Friday, September 9, 2016

NYC Fabric and Bra Shopping

We were meeting cousins in the city for dinner and decided to drive in since it's often hard to get a convenient train in the evening.  Seth had a business stop to make and then we, or rather I, hit the garment district.  Seth sat in the car in a no standing spot just off 8th on 36th Street.  I wouldn't leave my car in such a spot, but his sitting there didn't seem to bother the two traffic cops who walked by and didn't stop talking.  
I bought some purse hardware at Botani since I have finally decided to make a leather bag. I took Don McCunn's class on Craftsy and it's time. I am going to  salvage a leather skirt I don't wear and maybe wore 3 times.   The pattern is Vogue OOP 7703 that I've had in my pattern stash for a very long time. It's copyrighted 2003.  I guess not everyone wanted or needed cell phone pockets 13 years ago.  There is one very small open pocket inside, it's use I have no clue.  The bag I'm making does have two outside pockets but I'll add a zipper pocket on the inside as well as 2 open pockets for my cell phone and a small notebook I carry.  Maybe a couple for pens and pencils or a large open pocket for my wallet?  I bought some black and ivory stylized animal print cotton at Mood for the lining. 



Fabric and hardware


Here's the pattern I using for the handbag.  Handbag A

I visited Elliot Berman  too, and bought an Italian double sided wool knit in an orange red on the outside for a cardigan inspired by this one from Eileen Fisher.  It's boiled wool, but my fabric will work.  Mine will also not have dropped shoulders which do not work for me.  I'm using McCalls M6844.  I'll add pockets. If you are in the city they have some gorgeous wool knits and what looked like a couple of Missoni knits. They also had a gorgeous wide stripe in red, white and gray from Prada. Or call and ask for some samples. There are so many more things in the store than they post on the website.  
I was looking for silk velvet for less than $40 in red and Meg McDonald   recommended Prime Fabrics on W 35th Street.  They had very nice silk velvet for $22 a yard, but not in the red I wanted.  Nor in any colors that work for me unfortunately. Not a must have so I didn't look further.





As to the bra shopping part of the day, Seth parked our car two blocks south of the Basta Pasta on West 17th off Fifth. Good and reasonable for a  nice restaurant in NYC. We were early and as he was walking up Fifth he passed a lingerie shop, Rigby and Pellier at 104 Fifth Avenue,  that had a nice display in the window.  We went in; (they have very comfy spouse chairs an important attraction for Seth). Lo and behold, gorgeous bras, in my size even, which turns out to be a band size smaller than I've been wearing and a cup size larger.  So a 36F instead of a 38DD.  A very good fitting by the well trained sales woman.  I look thinner, and I haven't had this much lift since I don't remember when.  It's also comfortable and stays in place.  Not cheap, but worth it for being pretty, fitting perfectly and being comfortable.  It's also been awhile since I had a really pretty bra.  So hard to find in my cup size. The cost of them would behoove me to learn how to make bras, but I resist.  
Here's a link Rigby & Peller

I just finished a pair of pants and next up is a last summer knit top.  Then on to the handbag. That and a few UFO's that will fit nicely in my fall/winter wardrobe.

As an addendum, I just saw Peter's post on Male Pattern Boldness that Paron, another small fabric store is closing. This is so sad.  I have been buying fabric from them since they were on 57th street, long before the internet.  They were a few doors down Greenberg and Hammer so it was almost one stop shopping for fabric and sewing notions.  When I couldn't get into the city I'd call and Lucy would send me samples.  I will miss them.  

10 comments:

  1. I'm with you on the drop shoulders; they are not as flattering as a defined shoulder seam at just the right point. That's what keeps me away from Louise Cuttings patterns, even though I love her styles. Thanks for the link to the bra company. Again, I'm with you: the price of a really supportive, flattering bra says to me, "Copy this pattern and make your own!" So far, I haven't listened.

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  2. I need to go and get sized again myself :-/

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  3. I will be following your bag project closely. I've been on a bit of a bag binge lately and really enjoying it. Haven't made the jump to leather yet, but it is fun and much more challenging than one would think. Is McCunn's class strictly for leather bags?

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    1. Yes it is. It's good, but not in real depth. But, my bag project is stalled for the moment. My skirt has no where near the amount I need for my project. One thing McCunn stresses is making a muslin out of felt since it behaves closer to leather than muslin.

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  4. I was really bummed that I couldn't squeeze in bra shopping on my last trip to NYC! I had been planning to go to Town Shop. I'll try and remember Rigby and Pellier for my next trip. I had heard about Paron's. Very sad!

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  5. I'm also with you on no dropped shoulder seams and feel the same about dolman sleeves. Neither of these seem to flatter a full-busted woman (extra folds of fabric in the armhole area). So sad about Paron's closing. Anxious to read about your bag making. Karen

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  6. ah, yes, bras! what used to be a 38DDD turned out to be 36L. and not from this country. (what is it with american bra companies? do they think we stop growing at a certain size?) and talk about pretty bras with underwires? don't go there! by the way, look at alana from the UK. not in shops, only online or in their own stores. very pretty and VERY affordable.
    i agree about dropped shoulders. you need very square shoulders for that look. height also doesn't hurt. but the best part of your blog was that you actually found parking!!!!

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  7. Rigby and Peller are a British institution, corsetiers to the Queen. Being fitted there made my every move so much more comfortable that I accept the huge cost of their bras, visit twice yearly and enjoy the whole experience.

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