Fabric Market in Utrecht 2015

Whenever I visit the beautiful medieval city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, I make a point of going to the fabric market, held weekly rain or shine on extended Saturday mornings in the Bree street. My son and I once lived around the corner from it for six weeks, and can attest to the fact that cheerful workers start around 4:00 a.m., clanging metal posts and driving about industriously with little tractors as they set up the many booths.

The fabric market: a veritable feast for anyone wanting to make pretty well anything.

To third (bottom) photo: "pure linen, 150 cm wide" - in this case basic tones, but other booths offered more colours in various weights. Vendors specialize in a rough way, although there is overlap and it's worth comparing prices. Some carry only draperies, others only notions (thread, buttons, elastic, bias tape), still others synthetic dress weights, or only cotton and linen. Often prices are very low - the second photo advertises 3 euro per meter - and vendors typically measure with a very liberal yardstick ("So, ma'am - there are a good 2.5 meters here, what do you say to 7 euros for the lot?"). My favorite booth is - surprise surprise - the one that never has a sale but offers only the highest quality Italian silks, wools, and linen - I longing fingered one (silk) for 75 euros per meter, but managed to restrain myself by remembering how little space I have in my suitcase.

Afterwards I satisfied my "market craving" by visiting the main Saturday market in the city centre square and lunching on a "bun with herring and chopped onions" (an acquired taste, but once you've got it, as I do...), then walking to the flower market, also a weekly Saturday affair in the square around St Jan's church. There I had the nice woman mix and match various colours and textures of my choice, assembling a spectacular bouquet - not unlike quilting, really.  Flowers in the Netherlands - well, enough said.