Sadie made this delicious springtime frock in one afternoon using Simplicity #2472, and from Liberty of London cotton lawn. She says, “Last year I treated myself for my 40th birthday with a trip to SF. I left my family alone for a long weekend and headed to your beautiful city. First on my list was a visit to Britex. I purchased the most beautiful Liberty fabric with a plan to make myself a simple spring dress. Well, I finally finished that dress! Here is a picture of it. Thank you for all the assistance in picking out the fabric. I love your store and can’t wait for my next visit! Maybe again this year for my 41st birthday.”

Britex Fabrics is the place to come to when you are looking for fabric to make bespoke shirts. We carry amazing pima shirting cottons, including imported Sea Island and Swiss solids, newly arrived Etro stripes, and more. These cottons make wonderful shirts; so soft that they almost feel like silk, long-wearing, and in a plethora of solids, tone-on-tones, tartans, plaids, and stripes. A well-dressed dandy will dress in subtly striped shirts with the marvelous spiffiness of contrasting Liberty of London collar linings, cuff linings, and collar stands. We like this combination of an espresso Etro stripe, plus a graceful Arts & Crafts-inspired Liberty of London print. Très chic!

Please email M. Du Jour at Britex Fabrics if you want to buy either of these two fabrics.

If you wish another fabric, contact us through our fabric mail order department for detailed mail order assistance.

Here is a mélange of our Liberty of London cotton lawn fabric. This swooningly soft cotton sews up into a glamorous bathrobe, luxurious pillowcases, or chic bespoke French-cuffed shirt…..and of course Liberty of London is the classic dainty floral fabric to use for a child’s hand smocked frock! To buy a length of Liberty, either come into our store, or contact us via phone at 415-392-2910 or email.

I long to make a pair of pajamas in this paisley Liberty of London print! I’d make a long sleeve pajama shirt with a button front and mother-of-pearl buttons, banded flap pocket, and banded sleeve cuffs, and drawstring pants. Then I’d lounge about reading “Cleopatra: A Biography”, by Duane Roller, nibbling on flat bread wrapped around feta cheese and mint leaves, and drinking sweet hot tea that I’ve brewed in my brass samovar, with the sun streaming in like honey over my bare feet.

Britex loves smocking! Along with other fascinating home-maker’s arts, heirloom sewing techniques are making a resurgence. This sewing technique involves making simple tucks to pleat fabric. More complicated smocking patterns include the introduction of scattered embroidered motifs using feather, honeycomb, wave, or diamond stitches. Vogue has several children’s smocking patterns for dresses, shirts and short overalls. Liberty of London cotton is ideal for this easy to learn heirloom sewing technique. Its soft drapability lends itself to the fine gathers that are characteristic of smocking. I can imagine a certain vivacious red-headed sprite swinging from tree branches, while wearing a smocked dress made out of this navy blue Liberty of London print!
“Oh little playmate,
Come out and play with me,
And bring your dollies three,
Climb up my apple tree,
Slide down my rainbow,
Into my cellar door,
And we’ll be jolly friends,
Forever more, more, more!”

A tiny tawny mouse whispered into my dozing ear that Britex Fabrics will be getting a new shipment of Liberty of London cotton lawn in the next week! Since 1875, Liberty has been synonymous with luxury and great design. In 1975 Liberty celebrated its centenary, which was heralded by a major exhibition at the esteemed Victoria and Albert Museum. Direct from England, Liberty is taking the U.S. by storm! I yearn for a standing collar fitted shirt, with wide French cuffs made of this spectacularly soft cotton fabric in a peacock feathered print.

M. Du Jour wants a pair of traditionally styled pajamas made of this new pattern called Birdsong by Liberty of London. Leaf green piping about the collar and sleeve hem would be a delightful accent. These would be just the thing for long nights snuggled under a quilt with a book and a cat.

We love Liberty of London cotton lawn. Sew up a cowboy shirt for your favorite bucking bronco, a feather soft robe to lounge around in on Sunday mornings while eating French toast, or even a stack of the most luxurious handkerchiefs in the universe! Here are some of our selection of 45 bolts of Liberty of London cotton lawn.

Colette on the 1st floor made this from Liberty of London cotton lawn.
The pattern is Decades of Style 5003. The blouse has cap sleeves with petal shaping at the shoulder edge. There are tucks in the front and darts at the back waist and shoulder to provide shaping. Draped collar and button closure. Liberty of London cotton fabric can be found on the 2nd floor (please call ahead to verify styles and colors).