Fabric shops - a dying breed!

Hubbie & I had a lovely day up in L'Derry yesterday, spending my birthday money!

I got some much needed jeans & t-shirts & accessories.

The highlight of my annual trip to L'Derry is visiting one of the cutest quilting shops we have in N.I.  - Quilt Cottage (nee Mission Hall Quilts).

I had my shopping list ready ( moda jelly roll, fat quarters etc.) but when we got there it was all closed!!!! Disaster!

We found out from a neighbouring shop owner that the owners have gone into liquidation and the shop is no more.  The stock was bought up by a shop owner in Belfast.

This is a real blow for good quality fabric shops in N.I.  There are so few here.  I know there is a lot of online buying these days, especially of designer fabrics, but I still love the experience of walking into a wonderful sea of colour and pattern and being surrounded by creativity and inspiration.  

So this is all I've managed to pick up so far.

I've had to turn my attention to online buying, which is sometimes risky when you can't gauge colours so well.  But what can a 'girl desperate to buy fabric' do?

There is one more place I might try before relenquishing the plastic to the virtual fabric shop.  It's half an hour drive away and I would need to be sure I'm going to buy something there to make it worth the petrol expense!!

Will keep you posted.