Why does nobody talk about the cost of those fancy fabric swatch books?

I dropped about $150 on a high-end Italian wool sample book for a coat design, and half the colors were discontinued by the time it arrived. The whole thing is basically a very expensive paperweight now. Has anyone found a better way to check fabric colors without getting stuck with old stock?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_tara6d ago

That Italian wool book situation is rough, but is it really a common problem? I feel like most people buying fabric for a coat are doing it as a hobby or a side project, not a full time job. Spending $150 on samples seems like a choice for a very specific, high end project. For my last sewing project, I just ordered five dollar swatches from three different online shops and compared them on my desk. The colors were close enough to pick one. Maybe the issue is trying to get every exact shade from one fancy book instead of checking what's actually for sale right now.

logan_clark446d ago

You're right that checking what's actually for sale is key. I see this same thing with tech where people buy the fancy guidebook, but the specs are outdated before it ships.