Yesterday, I made my way out into the sunshine to enjoy a lovely late fall afternoon of a few inconsequential errands, a snack stop and one not-to-miss midday event. For those of you – like me – who are textile obsessed, the 15th Annual Fabric Flea Market to benefit the Cambridge Street Community School did not disappoint.
Running from 10 am to 2pm only, this very short shopping opportunity offered up everything from vintage and new fabric and notions to buttons and books about sewing, fashion and textile arts. I arrived late, and managed to resist temptation, but there were fabric lovers of all kinds rummaging right up to the final minutes of this unique flea market.
Image from me.
I spoke for awhile with one of the Cambridge Street School volunteers who filled me in on what happens behind the scenes leading up to the sale.
Much of the fabric is donated and dropped off at the school. Before being moved to the Glebe Community Centre where the annual sale takes place, teachers and students of the school get busy sorting, bundling, and rolling all of the fabric. Once on site, a variety of vendors join in, each deciding to contribute $25 per table or 15% of their sales for the privilege of participating. Combining registration, sales and admissions, this single event is the Cambridge School’s most important fundraiser for the year. And, when the sale is over and the cleanup crew has finished, the remaining fabric doesn’t go to the garbage…whatever isn’t used at the school is donated all over again so that these fabrics eventually find their way into creative hands with projects in mind.
Image via the Cambridge Street Community School
This girlaboutOtown is hopelessly devoted to design and decor, and is always on the lookout for great drapery, upholstery or accent fabrics. The downside, of course, is that I don’t really sew well and I am seriously limited for space. Consequently, I am ever-so-slightly less enthusiastic about bringing home big huge bagfuls that will inevitably end up being stored until the next time I feel compelled to recover a chair (which I confess happens more often than can be accommodated by my budget).
Anyway, what amazed me yesterday about my fellow fabric shoppers was their clear conviction that something beautiful could be created from the many remnants and bolts they came across and carried away. Indeed, I was left wondering about what will come of all of the fabric that was found yesterday…
What creative things do you do when you find fabulous fabric for less than expected?
Sun, Oct 18, 2009
Around Town