Fabric shopping

The local fabric market is rather poor if you compare to the various printed cottons available online, all over the world.

Nevertheless you do not really hear me complain. Scouting the local market sometimes results in finding real treasures.

Also treasure hunting in Ajman –an Emirate about 20 kilometers away from our habitat- is mostly a thrilling experience.

Most fabrics are plain, but there is a lot of cotton; even jersey and interlock. Usually cheap stuff, good quality, but only sold per roll. Consequently I have an overload of overstock wondering around in the house. A fabric might be really nice, but a whole roll is mostly just impossible to finish, even for me.

At Bengali market the fabric warehouses are full to bursting.

If you happen to wish to purchase a roll from the bottom of the pile of fabric rolls you will need to be very charming and look the Bengali salesman in the eyes as otherwise you end up going home without your desired roll.

Luckily they know me already, if they do not want to take the roll I want I do start moving the whole pile myself until they take over.

This picture was taken, sitting on top of the mountain of fabric rolls.

Also haberdashery is sold per roll, so bias binding, elastic with button holes, webbing (the roles in the pictures are about 40 yards and the price of a roll is about 5 euro – disadvantage it regards satin and not cotton).

Other haberdashery such as buttons, metal buckles and so on, can be bought in bags of minimum 50 pieces. Although I usually do not use 50 I do not hesitate buying these wholesale quantities, because in the local quilters shop I probably pay the same price for only 2 pieces!

One day I will have to organize a massive overstock sale at our house.

And yes I am not only interested in fabric, this bicycle shop –Islam Bicycle Trading- got some attention to!