Finding and shopping at bona fide upholstery shops can be difficult, even intimidating. And, unless you find a place that sells at warehouse prices, it’s likely to be expensive. On the other hand, JoAnn’s Fabrics are pretty much everywhere. So, I popped over to their website to see if I could find any upholstery fabrics that would be good for vintage and retro style interiors. Indeed, I found quite a few.
Note, these are still not what I’d call “cheap” — $25 – $30 on sale half-price, as I write this story. Is there a Waverly Outlet anywhere near you? That’s where I bought a lot of my upholster and drapery fabric in the early 2000s, before they closed down their outlet in Adams, Mass.
My favorite design in this hunt: The Waverly Upstream Plaid in Coral (also comes in Moss) — this fabric reminds me of vintage camp blankets and I bet it would look great covering a sofa or a chair in a den panelled with knotty pine.
Above: I love the 1970s woven look of the Akira fabric line, at the right. It looks like there are at least 11 colors for this design — from Indigo to Palm to Chestnut, and more.
Above: Some more 1970s style potential. I would like to see this in person to assess the weave — of course, you need to see all of these fabrics I’m showing in person — but I like the online look of Melody, four color ways.
Above: And here’s another design basic with lots of potential — Pera, 10 colorways. I am seeing a lot of moss, newly added on the Waverly site. Of course, A Moss by any other name would still look like Ripe Avocado.
Four color of Glitz still available online. Has potential. Need to see.
So when did Tommy Bahama get all 1960s mad about mod? Just recently, it seems — the design above is brand new. Drift Away in four colors.
Poodles in Paric fabric in three color ways. 54″ wide. Buy two yards — trim out the sides in black polka dots, add a button hole strip of black at the top — and you have your poodle shower curtain.
Tres Chic Paris novelty print, in three color ways.
These Tuileries prints — three colors — strike me as very 1960s. Or, do you think ’80s?
Yes, I’ve gone insane for anything crazy patchwork quilt, watch out, Holly Hobby. Two color ways, Waverly Cozy Quilt fabric.
For those of you who want retro country, I always like my tight plaids — with roosters, too, go for it! Farmhouse Friends has 2 colorways remaining.
Toile du jouy meets Chinoiserie, two colorways.
I’m pegging this at late 1980s early 1990s style, kind of hand in hand with Provence style. Piastrelle has three color ways — including the yellow and gray that’s super popular for a heartbeat 2012.
Rue de Ribbon in three colorways is really basically “sweet”, but it also has a kind of mod David Hicks look especially when it includes the black.
Just about any “novelty” print would make for great curtains in a bedroom or kitchen, or trimmed out to 72″ wide for a shower curtain. About Face, two color ways.
I think i am in love with About Face. I need new drapes in my pink and grey living room and this just might fit the bill!
Yay! Send me a photo if you decide to use this!
There is avocado and then there is too much of it. Moderation. Burlap is wonderful. I look at all these blasts from the past and just think keep it clean and simple with texture.
I just redid a chair on the tommy bahama fabric, but the yellow and grey colourway! It is super super cute, I’ve been waiting to use it for a bit! You can look at it here, my other blog: http://furnitureofacertaindisposition.blogspot.ca/2012/10/hilary-hall-chair-extrordinaire.html
it’s now living at my friend’s house, acting as an office chair. Thankfully I have some leftovers for a pillow 🙂
These are wonderful! The Tuileries line takes me back. It is so similar to the sheets I used to make curtains for our first house in the early 70s. All I had to do for perfect pinch pleats was sew a pleater strip along the top edge and fit iin four prong hooks. No hemming needed. I used the wide hem at the top.
I’m going prospecting to see if they still make the pleater tape and four prong hooks.
I forgot to say, my curtains were almost exactly like the Tuileries Garden/sugar plum colorway. I still love that,, have to figure otut where I can use it now.
Here is one example of the pleater tape and hooks.
http://www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat319.htm
If you Google pleater tape and hooks you will find lots more.
I made full length drapes for my big front windows out of good cotton sheets in the 70s. They worked very well. If you want a heavier feel, you could line them.
Michael Miller’s fabric is much better quality than the similar fabrics at JoAnn’s. You can also look for Michael Miller discontinued patterns on etsy and eBay. I LOVE my Michael Miller kitchen valances.
Thanks so much for sharing that info! I had no idea such a thing existed, never having made pinch pleat drapes before.
You’re welcome, Laura. I loved how easy it was to work with, and I am anxious to try it again.
The Tuileries prints are very close knock-offs to a wonderful Greeff print from the early 70’s, perhaps late 60’s, I know this because my mother filled our home with it and we still have the matching needlepoint pillows to prove it. And here is a closed Etsy sale with the fabric, do love it.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/97048779/reserved-birte-9-yards-of-greeff-vintage
Thanks for the additional info, Amelia — I knew that print looked super duper familiar. I bet it was used in thousands of houses!
That Tuileries print looks exactly like a yard of cloth I bought as a remnant back in the late 60s to cover the bottom half of my bathroom window. It was a remnant and not cheap. I’d buy it again, it’s so fresh and colorful.
Trying to locate the name for the Garden Print 1970’s Waverly fabric. My mother had draperies and a wing chair with this beautiful pattern. I recently saw it on an episode of MAD MEN Season Five Episode 4 at Peter Campbell’s new house in the suburbs of New York State. I would love to get enough fabric to redo a chair and ottoman. Thank you for any assistance you can lend.