All action, no talk...

Last steps - professional shoe guy will adhere topsole/insole to heel, I will finish black edges (join), and gold cushion piece for elastic at back heel.

I'll answer your questions, if you have any...

I made a friend.

I started with the idea of a mouth. Just randomly constructed a mouth, with the idea of creating a sock puppet that would pretty much be ALL MOUTH.

But that mouth took over.

And I made a friend. 

No pattern, no plan, just a puppet that TOLD me what to do, how to create her... It took a while. I kept thinking I was done, but that mouth wouldn't stop yappin'.  She is LOUD.  Even if I am the only one who could hear her.  Creative chaos ensued.

I MADE a friend.

It took a village.  Did I shop for items to make her?  No.  She was 100% scraps and stash. I credit Britex (San Fran), Daytona, Elliott Berman, Metro Textiles, Spandex House and New York Elegant for all the pieces of my sewing life it took to create her.

Turns out she loves an adventure.  She came with us to the Metropolitan Museum of Art this week, took a few pics, and then announced she was ready to go to her new home. 

She really found her place among the exhibits.

So, here's the deal.  Long ago, I made a quilt for my family.  The idea of the quilt was to create a loving place to snuggle when you feel tired, sad, sick, heartbroken, or just in need of a hug. 

'Bo is the continuation of that idea, BUT I made her to give to a friend and HER family, but specifically her daughter, who is just a sweet little 1 year old right now.  She may find her terrifying, but I know her mom has a good sense of humor, and that fear will fade in time. 'Bo can be the mouthpiece of the household.  She may even insist on it... Whatever you wanna say, you can let 'Bo say it for you.  She has no filter, and is not SHY.  I hope she enjoys her new home.  We'll miss her.

* Inspiration (Sassy Urban Friend referred to in the Bo Burnham song #Deep.  The jury is still out on whether this qualifies as fan art, since he is NOT a kid's comedian, but she is kinda named after him...)

Photo credits: my kids.

Psssst...About the "girls" and the "jiggly bits"

*Reposting*

Now, some 700 posts into this blog, I look at some older, but still useful posts, and pull them out again...

I was inspired to repost this entry (originally posted two three five years ago) because of a very timely article I read online today (three years ago).  Ever fascinated by the entrepreneurial spirit of ambitious young people, a skilled dressmaker's contribution, a great business idea, and a market and investors who respond and support the idea, I felt moved and reminded to "support" us all...

We all need support sometimes. Well, except for a lucky few... But as you create, sew,or simply style yourself or others, you find that you have to work your way around "the girls" and all the other bits that don't want to stay where you'd like them to be. You do know who I mean, don't you? Whether you are a member of the "committee", are very ample, pendulous, voluptuous or asymmetrical, you have to work with fitting them every time you get dressed, design and/or sew. Below, are body-shaping swimsuits I've made for a client with a HH cup.

Padded strap elastic from SIL Thread, underwires from Steinlauf and Stoller (doubled in the channel for extra strength), powernet used as lining for a supportive body structure from Spandex House - made my client look like a Bond girl! But every body has different needs...
If the garment is already made, and you are simply getting dressed, every form of "help" you could ask for is available at Manhattan Wardobe Supply. Used by stylists and wardrobe professionals all over New York City, this place knows what you need, and has it in stock. Website or brick and mortar! Wanna make lingerie? There are lingerie and swim bra cups (same cups) sold at Steinlauf and Stoller, by the pair, for well under $10. Need hip pads or underwires? Boning? Stays? They've got that, too. In a wide variety of sizes, and all extremely affordable. And SIL Thread even carries a "separator"! But hey, if you've got a real challenge when it comes to fit, or if you just want that killer hourglass look, you can get a bra or shapewear you can swim in, a bra you can dance in, something that fits you... without having to make it, or have it made. A true specialty store within walking distance of the garment district... This is the "Pssst...." part. Bra Tenders Shhhh.... they're not on street level, and you wouldn't find them, or even know they EXIST otherwise. They really serve the theatrical community mainly, but they are also a retail establishment. Sizes AA to L. No kidding - I said "L". Make an appointment for a fitting. Be prepared to be eyed suspiciously by the guard in the lobby (or maybe that was just my imagination?), and being asked why you are there, and what the heck you want... They clearly don't want just anybody stopping in, which I did... today. "We're not set up for browsing", I was told. "We're really more of a showroom." Doesn't look that way, once inside, as it looks quite "browseable", but they make it quite clear that they don't want you to just "look around" or "explore", so know there are some gatekeepers involved here. They will not let you just buy without having a fitting first. Seriously. They specialize in undergarments and shapewear, and appointments carry no fee or obligation to buy, although you do have to secure your appointment with a credit card. In true New York fashion, they won't let you waste their time.

Now you know. Bratenders 630 9th Avenue Suite 601 NYC 10036 Tel: 212-957-7000

Halloween approacheth...

And while there are many things you can buy for which you do not be able to sew/design to achieve, you do have to plan.  Know what you want to do by October 1st, and you should be okay.

(Now reposting this, by the way, as I have changed my plan for what my Halloween costume will be, AND I have updated the links for the best Halloween sources in the district for real-life and online shoppers!)

Great resources for costume ideas?  Learning from my own past mistakes, I say, I have to make a decision before October begins, and stick to it!  Halloween has no build-up, so I never care until people start really talking about it.  Trick-or-treating has fallen out of favor, and there aren't too many appealing events, so I think I have learned my lesson about how to manage it.

So, I share with you what I've found:

Here is what has long been my favorite NYC idea for a family costume, where we are all different sizes of the same creature.  Creepy, scary, and HILARIOUS!  I've made some for a client years ago, when buying one was not an option yet.

My pinterest Halloween page is also full of ideas.

But here's the thing - there are so many things you can make and put your own spin on, using supplies from the district. There is so much sameness out there, in both the costume stores and the DIY-sphere, that it is absolutely  amazing how much sameness I'm seeing. 

This year, I'm loving the rain cloud costume idea... worn with a raincoat, and I could trail it with a rainbow fluttering behind me.  

However, the more I think about it... the more I want to go in a completely different direction, and make my own statement.


I hate that I'm even putting this idea out there, because I am now FLOODED with related ideas, but this one inspired me to know exactly what I MUST do!

Here is is, folks:

So, where can you shop to find interesting, costumey fabrics or wild inspiration?

Try these:

Mood Fabrics

Truemart

Lauren Trimming

Evermax

Spandex House

Bead Max

Joyce Trimming

East Coast Trimming

Fabrics World USA

Manhattan Wardrobe Supply

and, of course, ALL the rest of the stores!!!!

Online fabric shopping survey results - updated!

As the holiday season is now in full swing, I am reviewing the best ideas for fabric lovers and sewists I have stumbled upon in the garment district and beyond.  Since many of you are not local, I am sharing what is most helpful here, with updated information where appropriate.

Updated From 11/30/12:

Boy, did you guys ever participate in the Online fabric shopping survey!  Here is a summary of the results, for your reading pleasure... I have only mentioned the most common responses here, but have shared detailed information with the vendors who have specifically  expressed to me that they are very interested in maximizing customer satisfaction.

There were 88 participants in the survey today.

93% of you who took the survey actually shop online.

What are your favorite online fabric stores?

The first three vendors (below) were mentioned by the most, by far!  Among the others mentioned, those with brick and mortar locations in NYC are clickable to link to their websites below:

EmmaOneSock

GorgeousFabrics

Marcy Tilton

Elliott Berman

City Quilter

Purl Soho

Spandex House

Mood (Mood has implemented third party shipping!  See details here)

A special mention goes out from one of the survey participants to Metro Textiles, who does not have a website, but will personally send swatches and handle requests by email with a high level of personal attention and customer service.

There were quite a few more mentioned who are scattered across the USA (and a few beyond our nation's borders, actually), which are VERY useful as study aids for the vendors with whom I have shared the survey results, but giving the full list here would be information overload. It has been shared with those vendors who want to research the detailed info.

What are your concerns about shopping online?

Color, quality, drape and texture.  It seems that product-related issues were significantly riskier bets for many of you than shipping concerns, which was the next in line.

Now, describe the store of your dreams!

Free or low cost swatches, reasonable shipping, great photography, Pantone colors, better fabric descriptions, suggested uses and weight information. Great customer service, clear return policy, ability to speak with a live person during business hours, a search feature on a user-friendly site.  You also want fair return policies when items are not as described/pictured.  Much more detail was offered, and was shared with the vendors who asked for it!

Thank you to all who participated.  The stores are listening!

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.

A Robot Story

Spandex House was alive and buzzing with activity. Floor to ceiling colors, patterns, sparkles.  Staffers running frantically to and fro, phones ringing, bolts busily unfurled across cutting tables, and then... I heard it.

I ignored it at first.  Just a blogger doing my due diligence, checking to make sure they also own Elastic Wonder before I blog about it.  And they do.  Feeling like an addict, I needed to get out of there, with my wallet still intact.

"Come here." it commanded.  A deep, electronic voice. Like an army sergeant.  An authoritative, confident robot.

"Stop it,"  I said. "I'm not a child."

"Yes, you are." the fabric said to me.  You always have been. "You need a hoodie. You need athletic mesh, me, a gunmetal zipper, a drawstring with gunmetal stops, create an interior iPod breast pocket, and go for a run.  Or go to the supermarket. Just make it, slip it on, and go wherever you go. And make a similar version for your son."

"Shut up," I said.  "I've got other things to do."

"Sure, don't we all?" He winked at me. "Just take a swatch.  Go home, and think about what you're missin'.  Hey, stop off at one of those big stores and try to buy a RTW one like what I can do for you.  Good luck with that. I'll line the hood, give the body and interesting band of detail..." 

I took a swatch.

"I'm just $11 a yard.  A yard is more than you need."

"Shut up." I said.

"You'll be back..."

Different name, but the same...

Walking along 38th Street, you'll notice  a new sign.

Elastic Wonder, Inc.

247 West 38th Street

NY, NY 10018

(212) 997-7779

For just three weeks now, Elastic Wonder has been open to the public.  I was greeted warmly by the proprietor and shown around, while they continue to work on stocking the floor. It looks new and unfinished, with a casual, no-nonsense group of fabrics, in an array of happy colors. Selling fun spandex prints, plenty of powernet, and other stuff that stretches, Elastic Wonder appears to be new on the scene.

A delightfully colorful velvety spandex fabric, better experienced in person than in a quick iPhone pic.

But are they?

Nope.  

Here's the challenge of NY Real Estate.  Let's say you get a 10 year lease on a great space, but no longer have a tenant?  You occupy that space yourself, because breaking a 10 year lease is ridiculously expensive in NYC.  Who owns Elastic Wonder?  None other than Spandex House.  Same prices and quality, too.  So, there ya go.

Another way to look at it...

Wanna get your powernet without climbing three flights of stairs?  At the same price?  Here ya go.

Garment District Info: Where does all of this fabric come from?

All over the place.  I'm sure that comes as no surprise. New York City is one of the hubs of international trade for our country, after all...

In my professional life so far, I have worked for three textile companies.  All of them had mills or production facilities right here in the USA. One was a cotton converter (meaning they printed on cotton) whose main advantage was the artwork created by their designers. The division of that company I worked for no longer exists. The second fabric company I worked for was an elastomeric (stretch) fabric company, who sold to most of the world's best known lingerie, swimsuit, and sportswear companies.  The last one I worked for was a wool, cashmere, and luxury fabrics company, who sold to luxury clothing and home furnishing manufacturers, and also had a clothing division of its own.

While working for these companies, I learned an awful lot about the fabrics they sold, the production process, and how the system works.  Lemme tell you... the process is fraught with potential disasters, scheduling problems, dye problems, overage and/or shortage problems, payment problems, equipment problems, shipping and documentation problems...  you've got to REALLY know what you're doing, on SO many levels, and know who you are dealing with, to stay in business as a textile company.  The amount of effort they put in is admirable.

Which brings me to my bigger point.  The rent these businesses have to pay to maintain a space in the garment district is HUGE!  What an effort a fabric store has to make to even SURVIVE, much less thrive in the district these days.  Seriously Herculean.  One store owner said to me, "If I could just get even three more customers a day, do you know what a big difference that would make for me?"  I mean, really, they are doing their best to offer us great stuff at great prices, and I admire them all for even being willing to try!

So where does all that great fabric come from? There are times when fabrics, produced by textile mills  are rejected by the intended customer for a variety of reasons.  The reason for their rejection does not always render those fabrics status as "second quality goods".  They just weren't suitable for the intended buyer. There can be quality issues, like oil stains from the machines, or dye problems, machine stop marks, streaky colors, thread or weaving issues... the list goes on and on.  However, when you personally need just a few yards for a project, these kinds of problems will likely not matter so much to you, especially if you can cut around them, or don't notice a small imperfection.  This leftover fabric is often taken by whoever will pay for it, and ends up being used by another manufacturer, or in a fabric store.  there can also be production overruns, discontinued colors and styles, and other reasons why the fabric is available to you as a retail customer.

Some fabric is specifically made for the home sewing market and retail customers not buying in large quantities, and is sold directly to the stores.

The fabrics you find are made in many different countries, with quite a variety of fiber content variations, and you won't necessarily know how to launder and care for it. Some stores have knowledgeable staff who will give you care instructions if you ask (New York Elegant, Spandex House, B&J, Mood, and Rosen and Chadick come to mind), but some will have no idea, and offer no assistance at all.  If you are already here in New York, and don't mind making more than one trip to the garment district, you can always get swatches (most stores allow this) and wash test the fabrics yourself for comparison.  You can also do burn tests at home, if desired.  Don't abuse the ability to swatch!  Try to only do it for fabrics you actually intend to buy.  Stores impose limits because of swatch abuse by the indecisive... and students... ahem.

Sometimes you find something so inspiring, you simply MUST take a swatch, and figure it out later.  An example of this is below, from New York Elegant Fabrics.  I saw this puffy, weird, textural fabric, and wanted to squeal with delight.  I asked one of the staffers (who I know was a textile designer before her career at NY Elegant) I regularly chat with, what she thought this fabric could be used for.  She shrugged, and said "Jacket?"  Sounds like that could be pretty cool. I thought about this... until this morning.... when it hit me like a thunderbolt!!!!  In the spare time I don't have, I really want to recover my sofa (messily, on purpose) in an exaggerated, prehistoric animal print.  This is Flintstone cartoon inspired... bear with me here... I am often inspired by cartoons... and the "rock" pillows must be made of THIS FABRIC!   Oh, I just ACHE to make this happen!!!!!  Where oh where will I find the time?????

Secondly, with time I will make, I had to seize this fabric from Metro Textiles.  It is an oversized, blurry purple rose print charmeuse, that I almost hesitated to share with you guys because I love it so, and wish for no one else to have access.  Then, I decided that was silly.  After all, he's probably sold out of it by now... snicker... snicker...

A picture doesn't do it justice.  Had to be a video.

So there ya go.  Find your inspiration.  Go fabric "window shopping", and you'll find things that will haunt your dreams.  And see my previous post if you would like to join me on a garment district tour on November 2nd this year.

ITY Prints at Spandex House, Bargain-Priced

Popped into Spandex House today on W. 39th Street in the Garment District to buy a lining for a knit dress I'm making. I noticed their ITY jersey prints (toward the back on the first floor) are priced $5 to $6 a yard. I believe this is a drop in price, from about $7-8 a yard, but let me know if I'm wrong. At any rate, ITY jerseys are great for cool summer tops and dresses. Check it out….

NYC Fabric Store Review: Spandex House

Address: 263 W. 38th Street, New York, NYC
Phone: 212-354-6711
Hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Store web site: Spandex House (Call for swatches to be sent in the mail)
Best for: Spandex, well duh. But also really nice lycra prints and soft cotton-lycra solid knits

If sewing activewear or swimwear is your thing, or you make costumes for ballet and dance, you need to visit Spandex House in NYC's Garment District. This store is the epicenter of all things spandex and lycra. The prices are reasonable, the bolts are wide (usually about 72 inches), and the sales staff is attentive.

NYC Fabric Store Review: Spandex House

Address: 263 W. 38th Street, New York, NYC
Phone: 212-354-6711
Hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Store web site: Spandex House
Best for: Spandex, well duh. But also really nice poly jersey prints and soft cotton solid knits

I have been to the temple of knit fabrics and it is called Spandex House. Don't let the name put you off: There's definitely enough spandex fabric here to inspire Will Ferrell's next 20 movie roles. But there's also a long (and very narrow) aisle filled with nothing but bolts of lovely cotton lycras in every shade and weight under the sun.

And this stuff is top quality—the same fabrics you'd find in better RTW t-shirts and casualwear. Even better are the wonderfully low prices. Many of the bolts are 72" wide, so you get a lot for your cut. I promise that you will never be able to buy knits from your local chain-store fabric place after you've been to Spandex House in NYC. The only downside I can see to Spandex House is that they don't sell cotton lycra prints, just solids and stripes.

Because I knew I was going to be back in the very near future, I
exercised buying restraint (a rare thing) on my first visit and just bought some heavier-weight white knit and black knit to make tunics for me, and some super-soft jerseys in pretty shades of blue and pink for my daughter. I will have to bring a bag with wheels for my next visit....

I hear there are stores in the garment district that sell knits at prices even lower than Spandex House's, but because I'm usually on such a tight schedule I tend to stick with tried-and-true stores. Spandex House is one of my TNT stores and I recommend you check it out when you visit the garment center.

STORE UPDATES

5/18/09: Spandex House has expanded on the first floor, taking over an empty store next door. Now it's much easier to find the lovely poly knit prints that are usually hiding behind all that shiny spandex.