My 1930s Fabrics / How I Store Them & Where to Buy

In this video I'm sharing my true vintage 1930s fabrics, starting to plan a 1930s capsule wardrobe and showing you how I store my fabrics. Most of my vintage fabrics are bought from Donna Flower Fabrics (find her on Etsy and on Instagram). I have also bought true vintage fabrics from Tuppence Hapenny (also on Etsy and Instagram) and 1940s Style for You (Instagram and her website).
These sellers are all in the UK. If you are in the US and love these vintage novelty and floral prints you can find the Tuppence Hapenny collection on Spoonflower.
If you enjoyed this video and would like to support my channel, please consider buying me a cup of coffee:
ko-fi.com/samanthalovestosew
Thank you for watching my videos and supporting me. It is always very much appreciated.
Samantha x
Video Chapters
0:00 Introduction
0:35 The Fabrics
6:47 And There's More
9:31 Setting the Scene
10:20 My Linen Closet
11:00 Storing my Fabrics

[@iansaunders6983]

Some interesting fabrics and furnishings. A real Aladins cave. Glad you saved the fabric storage unit.

[@Samanthalovestosew]

It is a bit of an Aladdin’s cave! Thank for watching and understanding that the linen chest had to be saved! 😊

[@alenamoss8146]

Samantha, you are surrounded by so much beauty. I am looking forward to your new adventures in sewing. ❤ Thank you for your videos.

[@Samanthalovestosew]

How lovely to be encouraged by someone who doesn’t want me to be a minimalist! And who also sees the beauty in the things that I love. Thank you very much for supporting me and appreciating what I do ❤️

[@laurazeman]

You always have the prettiest fabrics and buttons. I love your use of color in both your fabrics and your home decor. 😍 Those scottie dogs buttons are absolutely perfect with that fabric! ❤ A TV CABINET?!? 😱😱😱 The horror! Thank you for saving that cabinet! ❤ And thank you for sharing!

[@Samanthalovestosew]

I know!!! A TV cabinet?!! How could they think of ripping out the original shelves covered in early 19th century fabric? (What are people like 🤣). Imagine going to a fair and accidentally buying something so massive then contemplating how to get it home though 😂 It was a saga! I’m a total squirrel 🐿️ for pretty fabric and buttons, as you know. And it’s lovely to be encouraged - thank you! 💗💐

[@karinbaird2499]

Thank you for sharing your lovely fabrics with us. So beautiful 😍

[@Samanthalovestosew]

I’m really pleased you enjoyed looking at them. I must confess that it makes me happy just to look at them too, so I was hoping others would feel the same! Thank you for watching again 💐

[@mashaeizner4084]

Beautiful fabrics! Your living room is magic! The linen closet is incredible, absolutely gorgeous ❤

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much Masha. When I first came to the cottage it was very unloved and neglected but that inglenook fireplace immediately drew me. There’s also French doors out onto the garden, lovely in summer! ❤️

[@mashaeizner4084]

@@Samanthalovestosew what you’ve done with the place is incredible, I can’t even picture it what it was like when you just got it

[@Samanthalovestosew]

@@mashaeizner4084 It had been rented out for many years to a string of different people who didn’t care. The garden was just a patch of dirt and weeds. There was cheap carpet everywhere, including even the kitchen floor. The puppy Raisins soon had that carpet totally destroyed! 😂

[@lesliejacobs3605]

They sure knew how to create beautiful fabrics in the 1930’s and I can’t wait to see your creations!!! I’m so glad you rescued that amazing cabinet!! It’s a treasure ❤

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much Leslie 💗 It’s true, 1930s fabrics are beautiful and I love the floral and novelty prints. I did also manage to get a bolt of early 40s black rayon and 30s plain duck egg blue for a few solid colour garments or for colour blocking. Glad you appreciate the cabinet rescue too! ❤️

[@disfiednoise]

Beautiful fabrics! Can't wait to see the 30s capsule wardrobes ❤️

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much and I’m very pleased you’re looking forward to the 30s capsule wardrobes. (Tbh I don’t know how capsule they really are but the words ‘capsule wardrobe’ seem to create interest so I’m shamelessly using them 😆) 💕🌸

[@disfiednoise]

@@Samanthalovestosew 😂 sounds good!

[@missterryvintage]

Oh, my goodness! That linen closet!!! So stunning! And what a wonderful collection of fabrics. :) I adore that you're already thinking about which buttons to choose, even before choosing what to make. :)

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Yes, really this video is just me messing about with my fabrics and buttons ie. playing! Matching fabrics and buttons is so absorbing. Of course it’s a little unfortunate if, later on, it transpires that no buttons are required! Thank you for appreciating my linen closet. I love it and am relieved I followed my heart not my head 💕🌸

[@jodywarren54]

I can't wait for your upcoming videos. I love the 1930s so much!

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Oh I’m always so pleased to find someone who appreciates 30s fashion. It’s my favourite era. There’s just such imagination and variety. I hope you will enjoy my 30s makes (crossing my fingers and toes they turn out alright!) And thank you very much! 💐

[@iris7911]

❤

[@Samanthalovestosew]

🥰

[@mele9952]

Oh you have a fabulous button collection! Thats for sharing all your beautiful things. ❤

[@Samanthalovestosew]

I’ve been obsessed by vintage buttons for years and live in an area where they’re often for sale, so I’ve built up quite a collection! It’s lovely to find someone else appreciating them! And thank you for watching too ❤️

[@jessicastorey1838]

Oh! I can’t wait to see what you do with that check and the Scotty buttons! That would be at the top of my pile as well. Also, I’m so glad you saved that linen chest.

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much! I’ve just been picking out a pattern for the check today - I also chose my favourite 30s pattern. It would be too awful if this dress doesn’t suit me since it’s going to be a combination of favourite things! I’m so pleased I saved the linen chest too, I’ve loved it ever since 💕🌸

[@lenorerhodes8110]

Beautiful linen storage cupboard Samantha. I’m sure the previous owners would be thrilled. Love your fabric and buttons, and including thoughts on future makes. Xx ❤️🦼

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much Lenore 💕 I’m so pleased that I saved it. At the time it seemed a mad thing to do. The money, the question of how to get it home, would it even fit through the door? etc. But now it is a beautiful dear old friend in my living room. Yes planning is definitely a big part of the fun of dressmaking! 💗🌸xx

[@LostinTimeWithKatie]

I love all the 30’s fabrics and all the button matching ideas as well 🪡 💕That cabinet is so gorgeous. Good for you for saving it. I shudder to think of what could have been 📺🤯

[@Samanthalovestosew]

I knew you would truly understand Katie, with your love of beautiful crafts and furniture from the past. Once something is ruined it can never be recovered. I actually worry what will happen to my treasured pieces once I’m not there to protect them!! And thank you for loving my fabrics and buttons. And for watching 😁💖💐

[@killerkitschvintagelizzie]

So many gorgeous fabrics and buttons. I'm very jealous of your collection. Also, one of my favorite color combinations is eggshell blue with a bright pink or red. With a bit of brown in it. Also, a turquoise red or a turquoise and pink or turquoise and brown. They all go really well together! I'm so glad you saved that beautiful cabinet! How I know we were meant to be friends. I'm also obsessed with Scotty dogs! xxx

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you so much Lizzie 💕 Those colour combinations always look so pretty and joyful. And I’ve never regretted saving that cabinet, even if it was another two years before I could buy a car 😆! I love it. I am totally obsessed with Scotties. The love of my life - we’re talking a dog, not a man - whilst of unknown parentage, most closely resembled a Scotty. My home is full of 1930 and 40s Scotty things, plus the Scotty brooches of course. Apparently actual Scotty dogs are an endangered breed now. I trawl the rescue homes in the hope of seeing one but they’ve fallen out of fashion - due to being stubborn and independent minded. Nothing wrong with that I say! Xxx

[@killerkitschvintagelizzie]

​​@Samanthalovestosew I didn't realize Scottie dogs were an endangered species. Now that I know that, if we are ever up to adopting another dog, I will definitely be looking for a Scottie dog. I have a little Scotty treasure and there's a story to go with it, so I'm going to message you about it.

[@BeverleyButterfly]

Wow your collection is so inspiring! I need to squirrel more xx

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Whereas I really ought to stop squirrelling!! Thank you very much 🐿️xx

[@BeverleyButterfly]

@@Samanthalovestosew we need to swap for a while hehe

[@aruvielevenstar3944]

Lovely fabrics and buttons! The pattern looks rather modern I think, you see this kind of patterns nowadays as well. But I assume the fabrics are more sustainable and thicker than nowadays 🌼🌿🌸🌿🌷 love your house and decorating very much!

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much! 🌸 Yes those ditsy floral prints in particular you can see today. It’s also still possible to get some wonderful silk. But I know you can’t get rayons with that wonderful drape anymore. It turned out that the chemicals used in their production gave factory workers horrendous long term illnesses. So vintage rayons are now covetable. I’m so pleased you love my fabric and buttons, and appreciate my home with my vintage pieces. I know it’s a world away frommodern minimalism and always feel truly heart warmed when someone gets why I love this stuff! 💗💐

[@aruvielevenstar3944]

@@Samanthalovestosew oh I absolutely adore vintage furniture and decorations 😍I never liked the minimalist style as well. I only buy things at a thrift shop or at the Dutch version of eBay. I didn’t know the chemicals used in the fabrics at those days caused severe longdeseases, than it is better nowadays I guess. Greetings from the Netherlands 🌸🌿🌼🌷

[@Samanthalovestosew]

⁠@@aruvielevenstar3944It sounds like we appreciate all the same things! It’s much more fun hunting for vintage things than buying modern ones isn’t it?! You never know what you will find! The Netherlands! I love to hear where people are from. I’ve only been to Amsterdam, which was wonderful 💕🎀💐

[@aruvielevenstar3944]

@@Samanthalovestosew yes I really love vintage and Amsterdam is beautiful but to crowded for me, I live in a rural area in the south of the Netherlands with lots of beautiful cottages and cosy landscapes

[@Samanthalovestosew]

@@aruvielevenstar3944 How lovely and sounds like where I’ve chosen to live too! 🌸💐

[@ariettasvintagelife]

Your fabrics are all soooo beautiful and that cabinet oh my gosh, it's stunning! May I ask, how do you protect your fabrics from moth? I want to store my fabrics in an old chest and I'm scared that they will atract moth in there... Thank you for sharing your fabulous collection of fabrics and buttons, it's so inspiring! 🥰💕💕

[@Samanthalovestosew]

Thank you very much Arietta You know I’ve never had a problem with moths in my cabinet. And yet I fight a war against clothes moths in other parts of the cottage (a pure wool rug and cashmere jumpers instantly spring to mind!) Elsewhere I think those sticky pheromones traps are best. The only reason I can think of that I’ve never had moths in my cabinet is that I’m forever opening the door, rummaging around, rearranging etc. So nothing lies in the dark undisturbed!! It’s a bit of a mystery otherwise . I’ve never really thought before why I haven’t had a problem in there but I haven’t (thank goodness!!) Thank you for watching and appreciating my collection 💗💐