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Liberty fabrics

(16 Posts)
LilyoftheValley Fri 08-Aug-25 18:33:56

I am am an avid = some might say manic - gatherer of fabrics. I have been given a goodly pile by a neighbour. Some are easily identifiable because of printing on edge but I have two large pieces which are puzzling me.

The quality of the fabric and the Morrisesque design makes me think Liberty but can find nothing to identify them. Is there. somewhere, an archive of Liberty fabrics? At the HQ I wonder?

JamesandJon33 Fri 08-Aug-25 18:51:48

There is a Liberty Print Archive . Just type that into your search engine .

Calipso Fri 08-Aug-25 20:16:13

Have you tried Google Lens?

Claremont Fri 08-Aug-25 20:59:31

Or copy and e-mail Liberty's.

LilyoftheValley Fri 08-Aug-25 22:12:48

Thank you all!

Catterygirl Fri 08-Aug-25 22:25:31

Hope you find what you were searching for.
I worked for Liberty’s in the 70’s as a temporary accountant. The only reason I took the job was because I needed to pay my mortgage and it was a real struggle. Halifax informed me that I was the first woman to get a mortgage alone in England. I was divorced. The staff canteen was pretty good. Then I would wander around the fabrics dreaming of having money.

petra Fri 08-Aug-25 22:29:08

Take a photo. Use Google images. You’ll get the answer.

Lathyrus3 Sat 09-Aug-25 09:07:26

If Liberty doesn’t work the V and A have a collection of over a million fabrics with an online search tool..

M0nica Sat 09-Aug-25 09:42:51

They may be William Morris patterns rather than Liberty.

Morris & Co still exist. Another company called 'jane Clayton' also reporduces Morris prints. I would look at any archive they have.

Primrose53 Sat 09-Aug-25 10:45:42

My friend often picks up lovely pieces of Liberty fabric in charity shops. She gets so excited as they are beautiful. When she goes back to her home country of Tanzania she gets a tailor over there to make her shirts and tunics from these lovely fabrics. They are stunning.

NotSpaghetti Sat 09-Aug-25 10:51:12

I found out what a fabric was through Google lens too...
Just take a photo.
🤞

HelterSkelter1 Sat 09-Aug-25 15:21:04

Check out the John Lewis website under Morris and co fabrics

Esmay Sat 09-Aug-25 16:37:28

It's a long time since I bought the Liberty skirt pieces - the beautiful fabric was gathered onto shirred elastic .
You just had to add seams .
I also had several dresses made from Liberty fabric bought on the sales .
It must be about 25 years ago !
I wore and wore them until my shape and fashions changed .
I last went to Liberty's a couple of years ago and noticed how dramatically the patterns have changed . I'm not too keen on them .
I also have some dresses , which look as though they are bought from Liberty's but they haven't .
They were much cheaper .
I wore one to church a fortnight ago and people thought it was a Liberty print .
Google is so useful if you are checking designs .

Witzend Sat 09-Aug-25 17:07:51

I used to make dresses for little dds out of Liberty’s Tana lawn. The floral fabrics were so pretty!

HelterSkelter1 Sat 09-Aug-25 17:50:50

My aunt made pretty dresses for her little granddaughters in Liberty print material which were then passed on to me for my daughters. I think I have one left the others I passsd on to my friend with 2 daughters. I must see if I can find it and identify the pattern. It would be at least 50 years old. I also have a Liberty print shirt dress bought from a charity shop 30 years ago. In a fine wool and a beautiful pattern which I must identify as well.

butterandjam Sat 09-Aug-25 23:48:12

Catterygirl

Hope you find what you were searching for.
I worked for Liberty’s in the 70’s as a temporary accountant. The only reason I took the job was because I needed to pay my mortgage and it was a real struggle. Halifax informed me that I was the first woman to get a mortgage alone in England. I was divorced. The staff canteen was pretty good. Then I would wander around the fabrics dreaming of having money.

My working mother got a mortgage alone in 1963.