Quality

**Repost**

"The things we make have one supreme quality; they live longer than us. We perish, they survive. We have one life, they have many lives. And in each life, they can mean different things; which means that while we all have one biography, they have many."

-Niel MacGregor, Director of the British Museum

*For the complete talk, visit the TED website, where he presents a fascinating talk on one particular 2600 year old piece of art.

I invite you to chime in to tell me if I'm alone on this one, but I love to visit fashion and clothing exhibits here in New York City, and have spent many hours over the years, gazing at the lovely, carefully crafted creations of many designers and needle-smiths. One thing I have often wondered, especially when looking at something old and beautifully simple, is "How did the creator of this piece trust his/her own talent enough to know that they needed to work with such high quality materials?" I have often found myself paralyzed with fear before cutting into my never-find-anything-like-this-again fabrics, worrying that one wrong move can send hundreds of dollars worth of fabric to the back of my closet, or bottom of my trash can. How do you know it is worth the effort?

As I wander through exhibits, more often than not, the materials lists on the description placards include words like "silk tulle", or "silk velvet", fabrics with real staying power, and the ability to hold beautifully vibrant colors for years beyond the lifespan of the person for whom they were made. These fabrics are pricier than the rest.

Are they worth it? Well, they sure can be. Who cares? You do... and although I can't promise anyone else will value it as much, a lesser fabric will certainly shorten its lifespan.

Recent experiences with clients are telling me that there is a sincere appreciation for quality. In my dressmaking life, I am seeing more and more brides who want to redesign their own mothers' or grandmothers' gowns, based on the quality, age, and tactile experience of the fabric. Often sewn by hands you have neither met not heard of, these garments resonate, and they still hold a magic that reaches into the future.

So, I say all of this to say, there is enormous value in shopping at the stores where the staff is knowledgeable about the quality, origin and description of the goods they have to offer.

When the occasion is very special, and the budget permits, consider the following stores for wonderful quality...

B&J Fabrics (chiffons, silks, and so much more)



(a fabulous whisper-light metallic sequined fabric from B&J)


(and the top that fabric eventually became)

Rosen & Chadick (also, check out their 126" wide silk tulle! and many other wonderful specialty fabrics)


(a wonderful silk from Rosen and Chadick)


(silk organza from Rosen and Chadick - raw edges)

NY Elegant (silks)


(above fabric - lovely 4 ply silk from NY Elegant)

Lace Star (laces and more - see previous post)


Solstiss (French laces - by appointment only - only for the VERY serious...)

Now, I don't expect my pieces to end up in museums anywhere... but a girl can dream, can't she?

Clothes are more than just fabric... they are communication...

We are always changing and evolving.  Our tastes and needs are always changing and evolving, too.

Lately, I've been getting requests from people who are looking for all different kinds of things.  They want fabric to dance in, to decorate something, for certain kinds of parties... I think people are looking for feelings, more than "definitions" of fabric types.  So, what i end up doing, if pointing them at stores they might like to look.  And I try to give a few choices in different price ranges, so they can determine for themselves which is best for their needs.  The stores all have different personalities.  Some stores are really tough to shop if you cannot name what you are looking for.

So today, I offer food for thought.  If you are like me, clothing is a way to express yourself, to communicate, to enhance your appearance and personal expression, to dance to beat of your own drummer!  Old or young, spry, feeble, or graceful, you can create what agrees with what you (or the intended user) want to wear/carry/have.  After all, isn't that the beauty of being able to create? 

Oh, and what a thrill it must be to have your own husband design for you (see video below)! For a beautiful fabric like the kind her dress is made of, I would look at Elliott Berman, Rosen & Chadick, NY Elegant, or Metro Textiles.

Now for a completely different take on a unique way of dressing...

Note: The following video takes you to some touchy subjects, depending on your point of view, so be forewarned if you aren't comfortable with issues surrounding an honest account of a human being's discoveries and introspective questioning surrounding her own sexuality and appearance.

Having said that, will you take a moment to appreciate the wild patchwork of fabric that makes up her ensemble? To mimic this in any way at all, I would go to Spandex House for the pants fabric, NY Elegant for the shirt fabric, someplace like Chic Fabrics for the main jacket fabric, and someplace like Paron or TruMart for the scarf fabric.



And then, although this is the outfit of my dreams (below), I'd need the attitude, legs and courage to wear it... but then I'd have nowhere to go in it. 

Sigh...

The chainmail, if you're thinking about it for yourself,  can be found at B&J Fabrics, though, and then, of course, used in countless other ways...

Any of the stores mentioned above can be found on the where to shop list here.

Vanity sizing... why?

So, this past weekend, I stopped into the J Crew store at Columbus Circle in Manhattan. Lured in by the garments on display, and their "artisanal" look, I picked out a few pieces to try on, although I wan't really shopping.

Well, you should really see it online, first. Hanging grosgrain ribbon detail... Hmmm...

$128 - Really?

Interesting, sorta "homemade" look... Hmmmm...

Distressed jeans - fit perfectly, and felt like my own, naturally distressed jeans. Hmm...

It says it's "my size", but it definitely felt too big...

So I tried these things on, and found a few problems.   First off, the thread loops on ALL of the shirts were too small and delicate for the buttons (as in, LITERALLY can't get dressed by myself), and the sizes for the pants, although given by waist measurements, were clearly vanity-sized, as I had three inches of room to spare at the waist, on natural-waist-level pants marked for MY waist measurement.

When asked how things were going by the dressing room attendant, I told her these things, and she did let me know that these were very common issues,  so it certainly isn't news to them...

What these things did give me, though, were ideas for things I can certainly make for myself.  Between Mokuba, Daytona, and B&J, there's a lot I can do!

Can we tawwwwwk???

I love comedy.  I love humor.  That is why I have watched countless episodes of "Fashion Police" over the years.  Latest internet reports tell us that Joan Rivers' condition is improving remains in a medically induced coma, has passed away, and I sincerely wish her and her family a peaceful recovery conclusion, however this turns out.

"Fashion Police", if you've never seen it, is a show where a fashion-critiquing panel sits and reviews the clothing of celebrities as they watch their red carpet arrivals at events.  It is often mean, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes genuinely educational, since some of the guest panelists often have actual technical, artistic or historical wisdom to share.

What disturbs me about it, is that it feeds into exactly what is so very wrong with our celebrity obsessed culture at the moment.  We beat them up, criticize and insult them relentlessly, and praise them arbitrarily for making choices that agree with what some fashion royalty has deemed appropriate or current. How can you feel flattered when you know what has just been said about the person next to or behind you on that very same carpet?

But let's not forget that this is comedy.  That's what it was all about.  There is no need to take all of this so seriously.  I have no ill feelings toward Gwyneth Paltrow whatsoever, and despite the fact that I don't get what it was that rubbed her the wrong way, Joan's comments about her were always fall-down funny!

One of the truest statements ever was uttered by my son, about age 5 or so at the time.  We were at a hospital, in the waiting room, where my mother was going to have surgery.  To my horror, my son began digging between the cushions of the waiting room sofa, and I quickly reprimanded him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" I snapped.

Politely, he stopped, looked at me, and said, "Mom, if you were me, you'd like what I like, and you'd do what I do."

So true, my boy.  So true.

This Sunday, I watched a segment on CBS Sunday Morning, in which the brilliant Tavi Gevinson was interviewed.  What I love most here, is that she embraces what makes her unique, and follows the beat of her own drummer, and appreciates what is not "trending" for the masses, but touches her as an individual.





"Fashion" only works if a measurable group of people agree and spend money on it.  I, like Tavi, often exempt myself from that pursuit.  

Dismayed to find that shades of orange are on the upcoming horizon for fashion, I thought, "So what? I can create my own stuff!" 

The garment district fabric and supply stores support us all fully in this.  You can explore the garment district and find a rich palette including every color you can imagine, and you need not concern yourself with fashion AT ALL if  you don't want to.

Best stores for the anti-trenders (because of the breadth and variety of their offerings):

Butterfly Fabrics
Fabrics & Fabrics
Mood
Rosen & Chadick
Metro Textiles
B&J Fabrics
Chic fabrics

Oh, and there are so many more, it is just exhausting. Personally, I find it very hard to do more than 6 or 7 max stores in a single day, but the district is just throbbing with possibilities!  Enjoy what you make!

Fabric of my dreams

At the request of an enthusiastic and kind reader, I've added this... (below)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

So click above, if you use Bloglovin'.

Now, on to the post...

Let's face it.

There are fabrics... and there are fabrics.

Let's look deeper into our pockets for a bit, shall we?

I recently had the pleasure of caressing some beautiful fabric in a the workroom of a couturier for whom I've been freelancing.  I appreciated its beauty, from a Swiss fabric maker I had never heard of... Jakob Schlaepfer... at a whopping couple hundred dollars a yard.

But if you could have seen it, you'd understand.  I don't see an example, or even a fair comparison on the web to lead you to, so you'll just have to imagine...

A yummy metallic silk ombre, with flecks of gold, pineapple, persimmon, with flecks of silvery green and soft rasberry splashes... Hypnotic in its beauty.  Heaven to touch.

Similar to the mood of the fabric the designer used, but different.

Another fabric by the same fabulous company

Then...

it invaded my dreams.  For once, I saw a complete garment made of fabrics that exist mostly in my own head at the moment... but my heart feels they exist.  Definitely for the holiday season. And the thought motivated me to get some of my own projects moving, right away, clearing space in my life for my next set of dreams.

One of the things I have not often discussed on this blog, is the high-end fabric market.  However, these are truly the most elusive goods in the district, and may require an appointment to view.  Not for browsers, but for the serious potential clients, here are some fabulous sources:


Jakob Schlaepfer New York (Sales office)

307 West 38th Street, Suite 1103
New York, NY 10018
Telefon +1 (212) 221-23 23
Telefax +1 (212) 221-32 12

Lace from SOLSTISS

SOLSTISS USA

561 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 7 19 - 9194

info@solstiss.com

At C&J Textiles (below), you will find outstanding exclusive designer fabrics on cards near the left wall of the store when entering.  Beautiful, special fabrics, with appropriate pricing for such unusual finds.

C&J Textiles

230 W. 38th st.
7th Floor
New York, NY 10018


At Fabrics & Fabrics (below), go left of the register to the room full of lace.  See? I told you so...

Fabrics & Fabrics
270 West 38th Street, 3rd Floor
New York, NY 10018
TEL: (212) 391-7777
EMAIL: info@fabrics-fabrics.com

At B&J Fabrics (below), look all around you.  At this place, the bargains are a tougher find than the luxury goods, but both beautifully coexist in this place.  As an aside... looks like they have the fabric of my dreams, mentioned earlier in this post...

A wild sequin maze on metallic netting from B&J I used to make a very basic, but elegant top (below).

B&J Fabrics

525 7th Avenue - 2nd Floor
(corner of 38th street)
New York, NY, 10018

Email: bandjfabrics@gmail.com

Phone: 212-354-8150

Above all, keep dreaming!

City Quilter - umbrellas

Note: City Quilter has since closed...

So, with my considerable hours of free time... (wild laughter ensues) I would love to make an umbrella.  Actually, several umbrellas.  Problem is, I don't know how!

Guess who makes a pattern ($10.50), sells a frame (kids -$24 or adult -$13), and the right coated fabric to do the trick?  City Quilter does.

So, what's stopping me?

I don't want mine to look craftsy, like something that says I made it myself.  I can likely make a quality umbrella, but the print choices at City Quilter for the umbrella are a bit too "crafty" for this girl.  Nothing wrong with them, but if I'm gonna take the time to make one for myself... well, it needs to reflect me, and NYC, ya know?

Much consideration... back-burnered it... and then...

But soft... what fabric through the racks at B&J Fabrics breaks???? Soft, pliable, raincoat fabric!  (The oilcloth, and heavier stuff offered next to it won't work, by the way - ignore that stuff, if you go.  There are LOTS of choices.)

My fabric answer is here.  Okay - so next question... how much should one "invest" to make an umbrella?   One thing I know... I'll NEVER, EVER lose it!!!

And, because so much stuff happens in my head, here is the musical inspiration that shouted at me to make a super-happy NYC-friendly umbrella...  Can't get it outta my head now.

Funny Girl - Don't rain on my parade by guy-paul

Mood offers sewing classes... Didjaknow that?

Did you know you can take classes at Mood?  As you know, since moving on to Mood Fabrics, the former owner of this blog is making sure everyone knows big things are a'happenin' on Mood's ever-improving website! When chatting with Meg one day, she let me know that the classes can also be found on their website, which I hadn't noticed before! I had previously only seen the signs in the store advertising classes... So, while looking at their class offerings online, I came across this one, which is one I'm sure many of you would find interesting. Click through for details on this class and more....

How to Sew Knits Like a Pro

Here's the "Psst..." part - The classes are affordable, small, and taught by people who really know their stuff... There are others, but this one speaks to a particular subject I know is a challenge for so many!

Now, of course Mood offers knit fabrics, and their wool knits are especially appealing right now.

Here are some other places to get some great knits right now:

Kashi at Metro Textiles has some knits I scouted out on our Speakeasy tour that are just TO DIE for at the moment.

B&J fabrics. Seriously. Yes, it has a reputation for being expensive. But they've got plenty of really wonderful cotton stretch knits that are so completely AFFORDABLE right now...

Happy shopping!

Inspired by New York Fashion Week

Picture above is not my own (of course).  The source is this lively blog.

Before really reading the critics' and bloggers' takes on Fashion Week thus far, here are my observations: The collections I've seen indicate to me that, much like Fall/Winter 2012,  Spring/Summer 2013 is all about fabric in exciting colors, textures, with creative manipulations and surface embellishments, while the shapes of the garments remain relatively unfussy/uncomplicated. I've seen a number of garments that defy this, but, for the most part, those don't seem to be in the "wearable" category, so we'll just ignore them for now... The fabric is the star of the show, making fabric shopping quite a satisfying adventure right now.  The district is bursting with fun stuff, and, if this is indeed the trend that clicks with the masses, you don't have to worry about looking like a circus clown if you join the party!  Really now, looking at the pictures above, there are no construction mysteries leaving you wondering how these garments were made, right?

And, how cute is that?  I have a dangerously similar print lingering in my "someday" pile right now!
And Metro Textiles has some pretty great (subtler) patterns, too!

And, as exciting as some of the pieces are, really, where am I going in stuff like this?  These fabrics give me ideas for more practical and versatile ways to use similar ones, and I know just where to go to get them!

For example, that Monique L'Huillier sparkly blue dress (above) looks great, but, if I were its owner, would hang forever in my closet, garment-bagged, taunting me...  possibly making one or two outings before retiring. You know what wouldn't?  A great sequined tank or loose rectangular shell, with a tuxedo striped pant and ballet flats or heels. Doable, yes.  B&J Fabrics has exactly what I would need to make that happen.

NY Fashion Week, its energy, and the relentless media coverage give me insane mojo, and inspiration abounds right now! If you are ready to build your collection of supplies for yourself, your clients, or your own collection, make sure you visit the district soon to start shopping, researching, and making contacts.  If you are coming with me on my fabric shopping tour on the 28th, (sold out) you are gonna LOVE what you find!!!

And... don't believe the trend reports.  Seriously. After all, I just spotted this great trend report from Harpers for our current 2012 looks, where Flower-Power, Africa, and Gatsby-inspired looks were highlighted. The Gatsby looks are wonderful, and definitely much more advanced sewing/design work... but I don't see how any of these really manifested themselves on the streets here.  I think people are really listening to their own drummers (and wallets) these days.

So what inspires you?  Music? Art? Fabric? People on the street? Movies/media? Travel? There is just so much to experience and see... Personally, I am really inspired by children right now.  Oh, to be a 7 year-old with a healthy fashion budget!  I'd really have an amazing wardrobe!

To boost your creativity even more, here's a wonderful video highlighting how some designers use music to inspire, influence, and accompany their collections. Notice the designer playlists on the page, and see if any agree with your aesthetic!

As if you needed anything else to inspire you, there's an app for the iPad that will let you explore the collections in the comfort of your own lap!  Beware inspiration overload...

Where is your mojo level right now?  Ready to create?  Or ready for a nap?