Hey, everyone! Exciting and interesting news today. I recently started working with a Canadian fabric wholesale company, Télio, using their fabrics for pattern samples and garments. A couple of you have asked where I got the pretty bird-and-flower print voile in last week’s and yesterday’s blog post, and since I’d bought it wholesale, not from a retail store, I thought I’d do a little explaining!
First, an official bit about Télio from the company:
Télio is a Montreal-based textile wholesale company in business since 1952. Focusing in Fashion and Home-décor, they offer a wide range of fabrics for manufacturers and designers. Some notable clients are Denis Gagnon, Rad Hourani, Joseph Ribkoff, Monique Lhullier, Jacob, Reitmans and Bagdley Mishka. Their fabrics are often featured in Vogue and McCalls pattern magazines. With a very large collection they hold over 2500 active styles from high end haute-couture fabrics to eco-friendly innovative ones.
They sell to wholesale accounts as well as fabric shops across the continent. Visit their website at telio.com
Pretty exciting, right? I’m excited to be working with a Canadian wholesale company, not to mention ordering the same fabrics that Vogue and McCalls Patterns use in their magazines! (Maybe one day I’ll have a magazine too. Although, I suppose that’s what a blog is, on a more personal level.)
I get to visit the showroom and browse through racks and racks of lovely fabric samples – heaven! It’s becoming a new favourite part of my job, picking out fabrics for new pattern designs. So far the bird-print is the only one I’ve posted about (and the dot fabric I found for my dotted Minoru Jacket) but I have plenty of fabric for new patterns on the way! (Luckily I have a small office which keeps me from over-ordering.)
So how does this affect you? Many local and online fabric stores carry Télio fabrics. Fabricana in Vancouver and Coquitlam is a good local option, Hart’s Fabric, Mood Fabrics, and Vogue Fabrics also stock many of Télio’s great fabrics. Have you ever been in a fabric store with a Vogue pattern in hand, and seen the exact same fabric for sale as the fabric in the pattern photo? It might be a Télio fabric!
Because I’m using current fabrics, there’s a better chance that you can find the same fabric I’ve used for my sample garments. Previously, I’ve used vintage fabrics, or fabric I’ve had in my collection for a long time, which makes it harder for you to find the same or similar fabrics around town. Wherever possible, I’ll mention an online source for the fabric.
I’m really excited to be working with Télio! Their fabrics are beautiful, modern and high quality, which is exactly how I want people to feel when they think of sewing their own clothes. It’s a great partnership!
How neat Tasia! This really shows that you are building a strong reputation for your company. I’ve always thought that you have a great eye for fabric, so its awesome to know that you will be sharing projects using fabrics that we can find. (Though I promise not to copy all of your projects).
I don’t mind if you do! You’re always welcome to copy my fabric choices and colour choices. I know that I often like the exact garment on the pattern cover too and search out similar fabric. I’m flattered when you guys like my fabric choices. Copy away!
Thanks for the kind thoughts, it is exciting to find ways to work with other companies!
I have to admit I was eyeballing that bird fabric yesterday and thinking it would be perfect for summer. I wonder what the shipping damage to the UK would be!
I don’t know – sometimes I find that shipping costs from US-Canada and the UK-Canada are the same, and often shipping from the UK can be faster! I will let you know if I can find it for sale online anywhere!
How cool! maybe they will create Sewaholic fabric too. Very happy for you
Wouldn’t that be something? Imagine if I could conjure up the fabric of my dreams, or the perfect fabric for one of my patterns! :)
Ooh, fun! If you’re ever visiting them in the Montreal area, maybe you should consider doing an event for Montreal area sewists!
I’m lucky, they have a showroom here that’s just a train ride away! I have to say I’m not a big event person, but you never know. It sure looks like there are a lot of people who sew in Montreal coming out to comment on this post! :)
So nice to get access to up to date fabrics from a Canadian based company. Strangely they are within a 1km of my house in Montreal! I’ve seen their sign but didn’t know they were a fabric wholesaler.
It is nice to be able to choose brand new, super trendy fabrics to use. I’m pretty excited about the possibilities. And now you know what’s in there – plenty of good stuff! :)
I bought the bird print fabric at my local fabric store in the bay area, CA about three weeks before the post about the straight neckline cambie. It’s nice to see that its wholesale company produces great products and is teaming up with Tasia!
Where did you buy it? I’d love to know as so many people have asked me where they can buy it!
That is so exciting and I’m so happy for you. It must be an amazing feeling to see and experience more opportunities as you work harder and harder.
Thank you! It sure is exciting to see the work I’ve put in to my business start to pay off in surprising ways. Thanks for reading and being part of it! :)
oh that’s very cool! Spool of thread has a few of their fabrics too, includin this really awesome bold floral rayon :)
I am moving to Montreal (from Vancouver) soon — too funny!
Oh nice! I love floral rayon prints. I’ve only visited Montreal once, but I enjoyed it!
So, Tasia (or other Montreal readers), do you know if they sell their fabrics to any retailers in Montreal? I live in Montreal, and I find it extremely frustrating that so many fashion retailers have their headquarters here, but none of the local fabric stores sell this fabric! Or if they do, it is really difficult to find out this information. I have spent many hours in the fashion district on St. Hubert, yet I never find up-to-date prints or high quality fabric (plenty of wool suiting and home dec!). Sorry about the mini-rant–I am so excited about this partnership between you and Telio! Now if I could just figure out how to buy their stuff :)
Hi JillyB – I’ll see if I can find out about Montreal retailers for you! I knew that this partnership would be good, exciting to be using current, modern fabrics, but frustrating when I would show you things that you want but can’t find. Will let you know what I hear back!
Thanks, Tasia! Any information about Montreal retailers would be great!
Hello again! Here are the top retailers in Montreal that carry Telio fabrics:
C&M Textiles
Club Tissus
Fabricville
Hope this helps! :)
Thanks, Tasia.
Congratulations!I would love to get my hands on the bird-and-flower print fabric you used.
Nothy
http://www.aftagley.blogspot.ca
I will keep my eyes out for it! I haven’t seen it at Hart’s, at Fabricana or at Mood yet but I’ll be sure to let you guys know when/if I can find it. (I had a feeling you guys would really like this one..)
How exciting!
How does someone become a pattern sample sewist for you?
Hi everyone!
Hope you enjoy Tasia’s blog as much as we do here at Télio!
If you wish to find some of our featured fabrics in fabrics stores in your area just contact us at generalinfo at telio.com , we’ll be more than happy to answer any of your questions.
Just to add for UK sewers, I bought the same fabric as Tasia, completely by chance, from Fancy Silks in Birmingham, which is by the market in the city centre. It’s just as lovely in real life and reasonably priced. I was thrilled when I realised it was the same fabric and hope I can pull off as good a Cambie dress myself!
What a lovely post Tasia! As a member of the Telio team, I want to thank you for your kind words about our company and our fabrics! We work hard to put together a line that you, our customer, will love!
Thank you for the shout out and keep up the great work!