Address: 171-177 London Road, Glasgow, G1 5BX (See Google Maps Here)
Website: http://www.fabric-bazaar.com/
Do they sell online? Not currently
Easy to get to?
It's a 15 minute walk from St Enoch Underground Station and near the Barras (Barrowland Market)
Liberty & tartan
What's the Shop like?It absolutely lives up to its name as it has a real bazaar feel. It has a diverse (random) selection of fabrics (wetsuit material, anyone?) but is amazingly cheap. There are some regular lines, like fluoro polycottons and sequin fabrics (and,er, glitter wallpaper) but fabric wise, of most interest to dressmakers are the different and changing deals on offer. The owners buy tens of thousands of metres of fabrics to get good deals, from curtain lining fabrics to cotton drills. Although it seems like there is a lot of poly-based fabric they have recently had offers like £5/m for wool and £6.99/m for Irish linen. When I visited they had Liberty poplin for £9/m
Buttons
Central section of assorted fabrics - dig in for some interesting discoveries
£1.99/m lining fabric
What can I buy there?Fabric (dressmaking and upholstery) and haberdashery. It is loved by college students, am dram groups and re-enactors but they also sell to alterations shops and smaller retailers across Scotland.
Overlocker thread from £2 per cone
Coat buttons at 20p each
What's the best thing to buy there?The haberdashery section is where it's at. Overlocker thread from £2 a cone. Yes please. Zips at 10 for £1 with larger ones at 50p each, buttons from 5p each including lovely coat buttons for 20p each. Also interfacing from £1/m and lining fabric for £1.99/m. Their thread is cheap at 60p a spool, if you're not fussy about brands. There is a bit of deadstock feel as they buy job lots of things from places that aren't the same suppliers that other fabric shops use, hence the great deals. Fabric wise, there will probably be something good but you have to dig/ask, the labelling of rolls isn't great. Apart from the Liberty fabric I did see some nice cord and they have good value denim, although it had all been snapped up by the time I got there.
Zip baskets
Selecton of Coats Thread
I didn't even know that pre-wound bobbins were a thing
Sum it upThe owner told me that they decided that they can't please everyone and true enough, if you are used to well organised fabric shops with your usual sections of cottons, wool etc, you probably won't like it. However if you like good deals and the excitement of finding something random and good value, this shop is definitely for you.
This is one of a series of reviews of fabric and wool shops in Glasgow. See more here. All posts are independent and represent my own opinions.
This shop is fabulous. I bought lots of trims here for 50p a metre and was told that they were ex-manufacturing stock for Topshop so I suppose that they buy in mill ends, etc. Looks way more organised than it used to be. :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely worth popping in now and again to see what they have, as good deals seem to disappear fast.
DeleteOoh I've been by this place but never actually been in, I'll need to check it out next time I go to the wool shop! :)
ReplyDeleteDo have a look! I need to check out your wool shop for a review too. I've been squeezing in my shop visits when I can as I don't have as much free time as I used to, so trying to mostly do them at lunch times or during the week when I have days off
DeleteWow! Sounds like it's worth a visit! I paid £3 for a zip in JL today... :( Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, it's defintiely worth a visit to stock up :-)
DeleteBeing a maverick shopper (with a strong preference for second hand swiftly followed by bargains) this shop looks right up my alley. Nothing like the thrill of a great deal!
ReplyDeleteAh, you'd probably enjoy it then. I'm yet to score any fabric bargains here myself but ever hopeful!
DeleteI used to walk past this every day on my way to/from work, and I mentally renamed it the Fabric Bizarre ;o) It's an amazing Aladin's cave of stuff though!
ReplyDeleteA very appropriate name indeed, it's full of weird and wonderful items
DeleteBrilliant series, I'll know where to head when I finally make it to Scotland.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're enjoying the review posts :-)
DeleteI actually go out of my way to go here! The staff are really helpful and are quite active on Facebook. I've been know to spot something that they've advertised, phoned up and got them to hold it for me! You do have to dig and it's not a huge shop but it's worth it for the bargains :)
ReplyDeleteThat's good to know they will do that and sounds like they are worth following on Facebook too. I don't use FB very often, I wonder if they Tweet
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