A top recommended souvenir shopping location is the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, which features hundreds of vendors, both the imported mass-produced variety and handcrafted local artisan fare. Hawaiian print fabric was seen everywhere. I picked up some off-cuts of fabric from a booth with aprons, hats, bags and potholders. It made me happy to find bundles of Hawaiian print scraps, but I really had no idea what to expect inside each one.
The squares were about 3 1/2", so not quite charm size. Each fabric appeared about a dozen times, and there were 20 different fabrics. They were all heavier home-dec weight. I was able to make a bundle of fabric squares for each of my co-workers at the shop. I hope they like working with scraps as much as I do.
The oblong bundle contained similar fabrics as the squares, but in varying quantities. Each print appears in several colorways, plus maybe a dozen different black-and-white prints. I'm envisioning a patchwork tote bag, maybe an oven mitt, and definitely a microwave bowl cozy (I like this tutorial from Happy Hour Stitches)
I got to escape touristy Waikiki and go to a fabric store at one point, and I might've gone a little nuts. Fabric Mart has 4 retail locations and specializes in all things Hawaiian print: apparel, home dec, quilting and batiks.
My favorite purchase: 3 1/2 yards of black rayon with a large chrysanthemum print. Although the flowers are large, their placement in vertical rows with plenty of surrounding black background means that I can envision this looking pretty and formal, given the right silhouette.
Two other rayons and a barkcloth, all with classic Hawaiian floral motifs. The rainbow floral in the center will be a challenge, but the blue & green prints seem more wearable--Hawaiian print shirts, anyone?
Finally, some bargain fabrics. The red and pink were each less than $5 per yard. I will use one of them as a bag lining, and maybe make a pop-up basket from the other.
Whew! Twelve yards of fabric--but someone in one of my fabric stashbusting groups said that souvenir fabrics don't count. Don't you agree?
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment