So, I took an artist date yesterday. I decided to check out a new fabric store in Bucktown. Back in the day, Bucktown was NOT a neighborhood you wanted to be caught dead in.

Well, I guess if you wanted to be caught dead, you would want to go there…
Anyway, you get the point. So I decide to check out this new place, and it’s pretty darned cool! They don’t even bill themselves as a store first; it’s a DIY Sewing School and Fabric Store. My kinda place! It’s called the Needle Shop, http://www.theneedleshop.net/ , and it’s in a little storefront in amongst brownstones and houses and puppies and yuppies.

I wandered through the front room, which is filled with bolts of pretty designer fabrics, and then to the back room which has their books and patterns. The clearance rack caught my eye and I found some pretty Aboriginal print fabric. And I did something I don’t usually do – I passed up on a book, which I’ve realized I have a LOT of, and bought the fabric! It was on sale for $7 a yard, and is a lovely Kaffe Fassett print that I found, after looking it up, came all the way from Westminster Fabrics in London!

Wowsers.

Here’s a pic of it, not yet prewashed. I have about 3 yards and 4 inches, so I think I’ll at least make a pair of pants and either a top or a jacket, depending on how much I can squeeze out of it. I’m also going to take it to the knitting shop and see if I can find some yarn to match, and make a sweater with a square neck and short sleeves.

Stay tuned!