The tours were so much fun!

 See Instagram for details, but... in the meantime, here's some eye-candy...

There's so much more to see...

Where to find coutil in the garment district

** Reposting (From hundreds (600) of posts, it is silly never to repost, right?)

We get stuck on names and labels for things. Armed with sewing books, dictionaries and lexicons, we scour the district, searching every store for the thing we've been told we need...

Coutil (or Coutille) is woven cloth created specifically for making corsets.^] It is woven tightly to inhibit penetration of the corset's bones and resist stretching. Coutil has a high cotton content. Cotton has good dimensional stability, or a resistance to stretching, which makes it a good choice for such a stressed garment. Coutil may be made to be plain (similar to 100% cotton facing), satin, or brocade. It is common for coutil to have a herringbone texture, or a similar woven texture.

- from Wikipedia

Order coutil via mail from Richard the Thread or Farthingales

Shopper:

"Do you have any coutil for sale?"

Fabric store employee (annoyed):

"Cou- wha?"

Coutil, when sold specifically by name, is a firmly woven cotton with a herringbone weave, used for foundation garments.  

That's why no one knows what you are talking about.  

The fabric is specifically designed for use in corset-making. Can't find it? You'll have a hard time finding a good substitute, although some poeple use duck or twill when they only want to mimic the look of a corset, and not necessarily rely on its functional role in a properly made corset. Word on the street is that it has no equal. It is strong, it breathes, and not many other fabrics will serve as a suitable substitute.

So, where do you find coutil in the garment district?  In my experience so far, you don't!  Order online from Farthingales or Richard the Thread, but get the rest of your supplies right here in NYC.

Now, once you've got the  right supplies to make your garment function as it should, get as fancy as you like with supplies to make it beautiful from some of our favorite garment district haunts:  

• B& J Fabrics
• Fabrics & Fabrics for beautiful laces and brocades
• Dersh Feather
• Botani
• International pleating for beautiful fabric manipulation
• Schmalberg Flowers for wonderful fabric ornamentation

This just melts me... (Brangelina)

Looks like they got hitched!

I know I'm not alone on this one, but I get all teary-eyed when I hear how the Jolie-Pitt kids participated in the design of the bride's ensemble. I love this crafty, heartfelt idea of a (still high-end designer) wedding ensemble, and I love them both dearly for doing something so personal so publicly.

Okay, forgetting all we know about their past romances and all the other tabloid noise, the beauty of having their children's drawings adorn her veil is just too much for my emotional creative side to take...

Over the years, I've been asked to make wedding dresses for mature brides, women with children, second (or later) marriages, and I can see from my custom sewing life that an overwhelming number of people are redefining and personalizing their experiences in beautiful ways.

Embroidery and printing are wonderful ways to add truly personal, custom touches to a gown. Do you have to know how?  Nope.  There are businesses in the garment district that will help you do it yourself. And you don't even need to be wealthy to do it.

Some ideas for you:

To create wonderfully personalized things, you can have flowers and buttonnieres made by Schmalberg, the train of a bridal gown printed by First2Print, custom embroidery and/or beading by New York Embroidery Studio.

I once sewed for a bride who adorned the back of her dress with a grandmother's antique button collection, and we added beautiful starched hand-crocheted flowers to dot the landscape of her airy gauze gown.

Fabric from Rosen & Chadick, beads and flower-making supplies from Daytona Trimming. 

The bride was married outdoors, in a beautifully green field...

The airy softness of this gown fit this bride's style and personality

I have also updated, repaired, refit, and redesigned old gowns from a bride's mother, a grandmother, or simply another era.  This always has a deep personal meaning for the bride, and evokes a sentimental feeling as she celebrates her marriage.

This bride bought a late 1800's dress at auction, and we updated it to fit her aesthetic.

I combined a Sri Lankan sari with the bride's  mother's 1960's gown for an American fairytale wedding. 

Petticoat (beneath skirt) from RK Bridal.

This next one is  a poor quality picture with a bigger story, which you can see here (on my old blog).

Lace from a mother's gown, applied to waist of new gown.

I truly enjoy it when brides walk down the aisle, bringing their hearts with them in their clothing.  It is my favorite way to participate in a bride's special day!

Garment District History (and my own heartbeat)

The Garment District in NYC is a place that makes me want to look around and sigh...  I love the old stories, the connections, and the history. I really have an insatiable love for what goes on here, and the way that the various businesses support, nurture, and inspire one another. 



 The importance of proximity, and how it fuels creativity is so important and well expressed in this video (above).

If you appreciate the history and personal connections as much as I do, I invite you to read the posts linked below, about businesses who have honed their craft over time, and really know their stuff!

Fabric flowers for embellishments (think Sarah Jessica Parker), accessories (think Chanel) and home decor. 

A beautiful pleating company, with a history and commitment level that will truly astound you.

A pajama manufacturer, whose story and insight on the current state of garment production will get your wheels turning.

The idea of spats just thrills me.

My permanently out-of-sych fashion preferences lead me to believe that you will embrace this trend in about three years.  I'll just say it now, and you can store it for future use, okay?

For leather or alternative materials:

Leather, Suede, Skins (among others) or Mood or a host of other stores in the district...

For leather needles and appropriate thread: Manhattan Wardrobe supply among many others...

For leather cement: Manhattan Wardrobe Supply, Mood

For pattern paper or oaktag: Steinlauf & Stoller

Chalk for marking: Steinlauf & Stoller

Buttons: Buttonology, M&J or Pacific Trim

For covered buttons: (*clears throat and whispers... inaudibly)

For alternative closures, if you wanna get fancy: Star Snaps

For decorative flowers (leather and other kinds): Schmalberg Custom Fabric Flowers

Fashion Trims for edging, decorating, or lacing: Daytona

I'll be doing some for myself... Go ahead and hate them if you want... or love them like I do!!!  They're just for me, anyway!

Schmalberg's Custom Fabric Flowers

I've written an article on this business for the June/July issue of Vogue Patterns Magazine.

Click through to read it!  When directed to the magazine itself, there are sample pages, and my article is free to read online. Then, if so inclined, go 'head and buy yourself a copy to read the rest of the issue!

Update: Martha Stewart thinks they're great, too!

NYC Garment District Service Provider Review: M&S Schmalberg

M&S Schmalberg
242 W 36th St. 7th Fl.
New York, NY 10018
212-244-2090


90 years. That's a long time. I'm a sucker for a family business. I also love tools, and long, technical explanations about how they would go about creating your piece.  You bring the fabric, and then you look at their walls, website, or something else you've seen to give them an idea of what you want.  They tell you if it is possible, talk about the process, and quote you a price. Then, you decide.

How about a bridal bouquet you can keep? Forever?  How about a large rosette to be used on a curtain tieback or pillow for home dec use?  How about a beautiful floral embellishment for your garment, your keepsake wedding journal, your hat, your hair, your... well, anything, really? Be sure to visit their website for ideas you didn't even know were possible.

Going to their office is a truly delightful experience.  Beautiful and comfortable to wander around in, you are encouraged to make yourself at home. You are greeted with enthusiasm, courtesy and respect, by people so passionate about what they do, you'll eventually have to tear yourself away.  Today I spoke with Warren (one of the owners), but the personality of the business is extremely customer-friendly.  I overheard customer conversations during the time I spent there, and am confident that the same level of kind guidance is offered to everyone who approaches them with an idea.

And boy, do they have examples to show off just how great the work is!  Floral topiaries, leaves, flowers ideal for window decorations, and LEATHER.... ahhhh... LEATHER!

Wanna know more?  Read this Wall Street Journal article.

And sculptural custom flowers are just the thing to take your project to the next level.  You don't need to go there to do business.  You can call or email, instead!

If you will be at the

City Source Expo
Tuesday, July 17

10am to 5pm

Fashion Institute of Technology

The Great Hall

Enter on 28th Street (between 7th and 8th)

so will they!