[shygirl]

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...

[Backinwellies]

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.

[Ina]

Freecycle (or Freegle) is the only cheaper way I can think of.

[SallyintNorth]

Your local farmer may be prepared to let you have some fleece if you can 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.

[shygirl]

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   

[SallyintNorth]

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  , lol

[shygirl]

sorry im a bit braindead tonight 

[Lesley Silvester]

That's probably why the hat doesn't fit.

[Spinningfishwife]

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.

[JulieWall]

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.

[shygirl]

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

[happygolucky]

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

[JulieWall]

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.

[Backinwellies]

I find the supermarkets and cheap shops are hard to eat,

............ so do I      

[happygolucky]

  .......Can you tell I do not proof read my posts? 
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?