Fabric & haberdashery · Downtown Gore
Fabric worth the drive
Quilting cotton, dress linen, merino jersey and 4,000 buttons. Check colours online, then come touch them. We have been threading Southland's needles since 1987.
Preview our fabrics →01 · Browse fabrics
Pick a colour, see the cloth
Select a swatch to preview the colour on a bolt. Stock levels are updated weekly — call ahead for cuts over 3 metres.
Quilting cotton
Southland Sage
#7b8f6b · 100% cotton, 112cm wide
In stock · $22/metre
02 · What's new this month
September arrivals
Liberty Tana Lawn — Betsy
$65/mClassic floral, cotton lawn, 136cm. Perfect for blouses and summer dresses.Merchant & Mills — Dry Oilskin
$48/mDark olive, 100% cotton, waxed finish. For bags, aprons and outerwear.NZ Merino Jersey — Charcoal
$38/m180gsm single jersey from Icebreaker offcuts. Incredible next-to-skin softness.Robert Kaufman Essex Linen
$28/mLinen-cotton blend in Natural and Black. The quilt-and-garment crossover fabric.Ponte Roma — Deep Wine
$32/mHeavyweight double knit, 155cm wide. Skirts, trousers, structured dresses.Gutermann Thread Box
$8926-spool starter set in a wooden display box. All-purpose polyester, 100m each.
03 · Sewing classes
Stitch with us
All machines provided. Bring your own fabric or buy from the shop at the class discount (15% off cuts for students on the day).
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$75
Beginner Garment: Elastic-Waist Skirt
Cut, sew and hem a fully lined skirt in one day. Suitable for absolute beginners. Fabric not included.
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$8 / session
Quilting Bee
Bring your project, drink our tea. Machine quilters, hand piecers and EPP folk all welcome. No tuition, just company.
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$45
Visible Mending
Sashiko stitching, darning and iron-on patches. Bring something torn, stained or loved. All threads and needles provided.
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$35 / day
Kids Sewing (ages 8–14)
Pencil case on day one, tote bag on day two. Machines set up, one adult helper per four kids.
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$65
Overlocker Essentials
Threading, tension, differential feed and rolled hems. Bring your own overlocker or use one of ours.
04 · Hours & directions
Find the shop
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 9am – 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am – 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am – 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am – 5pm |
| Friday | 9am – 5pm |
| Saturday | 9:30am – 2pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Getting here
Thread & Thimble Fabrics58 Main Street, Gore 9710
Southland, New Zealand
03 208 0000
shop@threadandthimble.co.nz
On Main Street between the bookshop and the old post office. Free angle parking out front. The quilting fabric is upstairs — there is a lift.
05 · Care instructions
Look after your cloth
Quilting Cotton
Pre-wash in cold water before cutting. Machine wash 30 °C, tumble low. Press with steam on cotton setting. Colours are pre-shrunk but the first wash removes sizing.
Linen
Machine wash 40 °C, hang dry. Expect 3–5% shrinkage on the first wash — buy an extra 10cm per metre to allow for it. Iron damp for a crisp finish, or leave rumpled.
Merino Jersey
Gentle cycle 30 °C in a mesh bag. Do not tumble dry — lay flat on a towel. Merino pills less than lambswool but benefits from a cashmere comb after a few wears.
Ponte & Double Knit
Machine wash 30 °C inside out. Tumble low or hang. Does not need ironing. Steam to remove fold creases before cutting.
Dry Oilskin
Wipe with a damp cloth. Do not machine wash — the wax finish will come off. Re-wax yearly with Otter Wax or similar. Store flat, not folded.
Liberty Tana Lawn
Hand wash or machine wash 30 °C on delicate. Iron on reverse at low heat. The print is permanent but intense sunlight will fade it over years.