. I didn't have money, but I could make clothes, and had my own versions.
In the late 1990's, they gave up Red or Dead, but continued Hemingway Design, focusing on various projects including art installations and housing design. The cloth I received from a friend that is my vintage guru, had Hemingway Design on it, so I decided to research as I remembered that Wayne is into his vintage, and low and behold, it was The Wayne Hemingway. Hemingway (and his wife) are now leaders in the vintage scene, in 2010 they held the first 'Vintage Festival', for which they were awarded the best new festival award.

Link to the Vintage festival

Hemingway Designs fabric

Wayne Hemingway 

Another fabric I used in this project is the much sought after Andrew Foster chevron print textile. I have tried on various occasions to research into getting a date for this fabric, but it has not been easy, and I am not sure which source to trust. But the most common date I am finding is 1973, I intend on furthering this research at some point, I have plenty more of this fabric to work with, I absolutely adore it, he did it in various colour schemes, and was well known for it.

Andrew Foster chevron print skirt 

Andrew Foster - Stamp 1982

Another way of identifying a fabric, is to do 'burn' testing, by taking a strand and using a flame to see how it burns. You can tell by the fumes it creates, the type of flame it makes, and what happens once the flame has extinguished. for example, a natural fibre will turn to ash, and synthetic ones will melt into a black bead. there are more specific things you need to look at to determine the actual cloth.

1970s Floral Twill from Vintage House

 Online I will generally use Ebay to source fabrics, where I will sometimes get a bit of history on the fabric too. My favourite supplier is Vintage House 33, they have the most exquisite quality cloths, that I may pay a bit more money for, but they are irresistible, so much so, I often want the garment I make for myself. I recently chatted with Jill from Vintage House 33, as I was curious as to why the fabrics I get from her never smell, she explained. "I guess its because I clean them! Its also a good way to find out if they have uv damage as they will disintegrate. If its fabulous and rare I will just hang it outside or use dry cleaning fluid carefully. But I wouldn't send anything smelly ! "
We both agree, that its best to seek professional advice before washing vintage fabrics.
 As Ebay is so fast and popular, I get sent email updates on the latest vintage fabrics that are on sale, so I can be first in there to get them.

1970s Psychedelic print from VH

I made this Jerkin (as it was termed back then) or tabard if you like, from this awesome fabric from Jills supply. I was so excited when I found it. Unfortunately, there wasn't quite enough for a dress, so I decided to make the Jerkin instead. I hope you agree it looks amazing, a real 'statement' piece.


    Buy Kiki from Button Boatique









My biggest secret place to source fabrics is in my home town of Newbury. I am lucky that we have the needlework archive centre here, in Greenham Park. they have great exhibitions on, but also have stashes of fabrics that are donated, and they sell them at reasonable prices. I am like a kid in a sweet shop in here, and have to refrain myself often form purchasing too much (remember I live on a boat so space can be limited).

*2022 - Currently selling stock at a pop up shop in Newbury town centre 

The Green Sewing Shop link

The Old Chapel Textile Centre, Newbury

1970s geometric print from the Chapel and Textile Centre

1960s small flower print from the Chapel and Textile Centre

I also source fabrics when I got to Vintage events or even antique shops sometimes. Another way I try and determine the year pf a cloth is by looking at the colours and the prints. This is an area I am currently doing a lot of research on, and will be a whole blog in itself.

Please leave comments on anything you have read in this blog, I do like a chat.