Of Fabric Hunting & Kitten Mongering

I have been on the hunt for fabric for curtains in my home. I currently have barenaked windows in my living room, master bedroom, master bath, and my daughter's room. Maybe I am too picky? I have simply been unable to find either premade curtains or fabric that is to my liking. I am waiting to fall in love with a fabric, the "I know that this is love at first sight and my windows can't go another day without it" kind of fabric. Alas, Joann's was just not cutting it.

But then the Nester comes through for me again, and encourages me to step outside the box and go hunting for fabric alternatives. This is how I found "Schindlers Fabric Shop" through a simple conversation with my mother about how there must be fabric stores in the greater Cleveland area. "Oh yes" she says, "What about Schindler's? Your dad and I have been there before." Who knew???

So on a recent Friday morning my Parents, their neighbor Karen, and I packed up in my mini-van and headed off to Schindler's Fabric Shop in Cleveland, OH. This fabric store has been in Cleveland since 1938! The building was old and beautiful so I wouldn't be surprised if they've been in that same location since they were establised. Check out one of the front doors on the building:

This is what greeted us when coming through the front door. And this was just one wall of trim, there was so much more:

I fell in love with this delicate blue with glass bead trim:

Look how cute trim looks gracing the inside of one of the shop doors:

When we turned around after oogling all of the trim, we were greeted with the first room of fabrics. Yes, I said first room. There are actually 2 huge rooms on the first floor, and multiple rooms on the second floor, which we'll get to in a bit.

I just wanted to dive into these and stay there all day:

In the center of the second room was a large area with books upon books of designer samples:

Loads of pink and red yumminess, and we know how much I am in love with red.

It was while I was absorbed in all of this pink and red, when I turned around and was greeted by this:

Seems that they have a slew of kittens that need a home. My first reaction was "Oh know, you didn't!" For those that don't know me I have been craving a gray kitten for awhile now. Hubby says that the 2 cats we have are quite enough. I say: whatever!

I wonder if they bombard every customer with this obvious cuteness. I can imagine the conversation: "We will stick kittens in the faces of each and every customer that comes through the door. Sooner or later, we will be rid of all 4. Jenny, today you have kitten duty. Marge, you take tomorrow".

After being tortured by the kitten mongering, I headed upstairs to the discount rooms:

Again there was just room after room of fabrics.

Also, every available space and nook and cranny were covered by boxes and bins of sewing and upholstering related items:

I love this cute curtain on the doorway on the left:

The doorway was so inviting and led to this out back behind the store:

Unfortunately I did not find any fabrics that spoke to me or my pocketbook. Although had I found the perfect fabric I would have found a way to get a hold of it. The lovely ladies at Schindlers seemed willing to work with me, and would most likely been willing to bargain a bit.

So thank you to Nester for encouraging me to hunt down alternative fabric sources. And thank you to my parents for accompanying me on our outing. We had a wonderful day and the fabric store was only the morning. We then headed to lunch and an afternoon of antiquing! I will share that story in a future post.

Have you had luck with fabric? Do you wait for a fabric to speak to you, or is it easier to just pick in your color pallette and be done with it?
Share with me your successes and maybe you will have a few tips to share with us as well?

Happy Hunting!