I just came back from Italy. Very nice trip although I was sick most of the time (bronchitis).

I had planned to buy some fabric as a 'souvenir' but believe it or not, I could not find a single fabric store. On www.Patternreview.com I had found a few addresses but I could not go because they were too far up north. I did not worry at the time thinking that in southern Italy or Sicily there would be at lease one and Eric (my significant other) had agreed to do the driving no mather were it was (in Calabria or sicily).

Nothing nothing nothing. :-(

I finally found a store that was called a Mercery and had the word thread written in BIG LETTERS on the front of the store. Happy happy happy! I got in there with a large smile thinking I would find sewing notion, thread, fabric... No way, there was thread and nothing else beside socks, bras, bed cover, tooth paste...

I found a sewing machine store. I went in there and of course there was no fabric but I was happy to see a sale person. I asked for fabric. The man looked at me like if I came from another planet. He asked me why I wanted fabric. 'To sew of course'. To sew what he asked: 'Clothes' of course. He was surprise. But he sells sewing machine!!! I finally understood that they did not have fabric stores, they mainly sew cushions. I found the stores where they sell fabric for sewing and indeed it was fabric for decoration only and only about 10 different fabrics.

So much about my dream of bringing back fabric from Italy.

I will tell you more about my trip later as I have found a marvelous place and a great sewer... to follow...