Fabric Shopping In Seville, Spain

When I visit Seville I always drop by my favourite fabric shop - Zález.

It's too good to keep secret so about time I share it with you too!!!

Zález is a fashion and accessories brand owned by Núria González, a fashion designer originally from Barcelona.  Specialising in bags, rucksacks, purses, vanity cases, brooches and rings all pieces are handmade here in her Seville studio/store.

What draws me back, again and again, is the fabric - mainly Japanese  - Kokka/Echino and this time I pulled some English fabric too by dashwood studio.  You don't need me to tell you more here's some pics to tempt you.

 

 

 

 

 

On this visit I didn't have my Spanish dil, Ana, with me to act as a translator so, as always DH, Simon, was embarrassed, exasperated, amused at my attempts to communicate with anyone Spanish using English and a selection of elaborate hand gestures.  

When I'm travelling I can easily fashion a hand gesture for 'is it okay to take photos?' but I haven't come up with an appropriate one for 'do you mind if I blog about your store?'.  It seems I indicate some sort of circle around the room and then pretend to write, rather like the international hand gesture for 'can we have the bill?' at which point Simon usually huffs quite a bit and then shows them my blog via his phone.  This time, he sidled up to me in the store and whispered: "how do you think you're going to be able to tell Núria how much fabric you want cut?" I enjoyed pointing out to him that being English I actually know the European word for fabric measurements - "metres"!

Here's my restrained purchases - 5 x 1-metre cuts on the top row and 2 fat quarters on the bottom row -  the Kokka Scottie dogs were two fat quarters from my last visit but I thought I'd share them here too:

Top row left to right:

Petite Street by Wendy Kendall for dashwood studio

Flurry - dashwood studio

Garden by Ellen Luckett Baker for Kokka

atori echino Huedrawer collection by etsuko furuya - new to Kokka a cotton sateen, you can read about this new fabric line here on Kokka's blog

Tortoises by jodds for dashwood studio

Bottom row left to right:

Patchwork Cars - by Kokka

Owls - oxford by Kokka

Scotties - Trefle created by Kokka

Zález can be found right in the centre of Seville, if you're visiting the Cathedral and other major site seeing locations then you're right there already.

Don Alonso el Sabio, 6, Seville 41004.

Current opening hours are 10 am to 2 pm and 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm daily. 

You can follow here on Facebook too or visit the website.

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Núria gave me this sweet gift as I was leaving and that's exactly what my husband, Simon, thought it was - a sweet but take a closer look - it's a tape measure, how cute's that?!!!

For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my sidebar :D

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.

Adventures, Explorations and Nursery Baskets

The moon is the first milestone on the road to the stars - Arthur C Clarke

With my Grandson, Oliver, due next week, I need to get some project finishes under my belt ready to take out with me when I go to Seville to meet him.

Oliver's space theme nursery was originally inspired by these fab Rocket Age fabrics by October Afternoon for Riley Blake (Rocket Main Blue/Rocket Captain Blue/Rocket Stars Orange) and Ana asked for storage baskets to finish off the room and after seeing Flicky's Knitter's Dream Basket she specifically requested a larger version of Noodlehead's divided basket pattern for nappies.

I've increased the measurements to 14" (L) x 8" (D) x 9" (H) and moved the central divider offsetting it to allow more room for larger size nappies.  I've divided the front pocket into 5 sections too.

Next, I've made 3 stacking baskets.

Want to make your own?  

• You need a square base with rounded corners whatever size you wish.
• Cut a rectangle of fabric for the basket side that's the same width as the four sides of the base added together plus an extra 1/2" for seams (you can just use a circle base if you prefer and then measure your side to equal the circumference of the circle plus an extra 1/2" for seams). The height of the basket is up to you - just add 3/4" for seams to your height measurement.   
• Add a layer of Pellon 809 Decor Bond or 808 Craft Fuse interface to the basket side and base.
• Sew the basket side and base together using a 1/4" seam - start sewing with the first 1/4" of the basket side not attached (this is your excess that will become your basket side seam) and when you get to the end the final 1/4" should also be excess and unattached.
• Now sew the two excess open sides of the basket together again using a 1/4" seam.  
• Create the same for the lining (you can use Decor Bond again on the base to make it firmer but you don't need it again on the side). 
• Press the top edge of the outside and lining down by 1/2" to the wrong side of the fabric.  
• Put the lining inside of the outside with the wrong sides together.  
• Line up the top edges (adjust turnings if necessary so the heights are the same) and topstitch at 1/8" then repeat at 3/8".

You can turn the top edge of the containers down to whatever height you like.  You can see here where I've previously had the top turned down to - that happens when you use Decor Bond though you can iron it out again to some extent though probably not fully.

I've added tabs to the top of one of the containers before topstitching.

Having 3 fabrics I've alternated each for the outside, inside and base

and, of course, I've added my labels.

And how do those baskets look in use?

There're 54 x 16-28 lb nappies in that basket, perfect!

And the final line-up?

Folded

Stacked

Empty

 Full Of Goodies

I can't wait to hand deliver these and making them reminded me that two years ago I shared my eldest son Jack's graduation quilt with you - I mentioned then that he'd always been my little adventurer and explorer, I wonder if he'll pass those aspirations on to his own son Oliver?  

So back to that Arthur C Clarke quote at the top of the post and I hope my Grandson finds the moon when he travels his own road to the stars.


Click the images below to read more about other Divided Baskets I've made.

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Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.