The Haberdashery and Fabric Shops of Lisbon

I visited Lisbon this time last year, detailed in this post. On our last day I spotted a run of haberdashery and fabric shops while whizzing past on a tram. As it was a Sunday, they were all closed, and we were leaving that afternoon, so I didn't get a chance to visit any of them.

 I just came back from another fantastic visit to Lisbon. Of course there was sun, sea, and great food, but I just couldn't wait to get back to these little shops.

 You know when you build something up in your head, and then when you actually get there it isn't as great as you thought it would be? Well, this is what I experienced with these shops. They were charming and historic, with quirky little drawers of ribbons and boxes of buttons. But I just didn't want anything. It's partly my fault because I didn't have a project in mind. The shops are set up differently to ours - most stock is behind a counter, so you can't browse aimlessly (my preferred method of shopping) and have to ask for everything. 

It also made me appreciate how much choice I have here in London, and that I can find interesting, good quality fabric at pretty low prices. In Lisbon, I found a lovely range of Japanese printed cottons, but they were priced way beyond what I felt they were worth - approx £10/$15 for a half metre. (I assume it was priced by the half metre because it was such a high price)

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood. But the shops were beautiful (these are only a few; there were probably about 7 in one street in the main shopping area) and most importantly they were busy - sewing is obviously alive and well in Lisbon!