On Monday hubby and I continued with our search for shirting and tana lawns in 100 per cent cotton at reasonable cost.  These two things seem to be mutually exclusive to each other.   I have found Joel & Son Fabrics  online who do gorgeous fabrics but they are a bit pricy for what I had in mind.  Although I have purchased some rather gorgeous shirting in a jacquard weave in a pale blue for less than half price and rest assured they are very thorough at checking fabric before it goes out the door.  They rang me and told me of a slight flaw and offered me another eight pounds off it, I’ve yet to find the flaw and we have looked in good daylight.  Its on my to do list to get to the shop  in person. It is definitely worth a rummage in their students and offers bins.  It came beautiful packaged, interlined with tissue paper with a free tape measure, I always like those little extras, they make you smile.
On Saturday we had looked around Walthamstow Market, the longest Market in the UK apparently.  They have many fabric shops and stalls but none that sold what I was looking for, I’d have been okay for poly cotton though or a thicker weight, more like crafting cotton, just no shirting or tana lawn.
And then on Sunday, after a brief look at the fabric shops around Brick Lane I realised the only place to go was Shaukat. So this was our destination on Monday.   Oh how I love this shop, it is lovely, it is beyond lovely and is perfect for suiting and shirting and tana lawn, just perfect.  I could go there weekly and slowly but surely squirrel all of the lovely things into my stash.  If your tempted by Liberties, you will be seriously tempted by Shaukat.   And so it was we came home with three shirt/blouse worths of fabric via the pub.
The local pub is brilliant, The Duke of Clarence.  It has a lovely eclectic mix of clientele ranging from regular joe’s to much higher on the scale.  Their food is brilliant, its not overpriced but has a very high quality to it.  We have been there several times as my hubby always seems to need much needed refreshment after a trip to Shaukat, I can’t think why?  And this time hubby had a pint of Youngs Bitter and being St Patricks Day a pint of Guiness was top of my list, with half a dozen of the sweetest oysters a piece.

 
They were delicious.  Happy memories being made.