Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Preparing for the Crafters' Ceilidh Meet-Up

I'm so excited for this upcoming weekend! I wanted to do a post about what to expect at the Crafters' Ceilidh meet-up.  Those who are coming will be receiving an email soon with all the details but I thought I do a little showcase piece on some of my favourite sewing related offerings in the beautiful city of Edinburgh.  Now, it's no Goldhawk Road or Garment District....but we've got a few Aladdin's Caves with hidden treasures.  I know I am horrible at spur of the moment shopping and prefer to plot and plan a little before my fabric and sewing related excursions--so I thought I thought I'd share some photos to get your creative ideas flowing!

If you've been following my blog for awhile, you know that I love Edinburgh Fabrics (they don't have a website).  They have everything: consistent offerings, great quality and excellent prices.  I've made many of my garments from fabric bought at Edinburgh Fabrics.  Here are a few of my favourite things:

Fun Buttons photo credit: Tilly from Tilly and the Buttons

Edinburgh Fabrics is small and jam packed with goodies.  I always find something new every time I visit.  Some of my favourite things they offer includes amazing British wool (at good prices approx. £15-20/mtr), crepe back satin in virtually every colour, fun buttons (including rhinestone vintage looking buttons), loads of trim, beautiful Chinese brocade fabrics, great linings and some beautiful netting (think petticoats) in nice muted colours.  Edinburgh Fabrics is family run and I think you will love it!

We also have a store called the Cloth Shop (run by Remnant Kings):
 Photos from Remnant Kings Website

Looking for home furnishing fabrics, fun stretch tartan fabric or funky prints?  The cloth shop is a great store.  I never know what I'm going to find but I always love having a look!  They also have  accessories such as shoulder pads, etc.

And last but not least in the fabric store category is Mandors Edinburgh:

Mandors Store photo credit: rovingreporterseca

They have their flagship store in Glasgow but have a two-floor shop in Edinburgh.  The basement holds the quilting cottons and furnishing fabrics and the ground floor is dedicated to dressmaking fabrics.  Let me tell you...they have an A-MAZING wool selection.  Mandors is know for their colour coordinated stores and it is so fun to browse their amazing offering.  There is a huge range in prices from bargain bin half-priced fabric to Alpaca and Wool coating going for £50/mtr.  It just so happens our visit will coincide with their winter sale....hmmmmm

But wait....there's more. 

Fancy knitting?  K1 Yarns Knitting Boutique is a cute little shop with some very nice yarns.  They also have a short stack of wool fabric and batik print fabric in the store (though it's a bit on the pricey end).

Do you have an embroidery project or are you thinking of starting one?  Well....the Grassmarket Embroidery Shop (again no website) is the equivalent of handwork heaven.  Every colour of floss, embroidery canvases and fabrics, speciality kits....

Do you love vintage?
 Photo credits: Gloves and hats photos from La Poubelle Verte, Cashmere sweaters photo from Rosie and Gracie Vintage.

Armstrongs and Sons is THE place in Scotland for vintage clothing.  Some of my favourite things include their vintage hats, gloves and of course, cashmere jumpers/sweaters.  They also have vintage patterns and fabrics.  Every time I've gone, I've walked away with some fabric at a fabulous price (in December I came away with three yards each of two separate wools!!)  Plus, the store is such a fun experience--it's packed from floor to ceiling with pretty things.

I'm currently checking to see if any of these places will give us discounts.

What else?  Bring your camera and plan for cold weather.....of course, you do realise we are all totally crazy for planning a meet-up in January in Scotland??  heheheh.  The high is expected to be 6 degrees Celsius with light rain and wind--so bundle up.  You don't have to wear a me-made creation, unless of course you have made a coat recently.....

We'll probably do a bit of traveling by bus around the city (Edinburgh buses are fantastic)--so plan to bring £3.20 in exact change to purchase a day ticket.  Unlike other buses in Scotland, the Lothian buses do not give change so you have to have the exact fare.

If you have fabric, patterns, yarn or other crafty stuff that you're not using--bring it with you and put it in our swap!

More details on the actual meet-up location and other logistics will be sent soon!  I can't wait for Saturday!!
SHARE:

18 comments

  1. Thank you for this post. I'm not coming to the crafters ceilidh, but I am going to Edinburgh in March and I will have a lot of time on my hands for browsing fabric and yarn shops!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wish I could make it to the Crafters' Ceilidh! Have you ever been to the Dress Fabric Company in Bruntsfield? It's my favourite fabric shop in Edinburgh.

    It's absolutely tiny but the woman who runs it has a great eye for fabrics, everything she stocks is beautiful. Some of it is pricey but she also have cheaper fabric. I've found amazing fabric there I haven't seen anywhere else. You should definitely check it out. I buy something there everytime I go home to Edinburgh!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm really excited.. I'm just worried about the cold.. I'm already freezing down here... you will see me with 10 layers on the day ...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Can you imagine if I turned up in my North Face jacket? I think I'd be turned away from the Ceilidh. If people are feeling cold they can slip their hands into my cosy pockets. I can't wait for this meet-up, I may start having palpitations! Thank you so much for your wonderful organisational skills, all three of you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh how I wish I was coming along!!! it looks like it's going to be such fun. I'll have to bookmark this for when I next arrange a trip to Edinburgh (when it's warmer - I'm no good in the cold!) x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fantastic post, thank you. I can't make it to the Ceilidh but will be going to Edinburgh later this year so that my panda obsessed eldest can see the Zoo's new stars! My sis-in-law who lives there is a knitting fanatic, so I'm sure she'll be taking me around the yarn shops (even though I don't knit), but this will be great for the sewing/ fabric side of things.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OMG!! Saturday seems so far away. I can't wait. I don't have a very practical coat at the moment, so I shall layer like I have never layered before. oohh.....so excited now. I'm really looking forward to going into Mandors.I've heard so many exciting things about that place.

    ReplyDelete
  8. There's a Mandors?! There IS?! :D
    I think I am about to have a panic planning attack - lucky I have 3 hours on the train to think about it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Have a great time everyone - wish I was coming with you! x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ahhhh Edinburgh. I went to uni there, so this post was a lovely trip down memeory lane :)
    Have a great weekend sew-ers, so jealous I can't make it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. so jealous. please take hundreds of pictures!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wow, I wish I could make it....
    I used to live in Edinbrugh for three months as an exchange student about 7 years ago and I loved it. I keep wanting to go back, at least for a short visit, but somehow I still have to get around to doing it...

    Back then, I loved Armstrong & Sons. All their stores are great but the main one, at the foot of the hill, is a true Alladin's cave. I still wear the 1970's suede jacket I bought there. Weather permitting, of course.

    ReplyDelete
  13. oh my gosh that cherry fabric is sooo cute!! Im so looking forward to meet all you wonderful people!! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. ....another fan of the Dress fabric Company here. I made a top from Missoni knit fabric purchased from this shop specially to wear to the CrafterS Ceilidh. However since I have had to pull out of the CC for family reasons, my top will be worn in Aberdeen this weekend instead ! Anyway I know that you will all have a fantastic time - looking forward to reading all about it on your blogs. Although not a blogger myself, i enjoy the blogs of quite a few of you planning to be in Edinburgh in Saturday. Have fun !
    ( and wrap up warm ! )

    Janice.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Exciting ! This post just adds to the feverish anticipation!!! Thanks Debi

    ReplyDelete
  16. If you have another meet-up I'm definitely on the list but it's not happening this time around. Thanks for the list of fabric shops (as a new sewist). As an ex-student in Edinburgh (from a time when it was still in B&W) then Armstrongs is still on my hitlist when I visit. It's where my wedding dress came from and I didn't even think of going anywhere else! Enjoy your day on Saturday. Can't wait to see the pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I so wish I was able to come to this meet up. My friend is celebrating a big birthday this weekend otherwise I would be there for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  18. So great to hear everyone's connections with Edinburgh! I just love it!

    I definitely need to check out the Dress Fabric Company...thanks for the information!!!

    So looking forward to this weekend!!!!

    ReplyDelete

I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
MINIMAL BLOGGER TEMPLATES BY pipdig