A Sweater Knit Bonanza

I am still trying to puzzle out this Walmart Mystery Remnant Rack phenomenon. Why Walmart and why these remnants? I decided that this trip would be a good opportunity to do some research. Do other Walmart stores have Mystery Remnant Racks?

Yes, they do. I think I visited a total of nine or ten Walmart stores between here and Seattle. All but two had remnant racks. (The small stores don’t have much in the way of craft sections.) The racks are full of remnants—mostly knits—put up as 2-, 3-, and 4-yard bundles. The bundles range in price from $3 to $8.

Walmart does not have a reputation for carrying quality fabric, but I refuse to be a fabric snob. I am somewhat appalled at the fact that quilting is a multibillion dollar industry populated mostly by retired white women with disposable income. We are never going to encourage young people to take up sewing if we expect them to spend $300-500 making a quilt. Ethical dilemmas abound on all sides of these issues.

And some of these Mystery Rack remnants are really nice. I picked up bundles of rayon jersey, rayon French terry, cotton French terry, waffle knits, and textured sweater knits, all in lovely, saturated jewel tones. Here are some of the sweater knits:

That one on top is particularly nice. There are only two yards, but that’s enough for a Harper cardigan with some corresponding black rayon jersey for the bands.

[Just before I left, I made a muslin of my deconstructed LC tunic pattern using a double-brushed poly remnant from our Walmart. I liked it so much I wore it on the trip. That one is a winner.]

I have no other avenue of shopping for these kinds of knits in person, where I can look at and feel the fabric before I purchase it. I also have no way of knowing where these knits are being sourced, so I have no way to get more of ones I particularly like. Oh, well. The Walmart Mystery Remnant Rack is a gift from the universe, and if I can’t go anywhere this winter, I will have plenty to keep me occupied.

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DD#2 had to work last Wednesday morning, so I entertained myself by visiting another Joann Fabrics and another Half-Price Books. I also went to the mall to do some research in the Liz Claiborne department at JC Penney, but two employees were moving and restocking all the racks with new items and they made it clear that they didn’t want to be disturbed. All I can tell you is that royal blue is a popular color right now.

After lunch, DD#2 and I walked around Ballard, one of the Seattle neighborhoods. I wanted to visit Monster. That’s a cute little craft store that carries embroidery and cross-stitch kits. I bought this one of an Aran sweater, which I thought was appropriate:

I also picked up a Robert Mahar anatomical embroidery sampler (I bought the heart). Both samplers are small—about 8” x 8”—and won’t take long to complete. Monster offers classes and Robert Mahar has taught there. I’ll keep an eye on their schedule to see if he comes back.

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Speaking of classes, a promo for a Gail Yellen class popped up in my YouTube feed yesterday. She’s teaching a Zoom class on making a Christmas stocking on the Bernina L860/L890 sergers. The live class is this Saturday from 10 am to 1:30 pm, although the class recording link is good in perpetuity. I signed up. I’ll think I will mirror the laptop feed to the TV in our bedroom and wheel the serger cabinet in there so I can watch and sew at the same time. I’ve been wanting to take a class from her and this project incorporates lots of decorative thread techniques.