Aaahhh Spain. Great people, beautiful scenery, fabulous food, vino and Patrones at every news stand. What more could a sewist want?
I must be an obsessed fabric shopper as I´ve been taking photos of fabric shops as I´ve been coming across them, although I hadn´t spotted that many. This was on the main shopping strip in San Sebastian.
Time to rectify the situation, so Metro pass in hand, I went on a tour of those Madrid fabric shops I could find. Oh for a Madrid shopping guide who sews! But in his/her absence an internet search made do.
I'm not pretending this was a very successful fabric trip as you will see but I did check out quite a few fabric shops.
The 1st port of call was Cadena at Calle Reina Mercedes, 5. I got mightily lost as soon as I got out of the Metro, but it turned out to be a few minutes walk from the Alvarado Metro stop. I got to the address and thought 'huh?' as this is it.
But continue round the side of the building and along the unsalubrious back and voila - the shop!
I've vaguely heard of Cadena magazine but I have to confess I don't know much about it. Do the magazines just display their fabric range and don't have patterns? Lovely fabrics but woo! Very expensive. I couldn't find anything under 49 euros a metre which was for a jersey knit.
Empty handed I Metro'd my way back to the City centre and Gran Via station and visited Julian Lopez at Gran Via 27. Mercifully easy to find.
It's quite a big shop with very formal looking gentlemen cutting the fabrics. There's a wide array of fabrics with a focus on formal fabrics and brocades. There were some nice blouse weight silks that took my eye but hmmm...still 29 to 40ish euros a metre.
There were some wonderfully wild fabrics too. I wonder what you would do with the third from the left below? It was net with folded strips of studded leather.
I think Julian Lopez has shops in other Spanish cities too. I also came across their shop in Seville.
With the spotty fabric room for flamenco dress fabrics.
But back to Madrid, my next shopping destination was El Cortes Ingles. This department store chain sells everything under the sun, including in the case of the main Madrid store at Puerto del Sol, fabrics and haberdashery.
I managed to leave my camera battery and phone in the hotel so no pics but in a corner of the 2nd floor is a small fabric and knitting wool section. There is a reasonable selection of practical fabrics and a small stash of lovely silks but again - very expensive at 59 euros a metre.
More of my fabric shop expedition in my next post.....
Oh my gosh! Julian Lopez looks AMAZING! I am so jealous :) Come visit me next, I'll give you a Wellington fabric shop tour, my favourite store has just relocated and they are in a bigger space which = more fabric, yay xx
ReplyDeleteI understand perfectly that you are shocked by the prices of the fabrics in Spain, but this is true! How many do you know Spanish sewists through blogs?? We are very, very few ... prices here are ridiculamentes fabric high. However, I am very happy that you were in my country ...
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, looks like a lovely holiday and the outside glimpses suggest you had good weather!
ReplyDeleteWow, they look like very swish fabric shops! But wow too for the prices! The other end of the scale to America, it seems... I wonder how Spain compares to other European countries? I remember as a kid that my mum thought France was very pricey for a sewing hobby - but that was a rather long time ago :-).
Julian Lopez Fabrics does have other stores through out Spain, each is very different and a pleasure to shop.
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked most about JL stores is its unique fabrics and textile drapery treatments.
They have the best collection of printed fabrics, whether for a craft project or for curtains in your kitchen.
I have even used their home deco fabrics to make blouses and skirts!
I LOVE LOVE this fabric store. If you get a chance go to their original store in Valencia, its so beautiful , a must stop as well as their famous Paella!
They also have another store called Paula Eider, carrying finished home goods, sheets, towels. OH! I forgot they have beautiful handbags, all leather.
I was last there in April and they were just starting to make a line of upholstered furniture, one stop shopping.
I was we had stores like this in the states, maybe more women/men would be inspired to sew more,who wants to buy what everyone else has?! NOT ME.
Julian Lopez Fabrics does have other stores through out Spain, each is very different and a pleasure to shop.
ReplyDeleteWhat I liked most about JL stores is its unique fabrics and textile drapery treatments.
They have the best collection of printed fabrics, whether for a craft project or for curtains in your kitchen.
I have even used their home deco fabrics to make blouses and skirts!
I LOVE LOVE this fabric store. if you get a chance go to their original store in Valencia, its so beautiful.
They also have another store called Paula Eider, carrying finished home goods, sheets, towels. OH! I forgot they have beautiful handbags, all leather.
I was last there in April and they were just starting to make a line of upholstered furniture, one stop shopping.