Bedford's newest fabric shop

Good afternoon, fabric lovers. I have exciting news for you (if you live in Bedford, that is) - there is a new fabric shop in town!

Fabric World opened a couple of weeks ago, although, due to being preoccupied with the house move, it took me until yesterday to get there. 

It is the third shop of a family run business - and this one is run by Ben, who is the grandson of the founder of the original shop in Bletchley, which has been trading for 50 years.

First impressions are good - there is a team of friendly staff, who have the right balance of being helpful whilst letting you have space to browse and poke at fabric. There's a great selection of different types of fabrics, with more on the way I am told - definitely enough to make it worth my while going back on my own so I can have a proper look at everything.

It didn't take my young companion long to spot the shelf full of sparkly goodies. Nor me, to have an impulsive idea to make dressing up tutus with the sparkly fabric and netting to match.

Done. I am weak. In the face of extra time on my hands now the move isn't looming this week, I came away with enough supplies for half a dozen or so sparkly tutus to keep the middle girl and her birthday tea companions entertained. 

There's a great selection of trims and notions. Including some jumbo ric rac. And we all know how good a thing that is.

This display of embroidery silks would make a good house, apparently.

And what you see here is just a fraction of the rolls of fabric they have. Plus lots of upholstery fabrics upstairs, too - although, my young companion had run out of steam before I had chance to investigate this ("Cafe now, Mummy!" at an increasingly loud and frequent volume, with a tug of my arm so I took the hint).

The prices seem good, too. A heck of a lot of rolls were priced at £5 a metre or less.

Another very appealing set of prints for the littlest girl...

This is the place to come for dressing up costumes... I just know that, had I had the three of them all with me, my girls would have been in heaven in this shop - excitedly stroking the fake furs and coming up with endless suggestions of things they'd like me to make them. Probably for the best I only had one with me!

I didn't really get chance to look for dress making fabrics for myself - again, another thing I'll have to look out for when on my own.

The shop is located by the bus station in town - okay, not the prettiest part of Bedford, but one that might well work to its advantage in terms of plenty of passing trade and getting the word out. The place was nicely busy while I was in there on a mid week afternoon - and, with the warm welcome people get from Ben's team and plenty of stock to appeal to all tastes, I hope this gem of a new shop thrives and pulls people into the town. Good luck, guys!