cotton broadcloth

[Pascal]

Hooray for  S.R. Harris!  Three of us flew there from Houston a few months ago and loaded up our suitcases.  They were having a 50% off linen sale (that's 50% off their already 50% off prices!).

[operafantomet]

S. R. Harris is the only US fabric shop I've ever been to, but I agree with the praise they're getting here: they were awesome. 

I didn't buy too much fabrics (cause I live in Norway and there were limits to how much I could drag back on the plane...), but I bought many gorgeous trims. Aaah, the memories.

/off-topic

[gypsylakat]

fantom, that's when you take a bunch, put it in a box, and ship it to your mom's house, or your house and get back the next day! lol the post office has boxes that you can ship anything anywhere for 8 bucks! no matter what the weight! lol, what part of TX is SR harris located? The bf and I plan to visit his dad in Ft bliss in a few weeks... (from VA)

[Sitara]

S.R. Harris is not in TX at all, it's in Minnesota.

[gypsylakat]

oh.
Wonder where i got that idea.... nvm then...

[Pascal]

Correct ... S.R. Harris is in Minneapolis (actually, kind of out in Maple Grove in the far northeast corner).  Real easy to find.  Well worth the trip if you're ever in the area -- even worth the trip if you can get a cheap weekend flight.

If you are in Texas, though -- Houston specifically -- we do have a very high end fabric store that's worth a trip.  High Fashion Fabrics -- they're just south of downtown at 3103 Louisiana.  Huge store, great selection of high end fabrics ('specially silks and wools), pretty darn good selection of everything else.  Prices, alas, tend to be high end as well. 

----

Oops, just checked out location of Fort Bliss -- you'll be nowhere near Houston.  I'm not aware of what may be in El Paso fabric-wise.

[Taffy Saltwater]

For chemises, I find that the "quilting" cotton blend fabrics at JoAnn's work pretty well.  It's heavier than handkerchief weight linen, but can be gotten for $2 or $3 a yard on sale.

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

I am planning an August trip to SR Harris to look for fabrics for upcoming commissions, as well as fabric for my next Competition pieces for Costume Con 27 that will take place in Baltimore in May 0f 2009.

One of the fabrics on my list wil be Broadcloths in different colors and anything else unique that catches my eye.

[Pascal]

LadyKat ...

You'll find loads of broadcloths (and much, much else) at S.R. Harris.  Be sure and visit their website before you go -- you may find some coupons you can use (coupons are good off their already discounted price).

You may also want to visit Mill End Textiles (about 10 miles south straight down Hwy 169 -- it'll be the one in Eden Prairie.  Easy to see from the highway, but pretty tricky to figure out how to get there, so map it out carefully first via Mapquest.  Mill End Textiles also has a website and coupons).  Mill End doesn't have the quantity that S.R. Harris does, but does have a really good group of cottons (better than most other fabric stores).

I'll be in Minneapolis the next two weeks  and will pay S.R. Harris a visit or two -- anything special I can spy out for you?

[verymerryseamstress]

I'm late to this thread!  We have a lot of customers who request broadcloth for several items:

chemises and leines
bloomers/drawers
peasant skirts
hats of all kinds
bracers
sleeves (detachable)
partlets
and so much more . . .

That said, I'm in complete agreement with operafantomet and others who say that linen is so much more comfy for chemises.  And operafantomet is also giving good advice when she recommends washing linen chemises several times - they do soften over time, and once they get soft, they're almost cloud-like comfy.  :-)

Methinks I need to get my butt to this Minnesota fabric store!

And while on the topic of broadcloth, has anyone had the delightful opportunity to work with wool broadcloth?  I'm going to be making a Victorian frock coat for a friend of mine out of it, and I've been fondling the swatches for months - it's divine stuff!

[Aiacha]

For chemises, I find that the "quilting" cotton blend fabrics at JoAnn's work pretty well.  It's heavier than handkerchief weight linen, but can be gotten for $2 or $3 a yard on sale.

I usually get the "County Classics" cotton at JoAnns.  Feels a little stiff on the bolt, but it washes wonderfully and it very comfortable.

[gem]

they do soften over time, and once they get soft, they're almost cloud-like comfy.

You are *so* not kidding.  I hardly want to take mine off.