big apple circus

It's not often that I get to play hookie these days. So last Thursday was a special event, because not only did I skip work, but I did it with Tsia's entire class! Here's what we saw:

When you're three, a one-ring circus is quite an event. All the kids regarded the two-hour performance with big eyes and solumn expressions. They were exhausted by the end, and Tsia couldn't talk about it for 24 hours following. But the favorite acts were, by far, the horses and the dogs. The adults (myself included) had a good time as well. We were all ready to go home at the end.

New York crafters resources

Periodically I try to update this list of great places to visit when you're in New York. It's been a while since the last update, and the list could still use some additions. But here it is in the meantime. More to come as I find time:

General Fabric
B&J
525 Seventh Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets, 2nd floor
212-354-8150,
Open Monday through Saturday
By far the best fabric resource ever. Be sure to check out the inspiration walls, where the staff has collected tearsheets from fashion magazines and attached similar fabric swatches. B&J carries everything from luxury fabrics (unbelievable silks and embroidered, beaded fabrics) to basic cotton canvas (in a plethora of colors). Also a fantastic selection of Liberty of London Tana Lawn. Schedule a lot of time for this stop; you'll be overwhelmed by the selection.

Mood
225 West 37th Floor, 3rd & 4th floors
212-730-5003
If you're willing to dig, you can find some good deals here. They carry almost everything, including luxury fabrics, and can be very helpful.

Paron West, Paron Annex
206 West 40th Street
212-768-3266
Open Monday to Saturday
I sometimes do very well at these shops and sometimes leave empty handed. You never know.

Ribbons and Trim
So-Good
28 West 38th Street
212-398-0236
The most inexpensive, and perhaps the dustiest.

Daytona Trimmings Company
251 W 39 At Fashion Ave
New York, NY 10001
212-354-1712
I rarely find what I need/want here, but many other sewers are big fans.

Tinsel Trading
1 West 37th Street
212-730-1030
A treasure trove of trims, both new and vintage. Lots of other fun things as well. Does anyone happen to know if their ribbon shop is still on 38th Street? I'm unsure, since they recently moved.

Hyman Hendler
67 West 38th Street
212-840-8393
Dusty, musty, and messy, but gorgeous ribbons. It's worth digging through the bins, although you may be surprised at how expensive a yarn of ribbon can be.

M&J Trimmings
1008 6th Avenue (between 37th and 38th)
212-391-9072
Mon - Fri : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday : 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
You've got to see this place. Now with multiple rooms carrying buttons, beads, ribbons, handbag handles, you name it. You won't believe your eyes. Another place to spend a lot of time. Bring a shopping list or you might be thoroughly overwhelmed.

Tender Buttons
143 East 62nd Street
212-758-7004
Open Monday to Saturday
Like stepping back in time, this tiny shop stocks beautiful vintage and antique buttons. It helps to have a particular project you're shopping for, and don't be surprised if those buttons you love cost more than last month's rent.

Notions
Steinlauf & Stoller
239 West 39th Street
212-869-0321
Open Monday to Friday, 8-5:30
I wrote about this shop previously. An excellend source for whalebone, patternmaking paper, interfacing, grommets, bra hooks, and anything else you might need.

Quilt Shops
Purl Patchwork
147 Sullivan Street (between Houston and Prince Streets)
212-420-8798
Monday to Friday 12-7, Saturday & Sunday 12-6
My favorite quilt shop.

The City Quilter
133 West 25th (between 6th and 7th Avenues)
212-807-0390,
Open Tuesday through Sunday

Knitting

Purl
137 Sullivan Street
(212) 420-8796
Monday through Friday 12-7, Saturday and Sunday 12-6
My favorite yarn store. Close your eyes and pick a yarn; whichever it is, I'll bet it's gorgeous! If you love luxury yarns, natural fibers, and Lorna's Laces you'll be in heaven here.

Downtown Yarns
45 Avenue A
212-995-5991
Cozy, nice selection, great window displays, and really helpful employees. And that screen door just feels so welcoming, like returning home after a long day.

School Products Co Inc
(212) 679-3516
1201 Broadway # 3 (near 30th St. no store front on the third floor)
Monday through Friday 9:30 – 6:30
Saturday 10:00 – 3:30
Sunday Closed
It's been a while since my last visit here, but this shop is usually a good source for affordable yarns. Really the only source in the city for machine knitting yarns (on cones), and they often carry leftover samplemaking yarns from Seventh Avenue.



Japanese Craft Books

Kinokuniya
1073 Ave of the Americas (6 Ave bet 40 and 41 St)
phone: 212-869-1700/ fax: 212-869-1703
Mon-Sat 10am-8pm/Sun 11am-7:30pm
All the books are in Japanese. So what? The photos and styling of Japanese craft books are terrific, and the directions are usually clear enough to follow even if you can't read what they say.

Book Off
Bookoff USA Incorporated
12 E 41st St At 5th Ave
New York, NY 10017
(212) 685-1410

Asahiya
Asahiya Bookstores New York Incorporated
52 Vanderbilt Ave
New York, NY 10017
(212) 883-0011

Brooklyn

Brooklyn General Store
128 Union Street
Brooklyn NY 11231
718-237-7753
I love this shop for it's size and unusual offerings (including some great vintage fabrics). It's always a pleasure to visit.


Inspiration

ABC Home/The Silk Trading Company
888 & 881 Broadway (at about 19th Street)
212-473-3000
M-F: 10-8, Sat: 10-7:00, Sun: 11-6:30
Be prepared to spend hours at this unusual department-store-styled exotic furnishings store. My favorite areas are the children's section (in the back of the shop and up a half-flight of stairs) and the jewelry. But don't miss the bath department, the quilts, or the furniture. Oh never mind; see the whole thing. It's all worthwhile.

fun stuff at Quilt Market

I don't get much time to look around when we're exhibiting at Quilt Market; it's always such a busy show, and when I'm not in our booth I'm in meetings. So don't look at me if you want to know what's new out there. I mostly just catch glimpses of things that I pass on my way from the entrance to our booth.

That being said, here are two things that caught my eye last month in Houston:


This exquisitely simple contemporary quilt pattern stood out dramatically from all the other quilts at the show. The pattern is published by Galloping Pony Studio, which specializes in miniature art quilts. Yeah, sort of like doll quilts (you know me too well). But this particular quilt isn't really miniature (it's a lap quilt), and I think the design is terrific. It has a Japanese flair to it, doesn't it?


I followed this group quilt project [via Quilter's Buzz] before the show and thought the resulting outfits for the individual quilt blocks were so sweet. That outfit in the photograph above reminds me of something Ramona Quimby would wear (S is loving the Ramona books right now; those and Betsy-Tacy and Tib.) I've got a thing for cardigans. And, of course, for kids' clothes.

Thank you for the tips and comments about Soap Nuts, by the way. Extremely interesting and useful. How did our society ever drift so far away from natural products like these? We wouldn't have needed Tide Free in a fancy plastic bottle if we had known about soap nuts before, would we? I'm fascinated by where we've been and where we're going as a society with products and marketing. We charged into high-tech at full speed, and now we seem to be gradually slowing down again to rediscover the basics that are actually better for us and for our environment. Who knew they were there all along.

wash nuts

You know me and laundry. I'm still making my own laundry soap, but my friend Michelle brought these "waschnusse" back from Germany and of course I'm game for cleaning clothes with something that just grows in nature. On a tree, I presume?


According to Michelle (who reads and speaks way more German than I, rest assured), you put two "nusse" in the little muslin bag and throw it in with your wash. That's it.

The nuts are good for three loads. The nut itself has the the slightest hint of an unpleasant scent to it (to my nose, anyway), but when I tried them last week the laundry itself smelled fine. I think she also mentioned that you can add essential oils to them for custom-scented laundry, but I'll have to confirm that next time I see her.


Since our building has recently switched to some really fantastic high efficiency machines (love them!), I didn't know whether I should use just one nut instead. But it's not like the nuts get all bubbly or anything, so two worked just fine. Besides, I doubt they're growing high efficency waschnusse anyplace.

Does anyone know anything about these? Can you buy them in the states? And if so, where and by what name? Anyone know what tree/bush/plant wash nuts come from? I'm quite fascinated.

Happy Halloween

Tsia received a Halloween package from her grandparents a few weeks ago, and I brought it along when when I picked her up from preschool that afternoon.


When her teacher asked what was inside, Tsia knew without opening.

"Body parts," she said, matter-of-factly (in her little three-year-old voice).

She was right. The teacher looked alarmed, and I couldn't stop laughing. But there they were.

Return

Any blog discussion of Fall Quilt Market this year will almost certainly include photos of this intriguing art installation located in the park across the street from the Houston convention center.

Sadly, I was so busy during our visit, I didn't get a chance to learn more about the two pieces or even to stop and properly admire them. They appear to be little rooms made of quilt-like colorful ceramic tiles.

I don't know if they're part of a permanent exhibit, but I think they're a wonderful improvement over the dusty construction site that occupied the space last October.

Since returning home a few days ago, I've been sleeping and eating to make up for the lack of both I've done for the past few months. There's been a lot happening, and it's nice to be back.

You can see the two new spring patterns we debuted at Quilt Market at the Oliver + S blog.

I'll write more soon.