In my #fabricresolutions post, I introduced you to my friend Hélène and her amazing stash management app Cora. Just to get you up to speed, Hélène found me on social media (where I was talking about sewing apps) and flicked me an email. We have been chatting ever since! But as I mentioned in my other post, Hélène and I spoke on the phone about her app. Hélène was keen to hear what sewists like me wanted from an app like Cora. It was a hilarious and lengthy long distance phone call (Hélène in Egypt at the time and me in Adelaide, Australia) where we chatted all things sewing and stash. I talked poor Hélène’s ear off! But living in Australia does have its stash maintenance issues and to be honest, I was pretty excited about putting my 10c worth in while chatting direct to the app developer!
I guess I never really thought that living here in Australia would mean that I managed my stash differently than someone living elsewhere in the world. But after talking to Hélène I realized that it makes a huge difference! Hélène thought it would be really cool if I shared some of the stuff I shared with her on the blog because she found it really fascinating. Before we get in to all of that, I have talk money (that’s what I want, I want money lol). As of the day of writing, my Australian $1 is only worth 0.72c US cents. When quoting dollar amounts, I mean Aussie dollars unless I put US after the amount and then I mean US. Also a yard of fabric is 0.9m so a little less than a metre but close enough for today’s examples. Cool?
The Australia Tax. Basically, the same stuff costs more here. Companies say that the cost is because they have to get it here and warehouse here. Australia is an island after all, so anything that isn’t produced here has a long way to travel. The beauty industry has had major backlash on this issue. A MAC single pan eyeshadow in the US sells for $8.30 but the same thing here is $36! It’s not great especially when one brand (Illamasqua) revealed that these added costs are very minimal and changed their pricing structure in Australia to be more in line with UK and US. I suspect that most brands price in line with other brands and suck what they can from the consumer. To give you a fabric example, Bitmap Pixels Blue by Michael Miller is $26/m here and $13.12 on American website Fabric.com. So nearly double the cost.
Shipping. I hear you, why don’t I just buy from the US and ship it here? Shipping costs are astronomical! Frequently more than the items itself. Like 3 yards of stretch jersey cost $45.66 to ship to me. There is nothing more devastating than having a cart full of bargains and finding out you’ll need a second mortgage to pay the shipping. I have actually wept! And even shipping things from state to state within Australia is really pricey! Like 3kgs for $17.95. It’s like they just don’t want you to have nice things! Sometimes this ridiculousness works in your favour – like that time I paid $114 (or $83US) shipping for some wool fabric I bought at a steal. Which was still cheaper than my local store on a metre per metre breakdown! If you are an American, you’d wonder why I didn’t just drive to my next closet state and hit the garment district. Umm, this country isn’t the huge brown land for nothing. I’d need to drive a nonstop 12 hours at 110/hr to hit the nearest next state. Spending $150 on fuel one way and having to stay the night? Yeah, shipping is less than that… Fly you say? Yeah, like it isn’t a ridiculous prospect also! It costs $9/kg or more for baggage.
Choice is king and Aussie stores suck. We have two chain stores here, Spotlight and Lincraft. Both are pretty sucky. Spotlight has been shunned by ‘real’ sewing types but have tried to pick up their game lately and seem to have more decent quality and more interesting fabrics. As it turns out, they have asked me for some help to make Spotlight a place we want to go but that is another story! The problem is mostly about range. Want fold over elastic (FOE)? Yes, you can have it in white, beige and black (in one size only) and we can guarantee that the one you want it out of stock! Want bias binding? We have a limited range of plain colours, a sprinkling of wider ones with patterns and NO double fold. Want buttons to match? You are joking. Want lace? We have a basic selection in pastels. Want stretch trim? Now you are really having a laugh. A metal zipper that isn’t tiny for jeans or huge and separating for hoodies? Are you out of your goddamn mind!
South Australia is a smaller state, in terms of population etc and we have no garment district. We have some independent stores. And since you won’t get things like silk organza from Spotlight, you could probably pick from a handful of colours from a couple of stores. I’ll put a list of Adelaide’s fabric stores below, I haven’t been to all but I have been to most. I am super lucky to live close to a Spotlight and two independents but I really buy most of stuff from one independent, Tricia’s Discount Fabrics.
Cheap Asian Imports. There is one upside to living here. Ebay and Ali Express are groaning with the weight of appliques, elastics, bias, trim, buttons and yes – fabric! It’s way cheaper for me to order from Asia (often no shipping or something really minimal like $2) to get a huge range of notions and fabric. Shipping can take anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months but the goods are pretty well, pretty good. I haven’t had too many bad experiences and sellers are often keen to work out problems and paypal has your back. Whilst it is a definite upside it makes spontaneous sewing impossible.
What does all of this really mean? I am a certified hoarder! My elastic collection alone is extensive! I have lingerie elastic in several colours and widths, FOE in a million prints, stretch lace in different colours and widths (again, for all of this if you want beige, white or black you might be ok). I have filled a whole room, full to bursting! Because what I need isn’t locally available, I buy a bunch of stuff just in case. And I plan well ahead! I once wound up paying $48 for two long metal zippers from the UK with express shipping. And that’s another thing! Buy more than you need when buying fabric and twice as much as you need for notions. Nothing like putting a seam ripper slice into a costly zipper and having to wait weeks for a costly replacement. Ahem! I don’t think anyone would blame me for having a whole fabric stores work of ‘you can’t get that here’ in my sewing room. Trust me, it’s not full of plain poplins or other basic stuff I can reliably get.
But it’s not all bad! Constraints increase creativity and working with what you have can produce wonderful results. Plus after years of building and buying and planning and plotting, my stash is pretty self-sufficient! I have saved the day on many occasions because I have a stash that will take a lifetime to use. And while I don’t think I’ll stop collecting, I have slowed down. A lot. I plan to sew with what I have. So to bring this right back to the beginning, my first #fabricresolution is to sew something with this gorgeous fabric that I have stashed for years!
My dear friend Hélène, I Sarah ‘fabric hoarder’ Johannsen, swear that I shall sew this gorgeous fabric by years end (but I really hope to get to it this month!). If you want to join us in #fabricresolutions please see my blog on how it works, you can win prizes and stuff –YAY! The app, Cora, is truly amazing and you can really see Hélène’s sewing passions. I think you should have this app, right now! As part of #fabricresolutions you can buy Cora for 25% off for all of January, so hop to it! And if you have any Q’s about Aussie sewing, ask away. But I’d love to hear about the sewing challenges that come up where you live xxx
Adelaide Fabric Stores
- Tricia’s Discount Fabrics 11-13 Price St, Melrose Park SA 5039. Quilting, dance and upholstery. Best selection of stretch fabrics. HUGE
- D K Fabric 105 Port Rd, Hindmarsh SA 5007. Mostly bridal and special occasion HUGE
- The Needleworks 611A Marion Rd, South Plympton SA 5038. High end dress fabrics. Very small.
- The Drapery 308A Glen Osmond Rd, Fullarton SA 5063. Focus is on organic and natural fabrics.
- Ferrier Fashion Fabrics 374 Fullarton Rd, Fullarton SA 5063
- Catwalk Fabrics 72 Coglin St, Brompton SA 5007
- Fabric Of Life 141 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide, SA, 5006. Handmade and Fair Trade Textiles, Gifts and Conservation
- Eastern Silk 1 – 7 James Congdon Drive Mile End – Hurry because they will no longer be selling fabric and are having some great sales!
8 Comments
Ooooo I just want an “ask Sarah fabric store” 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I love the word “haberdashery” it has the essence of a frenzied work in process, hehehe also it reminds me of riding the lift in John Martins “second floor, children’s wear, school wear, haberdashery and the magic cave”
Xx
Oh yes! When I was a child I remember Myer or David Jones in the city still had a haberdashery. Fabric and patterns were long gone but they still had ribbons and threads….
We bought our first sewing machine at Myer probably 18 years ago and I remember the haby department fondly. Picked up a dress-form (in my size range) for almost nothing as a part was broken. My husband was able to fix it easily.
Glad that Spotlight is looking at itself. If you are talking to them again mention about the horrendous wait at the cutting counter. The stupid randomness about who they serve next (never in order at all) has had me almost to the point of tears or wanting to yell at the person who pushed in or the staff who are oblivious to how long some of us have been waiting. It has gotten to the point that dread the whole experience.
I am sadly 1 hr drive (one way to the nearest city) so any fabric shopping has to be thought out and hope that I am lucky enough to find what I am after, as I just can’t go back in the following week. Thankfully there is a quilting supply shop locally, so at least I can get thread, buttons, zips, pins etc if I need to. I also keep an eye out at the local op shops and have managed to find some useable sewing supplies.
It does hurt the budget though, as I just cannot not buy fabric that I know I will use, as I just can’t risk waiting a couple of week or a month till I am back at the fabric store next.
I hear you! It must be hard to have so far to travel. At least Spotlight have some fabrics online these days, it makes it a little more streamlined. Spotlight seems to be improving, fingers crossed!
I tried purchasing online from them once. One item was sent straight away, but I had to wait 3 weeks for bias binding. Don’t worry I did call them and complain. I explained to them that often sewing can’t wait and 3 weeks is just ridiculous, whereas 1 week I could accept.
We have worked out that paying for postage is worth it due to the cost of a “trip to town”, but it can be so hard choosing fabric that way. I know I have bought some in store that I had passed over online.
Eek – Just stumbled on your blog from a post over on the Curvy Sewing Collective community facebook group – and squealed at finding another young curvy adelaide sewist/blogger! Love your post 🙂 And you now have a new follower!
Hi Candice,
Welcome! I just checked out your blog and I’ll just have to spend the afternoon reading up! It looks like we have heaps in common and I am looking forward to seeing what you’ve been making.
Sarah xxx