The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: shygirl on November 14, 2013, 08:48:03 am

Title: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 14, 2013, 08:48:03 am
hi
does anyone know where i could buys rolls of fleece to make jumpers etc for my kids. it needs to be economical or it defeats the object.
the only source i can find is £6 a metre which is more expensive than buying a jumper from asda.
also rolls of denim or corduory or cotton would be good, as at the moment we are making things out of pillow cases and sheets (thank god for charity shops) etc - which although fine, can be quite outlandish in design and colour... :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Backinwellies on November 14, 2013, 09:54:10 am
Unfortunately the cheap imports sold in ASDA, Primark etc  are  always going to be cheaper than making your own.........  and even cheaper than those sold in Charity shops sometimes too. 

If anyone has a positive answer to this question I'd be the first who would love to hear it.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Ina on November 14, 2013, 09:56:41 am
Freecycle (or Freegle) is the only cheaper way I can think of.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: SallyintNorth on November 14, 2013, 09:09:12 pm
Your local farmer may be prepared to let you have some fleece if you can spin?  :spin:  Not all fleece is suitable, of course, especially for making jumpers, but you may be able to source some that is ok for your needs.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 14, 2013, 09:37:51 pm
thanks, tho i meant  fleece as in hoodie material, rather than sheeps fleece. ie cut and sew.
spinning is one of those skills i havent begun to learn. i do knit tho - my first wooly hat is so unbelievable it has to be kept forever on display - i havent found anyone with a head to fit it yet  ::)  :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: SallyintNorth on November 14, 2013, 09:45:14 pm
thanks, tho i meant  fleece as in hoodie material, rather than sheeps fleece. ie cut and sew.

I guessed you did, I was being a bit  :-J, lol
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 14, 2013, 10:08:29 pm
sorry im a bit braindead tonight  :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 14, 2013, 10:32:09 pm
That's probably why the hat doesn't fit.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Spinningfishwife on November 15, 2013, 08:24:14 am
I don't know where you are in the country but you could Google to see if you have a Scrap Store nearby? I have one locally (East Lothian) and there's one in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. They often get mill end rolls of this and that and factory remnants. I bought enough white fleece lately to make my six foot + son a white rabbit costume (don't ask) for £4.

Another place to get fleece at a decent price is Ikea, they sell fleece blankets for £3 in a choice of colours which are 130 x 170cm, easily enough for a child's top. . I've used it to line jackets etc, it washes very well.

Final thought for fabric for kids' clothes is to buy adult sizes from the charity shop and cut them down. My OH is a big man and given that his clothes tend to wear out at elbows and collar and knees there was a of of good fabric left for clothes for small kids. Of course now that our son is both taller and wider than his dad I can't do this any more! But even a small piece of nice scrap fabric can transform clothes made out of recycled garments so don't discard anything.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: JulieWall on November 15, 2013, 12:33:27 pm
I tend to buy my fabrics from Birmingham rag market when I visit mum and never pay more than £1 a metre unless it's wool or something else good when I will stretch to £3 if it's really nice.
Is Ingleston market at Edinburgh still going? I heard it was good for a bargain.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 26, 2013, 07:33:59 pm
i found this place which sells remnants from £1.50 a metre. i think its trade only but thats easy solved.

http://www.its-sales.co.uk/acatalog/Remnants.html (http://www.its-sales.co.uk/acatalog/Remnants.html)
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 26, 2013, 07:52:35 pm
I find the supermarkets and cheap shops are hard to eat, the charity shops are often more expensive BUT in charity shops you do get designer labels, same with things like Gumtree, free cycle, Facebook often have things for sale sights locally too...I bought a new Barbour jacket for £30.....not or getting E bay, some items go for pennies
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: JulieWall on November 27, 2013, 12:17:18 am
My best buy ever was getting to the rag market as the stallholders were just setting up and seeing a big pile of t shirt fabrics in a heap on this stall. I asked how much and was told £I a piece. I crammed a shopping trolley full for a tenner. No piece I bought was less than 2 metres long and the biggest piece was 7 metres long. I'm still using it up. It was all I could do to stop myself looking too elated in case he upped the price, lol. :excited:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Backinwellies on November 27, 2013, 08:47:37 am
I find the supermarkets and cheap shops are hard to eat,

............ so do I   :roflanim:  :roflanim:  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 27, 2013, 09:19:20 am
 :roflanim: :roflanim: .......Can you tell I do not proof read my posts?  :innocent:
I lived in Leicester and the market there was great for cheap fabric of all kinds, when we moved to Scotland I wanted tartan table cloths and my mother in law bought tartan fabric from the market and made some. I wonder if there is a factory outlet store on E Bay?
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 27, 2013, 10:47:58 pm
I find the supermarkets and cheap shops are hard to eat,


Sandy, I do love your typos. the other day you were finding green willies in your dustbin now you are trying to eat supermarkets.  :roflanim: :roflanim:


Keep going. You brighten my day up.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 27, 2013, 11:11:14 pm
 :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim: , I think I must be true to my star sign, Gemini as I surprise myself quite often!!
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 28, 2013, 09:24:41 pm
 :excited:

well i made a hoody for £3.60 - out of 3 pet blankets (£1 each) lined with 3 pillowcases (20p each).
the best thing about having 3 girls is that it will fit one of them with any luck...ha..if not the original victim  :roflanim:

cant do much about the paw print design tho... :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 28, 2013, 10:36:39 pm
 :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 29, 2013, 09:30:51 am
So whats wrong with dog print  ::)   ;) 
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on November 29, 2013, 09:52:07 am
i think its the bones and bowls, rather than the pawprints. i just hope no-one realises my daughters are wearing a dog bed.. :roflanim:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 29, 2013, 10:24:41 am
You are clever, I bought a cheap fleece throw in the sale, think it was £1.99, I folded it and made it into a dog bed cover...but it was much bigger than the dog ones I have seen, shops like B&M have some brilliant bargains, they also have packs of 2 fleece blankets, not too thick though, for £2.99.  I think, I did buy some before to give away with our puppy pack.......I have just bought 2 adult fleeces for less than £4 each from a charity shop and one is craighopper......
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: Lesley Silvester on November 30, 2013, 10:48:06 pm
So long as your daughters keep quiet. When my children were children and we were desperately hard up, I was given several pairs of old but good curtains. Most of them I used wither as curtains or made covers, etc. One pair though, was made from terracotta fabric with big flowers. I thought it was rather pretty so I made myself some culottes - the first new clothes I had had in years. My darling daughter told everyone what I had done so I never did get to wear them.
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on November 30, 2013, 10:55:52 pm
The best scene from gone with the wind is the one where they all get a new outfit from the curtains!! I used to make my daughters their Christmas outfits when they were very young...not really made much since!!
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on December 01, 2013, 09:41:55 am
So long as your daughters keep quiet.

no - my youngest has adopted the jumper now - wears it everywhere and the fact its from a (new  :eyelashes:)  dog blanket is the height of conversation / humour.
 :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:

they have skirts made from curtains too - some are actually really pretty.  ;D ;D ;D
once i trust my skills a bit more, i will get proper material. got some t-shirt material coming from ebay/
havent found a ribbing supplier yet tho....
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: happygolucky on December 01, 2013, 10:02:22 am
You are so clever....... :wave:
Title: Re: Rolls of fleece material
Post by: shygirl on December 01, 2013, 11:26:09 am
oh no, im a complete beginner. i thought id do a fashion course at the same time to keep the momentum up - i work better with deadlines ahead of me. i am the most unfashionable person around ..ha...
i inherited the machines so i thought i should use them. my mother was a seamstress but i never took any notice when i was younger as i was more interested in ponies. iv had so many questions i could have asked her but too late now. thanks god for the internet... :relief: