Most quilters I know don't need a reason to stash cotton fabrics but this year they may have a very good reason.The news from one of our long time cotton fabric suppliers was not good.
Cotton fields in China and India - US is 3rd in terms of growing cotton - did not have good growing years in the last two years.
Since cotton suppliers work a couple of years behind supplies, I was told cotton fabric prices this year would be going up substantially, as much as 35% over the next couple of years.
In addition, because of the price increase and depressed world markets, less colors would be available.
For a company like ours that depends on buying high quality cottons in custom colors for our custom quilts, this was disturbing news until one of our suppliers said they had a special fabric stash, in wonderful small prints and lovely colors, at last year's prices.
Ten large cardboard shipping boxes later, our design studio antique armoire is now piled high with two layers deep of gloriously beautiful cotton fabrics, all ready to be turned into custom quilts.
These piles don't include another storage area with shelves of more cotton fabrics collected over the years from auctions and fabric stores, many discontinued designs or hard to find feedsack fabrics for quilt restoration and favorite licensed fabrics.
Speaking of licensed fabrics, did you notice the top pile of fabrics in the photo are Strawberry Shortcake fabrics?
These hard to find licenses fabrics were part of this little gold mine. We'll be offering Baby Strawberry Shortcake quilts made out of this stash shortly.
Did I mention I love fabrics??
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