Hi sewbusy, it's lovely to be able to share our new life with you all.
The spanish ladies DO sew, but just not patchwork, so regular needles and threads (Guttermans) are available. We have one shop which does import from Clover but everything is sssoooo expensive and seeing as most of our members are retired and on a tight budget, we have to be resourceful!!
As a group what we tend to do, is when anyone is returning to the U.K. we make sure they go with a long list......no short notice vacations allowed, we all need plenty of time to check what we are short off AND they are not allowed to pack too many clothes that way they bring back as much as possible!! (not too good for me last week as it was freezing - good job my mum is the same size as me, I just borrow a few things from her tee hee!!)
Even when I return to Manchester where my family live, believe it or not we do not have one single quilting shop anywhere nearby....city centre, masses of shops......quilting just not popular there. Southern England has alot more interest. Guess I will have to make my family up sticks down south eh????
When we approached the one local shop, as a group, she very kindly negotiated a price for a full roll of batting, but it is only polyester, and 80cm wide - which meant on my 100 x 100 quilt (first one) I have had to join it very carefully) just as well it doesn't get very cold here as it is very thin too lol!!
I managed to find some other batting, which is supposed to be for upholstery, and in fairness I have used it in my wall hangings and it seems quite good. I don't think you could use if for a bed quilt as it is quite stiff.
Basically by hook and by crook, we all support one another, and share what ever we can as a group, magazines are another frustration, although one of our ladies has subscribed to an australian magazine as she very kindly lets us borrow them.
Now may I ask you a question.....lol???
Do you find that when you do buy fabric via the internet the quality and colour is as you expected, as the little amount I received through ebay, that was supposed to be quality fabric, left me alittle disappointed. Plus its very hard to gauge colour don't you think. You can't beat seeing and feeling it first lol!!!
When I went back to the U.K., due to the lack of fabric, I search through the local charity shops, and bought quite a few mens shirts, skirts etc., and cut them up, discarding all the collars and cuffs etc., and added them to my stash. One of our ladies has made several beautiful quilts all from second hand clothing!!
Okay, does that help you understand a little bit more of living in Spain and quilting...????lol!!