Monday Fabric Shopping + Celebrity Sightings!

What an exciting day I had today, readers!

First I had a date with awesomely-talented sewing blogger Claudine for a brief trot through the Garment District.  Claudine not only sewed her exotic-looking jacket herself, but also dyed and hand-embellished it.  I forgot to ask about the pants but I'm sure they're not from GAP!



I met Claudine at Pacific Trim and we hit Mood next, where she picked up a gorgeous wool fabric with a somewhat psychedelic weave.  I hope Claudine doesn't mind my sharing it with you --  I love it.





Did you know Mood has a canine mascot?  I didn't.  Here he is -- some of him anyway.



After Mood, we grabbed a light lunch at a nearby Pret A Manger, and then ambled over to C&C Button (230 West 38th), where Claudine picked up leather toggle closures.



On the sidewalk outside, who did we run into but a real live sewing celebrity!  Can you name him?



We actually used the Garment Center (now called The Fashion Center) information kiosk (Seventh Ave. & 39th St.)  for the very first time.  I was dubious when Claudine asked for places that sold silk tulle and the guy responded, "How do you spell tulle?" but when you think about it, it's forgivable.  He was able to locate a place Claudine had read about but whose name she couldn't remember (with ample help from Claudine), but I didn't get the sense that this person ever shops in The Fashion Center himself.  More rant: while he was searching on Claudine's behalf, someone came in looking for a place to buy a zipper, a plain old zipper. He was going to do a computer search for her -- and I'm like, "you need a zipper, go to Sil Thread, it's literally AROUND THE CORNER."

Then again, I wouldn't want to sit in a kiosk all day and I doubt Nancy K would either.  I picked up a great brochure they give away free there, the "New York Sewing Resource Guide," that lists hundreds of fabric stores, notion stores, and many other business that support the fashion industry, with a well-designed map on the reverse.  Be sure to pick one up if you're ever there.  (Adjacent to the big needle/button statue.)  Why the guy didn't just hand one to the zipper woman -- which lists Sil Thread, among other stores, in the Notions category, I'll never know.  It's like, there's a computer there so it must. be. used.

After reading Shop the Garment District this morning, I decided I must visit Elliott Berman (225 West 35th St., 7th Floor), where I had only been once before, for just a few minutes last Spring. Claudine had a train to catch but decided she'd come too.  There I met the lovely and gracious Eugenia, who couldn't have been more helpful.  They were actually decorating for the Pattern Review anniversary event there on Wednesday, December 12, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.  (It's open to all. I'm going, are you?)

Eugenia is very passionate -- and knowledgeable -- about the fabric she sells.

Floor-to-ceiling delights at Elliott Berman.

Claudine inspects viscose knits.

Friends, this place has such gorgeous things.  I'm not an impulse fabric shopper (thank goodness) but everywhere I looked, something wonderful caught my eye.  Look at these sumptuous sweater knits:





A stunning silk print:



I saw cottons the likes of which I'd never seen before.  This double-faced weave glows like a hologram in person, but I decided it was too resort-y.



I fell in love with this large French-woven plaid but feared it might be too bold.





Finally I spied a cotton polka-dot with a random digital-type pattern -- also French, I believe.



They had it in both red and black, so I bought two yards of the red and half a yard of the black.  I'm going to make myself a shirt with contrast inside collar and cuffs.  (Actually, what do you think of the idea of one black sleeve?)  I am SO excited about this fabric -- a quirky take on a classic.  At $14/yd, I think this is the most expensive fabric I've ever purchased, but hey, it's Christmas.  I will be back to Elliott Berman, which is -- mercy -- only ten blocks from my apartment.



I can't wait to get started on my shirt and I hope you'll follow along too.  No treadles this time, though guess what: I corrected the stitch issue.  It either had to do with a dirty tension assembly (I dismantled it and wiped it clean), lint in the bobbin area (I delinted it) or replacing the cheap plastic bobbin with a metal one.  I also did some oiling underneath the machine, which probably didn't address the stitch issue but made the machine run quieter.  I'm relieved.

And that, readers, was my exciting celebrity-filled, fabric-filled day.

Onward ho!