I always visit the Liberty store in London and spend the most time looking at and touching the fabric. I usually have an idea of what I want before I go but sometimes seeing it in real life changes my mind. I love the precuts too when they have them. Here in the states there are some stores that carry a brand that uses the Liberty fabric in their clothing and occasionally in table linens. I have been lucky to be able to shop. the sales-especially when there is an additional percentage off. I bought the largest size in whatever pajamas , skirts, dresses and linens so I could use the fabric for a Liberty quilt. A bit of guilt cutting up a beautiful pair of pajamas, but I also have a hard time just cutting regular Liberty fabric. Can't wait to visit this September(fingers crossed) and have tea in the Liberty tearoom and then visit every floor. I save the fabric for last, and it is a dream if you like Liberty fabric. I usually buy a long sleeve shirt in the fabric, but wish they carried short sleeve Liberty fabric shirts.
I live in the UK and just love spending time in the Liberty shop in London. I have been known to spend a whole day in there with a sewing friend of mine !!!! There is so much to see. Liberty lawn is iconic, the prints are stunning but so expensive here ....In the past I have used small amounts to make dresses for my daughter when she was a toddler. The fabric wears very well and washes like a dream, the dresses were later passed on to other little girls. Sadly Liberty Lawn is never found in the sales and when I go to the shop I simply look and dream......... So Viv,i f you ever make it to London, head straight to Liberty in Regent Street, you won't be disappointed .
I live near there, too, and also love going to look (too expensive for me!). Have you been to Goldhawk Road, though? Sometimes I’ve seen it for £15/metre there, but still I’ve never bought it :).
Hi, Liberty recently had 20% off many of their fabrics. Also Shaukat on the Brompton Road often discount their Liberty fabrics. I often buy my Liberty from eBay sellers.
Oh dear--I have never HEARD of Liberty Tana Lawn--does that mean I am a hick? I lOVE those colors. They are totally my colors. It looks so lovely. Keep us posted as to what you make!
Don’t worry, Judy. I only knew about it from the forums over at Pattern Review. And my initial reaction was irritation: who pays $36 a yard for cotton?? Well, I’ve been schooled as apparently this is the cotton to end all cottons!😄
Liberty is amazing fabric. It's easy to work with and quite lovely. The colors are reminiscent of what you're wearing in the video. It's not a pop, but it's a subtle chic and international. I can't wait to see what you're going to make (I feel a tunic coming on with fun piping). No matter what, it's going to be lovely. And YES!!! Please do wear those bright colors!! I made a jumpsuit out of similar material and I get stopped all the time when I wear it. People just say it brings them joy to see someone being bold. You do you and keep enjoying life! Thanks for another fun video.
If you have the money it's worth it. I have made a toddler dress and shirt in the 70s for my son and daughter. They were worn by them, their brothers and sister, then the grands, now the great grands. It washes and wears wonderfully. I just can't afford it. Bespoke is custom made. Enjoy your fabrics and have a great week.
I think I manifested Liberty Tana Lawn this week. I watched your video before going out of town earlier this week. Then went to a very large sewing store in mid Florida….while there the sweet woman cutting my fabric whispered to me “ there is Liberty Tana Lawn at the Joann’s in Altamonte”. I drove there immediately……several prints were $19.99 and all the others were 25% off of the usual $37 per yard. It was soooooo fun picking out my favorites!
I watch Kate Jackson on YT “The Last Homely House”, from the UK. She has a whole series where she sews with Liberty fabric. An elderly friend, of her mothers, gave her a whole suitcase full years ago. Kate never waste even a tiny scrap of it. She shows the beautiful floral designs. The amazing thing is that all the prints coordinate together. I drool over the Liberty fabric so I’m excited to see what you sew with yours, Viv! Thanks for the visit! 🤗🤗
Liberty fabric is gorgeous to sew. You won’t have any trouble with the Tana lawn at all. In the UK it’s always expensive and at the moment we’ve got a sale going on and it’s still £25 a metre which I think is nearly $30. But it is so lovely to sew with and wear. It gets softer with age and goes on for years. I think you got a really good buy there Viv! I would be tempted to get it for that sort of price. Liberty of London - the shop- is a very old department store in one of the best areas of shoppers’ London. It ranks with Harrods at the top end of the tree and is the sort of shop where you see chauffeur driven cars draw up and Saudi ladies spill out to do their very expensive shopping. I can’t afford a paper bag in there! It also has wonderful antiques, clothes and food department. Actually I haven’t been for years. I must go and look it over again! Your other fabric is lovely too and very vibrant. (Re what to make with it. If I ever get my hands on it, which is rare and usually at a charity shop, I make nighties! Usually the fabric designs I see are a bit mumsy( maybe why they’re in a charity shop?) but the quality is superb. They go on forever and are so lovely to wear at night.
They are both beautiful. One is exotic and one is so modern. I can see an Indian style tunic (a kurti?) with the Liberty paired with solid, light colored, slim slacks. I have never sewn with Liberty fabric. I can see the abstract print in a fabulous Vogue halter dress pattern, maybe vintage, to enjoy while having cocktails and watching the fireworks on the 4th of July.
Hi viv I’ve been buying liberty tana lawn for over 40 years I also use it for patchwork I love it It’s always been a bit pricey but so worth it It never fades in the wash I keep every last scrap of fabric Here in the uk it’s about 28 pounds a metre Take care 🧵🪡🧵🪡
I don’t like the longer periods of darkness in the winter. BTW, daylight savings time is what we switch to in the summer. When we fall back, we are going back to standard time.
I cut my “sewing teeth” on Liberty fabrics some decades ago. My friend and I used to travel into London with our children and treat ourselves to a yard or two (it was yards then, way before we went metric). Tana Lawn was a favourite. You have a very Traditional style of print there, not your usual, they do have so many with a lot more vibrancy. It is gorgeous to wear, especially in the hot summer months as it will remain wonderfully cool and you won’t end up smelling like a sweaty gorilla by the end of the day (not that I think you ever do, not for one minute 😉). Choose your pattern wisely, because if you make it in a pattern you like, you will end up wearing it for years, it gets better with age, so much better. As for price, we are used to paying so much more than the fabrics you show, yes, we can get some cheaper, but they are not always great quality, plus I’m in the South East, which is so much more expensive. I currently have 1.5 metres of Liberty’s Tana Lawn in my stash, I will be making a summer top from it, not decided exactly what yet. Btw, I realise we all pronounce things differently, but as it’s Liberty’s Tana Lawn, you might want to know it’s pronounced “Tarna”, not Tanner 😉 I know, we are weird here.
Hi Vivian, I could listen to you all day. I learned alot and am grateful you have done the research on these pieces of fabric. I look forward to seeing what you make and hearing what you think about the experience and outcome. Thank you for all of the effort you put into your channel. I have plans to take up sewing again in the New Year. Your are very inspirational! I'm looking forward to both the fun of creating and wearing the clothes I make. Sincerely, Anita
The Fabric Daisy here in Newark UK sells Liberty. I always wait for the sales. I got 2 yards for £12 a yard. Bright paisley pink. It sews like a dream. I made a simple kaftan top as it drapes so well
I’ve made some beautiful blouses for my granddaughter with Liberty Tana Lawn. I use some for lining bodices, making collars, and things like that. It sews very beautifully. 💗
Liberty have wonderful quilting fabric, which is a quilting weight as well. I have sewn with small amounts of both the tana Lawn and quilting weight. In Australia the quilting shop keep Liberty as scrap bundles and occasionally they stock it as bolts.
I was just thinking. Whatever you make out of that Liberty fabric, it will last forever. Make a classic shirt and you will have it for years and years like new. My first sewing instructor, Nancy, went to London and came back with some Liberty fabric. She was so excited! The U.K. always had far better wool than we do also. That you can tell from a distance too.
Thanks for trying out the Liberty Lawn for us and giving a reality-check/report. I am curious what you'll end up making with it. It has a lot of colors but they seem rather subdued. I use to buy a lot of fabric and I too have a store-sized amount of it, even after down sizing twice. I no longer buy fabric and how I did that was to put a moratorium in even looking at fabrics (online and in stores) for a period of time. I don't remember if it was a month, six months or a year. But now am rarely interested in buying fabric. However, it does help that I really like what I currently have. Now my buying spree is about art supplies but I'm curbing that now too.
I always associated lawn fabric to be used for summer dresses (with a slip because they're so delicate they're see thru) and summer sleepwear (light and airy nightgowns).
I’ve been exploring it online and it truly looks magnificent!!! They will ship to the USA for free if the order totals more than $70, which I imagine is a pretty easy threshold to hit👍
I am glad you finally managed to score some tana lawn at a price you can afford. I have two lengths of fearfully expensive Liberty fabric called 'Hanako' that I am too 🐓to use.
I’m learning so much here in the comments. Hey, I almost credited you with giving me that final push to buy! But I didn’t want to say your name without your permission. Go ahead and cut into that Hanako Liberty, it’s calling your name and saying “I’m ready!”😃
I've visited the Liberty London store, definitely a beautiful experience, I did buy a couple of metres which I've not yet dared to cut !!! I too, prefer a bargain but I thought why not, just this once. It is certainly very beautiful fabric, but is it worth that big money, who knows. I get the impression you're a tad disappointed Viv, im sure you will create something fantastic from yours, as will I if I'm ever brave enough to cut it 😀 😊 😄 🤣🤣
You know me well, Liz. I think I was just a grump at the moment. Now, learning all about Liberty and the towering history of this special fabric could be intimidating me a tiny bit! But let’s not be scared - I’ll chop into mine and you chop into yours and we’ll get on with it. It’s truly beautiful fabric, I didn’t know it would be quite so lightweight.
I've only "heard" about Liberty fabric on line and how sewists covet it and save it for special projects. Thanks for educating us on it's history...always interesting to learn about fabrics. Have a good "rest of the week"!
I use Liberty Tana Lawn for hand sewing hexies, I’m making a quilt but not sewing them into a quilt yet, just like hand sewing the papers together from scraps from Etsy uk I have lots and lots all colours of the rainbow, just love them.I’ve not seen the fabric you bought though yet Viv, can’t wait to see what you decide to make with it.
I’ve purchased a couple of pieces of Liberty fabric over the years. It is very special. One many years ago and one last year. They’re both really lovely pieces. I made a dress out of the first piece, which I still have and of course doesn’t fit anymore 😊. And a tiered skirt out of my most recent purchase. It just feels so nice on. I’m also a bargain hunter and bought the pieces on sale. I hope you enjoy your new fabric.
Moda Regeant Street liberty lawn made into a lap quilt. About 8 years ago. All time prettiest fabric and softest quilt. Haven't seen anything I like from liberty since Regeant Street.
Hi Viv, I live in England, but not London. I have 5 blouses in my wardrobe that are made from Liberty Tana Lawn a couple are at least 5 years old and still look great. The pattern I have used is New Look 6407 without the collar I can make this blouse out of a metre of fabric. With three quarter sleeves. I made Roman blinds out of Tarna Lawn lining them with blackout fabric to give them the extra thickness and that worked well. I thought the fabric you showed us suited your colouring and would look classy made into a garment. By the way you need to checkout the Liberty building in London it has a lot of history. Love your blogs Xx
Love your Liberty fabric! The Liberty shop in London is fabulous. You must go there if you visit London. I've been there many times when I lived there. It's a favourite fabric for many quilters as well, especially when doing English Paper Piecing. Thank you for sharing!
The first garment I made in woven fabric (I started sewing with knits) was using a tana lawn remnant I found on eBay. It was so very lovely to sew with - does feel silky but didn't slip around. I made a little cami top with bias binding that I made from the same fabric and it all went very well. However it turned out the top wasn't drafted very well and also doesn't fit well unfortunately. But it was a very nice first woven sewing project! I would love to make a dress from tana lawn someday 👗💖 Look forward to seeing what you make with your piece!
For those of us in UK, it is possible to buy Liberty for around 12 - 15 pounds a metre from Abakhan, but I’ve never seen the tiny florals. So wonderful to use and the store is fabulous, but I’d need to wing the Lottery!!
I just scared a neighbor away with my whining! It is one of those days I guess. I discovered Liberty when I was young and living in Europe. Love the texture and the prints! We had a quilt shop here in town (Ann Arbor) that sold fat quarters of this beautiful fabric and was thrilled to experience it myself in sewing. The fabric you got is gorgeous- I can envision a long tunic type flowy top with a pair of suede pants maybe. You will look so classy in that fabric I think. As you held it up to your neck I thought it was flattering.
Long stapled cotton means that the individual cotton fibers are longer than normal (cotton is really quite a short fiber compared to wool). it makes it easier to spin and more durable. i tried to spin regular cotton once into yarn and it was honestly kind of a nightmare. so it's kind of a fancy marketing way to say that the fibers are really high quality and won't pill easily. i made a dress with tana lawn for my birthday this year. you will love sewing with it--it holds its shape, doesn't fray easily, and presses beautifully. i actually don't think it's like working with silk at all...it's a lot easier. i try to keep my eye out for sales. you got a really good deal at $17/yd.
Hi Viv, I’ve never sewn with Liberty fabric myself, so no tips I’m afraid, except maybe use a pattern you know you will be happy wearing. It’s certainly a pretty fabric in lovely colours and I hope you enjoy sewing with it. Kind regards from Penny in Liverpool 🇬🇧😊💕
Covid hair girl!! Loved both prints & can't wait to see what you make with them! No Liberty has touched these hands😥, probably never will. We will live through your creations Viv. p.s. we hate daylight savings time too.😡😡😡
I have wondered about the Tana Lawn but just wouldn’t pay the price! Thanks for diving in for us! Ha! That is a beautiful piece of fabric and the colors would be great for autumn! I’m sure you’ll find something to make that will be fabulous - anxious to see it! The other piece speaks springtime to me - love those colors!
Really interesting to discover why it's called Tana lawn 😊 I have never bought any but I love working with cotton, so one day I expect I will find an excuse to splurge on a meter and a half to make some kind of blouse 😁 By the way what you're wearing in this video looks gorgeous, I must check out that pattern... Have a great time sewing up those fabrics. And if you ever do open a store to sell all your excess fabrics and patterns, I'll be on the next plane over to the US! 😉
Thanks Mara! Simplicity 8332 is a perennial favorite of mine. I raise the neckline a bit and lower the length. It’s such an easy style to wear, I just love it!
I have bought cotton lawn from Fabric Mart Fabrics, I believe the designer was Tori Richards. It is said that the substrate fabric is the same as Liberty Tana lawn, and it is quite wonderful. It’s remarkably smooth. The fabric is much more important to me than the design on the fabric. While Liberty has some wonderful designs, like you I’d never pay $36 a yard. I probably wouldn’t pay $17! The lawn from Fabric Mart was about $5.
I have only purchased small 5" squares of Liberty Lawn for quilting. I would love to sew a garment with it some day but also would never pay full price for cotton.
There are a lot of videos on here about Liberty of London. I saw one about the department that designs the fabrics. There are ones showing the store for Christmas and so on.
"Bespoke" means an item made specifically for a single person. So you can order bespoke suits, which are tailor-made and not "off the rack", or shoes which are custom made by a shoemaker for a specific buyer. The quality of a one-of-a-kind, handmade item is what gives "bespoke" it's cachet. A bespoke fabric would be one designed and printed for a single customer.
Tuesday happened halfway through Monday. I'm pretty sure that by now, it's now next Friday. Four in the afternoon is more like 4,000 o'clock. I'm exhausted and there are still 82 hours left before bedtime. Am I getting stuff done -- I can't tell. All I know is I'm doin' stuff. {LOVE your roses!} (And your singy little cat!) The Liberty fabric certainly reads better up close. Can't wait for what you come up with. I agree, I do love the color on the Caroline Constance fabric. I also did a fabric splurge. A litttle Ditzy floral (not real ditzy floral, these are a reproduction, and they are kinda big, at least bigger than any of the ditzys I have in my stash) in tan and brown. I'm going to make a prairie dress/ house dress. Never worked with Liberty. You will have to tell us how it goes. Suddenly excited to see if you choose a vintage or a more modern pattern. Can't wait!!
You are so cute Viv! I have seen so many liberty makes and never have bought any myself. Yours is so beautiful! Also the abstract fabric is super unique and beautiful!
Thanks for another great video. Have you ever thought of opening a small fabric store? I am not being sarcastic. I'm serious. I think you would love having your own fabric shop where you could share your love of fabric.
Well…. Hope your smiling now, did this fabric cheer you up? I don’t think I’d pay that much per yard, though I’d sure like to feel! Is it really that luxurious? Can’t wait to see what you make.
I have never been a fan of liberty with their little ditzy prints, yours is better than most. I love the Caroline fabric , looking forward to that make ,Bridget
Hi Viv! Regarding the time change, I thought it was like 6:30 or 7 and I looked at the time, it was 3:45! Lol. Love your Tana lawn! You're right, it's so expensive, which is probably the only reason I haven't ordered any yet! 😅🤣
Oh, yes, Liberty fabrics-esp the Tana Lawn-is what you use for a project for keeping over the long haul. The scraps will make your quilting friends very happy. Keep eyes peeled for sales. Other Tana Lawn brands exist, i got some I think-from Mood…less money but still was very nice. For the first classic print, it would make a beautiful blouse! The drape would be lovely. I would make something you’ve already done so you’re worked out pattern & fitting. Also, it’s great to sew, check needle size too. It will cooperate fully. Those colors are lovely. ….and the stuff that is 60 BSP per meter is most likely the actual SILK. I splurged on a meter of that once. OMG. 🥇
Wow! What a score! I love how the Tana Lawn looks in terms of lightness. That's an unusual design...looks very English. I like it a lot but wish the colors were a bit more vibrant. I could see a skirt and blouse set...somewhere in between casual and dressy. For the 2nd fabric, yes, of course you can wear it! It's gorgeous! I could see that in a dress with a wider flow, like an empire waistline and a-line, but widening a lot bigger than an a-line. Because the print is do large, seems to me the dress would also need to be big and billowy. Whatever you choose, though, I'm sure both fabrics will turn out beautifully!. On second thought, if you made a more fitting dress out of the bright pink and blue, you could pair it with short jacket with higher collar to make a truly high-end look. I look forward to seeing what you do with these!
I didn't t sew Liberty fabrics.Thank you for update our knowledge about fabrics.Usually I buy fabrics when the price is reduced and the quality is good I like the pale colors but also bright colors...
Hi dear, well, I chopped off my bangs yesterday. I just pretended I was Christopher (aka The Makeover Guy) and attacked them with a breezy insouciance ~ probably if any true stylist saw them they’d have to turn away. But I can see again! Hallelujah!
@@vivmomsews4962 I bet your bangs look lovely... just like you. My hair is beginning to look a little longer...or maybe it is wishful thinking when I look in the mirror. Looking forward to your next video...and your beautiful bangs...🌷
I truly love the colors and print of the liberty. Good for you for buying it, sorry, but I personally never would. I can't wait to see what you make with it
Hi Viv! I’ve never bought any Liberty Lawn although I have checked them out. I think you got a pretty good deal for it and am interested in how it sews up. My friend couldn’t get in to her hairdresser so she went to a barber and he actually did a pretty good job! Have a good week!
So happy to hear from you. Beautiful day where I am. I'm expecting some vintage patterns I found on Etsy. The days of saving money sewing are long gone for me. I bought some silk last month to make a dress for about 3 occasions coming up next year. My biggest splurge in a long time.
I purchased some Liberty last summer. I loved the print so much; I paid $21 a yard. I needed 1.5 yds for the blouse I selected. I love the fabric and hate the McCalls pattern I used. I had to add buttons to the placket just to keep the shirt from sliding backwards! The pattern number was 7324. I’ve never gathered to place shoulder seams together nor have I gathered a neck edge before attaching collar piece! The pattern was horrible. If I can find this fabric again, I will purchase it again. I wear the shirt but I’m not in love with the style. I always get compliments on it because the colors are so beautiful!!!! The fabric is silky soft and great for our hot summers here.
I’ve never bought any Liberty fabric. For some reason, I’m into linens, denims, wools and knits. I’m like you though, I might indulge once just to see what something so spectacular is all about!
I didn't like the Liberty fabric print or colors. I am sure however that you will make something marvelous! The bright colors and abstract print are gorgeous, but again what would I make from it??? Can't wait to see your creations. I am sitting here sewing an apron from a poinsettia print, with rick rack.
Beautiful fabric, Viv! I've seen lovely Liberty fabric and makes sewn with it by UK sewing friends. It would be fun to splurge on some Liberty. Another UK fabric company I like is Lady McElroy. They have some gorgeous large scale tropical floral prints. I believe there are some US fabric shops that carry a limited selection of it. Happy sewing.
Lady McElroy stuff is gorgeous, Laura! I’ve only priced it at Minerva.com - some of it was in the $16-18/yard range which IS pricey (for me) but not wildly nuts. Alas, I can’t buy any fabric...I can’t buy any fabric...I can’t buy any fabric... (I’ll let you know if chanting this actually works.)
