Californian Visits Vancouver B.C.'s Dressew - A Sewing Mecca

How many extra suitcases are you packin', for that trip to Vancouver?

My November Enchanted by Sewing podcast will include an audio spin through these aisles.

 Wellllllll, this Californian didn't have any extra suit case room this trip 'round. But I still managed to spend about $25 on bits and pieces to fill my bags corners, at Dressew, a Vancouver B.C. store that's a lot more than fabrics.

This store certainly has tons of fabrics. On this trip I looked down an aisle of brocades that was maybe 50' long. They had an array of beautiful dotted cottons, the like of which I've never seen. And lace fabric? Don't even get me started on the lace. Into active wear sewing? They also sell power mesh that LuluLemon sells them, when they stop production on a particular color/style.

Luckily for me, I wasn't hungry for fabric. I did want zippers though. They have all those speciality sizes and types I usually have to buy on the web for a lot more money. I bought several in the 3-5 inch range for less than a dollar (lucked out on the exchange rate this time through too). Then there are buttons - over 500 tubes of buttons (with an average of probably 30 buttons per tube). There are buttons on cards as well. Trim - you want trim? Trims I've never seen before, and lots of leather trim. Great prices. I also bought needles and decorative embellishments I plan to use for jeans. They were all 25 cents. These folks are liquidators. You don't count on what they'll have, but you'll want what you see.

And of course, just hanging out with other sewists and wondering what they were going to make added a lot to my fun.

Nothing makes me bond more to a city, then finding great sewing resources.

That's the kind of thing that keeps me . . . 

Enchanted by Sewing!

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Web Resources

Subscribe to email notifications for the Enchanted by Sewing podcast, so you won't miss the show on Vancouver sewing resources.

Dressew - Gallery - Check out those buttons! http://students.bcitwebdev.com/stephanepj/finalproject/gallery.php

Enchanted By Sewing PODCAST Laurel Loves London (Fashion Sewing Inspiration)

Laurel Love's London's Liberty

Hey, the June 2013 "Enchanted By Sewing" Podcast is available in the pod-o-sphere!

You can listen to the show right on the web by clicking on this link. Or, download this podcast free from iTunes, to play on your favorite mobile device/mp3 player (like an iPhone or an Android), by clicking on this link to iTunes.

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Did I miss any links? If so, please post here and let me know, or else email me at,  EnchantedBySewing AT gmail
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London's got what a sewist yearns for, historically inspired fabric and fashion, not to mention the regular inspirations we bring back from vacation tripping in an historically rich area. When this California sewist vacations in London she does more than promenade along the Thames. She visits historic Liberty to buy soft delicate Tana Lawn fabric and the Victoria and Albert to study historic fashion. She also looks both ways before she crosses the street (cuz she can never remember which way the traffic flows) to check out street fashion.
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I prepped for travel to London by sewing

• http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/05/el-debut-my-pearly-wannabe-jacket.html

• http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/06/sewing-for-travel-butterick-5526.html

In the 'cast I talked about the hand sewing I took alongfor plane and train- a buttercup purse. I've loved sewing many MadeByRae's buttercup purses. Busy sewing my CA Romance Dress (yes it's done! the posting will be out in a few days on my MeEncantaCoser blog), I haven't yet finished the purse strap, though I finished the rest of the sewing and embellishment on the trip.

Here's my detail showing a few of the buttercup purses I've made in the past, and more info about accessing the free pattern. I wrote this when I was prepping my bluebird buttercup purse http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/09/do-you-love-butter-in-praise-of.html

Here's something more about the vintage tatting I added to the finished purse http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2012/09/tit-fortatting-embellishing-my.html

Fashion Fabric Buying in London 

• http://meencantacoser.blogspot.com/2013/06/lovin-londons-liberty-fabric-shopping.html

http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2012/05/fabric-shopping-in-london.html

Liberty's Tana Lawn
Poppy and Honesty on the left, Strawberry Thief, right

Historical Fashion Inspiration in London

Victoria and Albert (V&A )  

      Search the V&A Collection http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/t/the-collections/

      V&A organizes beautiful stuff by design styles http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/d/decorative-and-design-styles/

http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/in-fine-style-the-art-of-tudor-and-stuart-fashion-QGBP

In a London Mood

• I like the book...Shopping, Seduction & Mr. Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead as much as I like the show "Mr. Selfridge" I've been watching on PBS 

• D.E. Stevenson is a classic British author who wrote traditional women's novels for about 30 years. If you're unused to old style class and racial label references however, you may be surprised by some of the attitudes that this author sometimes expressed so casually. Does it reflect attitudes among the power structure of the time? You bet it does.

• Other classic British Authors include: Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton (modern)

Travel Thoughts

• Portobello Market in the Notthinghill area, is a popular shopping spot, especially on Saturday's when many small vendors have booths. On many other days you can still buy good produce there

• We've rented flats short-term in London on several trips, usually for a week through A Place Like Home http://www.aplacelikehome.co.uk
• Contours Walking Holidays setup our walking trip along the coast in Cornwall . They make reservations at B&B's, arrange for our luggage to be sent from place to the next, and gave us directions and an itinerary. We did the walking and self-guiding. http://www.contours.co.uk/walking-holidays/south-west.php We used another agency Mickledore two years ago when we walked for three days along Hadrian's Wall and were very happy with them. Mickledore doesn't do trips in Cornwall however. http://www.mickledore.co.uk/walking-holidays/hadrians_wall?gclid=CIDjsZ2k77cCFSeCQgodV3YAyA

Sir Douglas of Britex (San Francisco Fabric Store)

I don’t think I’ve ever entered the San Francisco Sewists Mecca,  Britex, and not encountered Sir Douglas on the first floor.  This man isn't simply a salesman, he's a kindred spirit who shares his love of fabrics with nearly every customer who enters the shop. 

Despite the fact that I’m typically headed for the third floor (notions, trims and buttons), this gentleman always has a kind word for me. I’m also always struck by his gorgeous vests, which seem to be a part of his everyday costume. Vests are a special love we both share, agreeing that they give us that slight touch of formality. They also give this man a real sense of presence, helping him to appear dressed up, without the need to wear a suit jacket. 

You don’t see salesmen, or other professional men, wearing suit jackets in this area, as you once would have done. Despite the fact that Britex is in a very traditional part of San Francisco, suit jackets seem to make men feel overdressed. You'll see them outside, but once a gentleman walks inside, he sheds his jacket. Besides, when you sell fabric you need to move around. Vests allow Sir Douglas the mobility he needs along with the slightly dressy look he wants.

This particular vest is a vintage one. Don’t you love the buttons? I think it's velveteen. I’m also partial to it in combination with this striped shirt and those delicious metal buttons.

OK, you know what happened when I stopped to admire this outfit, and ask for permission to include Sir Douglas in my blog. Yup, two yards of beautiful green and blue plaid wool to make up into a vest for next years cooler season!

Hey, it was on sale!

If you're traveling to San Francisco, Britex is just off of Union Square. It's a short walk off BART (the underground). Use the Powell Street Station. When you're tired of shopping in Union Square, take a walk down Market Street towards the water (ask anyone which direction that is) to the Ferry Building. Pass through the building (I didn't say you shouldn't check out the fun boutique style shops and local artisinal products and often a farmer's market) through to the water side and soak in the beautiful views of the Bay, bridges, islands, sea gulls and the whole deal. Oh yes there are also usually street vendors just before you reach the Embarcadero - that's the last road before the water that runs perpendicular to Market- selling all kinds of fun goods from tables and booths, hand carved special pencils, inexpensive jewelry, bags, etc.