While in Chicago to take in the sailboat show we spent a couple of hours at a fabric and textiles discount outlet. Granted, their premise is to buy out businesses going out business, and leftover materials from various industries and as such, and while it’s unlikely one can repeat a purchase you can save a small fortune if you’ve got a project or two in mind! For example, leather is available for a whopping $2.50 per square foot, this is less than half of any place I’ve ever found it and there were shelves stacked from floor to ceiling the width of the building! They also stock thousands of bolts and rolls of fabric ranging from the sheer, silky, and shiny to rugged burlap, canvas, and furniture fabrics. Not to mention foam, notions, and stuff you never knew existed.
Needless to say, Alan and I both dropped a chunk of change at this place violating a cardinal rule we had previously implemented of not buying and stocking excess material due to limited storage. But hey, we’re fiscally frugal and a deal is a deal!