I got to go to a lovely birthday party last night to celebrate 70 years of Remnant Kings.  With many bemoaning the lack of fabric shops, or the closure of local ones, it’s great that Remnant Kings has not only survived for 70 years, but is thriving!

We got a wee history lesson to explain both the company name and its journey over the last 70 years from the MD Richard McKeon, whose grandfather started the business with his brother in law James King in Sword St in the East End of Glasgow.  At the time Mr McKeon was a teacher in Shettleston, so Mr King’s name alone went above the door.  When the business opened at the height of post war rationing, they bought up remnants of fabrics form the textile factories around Glasgow, which they then sold to make patchwork quilts.  As people came in to buy the fabric for their quilts they saw all the other remnants in the shop and they became known locally as the Remnant Kings.  The company eventually bowed to the inevitable and rebranded, and after peaking at around 20 shops in the 80’s they now have 2 shops in Glasgow, and 1 each in Edinburgh, Falkirk and Hamilton.

There was also a launch of an exclusive new Liberty fabric, which will only be available from Remnant Kings.  The company collaborated with Liberty to reproduce a print from 1946 in contemporary colours, and the result is this lovely King’s Meadow lawn, available in store and online now.

As is the way with birthday parties, we all got a goody bag to take home:

Which contained some information leaflets, discounts, fabric and some sewing supplies (including a tape measure which has apparently escaped from the photo!)

I also rescued some fabric while I was there, because you know I needed some ;o)

What isn’t quite so obvious is that the grey looking fabric above is actually a sort of silvery linen, and the two above that are metallic laminated home decor weight fabrics which are fabulous!  I’ve never seen them before but I may have to stalk the shops and see if more appears in other colours…