A Different Kind of Souvenir: Fabric Shopping in Barcelona & Madrid
Somewhere along the way, finding local fabric stores became part of my travel itinerary. There's just something special about bringing home a souvenir that I can eventually turn into something I'll actually wear.
I recently spent eight days in Spain, traveling through Barcelona and Madrid with my good friend, who also sews, and naturally, we found ourselves in a few fabric stores. Four, to be exact!
I came home with seven new fabrics to add to my already overflowing storage cabinets.
Looking through the fabric I purchased, it was all gingham. And linen. For some reason, I've gravitated toward gingham and have been collecting it for about two years now. Why?
Because somewhere in my mind, I've created this version of myself who wears the cutest little cotton and linen outfits.
Matching sets. Comfortable shirts. Pieces that look put together without requiring much effort. I can see the outfits so clearly. Though, when I pulled one of the previous prints out to sew up earlier this year, I made another dress... 😂
Now, I did also make a shirt with that same gingham fabric.
But considering how much gingham I've collected, I've got some catching up to do.
Something a lot of us who sew can relate to is that sometimes we spend more time imagining what we're going to make than actually making it. Or maybe that's just me...
We save patterns. We buy fabric. We have all these beautiful ideas for what our handmade wardrobes could look like. And then life happens. Or a new, shiny project catches our attention. And suddenly, a month, six months, or a year has passed.
Lately, I've been more intentional about the things I make, but also the fabrics I choose. If I'm going to invest my time, money, and energy into sewing my own clothes, I want to make things that actually fit my lifestyle. Things I can wear more than once or twice. Items I can mix and match. Items that feel like me.
So choosing cottons, linens, or other natural fabrics while shopping in Spain just made sense.
If you want to see the fabrics I found in Barcelona and Madrid, I also put together a video sharing the stores we visited and everything I brought home.
Until next time,
Schelli
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