After cancelling a couple of weeks ago due to the snow, our group managed to set out yesterday for a trip to a couple of Lancashire Mills (just to help reduce their stocks of fabric).
The first day out we have had this year and a good one it was too.
First we visited Immanuel Mill in Colne which was quite an experience.
Housed in an old chapel, with many of the old pews in situ, it was stuffed to the gunnels, room after room, with rolls of every kind of fabric but not much 100% cotton suitable for our quilting needs. We still managed to buy quite an amount of yardage from there to make bags, crafts and for backings etc., as prices started from an amazing £1 a meter. The staff were all so helpful carrying rolls and finding all we were looking for.
We drove the short distance on to Oakmount Mill, a much smarter place but also with higher prices, though there were still some bargains to be had.
A really lovely lunch was enjoyed in the attached Bobbin Restaurant before we delved into the goodies in the shop.
A really lovely lunch was enjoyed in the attached Bobbin Restaurant before we delved into the goodies in the shop.
They had a good range with a whole floor of soft furnishing fabrics and the upper floor of dress and quilting fabrics, plus haberdashery and with main brands such as Lewis @ Irene. The ladies serving us were really lovely and helpful.
The fabric for our group quilt was selected and almost everyone spent a good few ££££££s there.
Here's Debbie's selection(she who swore she was NOT buying any more fabric).
Margaret M and I made a few additions to our Liberty collections which, at £9 meter, was excellent value.
Just by chance,totally impromptu, another local mill manager, from the Lancashire Bedding Co, spotted our group going in to Immanuels and had the foresight to invite us to visit his factory, which we fitted in before we drove home. What an opportunity and what fun we had too.
We had a great welcome from the staff but at first we were disappointed that they only made bedding items, duvets, sheets, cushions however, it was really interesting to be given a tour of the factory to see how they make their quality items for several prestigious British retailers. It was even better when we were offered an exceptionally good discount on any purchases we made so, of course, we came home with lots of real bargains we just couldn't possibly leave behind. Josie had a mattress topper made specially to order .....from this......
Then vacuum packed so that we could squash it with all our other stash into the mini-bus
to this....
Josie told us that she needed a ladder to get into bed when she fitted her new topper.
It was a fun and very different day out which we all enjoyed and we will be doing it again very soon.
