Today we get to hear a little bit about Sheba Anne of Fabric Treasury as she was kind enough to answer a few questions I put to her about her business and sewing.
Hi Sheba Anne, tell us how you got started selling fabric!
My mom and I would go fabric hunting when I was a little girl and this got me started on fabric quite early on in life. I have always been a fabric collector and when I buy fabric, I really don’t have any projects in mind, but just buy anyways and stash.
Do you have a favourite type of fabric and if so what is it that you love about it?
I absolutely love linen! Most of the times, I come by awesome linen fabrics and they end up in my personal stash. I love the soft and easily crumbled nature of linen. To me it feels almost like wearing a puff of air.
Do you have a favourite period of fashion and if so, again, what is it that makes you love it?
I love Victorian fashion in all its splendour! The crochets, the laces, the works! They remind me of the nun who taught us sewing back in my convent school. She had this cupboard full of lovely things and I would tail her whenever she goes in to the sewing room to dig out something to bring back to our class. My fascination with laces and embroideries remained with me all these years after school. I am also very interested in the 60’s colors, prints and styles. They are so refreshing!
Are you a sewer? If not, why not and if so how long have you been sewing for?
Yes, I sew. I started out with sewing clothes for my dolls. In college, I would do dresses for me and my friends. I have been sewing on an off ever since I could work a sewing machine and that’s about 25 years.
If you do sew what are your favourite projects and do you sew from vintage patterns?
My favourite project so far has been a lovely blush pink linen dress I made for myself. I wore it to my cousin’s wedding and it was a hit. It was a design I did from scratch and used flowers and leaves glass beads to decorate.
Which of the fabrics in your store would you most like to sew for yourself and what would you make from it?
I would love to make myself a flowing asymmetric hemmed dress in white linen with some of the white eyelet shabby chic fabrics in my shop.
Does the popularity of fabric change from year to year and if so what would you think may cause that?
I have not been in business long enough to see a trend, I started out in July 2010. May be in a couple of years I would be able to spot trends.
In your opinion is sewing becoming more or less popular?
I believe sewing is much more popular now when compared to the 80s and 90s. The desire for that special individual touch is much more now. I believe fabrics, notions and patterns are much more accessible these days through online shops like Etsy, Ebay and Artfire. All this brings out the creative side of anyone who loves a good dress.
Anything else you'd like to share with us?
I would love to hear back from everyone about the fabrics they see in my shop. Here’s my email ID: FabricTreasury@Gmail.com
Thanks so much to Sheba Anne for taking the time to answer the questions and for sponsoring our competition this month. Don't forget that entries must be in by the 30th October for the drawing on the 31st. You can find full details on how to enter here.
Happy sewing!
Anna
The small print: Sew Retro is not affiliated with Fabric Treasury in any way beyond the sponsorship of this competition.