Paron Fabrics has moved!

Note: Paron has since closed.

And guess what? The store setup is pretty much exactly the same, but MUCH brighter and CLEANER! I think the prices have crept a bit higher since the move, but it is hard to compare with the constantly changing inventory.

Brightly lit, immaculate... sounds like song lyrics, no?</>

I thought this was pretty fabulous, but didn't buy, since I don't want to be the next home featured on "hoarders". I've got to sew what I've got. No, I mean it.Seriously.Paron Fabrics257 West 39th st (bet. 7th 8th ave)New York, NY 10018

Psssst.... (Just button it.)

Let me begin by saying that is is so exciting to see Meg start her new venture, and equally exciting for me to add a new layer to this already wonderfully conceived blog.  I am passionate about and fascinated by the garment industry, the actual work and art of creating things, and this wonderfully vast collection of businesses who help us all to make the things we have been dreaming of!

I am Mimi Jackson, a New York dressmaker, owner of www.findadressmaker.com, and have been absolutely obsessed with the NYC garment district since I was a child.  Many of the old stores are gone, but I have discovered so many new places in recent years, that I am truly excited to share.

For my first post, I will let you all in on a garment district secret I've recently discovered; knowing the right terminology is KEY in this city.  No one, and I mean NO ONE will take the time to explain things to you.  And that is one reason why this blog is so important.  When you ask the right questions, sometimes the answer comes back in a whisper, a wink, and a nudge.  No, I'm not kidding... After all of these years shopping here, I still don't know why.  The garment district is FULL of secrets, and those secrets can lead you on unexpected adventures.  To make my posts more search friendly, when I offer a secret, I will name the post "Psssst..." followed by the relevant topic in parentheses. Now you know.

Months ago, I was making a soft jacket for a fabulous client who fell in love with a beautiful, silvery silk velvet she had found.  The catch: she wanted covered buttons.  Now I don't know if you've ever covered your own buttons with one of those Dritz kits, but when your fabric is cooperative, you can achieve a very respectable result.  With some additional work, you can even make it kinda classy, but it never quite has the feel and quality of an industrial, factory-made covered button.

Below, is an example of covered button I made with a kit, that turned out well enough...

Front

Back

Well, that's fine, until you want to cover with a fabric that is thick or slippery, like velvet, which moves and contorts, distorting the flimsy metal button base, and making you cry, scream, and pull every hair from your head... one by one....

Knowing this, I ventured into the garment district, and asked my favorite businesses who could/would make covered buttons for me.  The first two had no idea.  The third, looked both ways, leaned in very close to me, and whispered an address.  Weirded out by this speak-easy vibe, I went directly to the address she gave me.  Factory-like atmosphere, squeaky, old elevator... got wrong directions from security, which gave me a long labyrinth-like wander through a series of small production shops, ending with a handwritten sign telling me the business had moved downstairs.  

When I arrived there, I knocked on the huge industrial door, uncertain if they were open to the public. No one heard me over the clang of machinery.  Slowly, I opened the door. Inside? Button-covering wonderland.  Industrial equipment, knowledgeable staff.  Note: To do this, you must have your fabric ready, and know what size button you need.  They will not let you waste their time.  AT ALL.  Have cash.  If you need lots of buttons (1000 or more, you can certainly place an order).  If you need only a few, again, HAVE CASH, and trust them to know what they are doing.  The results will be perfect.

See below:

Front

Back

So great!  Why the secrecy? If, after posting this, I disappear from the face of the earth, you can always show this blog post to the detectives...

Note: BT Button sis now closed. (4/18)

The address:

BT Buttons

327 West 36th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues)

3rd Floor

NY, NY 10018

Big News: I've Joined Mood Fabrics!

There's a reason why I've been so quiet on this site lately: I'm now working for Mood Fabrics! I've been a loyal shopper there for many years and the clothes I'm most proud of sewing have all been made with Mood Fabrics, so when the opportunity arose to become part of the Mood team, I jumped at the chance. I'm doing lots of things that fall under the broad heading these days of "digital content creation," plus some marketing, too. Yup, all my blogging and writing and social online networking helped me land this new job I love.

The only downside is that I have to give up writing and running this website, now that I'm pledging all my Garment District love to one company and can no longer write impartially. Fortunately, I have someone who is super-capable and eager to take the reins from me: Mimi Jackson, of Find a Dressmaker. She knows her way around the Garment District better than I do! Seriously, she's been shopping here since she was a little girl and can be spotted searching for clients' fabrics and trims nearly every week. I know you'll want to stick with her and help her grow this site.

Thank you so much for being loyal readers and for all the lovely emails you've sent me. It makes me so happy to know I've been able to help newbies navigate the Garment District and old-timers discover new things. Please continue to shop the Garment District and help preserve it for future generations of designers, sewists and crafters.

xoxo,
Meg

P.S. I'm blogging for Mood! Please come follow me there: Mood Sewciety Blog. I plan on featuring fashion and sewing inspiration, sneak peeks at new fabrics in store and online, fabric education and tips, and whatever else I can think up. Join me!



Update: Meg has since moved on to McCall Pattern Company, where she directs social media.

It's Italy vs France at Elliott Berman Textiles

Eugenia at Elliott Berman Textiles recently invited me to see all the new fabrics just in from Italy and France. Head over to EBT in the Garment District on W. 35th Street before these eye-catching fabrics are scooped up. I oohed and aahed over all the bold designs and prints Eugenia showed me. We both agreed that this season the Italian fabrics have it all over the French in terms of vibrancy and imagery. Below are just a few of the prints available at EBT's showroom:

Eugenia wants you to know they still have Missoni knits. If you are planning a trip to EBT I recommend you call first to let them know what time you'll be there: (212) 764-0180.

NYC Notions Store Review: Steinlauf & Stoller

Address: 239 West 39th Street, New York, NYC
Phone: 212-869-0321
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., closed weekends.
Online site: yes, but it's not set up for online ordering. Click here.
Best for: Interfacing, tailoring supplies, and for getting snaps and grommets installed

[Apologies for not posting this review a long time ago. Somehow I thought I had already reviewed S&S.]

Steinlauf & Stoller has been around since 1947 and the W. 39th Street store looks like it probably hasn't changed much in the last 65 years. But you know what? That's a good thing. I want a Garment District store that looks like it's still sells the same notions my grandmother used. Classic tailoring supplies haven't changed much over the years; they've just become harder to find, especially beyond the Garment District. Here's hoping S&S is in business another 65 years.

Ok, let's talk specifics. Personally, I have no allegiance to any one notions supplier in the Garment District. I get some of this here, some of that there. If I want to save money on notions, I head to Chelsea for Fashion Design Books on the FIT campus, which seems to have the best prices around. But Steinlauf & Stoller is my go-to place for interfacing (especially now that Mood Fabrics is carrying less interfacing than in the past) and for having snaps and grommets installed by long-time employee Nancy.

S&S has fusible 2-inch wiggan, which I love to bolster hems in garments. (You may have to ask for this as it's not always on display.) Here's what my friend Mimi, of Find a Dressmaker, likes about S&S:

"I love shopping there because they have a great selection of bust cups, shoulder pads, different types of boning, they'll cut your zippers to size, sharpen your scissors, they have care labels that are very affordable (but sold in FAR too large of a quantity for the small business or individual dressmaker)… and there is a RIDICULOUS amount of knowledge that comes with that. I love their interfacing, sample/pattern paper by the roll, and dress weights. They also have hoops for hoop skirts! They have great closures for swim suits, and lots of good quality tools for marking (pencils, chalk and stuff). I always buy my pins there, too.… I also find them particularly affordable. The big drawback is their business hours."

Have you been to Steinlauf & Stoller? What do you buy there?

Bolts of the many kinds of interfacing S&S stocks (right foreground).

A decent selection of standard notions. Prices for packaged notions run a little on the high side here, but sometimes I'm willing to pay a little more here rather than traipsing all around the Garment District.

Excellent selection of all kinds of thread.

Here's Nancy working with a customer who wanted to add snaps to a garment. S&S asks that customers not take advantage of Nancy's pleasant personality by making unreasonable demands on her time.

Buying Zippers in NYC's Garment District

SIL Thread at 257 W. 38th Street in the Garment District offers zippers in all types of teeth and colors

When I need a separating zipper or closed zipper cut to size, I usually head to SIL Thread. This is for those cases where I don't need my zipper to be a star, just functional; for stunning Riri or Lampro zippers I go to Pacific Trim (Riri) or Botani Buttons (Lampro).

Here are the steps to buying a zipper to-size at SIL:

1. Decide on what kind of teeth you want: Brass? Nickel? Molded plastic?
2. Factor in your application: If you're making outerwear you'd probably want a zipper with a wider tape and larger teeth, but something more delicate if you wanted an exposed zipper on a dress. SIL has many choices for tape width, weight and zipper teeth size.
3. Find the right color zipper for your garment
4. Take your zipper to the counter: Tell your cashier what size zipper you want out of the one you've selected, and whether you want it to separate (like for a jacket application) or closed (like in a dress or skirt). Pay for your zipper and then wait while an employee cuts it to size for you.

Today at SIL I bought a separating zipper with molded plastic teeth that I'll use on a spring jacket I'm making. It cost me just $4 and I only had to wait a few minutes while it was sized to 12 inches.

Even though Coats & Clark has expanded its zipper offerings to keep up with the styles, and they served me well for many years, I love being able to buy zippers that look more RTW. What about you, readers? Where do you buy your zippers?

SIL offers a large selection of colors and zipper teeth styles.

When you've chosen the right zipper for your application, take it to the counter to buy it and then have it cut to size

NYC Trim Store Review: East Coast Trimming

Address: 142 W. 38th Street (between Seventh and Broadway), New York City
Phone: 212-221-0050
Hours: "Flexible." Monday - Friday 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Best for: Too soon to tell as the store only just opened

Good news, readers! A brand-new trim store just opened in the Garment District and I think you're gonna like it. East Coast Trimming, on W. 38th Street between Seventh and Broadway, is an attractive trim and notions store that should please shoppers who are looking for a thoughtfully curated store. Its well-designed interiors and ample lighting (good lighting is so rare in the Garment District) put it in the same company as fellow trim stores M&J Trimming and Botani Buttons.

According to owner Donna Teves, a former Pacific Trimming employee, customer service is what will set East Coast Trimming apart from its competitors. I did like the fact that when I told her I had been searching the Garment District high and low for these Clover Wonder Clips, she promptly tracked down the information and said she'd stock them for the store. The two times I visited the store staff was always on hand to assist customers.

I don't think it's fair to do a full review on this store, seeing as how the inventory is clearly evolving. (It's surprisingly heavy on things like cotton twill and webbing, for example, and the only zippers I saw were Coats & Clark in packages like a Jo-Ann's store.) So I plan on checking back regularly and will update this post in six months or so. In the meantime, stop by and welcome Donna and her team to the Garment District. I'm sure she'd be happy to hear what kinds of things you'd like her to stock.

I love the black shelves and the cute boxes.

Look at this! Track lighting! So you can actually see the colors of the items you're looking at. You have no idea how many times I've asked Garment District store employees if I can have a swatch to examine outside before buying, just because their lighting is so damn bad and I can't tell if I'm looking at navy or black.

I adore how these covered jumbo snaps are stored in little pill bottles.

  

If you need webbing at reasonable prices, this is the place.

Thank you, Tricia, for tipping me off to East Coast Trimming!

Wanna come on a Speakeasy Tour?  Check out the link, to see what's coming up soon!