Fabrics to Make Your Creations Explode With Color and Design

Tag : Corduroy Fabric

Over the past year you may have noticed a few new shops have poppedup in the ActivSpace building on the corner of 18th and TreatStreets in the Mission. One of these stores is WhizBang Fabrics,where you can find new designer fabrics as well as some vintageones, accessories, clothing patterns and Cookie and the Dudeproducts.

You may already be familiar with the popular Cookie and the Dudeheadbands, wallets and sashes made with vintage and reproductionfabrics that are sold in boutiques throughout the city. Thedesigner behind the company, Helen Fawcett, is also the owner ofWhizBang Fabrics.

WhizBang fabrics grew out of Helens love of sewing. She pickedthis hobby up from her mother who used to sew her clothes,Halloween costumes and doll clothes. While in college, Helenstudied both art and psychology, with an intention to pursue arttherapy. As time went on, though, Helen knew that she wanted to dosomething that was more tactile.

Helens sewing creations started with the vintage fabric shecollected. She gave the pieces a fresh face by creating handbagswith old material. She also utilized all the little scraps to makesmall pieces like eye pillows and sachets. On her first sale at afriends house, everything sold out. Then five years ago, Helenstarted Cookie and the Dude. They first sold headbands, bags andother accessories at trunk shows, home shows and craft fairs. Nowyou can find them in stores across the United States.

In the past few years, Helen found herself running over to the EastBay or down to Santa Cruz to buy some of the special fabrics shefavors. Luckily for you, you can now find those one of a kind andvintage fabrics at her store.

WhizBang Fabrics carries fabrics from companies such as Amy Butler,Robert Kaufman, Alexander Henry, Echino, and Michael Miller. Youcan find reproduction, retro, novelty, quilting, upholstery andJapanese import fabrics.

If youre curious about the whimsical name, WhizBang is an homageto Helens great grandfather, Wilford Hamilton "CaptainBilly" Fawcett. For those of you not familiar with the name ornever picked up a Womans Day or a Captain Marvel , Wilford Fawcett is the man that started Fawcett Publicationsin1919. His interest in publishing was sparked by the printing ofhis first bawdy cartoon and joke magazine, Captain Billy's Whiz Bang .

People come into WhizBang Fabrics not only looking for fabric forclothing, but also accessories, home projects and art projects.Most fabrics run under $10 a yard, including the Alexander HenryKoto Ancient City Pink and the Vintage Storybook IV Collectionbased on designs from the 1930s. Other fabrics include the ValoriWells Sol