Monday, February 13, 2012

NYC Trip details----Day 2


Yesterday was my second day in the city. I was a little unsatisfied with my fabric purchases and thought I’d go looking a little more to make sure I hadn’t overlooked anything. In addition to that I realized the Father and Daughter “Masquerade” themed Banquet was quickly approaching and I hadn’t decided on my daughters dress yet. I’m still a little uncertain on the style but I know I want the color to be bold—black and turquoise or purple and black. Plus I needed a bunch of feathers to use for her mask. I passed several trim shops but because I didn’t have a fabric it was hard to pick the right feathers for the project. I’m hoping to find some feathers that coordinate with her fabric.

So I set out a little before noon to venture out to the garment district. I tried to steer clear of shops visited and I managed to find a side street of different fabric shops. As soon as I walked in the store my eyes caught a beautiful fabric which I knew would be perfect for my daughters dress. After looking at other options I settled on the first one I saw and picked up 3 yards. It’s a taffeta type fabric with an embossed velvet pattern and it’s not superior quality but it will work for basically what will be a one time wear dress. My daughter grows so fast, she’ll be lucky to get another wear out of another special occasion dress.

 (The fabric is actually a vibrant darker teal color. Indoor light washes it out a bit)

I haven’t finalized my decision on the styling just yet. My brain is flooded with some cute ideas. I’ll look again at available patterns and possibly mixing and matching a few pieces to create a desired look.
I went into another store and managed to pick up 2 pieces. I found a gorgeous medium weight spandex in a rich teal color that I realized would be perfect for a dress I plan to make for a Gala in April. The fabric is so sublime!!!
(Ok, next time I photograh this it will be outdoors. The fabric for my dress is a rich, deep teal color. Again indoor light doesn't do it justice)

I’m happy that I found a great fabric. Now I need to choose a good pattern. Of course I also picked up a cute knit print to round out the purchase.

After finding the fabrics I needed I headed to find some trims I could possibly use for my daughters dress & mask. I headed over to M& J Trims for a quick look.

It’s a trim lovers paradise. There were trims from floor to ceiling literally. I didn’t find the feathers I needed, although there was a fall full of them but I did find a cute velvet trim for her dress—possibly to use in the waistline.
(So many trims!!! I loved the decorated masks. I was trying to borrow some ideas for my daughter's mask. Hers won't be as ornate as these.)

Well that concluded my visit to the fabric district. And I was pretty satisfied with my purchases.I was quite satisfied and a little pooped from all the hours of walking.

I took one final outing for the day to the Natural History Museum before heading to Whole foods for dinner. I'd visited the museum before but forgot how huge it was. It was fun seeing the exhibits.
 Here's one of the exhibits I enjoyed seeing. I believe it was on early Asian inhabitants. I can't rember the time period or the name of the people but I fell in love with this robe. The blends and woven colors were spectacular and the trims were so ornate! You have to admire clothing from other cultures both past and present.

Well this about concludes my quick 2 1/2 day get away to NYC. I made it safely back home later this evening. Glad I was able to go and get fitted for my custom dressform, grab some great fabric for future projects, and just enjoy the sights and sounds of the big city. Looking forward to future mini getaways like this in the future!!!

11 comments:

  1. the whole trip sounds fun and I look forward to seeing your new dress form.

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  2. Totally love that top fabric. What a terrific experience you've had. Can't wait to see the finished items.

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  3. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I thoroughly enjoyed the "Tour."

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  4. Yay! You can cut "feathers" out of glossy magazine pages if you don't find real ones in time -- cut a long, pointed leaf shape, crease it sharply down the middle, then fringe the edges. Amazingly life-like, cheap, and you can find incredible colors on modern magazine ad pages.

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  5. M&J trims? I would have fallen over in a trim-drunken stupor. Look at all those choices! Thanks for sharing your trip with us. I'm so excited that you got to go!

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  6. @ Jean I think I would have went cuckoo in MJ Trims too. I'm putting an NYC trip on my wish list. A solo trip - to wander dreamily around the garment district for a couple of days. Glad you're home safe! Can't wait to see your upcoming projects.

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  7. What a nice trip!! If you don't mind, what hotel did you book?

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  8. Hey Renee!
    I stayed at "On the Avenue" located on the Upper West side and 77th st. I got a discount price at expedia.com. It was very posh and lovely and located in a great spot for taking the subway. I couldn't have asked for a better hotel:)

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  9. I agree with everyone here too! What an awesome trip! 2 and 1/2 days would be just enough time too! Can't wait to see your completed projects!

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  10. Glad you had a great time in New York and love the fabric you got for your daughter's dress.

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  11. Your trip sounds like it was a great time and productive. Thanks for sharing.

    Whew, I"m tired just reading about it though. Floor to ceiling fabric in the stores sounds intimidating and scary! :)

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and for following me on my 10,000 Hour Sewing Challenge:)

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