Max and myself are just returning from a week in Utrecht. I only lived near and in Utrecht for 8 years between the ages of 11 and 19 but it is a beautiful town which I love visiting. It will always hold a special place in my heart. My parents live in nearby in Zeist which is in the woods and pretty (although too quiet for me!) And of course some of my best friends still live there, the lovely Aster, Annemieke and Nancy (with her brilliant kids Eva and Diede).

One of the highlights of any visit is always the weekly fabrics market. One long street is filled with stalls selling fabric and trimmings.

European fabric is cheap and very cheerful. It is almost always 100% cotton and usually 1.5m wide (compare to the UK’s 1.2m) so you get even more fabric for your buck.

Needless to say I try to go over with a purse full of money and an empty suitcase. It never quite works out as I’m travelling with kids so I cannot travel light but I always come home with treasures all the same.

This time I didn’t buy too much fabric, still being on a fabric diet and trying to use up my stash instead, but I spent a fortune on ribbons, pompom trims and thread. Bit of a neon theme I discovered later!

I did buy a little fabric, I was quite taken with the combo…

I highly recommend a visit. The market is on every Saturday morning until 1pm. I can find the address for you if you leave a comment. Apparently there’s a big one in Amsterdam on Mondays but I’ve not been there before.