Led a Speakeasy today (1/20) oh... and today (1/21) - oh and writing about it today (1/25)!

Took a while to begin writing this post... why?

Life's been a bit busy, I'd say!  Well, actually, that's a wildly inaccurate understatement, as I've done nothing but push through appointments, lead tours, and pound out piles of work over the past two weeks or so... but I digress...

I led two Speakeasies last week, and, just as an aside, I must mention my obsession with Wasabi, a UK based fast-food sushi place on the corner of 40th and 7th, that does their job so perfectly, I don't even know how to adequately express my fascination with it.  The lovely bites are always perfectly fresh (whether vegetable or fish) and beautifully presented in meticulously artful to-go (or stay) arrangements, and wonderfully priced for what is offered.  I really enjoy dining in or taking out, and just the speed and efficiency of this place make the whole experience enjoyable. Great energy food, by the way.

So... What happened on the Speakeasies?  Frankly, we all saw too many great things to crunch them into one blog post, so I will list the highlights... (Note: I'm mixing the days together, so not everyone saw the same stores... There's only so much time in a day!)

Botani - Have you seen their new fabric space? We (speakeasiers) casually walked past a sign boasting customizeable fabrics, just to take a peek... I asked the question, "What do your mean, customize?" - I got the answer.  All of the aspects you weren't even thinking were customizeable.  Color? Yup.  Your own color? Not a color card they give you?  Yup.  Fiber content? Yup?  Custom blend? Yup.  Okay, so they will go pretty far to meet your specifications.  When you're done you've got something no one can duplicate, because no one else had it made for them!  Totally unique.  Others can imitate, of course, but that takes time, research and investment... good luck with that, right?

Pacific Trimmings had a delightful arrangement of clasps and wildly fun things as usual. The rainbow toothed RiRi zipper option was a fun sighting, as it always is!

C&J - wowza.  As always.  A special look at the prints and specials on the shelves made the visit wildly inspiring.

B&J - Do they ever disappoint?  Nope.  I don't think so. What a glorious selection of cottons, ponte knits, printed silks, unusual blends, and beautiful colors!

MJ Trimming - While they have reduced some space and inventory, they still have great stuff to offer!  The clearance area is also particularly interesting!

NY Elegant - Upstairs always yields surprises, the rack of panels always yields sighs, and the main floor... need I say more?

Fabrics & Fabrics - What a joy. Whoever is pulling out rolls of "special" goods to highlight on the floor is REALLY doing his/her job right!

Okay, while I could list about seven or eight more stores, it was a blast for all of us on both days! Really intense visits in a tight sequence with no wasted time, tired legs, and heads spinning! It was a true fabric lovers' celebration!

10 Sewing Supplies You (actually I, really) Can't Do Without (and where to get them)

*This is a repost*

First of all, let me tell you that I know that this is a *trick*. Internet gurus tell me that people like lists.  Personally, I tend to ramble. 

 Why 10 things?  10 is as good a number as any... right?

Right?

10 Sewing Supplies You Can't Do Without

1. Household sewing needles, not just ORDINARY sewing needles.  These curve, stab, and manipulate strange terrain.  (Similar ones are linked here, available at Manhattan Wardrobe Supply) - The curved needles help repair a sofa, carpet, bind a book, seal a pillow, sew a slipcover, fix any awkward and unweilding shape or tough fabric!

2. Great scissors - I really love my own scissors, and can't be convinced otherwise, but the right scissors for a dedicated sewing enthusiast is like the right pencil for an artist, or instrument for a musician.  Frankly, though, I wouldn't say there are too many great choices.  There are only poor, mediocre, good enough, and PEERLESS!

Mine are about 30 years old, but they are still magical!

Where to get them: The advice on this is more than just a list of store names.  See this post for more information.

Also, know where to get them sharpened.

3. A ham

A necessity for sewing curved and hard-to-reach areas.  A good ham is a solid, heavy, densely packed tool that will last a lifetime.

Where to buy one: Steinlauf and Stoller

4. Silamide thread - for hand sewing and beading, especially.

Where to buy it: Manhattan Wardrobe Supply

5. A dress form (or, in my case two)

Where to buy one: Look at this post for suggestions.

6. A great (not good, but GREAT) mirror.  
You should be able to see your (or your intended wearer's) full body clearly in it.  Bonus points for portability and ability to tilt, like a cheval mirror. Added benefit; you can capture BOTH the front and back of a garment from the right angle in a well-positioned mirror.

This one is similar to mine, which is about 15 years old now.

Where to buy one:  This is an extreme solution, I know... but King David Gallery is the best place to get the best mirrors EVER.  Find your mirror, but it, the grab a taxi or have someone drive in to meet you to pick it up.  The prices are good, (so is the customer service) so you should even get a not-so-fancy mirror here, because it will be the BEST not-so-fancy mirror.

7. A good (but great is better) iron.  Depending on your space, you can get a fancy-schmancy gravity feed, or work with a lovely Rowenta or other quality brand.  It should steam well and with considerable "oomph", and it should have a pointy tip, perfect for getting into corners and difficult spots.

My own Rowenta - the third one I've owned in 25 years or so.

Where to buy one: Manhattan Sewing Supply (basic or fancy),  or City Sewing (fancier)

8. Quality muslin for test garments. What, you don't do this???  (LOL, I know we've all skipped this step when we can afford to)  But if you drape your own designs or test out your design before you sew with pricier fabric, your muslin needs to be on grain and mimic the weight and behavior of the fabric being sewn.  When working with woven fabric, and accuracy is important, quality muslin is a must.

Sturdy, medium weight muslin from S&S

Where to buy it: Steinlauf & Stoller or Guide Fabrics (larger quantities)

9. Quality interfacing.  Fusible, woven, black, white, heavy, light, tailoring canvas... you need the right interfacing to sculpt the shape you need, and stay strong throughout the life of the garment.

Where to buy it: Steinlauf & Stoller

10. Revolving leather hole punch.  This works for tough fabrics and leather!  I use mine "awl" the time!  And not just to sew - Sometimes a belt needs another hole, or I want to install grommets in something, or I have to attach leather tags to stuff to prevent it from being lost- I've used this contraption a million times for a million different reasons!

Where to buy one: M&J Trimming


So fine, yeah... in reality, there are more than ten supplies you'll need, but we've gotta start somewhere, right?

Right?

M&J Trimming for your hair!

There's a cute hair ornament/ponytail holder that has been featured and ADVERTISED like MAD this holiday season.  Completely affordable, and easy to buy, right?  But... as any of you garment district lovers will notice, the supplies to duplicate or upgrade this idea are very also VERY easily obtainable.



Inspired by this idea, I stopped at M&J Trimming and found a variety of lovely things and other hair-taming ideas to make some stocking stuffers for a few "tweens" in our family this year.


While these do not photograph particularly well flat, here are some of the things I found, and how I used them...

The balls are light, the elastic is strong.  I found the balls about 18 years ago, in a unique Tibetan store in SoHo (NYC), but the cord stop is from M&J Trimming. I would consider this one to be "hair jewelry" more than anything, great for adorning a low ponytail or bun...

A strong, simple ponytail holder.

A ponytail holder with silver tassels!

A wonderfully strong, snug, stretchy, sparkly headband, to gracefully push hair away from the face.

Just some fun "extras" for some people I love this year...  Side note:  I made more than just these, and some extras I will keep for myself! (Can't wear 'em until after Christmas, though!)

M&J Trimming - A fresh look, and... a fresh perspective

I don't just wander into this store when out running errands.

Frankly, it is off my regularly beaten path, and I typically go to M&J Trimming when I have exhausted other options, because , in the past, I have generally found them to be the priciest of the options.  Sometimes arbitrarily so. I'm going to stop saying that now.

Address: 1008 Sixth Avenue (near W. 38th)
Phone: 1-800-9-MJTRIM
Store hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 7:00 pm; Saturday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm; Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Online store: M&J Trimming

Since then (kinda two days ago, actually), either I have grown up, or they have.  Not sure which, but when you need what they've got at M&J, go to M&J.

If we were talking face to face, I would have confidently said that with a neck swirl, an eye roll, a snap, and the word "Girl" drawled theatrically at the end.  (Those of you who know me, know I don't ever talk that way, and are probably getting a good giggle out of the idea of it right now.)

So, here's how to use M&J.

• Don't go there for anything ordinary.  Get your thread, hooks and eyes, non-interesting zippers and standard supplies elsewhere, in a no-frills trim store.
• If you like iron-on monograms, look at theirs.  They are awfully cool.
• Look at the lace trims, the buttons, the zippers, and all things in the Swarovski family.
• Look at the belt buckles.
• More fashion and couture friendly than "craftsy" or "artsy". They clearly follow and respond to trends in fashion, and stock quality goods.

M&J Trimmings is a store that is bustling with creative energy, brightly lit, well-stocked, with lots of staffers to help you find what you need.  It is particularly well curated and visually appealing, with lots of fuel for creativity spread across the walls and in display cases.  No haggling, and they have a quality website, so you can shop online, too!

Sequins and the holidays...

If you're anything like me, you have a healthy respect for sequins, and a genuine love for them, but SHUDDER at the thought of trying to cut them away on your seam allowances, dig them out of the crevices of your machine, manipulate them to fit your design and force them to lay the way they were intended. What a pain in the nether region...

Sequins, however, do have one absolutely stellar advantage: they make anything ordinary look festive.  They make you feel like a million bucks.  Here are some alternative thoughts on how to use sequins for your holiday finery. The following project was for a client of mine.

These are fabulous metallic sequins attached  to a mesh from B&J Fabrics.

This fabric is wonderful, but the application of those sequins looks so random, how do I navigate the seams efficiently with a sewing machine?

My solution?  You don't.  You pull out a hand sewing needle and thread, and go for it! (I did line this top with china silk, by the way, using my client's flesh tone.)

Minimal seams make it easier.

Why not show a little skin in the back, huh?

Okay, so you can also add sequin trim to a garment, or you can get hot-fix sequins you can iron on, which I imagine, can be problematic, so experiment a bit before committing to this.  For the truly committed, you can sew on your own sequins individually, but you'd also be amazed at how beautiful a delicately interspersed sequin embellishment with a Swarovski crystal center can be on even the very simplest silk tank! Add them to your shoes, you bag, your hair accessory, your hat... whatever!

From low priced to high end, there are LOTS and LOTS to choose from.  I'm feeling like an infomercial here. (Note: The above example is a high-end one.)

So where you can you find fun sequins?

Loose: M&J Trimming, Pacific Trimming, Daytona Trimming, Joyce

Trims: Joyce, M&J Trimming, Mood

Fabrics: B&J, Mood, Fabrics & Fabrics

So, it actually isn't too late to get started.  Don't be afraid to add a little sparkle to your holidays this year!