Buying Fabrics - I am Obsessed!

Fabric Chart - Add Extra for patterns (I also think some of these are a little conservative)!

I am obsessed with fabrics and cannot stop myself from buying some when I see great fabrics at great prices.  I look for and buy fabrics in both the likely places (e.g., fabric stores like Fabric World in Stone Mountain, GA) and the unlikely places such as estate and garage sales, craigslist, Goodwill stores, etc.  Buying fabrics and filling up first a "fabric closet" and now a "fabric room" is what got me started with my business of refurbishing and selling heirloom quality upholstered furniture - going on for eight years now http://wydevendesigns.com   I had to so something with all those fabrics!!

I do not do my own upholstery work and that is my major refurbishing expense.  Therefore, saving money on the basic furniture pieces (the more they need reupholstering, the cheaper and better for me) and fabrics is how I can put together a good value for my customers.  Yesterday, on an  errand in the Stone Mountain area, I stopped in to see what was happening at Fabric World.  They had been having a month-long $2.00 a yard sale that I had already indulged in so I expected the shelves to be even more depleted.  Evidently they had received a shipment earlier in the week of smaller pieces (2-8 yards) and had them piled on two large tables.  I found some great pieces in current colors, patterns, and textures.  I found several that matched so bought 16 yards combined of a nice neutral houndstooth.  

Here are some photos of the loot!   I can't wait to start using these and already have several pegged for existing projects.  This is my idea of a fun day!!

As I mentioned under the yardage chart above, you need to look at the fabric to determine yardage - I have added as much as 25-35% when using larger scaled patterns.  You can also stretch smaller pieces (I bought several as small as 2.5 yards) by combining fabrics and/or using other fabrics for contrasting cording - a very nice look on many pieces.   Check with your upholsterer!