A trip around the world without leaving my sewing nook

I mentioned in my last post that I should really give a little tour of all the fabrics I've bought on trips around the world.  If you're like me, you love the look and feel of textiles almost as much as working with them.  I used to buy textiles before I started sewing again, just because I knew I would eventually use them, and that I would regret not buying them when I had the chance to get high quality, inexpensive fabrics.  So come on a little trip with me as a reexamine some of the kilos of textiles that I've dragged back from my travels!

I'll start with the oldest pieces I have in my stash:  These are from South East Asia, bought during a 3-month trip through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia in 2003.

These two are cotton sarong fabrics, both originally purchased as thirds (=1m x 2m  There are mountains of sarongs available for sale in SEAsian markets, and they are usually 1m x 6m, but you can bargin them into cutting thirds if you only want enough for a single sarong).  The one on the left is not a true batik, but just a print.  I used this as a table cloth for a few years, but now it's going to be sewn into a tunic.  On the right is a double-sided print from which I foolishly made a Burdastyle Anda - the fabric is too stiff and I never wear it.  I plan to recut it into something more flattering!  I don't remember how much I paid, but I think they were only around $5 each.

These are part of a big bundle of kramas ( ក្រមារ) that I bought in Cambodia.  They were various sizes, about $0.50 each, and are a mix of poly-cotton.  Kramas are worn by everyone in Cambodia, and are used for almost anything you can think:  skirts, scarves, face covers against dust and wind when bike riding, baby carriers, shopping bags....you name it.  I usually use them as hair wraps or neck scarves.  I had a lot more, but I've given many away or wrapped presents in them over the years.  I may make something out of the largest krama at some point, but I'm still undecided.

I bought these three scarves in Laos.  The one on the left is handwoven raw silk, and is a gorgeous red that is really hard to photograph.  In the centre is an intricately woven rayon (?) piece in the traditional pattern.  The huge scarf on the right measures about 1m x 3m, and the colours are amazing.  I'm not 100% convinced of the content.  Of course, when I was buying it, the girl insisted it was silk, but it doesn't have quite the lustre of silk.  Whatever the content, it is dramatic!


Next up is a pencil skirt I made from a length of traditional border print Laotian fabric.  The fabric is usually used to make long, tight, wrapped skirts like these....

from worklivelaos

...but I bought a skirt like this, and I NEVER wear it.  It is too formal for much wear, difficult to walk in, and the brocade on the bottom actually rubs against my legs and scratches them terribly.  I decided instead to make the Jenny skirt from Burda.  More practical, but still showcasing the textile:

 Unfortunately, I made this during a post-partum phase, so it's too big around the waist and hips now and needs quite a bit of alteration.  I'm glad I pulled this out of the alteration pile - I have some enthusiasm to finish it now that I'm looking at it!

Finally, I'm going to show a Laotian wrap skirt that I bought at Lao Women's Union in Vientiane.  I didn't make this, but I know you'll appreciate it.  It is 100% cotton, hand-woven, thread dyed ikat.  

 
It's gotten a bit stretched out of shape over the last 10 years, and the wrap portion doesn't wrap sufficiently, so I'm going to rework it.  

I think that's a long enough post for one day!  Next time I'll write about my African fabrics and the things I've made from them over the years.