Fashion Design Books - Update

Update:  This store is closing, but there is currently a big 50% off sale going on!

Fashion Design Books (click the link for pictures of the store and their offerings) is a great bookstore, nestled within the campus of Fashion Institute of Technology on West 27th Street.  Open to the public, whether you are a student or not!

With both a website, and their brick and mortar location, they offer much more than simply books.

Fashion Design Books
250 W 27th Street
New York, NY 10001
(212) 633-9646

Store Hours:

Monday: 8:30AM - 7:00PM 
Tuesday: 8:30AM - 7:00PM 
Wednesday: 8:30AM - 7:00PM 
Thursday: 8:30AM - 7:00PM 
Friday: 9:00AM - 6:00PM 
Saturday: 10:00AM - 4:00PM 
Sunday: CLOSED





One of the beautiful things about this store, (and there are many), is that the names of the products they offer are clearly labeled, letting you know exactly what they are for. In many garment district stores, mystery products abound, but here, you know what you're looking at.


Walk over to the notions area and you will find shirring thread for example, and plastic bags offering 100 zippers for $4.99 (not a typo), quality sewing scissors, screen printing kits, oversized waxed carbon paper and yarn. Aimed at the person who wants to create small quantities with high-quality results, you can get good bang for your buck here.


In addition to that, let's say you want some books. Some of the books they offer are also used for classes taught at FIT. But ANYONE Can buy them, and no, you don't have to be enrolled in a course to do so!


Need drawing supplies? Portfolios? Fashion Art supplies? Books to help you become a better illustrator? It's all here, in a quieter, less hustley-bustley environment (depending on when you choose to go, of course).


They also have a nicely curated selection of high end fashion magazines, from which I had to rip myself away... since I have often wondered if there was a rehab for magazine addicts I could attend in the past. Now I abstain almost entirely!


Anyway... if you've never been to this store, or actually, even if you have, it is worth a second (or ten thousandth) look!

Sewing for the Absolute Beginner

Don't be shy.  Everyone starts somewhere.  Maybe you want to learn how to sew, but that doesn't mean you want to make an apron, a tote bag, or a pillowcase.  Or, maybe I'm wrong, and you do? Where can you go to get started?  Here's the thing.  There are lots of people out there who can teach you.  A reasonable class size can make it affordable for you to attend.  I know lots of people who are ready and willing to teach you.  So, you know what?  I'll do a survey, find out what you want to learn, and find out what teachers are ready and willing to teach.  Let's see how it all matches up!

There will be more than one survey in this series.  The first, which you'll find by clicking the link below, is to get a sense of what beginning sewers are looking for.  If you are a beginning sewer, please click below to take a quick survey.  details of survey results will be shown on this blog.

Take the survey!

I know that we will find differences based on where you live, your age, and all of those other important factors.  This one, is just to get our feet wet.  You can live anywhere, and be anyone interested in learning to sew to take this survey.  Then, I will dissect the data, and get much more specific, until we can create some great research, data, and match-ups.