Reader Tip: Getting Home All That Fabric You Just Bought

Planning a trip to NYC for a little Garment District shopping, but are worried about not having enough room in your suitcase for all the fabric and supplies you hope to buy? Though some stores will ship your purchases to your home (I know Metro Textiles does this), most of the time you're going to end up schlepping heavy bags around the city and hoping you can cram your goods into your already-stuffed suitcase. If this is you, read how my commenter Anonymous makes traveling home from the Garment District more manageable:

"When I make the trip to NYC, I take along a roll of package tape, a Sharpie, a ball of twine, scissors, and those wire and tube handles they sometimes give you at stores to hold the handles of your shopping bag together. I also try to put at least 2 Priority Mail boxes (flat) in my suitcase.

Getting Your Fabric Fused Is Easy, Getting It Home Is Another Story

My good friend Cidell of the sewing blog Miss Celie's Pants was in town this past week for a little Garment District shopping, and she stopped in at Quick Fuse & Cut on W. 36th Street to get several yards of fabric fused with interfacing. Read her adventures in fusing here, and if you aren't familiar with her blog do check it out. Cidell has one of the freshest, most original voices in sewing blogdom; I keep telling her I wish I was a literary agent and knew how to package her to land her a book deal. I'll do my best to post a review here of Quick Fuse & Cut soon.

Where Do You Grab a Bite in the Garment District?

Honestly, I am the last person to ask for Garment Center area restaurant recommendations. Most days I eat yogurt at my desk so I can save money to buy more fabric. But readers have asked that I compile a list of decent restaurants in the Garment District and vicinity, and I think that's a good idea.

Today I met three sewing friends for lunch at a new vegetarian fast-food place, Loving Hut, at Seventh and 30th, and we all licked our plates. What about you, STGD readers? Where do you like to eat lunch in this general area? Meet for dinner or cocktails? Leave me a comment here or email me, and I'll put together a list to post on this site. Thanks!

NYC Trim Store Review: Botani

Address: 263 W. 36th Street, NYC
Phone: 212-244-3222
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 am to 6 pm. Closed weekends.
Online store: Botani Trim
Best for: Handbag hardware, and buttons, and for anyone who appreciates a well-edited and well-lighted trim store

Trims and fashion hardware are obviously selling well in the Garment District. Mood Fabrics expanded its trim department about a year ago and now Botani, long known for its buttons, has leased the retail space next door and added a new fashion hardware section. Plus they've turned some office space in the back of the store over to Lampo zippers and trims.

Sale at Lace Star: 25%/40% Off Everything

Head over the Lace Star pronto (215 W. 40th St., NYC) if you want to catch the final days of their 25%/40-off sale. I popped in at lunch today and it was only because I exercised great restraint that I didn't walk out with anything. Brocades, laces, trims and anything with beading are 25% off; the rest of the store is 40% off. This means you can get silk charmeuse for around $10.80/yd and 4-ply silk around $23/yd. I don't think you can do better than that in the Garment District right now, so grab your shopping bag and get over there fast.

Readers Questions: Where to find linen and silk lycra

Believe it or not, there's a lot I don't know about the Garment District. Rather than take a guess and pass on misinformation that will live forever, I'd prefer to open up reader questions to STGD readers. So please, if you know the answer to questions posed on this site, raise your hand and leave a comment!

Laura asks:

"Do you know of any good shops for linen shopping? I am most interested right now in looking at some stretch linen (sort of an oxymoron) to see how it handles and drapes. I remember seeing a "linen-only" shop on 36th or 37th a couple of years ago. Any insight?"

Hey Laura, I know B&J Fabrics has a decent linen section because I just looked at it last week. What about you, readers? Any recommendations for linen sources?


Snow asks:

"Help! I'm trying to find silk lycra printed fabric. I purchased a DVF blouse and to my horror it had a metal zipper in the back that wasn't flattering and incredibly cold. I had to return it but then I decided I'd make my own blouse, but I'm having a really hard time finding silk lycra in prints. Any suggestions?"

Snow, Mood Fabrics has a ton of silk lycra prints. This would be my starting point. You could also check Elliott Berman Textiles. Chime in, readers, if you've seen silk lycra prints elsewhere in the Garment District.
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Wondering where to find something? Send me an email at lindsaytdesigns [at] gmail dot com. If I don't know the answer I'll post your question here on STGD.

Got Any Questions for Kenneth King?

The always fabulous Kenneth King has agreed to do an interview for Shop the Garment District. You're probably already familiar with Kenneth, creator of "one-of-a-kind, made to measure pieces for women and men, as well as limited edition pieces for boutiques," frequent Threads contributor, FIT professor, and sewing instructor extraordinaire. If you have any questions for him that pertain to shopping or finding things in New York's Garment District, please leave me a comment here and I'll ask him. Thanks!