Flo-Jo Fabrics celebrate 10 years on the Gloucester Road

This year the owners of this unique shop reflect on the last decade on one of Bristol’s most popular independent shopping streets, and the story of how the business began

The story of Flo-Jo Fabrics is a very Bristol yarn of a successful indie enterprise that grew from a fun hobby and friendship. It all began when two young mums, Delia Adey and Erika Peto, met at The Silai Centre in Easton. Their previous jobs no longer suited them as parents and the centre offered them an opportunity to study for a new career.

At the time Silai had the best sewing training in the South West. They offered cheap courses supported by a free creche and affordable café. Silai was a huge help to both women starting a business from scratch. It’s easy to see why the centre is much missed.

Delia Adey with some of Flo-Jo’s colourful fabrics

The two women learned how to make affordable clothes. Initially for their own youngsters and later for others. It took a couple of years to learn dress and pattern making. Delia recalls how the sound of her sewing machine whirring into the night would help send her daughter to sleep.

Erika and Delia first tested their ideas for making adult clothes at Redland Fair. The fun, colourful print dresses and shirts sold out. The further success of a stall at Ashton Court festival led took them onto the summer festival circuit. Online they sold through Not On The High Street – a storefront for small creative businesses.

The Knicker kit years

One of the simple designs they produced took off like a rocket. The knicker-making kit, produced at the start of the small crafts project trend, proved a huge success. Delia and Erika created a simple pattern, with funky fabrics and elastic. The kits went down a storm. A ‘naughty but nice’ bit of fun, so popular at hen parties that a wedding garter kit was added. The DIY knicker kits eventually were sold wholesale.

Erika Peto in Flo-Jo Fabrics

Both women loved using materials with colourful patterns and quirky designs but had to search long and hard to find them. Eventually they decided to set up their own shop carrying a distinctive range of printed fabrics. It’s well worth visit Flo-Jo Fabrics website to feast your eyes on the beautiful multicoloured fabrics in stock. The prints are grouped under themes including Mexican, Animals and Birds and Retro and Kitsch.

Fabulous threads and fabrics at Flo-Jo Fabrics

Setting up shop

Flo-Jo opened on the Gloucester Road in 2012 during the recession and managed to adapt and grow through all the economic storms and the pandemic. It was named after Florence, Delia’s daughter and Jonah, Erika’s son. Their timing was perfect for selling sewing essentials, fabrics and haberdashery- just at the start of the home crafts revival.

The many sewing workshops held at the shop have built strong ties with the local community over the past ten years. Flo-Jo Fabrics now supplies sewing kits to other shops across the UK.

Slow fashion and future plans

Delia and Erika believe teaching people to sew helps them change their relationship to fast fashion. The Flo-Jo ethos is very much ‘slow fashion, make, mend and repurpose’. For the past 5 years their in-house seamstress and sewing teacher, Sabina, has been part of the team. Sabina teaches many of the workshops and works on the alteration and repair side of the business.

Delia says one of the most challenging aspects of running Flo-Jo Fabrics is, ‘Trying to do everything we want to do within the space we have! We love that it’s more than just a shop – it’s our workshop and teaching space.’

Part of the workshop space

The sewing skills workshops closed during lockdown but they’re looking forward to starting them up again. There’s even plans to host a sewing holiday in France, which they are very excited about! In the meantime, there’s lots of accessible sewing projects, from making pinafore dresses to swimming costumes, to explore on their website https://www.flo-jofabrics.co.uk/ and Facebook