Another thought, (tho' I'm not sure about resale shops in the UK). I find lots of lovely, barely worn men's shirts at the resale shops, sometimes for as little as $.50. I always check fiber content, seeking out 100% cotton, and check for stains, etc. There is usually at least a generous yard of fabric in a larger size long sleeve shirt. Look at the XL rack first. If you have Salvation Army store ("Sallie's"), ours has a Saturday night special each week, with down and dirty prices. I use the shirts to make aprons too. They are cute with vintage trims. Nice checks, stripes, plaids, great resource for piecing.