teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Saturday 30 April 2016

Exploring Bath, England - Country Threads


On my recent trip back to England I took the train out from London to Bath to meet up with my friend Vanessa.  Bath was my old shopping ground when I lived in Marlborough, Wiltshire and one of my major interior design house projects was here too, so I know it well.  

Knowing it well I'm afraid I didn't take any touristy photos to share with you 
though I did pop into the local fabric store, Country Threads so let's take a tour together.


The outside of the store does give you a glimpse of the stunning Bath stone that all the buildings here are built from.


I love a good old cobble street and pavement it brings back memories of when I was much younger and ruined many a good stiletto heel in the cracks between the cobbles - I really am that old.

Walking into the store it's a bit of a tardis.  
The front room is very typical of an English country style and full of ribbons, trims, notions, fabrics and more.




Don't be fooled into thinking that's it - behind the counter area to the left, there's a passageway leading through to a second room full of battings, panels and fabrics.  Everything you could possibly need for your latest quilting project.





A sneaky pic of Vanessa handling the goods ;D


Vanessa is a quilter too and creates wonderful country style and applique quilts.  If you'd like to see her work she blogs about it here at Mother Hen Quilting.  We've known each other for years meeting when we both took jobs at the local high school, as you do when your kids are young and you want to get out of the house a bit but still have school holidays at home.  Those jobs are long gone but our friendship grew and grew and has survived both of us relocating to other countries though V is now back in England.

And here's a much better pic of me and Vanessa in her stunning apartment overlooking the town. 


And here's what I bought.


I'm crazy loving these John Louden collection stripes, I'd never heard of them before but they're a super soft weave, similar to Peppered Cotton and Kaffe Fassett's stripes, I couldn't leave the store without them.

Isn't it just the sweetest store?  Have you visited Country Threads?  Do you love Bath as much as I do?  
If you're heading into the city to do some sightseeing now you know just where to get your fabric fix too right in the middle of town.


2 Pierrepont Place  Bath  BA1 1JX
Tel: 01225 480056

Opening hours:
Mon-Sat 9.30 am to 5 pm
Closed Sundays

Permission granted by a staff member to take and blog all photos.


Visiting The British Isles?  Read my previous Exploring posts by clicking the images below:



For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores 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 on my sidebar :D


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12 comments:

  1. Country Threads looks like a sweet store! I love you purchase and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with them. I hope to make it to Bath someday!

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  2. The shop looks amazing, I shall shortly be hopping over to their online shop for a browse.

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  3. looks like a fun time had by all and some beautiful fabric finds!

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  4. I love Bath, one of my favourite cities and love the look of Country threads

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  5. Thanks for the mini-tour! I would love to go there someday!

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  6. Country Threads holds very special memories for me. We visited Bath one hot sunny day in 2011 - I got to spend an hour in the store while my husband and son explored the Abbey. Then we met up with our daughter and her fiance (they'd got engaged that very day!). I always smile when I see the quilt I made from the fabric bought that day.

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    1. Oh what a wonderful story, I'm very happy to have brought back happy memories for you Allison and what a great memory to attach to a quilt, have you labelled it including that memory for future generations to share? I a member of the Quilt Alliance and as such we love to 'save our stories' so I make sure I put all that info onto my quilts. If you not heard of QA take a look and think about labelling that quilt :D - Chris

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  7. What a wonderful shop to explore. Maybe some day I'll visit England, and I'll be hoping the Country Threads is still there.
    --Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)

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  8. I could live in that store!

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  9. I've got to know Jan, the owner of Country Threads over the years - I always come away from a visit to Bath with a whole bag of fabrics. She's so knowledgeable and helpful and I LOVE that shop - and the little wool shop just a few paces further on. It's the best part of Bath!!!!

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    1. oh I love that you know it well, and I know exactly the wool shop you mean. I had the best trip home, I miss it so much so it's fun to share places with others who haven't been and to hear from those who have too :D - Chris

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Chris Dodsley


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