Cindy and I met up at Osgood’s Fabrics last week. It’s a megastore located in West Springfield, Mass., that has so much fabric that it will make your head spin… all at terrific prices. Cindy (pictured above) was researching fabric for pinch pleats. I was the one who was interested in this hippie patchwork, though. It was $14/yard. Yes, there are lots more pics from this tour.
Osgoods’ specialty is fabric for home interiors, and it goes on and on and on — so much so that if you go with a friend, you better both bring cell phones so that you can find each other if you get separated.
Cindy was looking for a mid-century modern graphic or floral pattern in basically this colorway.
It was hard not to like these big bold graphic designs, though, too. I would tend to call this a contemporary (today) interpretation of modern. The colors — fantastic.
This fabric had a terrific retro-inspired hand (feel), kind of like vintage rhino-cloth.
Again, a contemporary take on mid-mod.
Cindy found a local seamstress to make her pinch pleats. If it goes well, I think I will use the same seamstress to make me some pinch pleat sheers out of this fabric, but in ecru/natural. I am going to layer the sheers under my existing pinch pleats. I love that layered look.
My vintage pinch pleats have a design not too dissimilar to this. Although, my colorway is all beiges, ecrus and very light browns. These kind of tone-on-tone pastoral toiles were and are appropriate for Retro Renovation living rooms, dining rooms or bedrooms — and convey a more formal look. I also found this same fabric, which is called Bosporus by 5th Avenue Design for Covington, at Fashion Fabrics Club online, which also has a big brick-and-mortar presence in Denver. Osgoods will do mail-order, too.
Ooooh, this would be great for an Early American basement. Actually, the fabric I made into pinch pleat for my cherry-paneled man-cave is very similar in overall feel.
Switching gears altogether, this polished cotton chintz — with its Asian toile on stripes — would look lovely in a formal living room, dining room or bedroom. That said, I think you need to be careful how you use red and gold, or else the room starts looking like the Washington Redskins.
Yowza, look at this. I know a lot of readers would like this fabric. It was stained, though. Cindy, should we go back, wheel and deal for it, clean it, then sew it into shower curtains to sell on etsy.com?
Cheap and cheerful decorating idea: Take webbing like this (which we presumed was intended for some sort of outdoor use) and craft it into pull shades. The fabric was such that, if you trimmed the edges, it wouldn’t unravel.
This would make for a pretty shower curtain in a pink bathroom. I’m nuts for novelty prints in pastel bathrooms.
Seriously, folks, if you have BIG needs for fabric, plan a vacation to Springfield/Hartford so that you can go shopping at Osgoods. Hartford has an airport servicing the region… the Basketball Hall of Fame is nearby… and Cindy and I might even come down to meet you.
Finally, I’m sure you’re curious what Cindy chose. But, I think we’ll leave that for a surprise reveal. Stay tuned.
Links: Osgood Textile.
Shane! says
I was just there Friday afternoon!! I picked up and debated on the stained one. I think Im going back and getting some. It matched the color of my bedroom too well not to get it!
I also found a green reproduction atomic fabric! I was just about to photograph it for a post on my blog. I’m happy to find fello Massachusetts retrophile.
Kitschcake Shane!
Tikimama says
Ooooh, so much to love here! And I love the guidance you give your readers, Pam, on how/where to use the different fabrics. I absolutely adore that aqua/green stained fabric – go back and get it!!!
RetroSandie says
This looks like a fantastic place to spend hours browsing. I love that pink Parisian print with the fashions, little purses, and perfume bottles. It would be fun to design a bedroom around that wonderful print!
gavin hastings says
Of course, one more thing:
If any has it in their mind to go, they close promptly at 1:00 on Saturdays.
laura fischler says
OMG! I WANT TO GO!!
michelle says
I’m stuck in the middle of Iowa too! Bet they have awesome retro cowboy fabric.
gavin hastings says
And your car didn’t swerve over to Puritan Road?
Backround Info: When I was a kid- my mother would drag us to Osgoods….a rickety 1200 sq foot converted home on Osgood Street in Springfield. In about 1969, it burned like a torch. My father was a city fireman-and said he remembers it as one of the worst fires he ever responded to.
A new, larger building was erected in what was titled: Springfield’s “New North” end of town. (60’s Urban Renewal).
The company…4 generations of the Kahn Family, outgrew this space and are currently located in a huge warehouse in West Springfield, Mass. Not bad for a company that began by supplying rags to industry….
It’s amazing…they have everything from simple muslin to Scalamandre…(all piled together…which makes for a treasure hunt!). And if they do not have something….they can magically find it for you…at a great price.
I love Osgoods.
It is well worth a trip from anywhere in New England.
Jeanne says
Fabric stores can be dangerous places! I’m from a family of sewers, so I know! lol
Jen says
It’s times like this when I really, really dislike being stuck in the middle of Iowa.
georgiapeachez says
It’s just way too early in the morning to be having a heart attack already. geeeeezzz.
xo, suzy