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!!!