Our new member ColleensFabrics mentioned in her post about Wal-marts Fabric depts. that she also looks for fabric at the Garment District in New York. Los Angeles has a large garment industry area that also has fabric stores and related items. I've always wanted to go there and check it out, but haven't yet, being somewhat intimidated by the old region that it is in.  To anyone who has done this, please share your experiences with the rest of us.

1. Do you have any experiences with shopping in a large city's garment district?

2. Did you find parking easily, or was it too expensive?

3.Were the stores easy to get around to?

4. Were the selection of fabric and prices worthwhile compared to a place like Joann's or Wal-mart.

5. Considering gas prices would it be worth it to make one large shopping trip once or twice a year to some place like this than many trips to Wal-mart or Joann's? 

6. Security: Did you feel safe shopping in this area?

7. Were notions like thread, ribbon, trims, etc. also sold in great variety in the area?

Learning from the experience of others is a great help to those on this Community board. Please share your experiences with us. Edey

Dear Elovesta & All, Before I became unable to travel, I used to shop Manhattan's garment district when I visited my Darling brother.  THis is a series of about 10 blocks south of Macy's, off Eighth Ave.  Nobody would be insane enough to try driving in those crowds if they were not a native.  Public transportation (subway, bus) is very good.

I have never been to JoAnn's & in my one visit to Wal-mart's in my lifetime, did not look for fabric, so I can't be of any help there.

It's selection that is the key to the happiness that shoppign in teh garment district brings.  Especially when planning to sew bridalwear or formal wear, the overwhelming variety is a shear joy.

Pick-pockets are notorious all over the city, but the garment district doesn't feel to me to be any different fron the rest of lower Manhattan.  (Spanish Harlem is dangerous, parts of Harlem remain dangerous.)

There are about an even number of specialized stores (notions, haberdashery) as general fabric stores.

Bring your pocketbook!  This is no place to find thrift, at lesat not back when I frequented the district, in the mid-Nineties & before.

BTW, the garment district is neighbor to the Fashion Institute of Technology, & its bookstore has numerous manuals on how to make patterns, drape dresses, & so forth.

Yours in Him, Deb

I

Gigi:

I have also shopped in Little India

OOOOHH - the fabrics of India are luscious. The same with the brocades with an Asian design. So rich feeling in both color and texture. Edey

I don't drive into NYC. I took NJ transit and Path to 33rd street. I took it a little at a time. I walked up and down West 39th Street and went into every retail shop I found there. It was like being a kid in a candy store. There is so much fabric you can''t believe it.

The sales people are very friendly and helpful. They will give you a few swatches if you ask. You can get one or two yards or whatever you want at reasoable prices. I found a beautiful piece of fabric I was going to use as a shawl for an evening dress. It was $35.00 a yard and they let me have it for $30.00. It was worth it - it was so beautiful that I would have paid full price if I had to but was delighted to get it for less.

The FIT has a museum at 7th Avenue and 27th Street.  Mood Fabric (featured in Project Runway) is at West 37th between 7th and 8th Avenue. For trimmings, don't miss M&J trims on 6th Avenue between W37th and W38th Street.  You could spend a whole day there and not see everything.

The area is pretty safe if you take the usual precautions. Seventh Avenue is known as Fashion Avenue. There are also a few sample shops scattered abbout and you can get a designer outfit for a very good price. Don't be afraid to bargain with them. If you buy a garment from a sample shop - know this: You cannot try it on and you CANNOT return it once you purchase it, so be careful.

I'm looking forward to my next adventure.

This is a website for the Los Angeles fashion district:

http://www.fashiondistrict.org/

They also do walking tours of the area.

Edey

I was just looking over a newletter from our local American Sewing Guild chapter (which I will soon join) and found that they are planning a trip to the NYC Garment District in October. The group is based in Clifton for those who are local and want to go. I'll keep you posted when I get more information or you can email me or call me. colleenpmurphy@gmail.com. 973-340-0347

Thanks, Colleen for that info on NYC. Maybe someone from here will be able to join the trip.  Edey

I may be able to get a small group together and take the train over. If anyone is interested, let me know. It is a really fun place to shop!