With the majority of dressmaking projects or craft projects it is inevitable that you will need some form of fastening whether it be to fasten a pair of trousers, shut a bag or close a jacket. Fastenings are an essential Haberdashery item and it is important to choose the correct method for your project to ensure a safe and secure connection. At Calico Laine, we stock a large selection of different fastening methods which allows you to choose the right solution for your project. Whether it be Velcro, press studs or zips we are sure to be able to provide you with a suitable Haberdashery item. Here are a just a few of the fastenings we have available : Velcro : Velcro is a particularly popular Haberdashery item as it makes creating a connection between two fabrics simple and it is very easy to open and close, something that older customers may appreciate when they find it difficult to manoeuvre buttons and small hooks and eyes. Velcro is available in many different types including sew on, stick on, sew and stick and iron on which makes it particularly appealing as there is usually a Velcro to suit your craft or dressmaking task. Velcro consists of two strips, one that is soft called the loop and one that is rough called the hook. When pressed together these stick to each other with a strong bond. Velcro can be used to close bags, secure shoes, on doll's clothing and even to keep cables around the house tidy by creating a loop fastening around them. Snap Fasteners : Another great Haberdashery product for creating a strong fastening is snap fasteners, also know as press studs. These are a useful on infant baby grows and children's clothing as they are much easier to open and close than buttons when a change of clothes is needed quickly or when small children are learning to dress themselves. Here at Calico Laine we stock non branded press snaps which can be sewn onto clothes however we also sell a large range of Prym fasteners which are available in a selection of fasteners for different uses. These include anorak press fasteners, jersey press fasteners and sport and camping fasteners. The Prym fasteners are attached using a small tool which is included in each pack. These allow you to hammer the fastener onto your fabric without have to sew anything. Zips : One of the most useful fasteners for clothing items such as dresses and jackets is a zip. For an amateur sewer these can seem daunting to 'put in' a garment, bag or cushion however they are ideal if you are looking for strong fastening that is easy to open and close. Zips are available in both open end and closed end versions meaning that you can choose if you want the zip to stay together at the end (for a dress or skirt) or you would like it to separate fully at the bottom (for a jacket). Zips are sold in a large number of sizes and colours as well as different materials such as plastic, nylon and brass.