Sourcing interesting Upholstery fabrics

[bizzylizzy]

Hi all - I'm about to embark on a sofa upholstery project. I want to do it patchwork style, but using large blocks of fabric rather than small squares. I'm trying to find a fabric supplier that can offering interesting designers and colours. All the online suppliers I've looked at so far seem to stock quite dull ranges. We want something a bit interesting. I've looked at ebay but have had no luck so far. I'd like to try and get all the fabric from one place. Any ideas anyone? Thanks very much.

[woofgang]

Try going to places like Designers Guild, Laura Ashley and Multiyork and asking to buy their last season swatch books...fairly large pieces and you should get some interesting fabrics. Our local multiyork used to sell the swatches for charity, they were quite big pieces, bigger than a fat quarter.

[bizzylizzy]

Thanks for the speedy response woofgang, thing is I need lengths that will cover larger areas that that. I'm not going down the traditional patchwork route. So one sofa cushion will be one fabric, the other cushion another, one arms will be covered and the back of the sofa if you get my drift. But thanks for the input, much appreciated :-)

[woofgang]

oh okay.....The posher magazines often have information about where to get lovely furnishing fabric but it costs an arm and a leg

[bizzylizzy]

Ain't that the truth. Hubby keeps finding fabrics that are £70 - £100 a metre. Don't think he's grasped the concept of doing this as a cheap project. We haven't done it before so the thought of spending that and making a mistake (which is highly likely) fills me with horror.

[JustJenni]

Look for a lady called donna flower, she sells lots of beautiful fabrics and lots of vintage ones aswell.

[pastafreak]

You could use old vintage curtains....often quite heavy fabric,and it would be like getting one-offs. Also-you would get the length you want.

[bizzylizzy]

Thank you all, great tip JustJenni, sadly the lady sells mostly cotton, great for other things but not strong enough for upholstery, nice to keep her name on file though. Thanks pastafreak, you'd think it would be easy to find old curtains to use, believe me I've tried. Thank you all for your help x

[JustJenni]

bizzy id drop her an email and see what else she might have thats not on her website, she supplies an amazinf company that does patchwork sofas in london so i expect she has stuff thats not on there.

[bizzylizzy]

Oooh really, that's kind of you, I'll do that, thank you so much.