fabric colours

[flaglady]

I haven't been too satisfied with the colours I've been getting lately. Can't seem to get it across the to vendor that the shade of purple, red, green, etc., matters a lot. The purples seem to be more blue than purple and the reds more orange than blood coloured. It's so exasperating.



I have tried sending them samples and colour charts. I have to buy online as the one local fabric shop only sells colours suitable for dress(suit) making. There's also the cost issue - it's much cheaper online. However, if you can't get the colour you want/need cost gets a bit academic.



Anyone else have these problems. Have you sorted them, if so, how?

[HelenaZF]

Yes, the right shade of color is very important. It's been very helpful to me to find a line of micro-fiber silky called "silk essence" that is an ongoing offering of a nationwide chain of fabric stores (JoAnn Fabrics). The silk essence line has also offered consistent good jewel-toned colors, although when we first started using it they also did not have a good crimson red, but offered a more orangey scarlet. Thankfully the color was eventually replaced by a much better red. Thank God they have never changed the perfect purple they offer. Seasonally, the store runs specials, and we once and a while see it get as low as $1 per yard. (I bought a 100 yard bolt of red that time!)



If you make a set of dance team dresses, you want to be able to add to them as you add or change personel, and as personel "add" & change. So the silk essence has been perfect for that, and I also use it to make many of our flags, and use it for draping backgrounds and creating altar environments. So if that fabric line is ever discontinued, it would cause me a severe handicap.