Tag Archives: NYC

Fine Italian cotton via NYC

This cotton came from one of the higher-end shops in the NYC garment district which used to buy a significant lot of fabrics from the Italian mills that serviced the European designer community. It is a superb quality cotton, just so soft to the hand, lightweight but opaque. They got everything right with this cotton.

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GONE NOW THANK YOU – Missoni returns

I only have a couple of Missoni pieces left and this is one of them. Featuring the signature zig-zag pattern and perfect blend of colours, the Missoni lengths are perfect for wraps but I especially love them for coats.

This length of Missoni is a wool blend, in perfect purple, aqua, ochre, black and brown zig-zag combinations.

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Paraiba blue quartz digital print silk charmeuse

Now this is special.  One for lovers of digital prints.

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Miu meets Sui

Thinking of tapping into the paisley-inspired prints dominating the catwalks and stores?  This Anna Sui silk ticks all the boxes…

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Roberto Cavalli green leaves silk

This fabric is the product of a hunt.  I had seen a woman looking fab in this sensational green leaves top while she was at the stop light next to me.  I could see the “Just Cavalli” signature in the fabric.  Hence the hunt began.

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I trawled the silk sections of a number of stores and asked widely.  (more…)


Cheetah print silk/lycra charmeuse

Hold off on emails until I locate this piece.  It is in the stash, just have to put my hands on it. Thanks.

It’s a designer one, from M!lly.

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Animal prints can be as bold or understated as you wish.  With this silk piece, I envisaged a classic shirt or simple top to be worn underneath a black jacket, or more casually, a cardigan.

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Deep burgundy, teal and magenta silk georgette

Please hold off on emails – I need to check whether or not I still have this piece. Thanks.

I’m rather partial to silk georgettes and especially like them when there are a couple of layers, especially a heavier plain colour georgette underneath.  This seems to give the fabric a weight and swishy-ness that it a little bit irresistible and totally great to wear.

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Rococo string of pearls M!lly silk crepe de chine SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Perhaps some of you may share the M!lly fabric infatuation that I’ve had?  This one is a charm too.

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This print is full of the whimsy that I love so much…

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Italian designer deep crimson roses wool woven SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Now I know none of my images will be able to capture the full beauty of this stunning wool woven.  Trust me, it is swoon-worthy.

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This image captures the tone and colours of the fabric as much as my camera will permit.  The actual colours are deeper and moodier and even closer in the tonal range than depicted here as my camera just loves to pick up the reds and highlight them.  I don’t know how to adjust that!

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Silk/lycra georgette with swirling aqua & blue graphics SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

No surprises that I have a fondness for lovely little silks and here’s another one.  Again, it’s a silk georgette/lycra straight from the garment district in the city that never sleeps.

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Designer flowers silk/lycra georgette SOLD

SOLD NOW THANK YOU

Softer shades of maize, sand, nutmeg, willow green and lagoon blue blend beautifully in this silk georgette.

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They are actually very Australian colours, even though I snapped up this lovely fabric in the NYC garment district.

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Stunning graphic cotton Anthr0polgie

Please hold off on emails. I am not sure that I have any of this incredible cotton left. I will amend this post once I know.

This fabric is a big wowee.  The colours are so brilliant and the graphics are fascinating.

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Obviously this one is for lovers of prints, but if that’s you, the timing couldn’t be better because there’s simply fabulous ideas for eye-catching prints out there.
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Missoni wool SOLD

FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS

A billion $ fashion house built on a chevron pattern, that’s the genius of Miss0ni.  They have absolutely made the chevron pattern their own and all other designers who use the chevron are mere pretenders.

In this piece, the chevron is a small-scale one.  And how’s this exquisite colourway?!

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They honestly blend colours like few others.  If you are a knitter, you might know the Noro yarns and that colour mastery.  Miss0ni and Noro are counterparts I think.

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Panoply of paisleys stretch viscose/lycra SOLD

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GONE NOW THANK YOU

Time for another stretch fabric, this one a bold but balanced print featuring paisley and medallion outlines on a dark blue background.

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When doves cry Milly silk SOLD

GONE, THANK YOU

Milly does THE best prints and this tri-colour (off-white, grey and deep navy) doves silk is right up there as one of my favourites.  I went searching for this fabric and was very happy when I found it.

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I have had a number of people ask about decent dress-lengths of good silks and this one fits that bill. (more…)


Rubik’s cube silk/lycra charmeuse SOLD

FABRIC IS GONE, THANKS

I have many, many pieces of lovely silk in just the right length for floaty tops or perky blouses.  This silk fits both the fun and classic mould at the same time.

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And, it will match everything… (more…)


Grey with black etched ellipses silk SOLD

GONE NOW, MANY THANKS

Just because I am offering up a lot of fabrics it doesn’t mean that I don’t love them.  This is one of the very loved one – it is a superb quality silk, the print design is perfect, classic but modern, the colours are versatile.  It is a great piece.

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Brilliant designer wool/silk gazar SOLD

GONE NOW, THANKS VERY MUCH

There is a story to this fabric, and a few people can probably tell the same tale. IMG_5411 (more…)


Pinwheel flowers designer silk charmeuse GONE

SOLD NOW THANKS

This gorgeous silk is a M@rc J@cobs fabric.

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Flowers on fire hammered silk panel SOLD

GONE NOW THANK YOU

This is an amazing fabric.  First, it is a hammered silk, and you don’t see this type of silk often at all.

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Second, it is superb quality.  The weight and drape is sublime.  Third, the print itself is gorgeously intense with shades of deep cobalt, fire engine red and poinsettia submerged in shadows.

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Milly spirograph daisies suede silk/lycra SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Ok, I really love this Milly print.  I spotted it sitting high up on the top row of a wall full of fabrics in a tiny NYC garment district shop.  Couldn’t touch it, couldn’t even see closely, but something about it called out to me.

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When they finally got the bolt down for me, I swooned.

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Millefiori silk crepe de chine SOLD

GONE, MANY THANKS

There is such an enchanting level of detail in this lovely little silk and I’m absolutely positive the print was inspired by millefiori glass work.

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Milly orange & white graphic silk cotton voile SOLD

GONE THANKS

I’ve made a point of collecting Milly fabrics where I can.  The prints are always engaging, the quality is fantastic, and if you can located the original garment then there’s good inspiration for your own ideas.

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Designer botanical gardens cotton SOLD

GONE, THANKS

You could learn a lot about botany examining this lovely cotton. So many lovely blooms tumble around in a free-fall of flowers.

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Navy & indigo silk crepe de chine SOLD

I’ve looked and looked at this silk and still remain entirely unsure whether I should describe the pattern as a woodgrain or marbled effect.  Maybe it can be both…

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Milly spider mums silk charmeuse SOLD

NOW GONE, THANK YOU

This was a Milly favourite from a few years back, a fabulous silk that sort of suggests an oriental influence with the print pattern, hence the spider mums reference, but that could be just a rorchach test thing going on.

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Foil & foliage silk/lycra SOLD

This is a New York designer fabric, not sure which designer though.  It is a substantial silk/lycra fabric.

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The fabric is fluid and completely malleable.  It has the texture of a crepe de chine, but it is much closer to a 4ply weight silk, though it falls just a little bit short of that classification.  It is a really top quality silk; just wonderful.

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Th@koon 4ply silk crepe yellow paisley catwalk fabric SOLD

AND IT IS NOW GONE, THANK YOU!

Ok, so this one is special.  It will probably go very quickly, if the interest expressed behind the scenes is any indication, but it is worthy of a longer post.

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First, it was a big-time catwalk design for Th@koon from a couple of summer seasons ago.  (more…)


Designer cotton/lycra cream leaf brocade SOLD

GONE, THANK YOU

I’m not going to be sewing again for years I think, and I’m facing up to it. If I wasn’t, there’s no way I’d be putting out this stunning J Crew brocade-come-matelassé stunner.

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NY designer white and green chrysanthamums silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW SOLD, MANY THANKS

In Phi!!ip L!m’s hands this captivating silk became stunning, embellished skater dresses that were snapped up at lightening speed.

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I was very lucky to get this piece.  It arrived the afternoon I visited a particular garment city shop.  There was only this one length, and I understand that was all that ended coming out of the studio. (more…)


Deconstructed plaid designer viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW, THANKS

…keeping the stretch fabrics coming along here…  They are so quick to make up, so versatile to have.  I’m not sure about you, but I’ve struggled to find good quality, good fibre (non-poly), good design and reasonably priced stretch fabrics here in Australia, so I have bought up over the years.

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Paintball silk crepe de chine SOLD

GONE, THANK YOU

Take one quick flick through the latest fashion mags and gorgeous prints are everywhere.

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This silk is the best of both worlds…a versatile black background with splashes of colour, as if you’ve walked out of an artist’s studio…or a paintball game? (more…)


Touch of whimsy red & white cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW, MANY THANKS

Red and white small motif prints are so happy and cheery I think.

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This one is a very good quality cotton voile from the NYC garment district. (more…)


Designer cosmos silk GONE

GONE NOW THANKS

Here is a Phillip L!m silk and this is a new type of silk for me too.

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Apart from the great good luck to have visited the NYC garment district many times, one advantage is to be exposed to so many different fabrics types that you ordinarily don’t encounter in the stores.  It makes me realise that I have to expand my fabric knowledge when I have no idea what to name the types of silk.

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Pink daisies viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

For the lovers of stretch fabrics here is another quality viscose/lycra with a pattern of charming small scale daisies.

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Off white and black threaded cotton GONE

GONE NOW THANKS

Here is  length of a cotton (or cotton blend? possibly with a hint of viscose in it?) from everyone’s favourite NYC fabric store.

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It has a fabulous weave, with the black threads woven through to form patterns resembling ironwork scrolls.

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M@rc Jacobs exotic birds silk crepe de chine SOLD

ALL GONE, MANY THANKS

Here is a beauty, straight from a M@rc Jacobs resort collection from just a couple of years ago.  This is such a colourful and happy print and the fabric quality is fabulous.

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Cynthia Steff blues ikat crinkle silk SOLD

SOLD – MANY THANKS

I’ve called this an ikat print because I thought it had some of the ikat features, but maybe it is actually more like a tie-dye effect?  Either way, it is a contemporary fabric from the New York design studio of Cynthia Steffe, who made the most adorable dresses in this fabric.

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Fuchsia, mushroom and teal art nouveau silk SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Sigh.  I’m letting go of a very favourite.

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This is a much loved fabric that I bought in NYC a few years ago from one of my favourite shops on West 35th Street…way up high.  The best shops in the garment district are not on street level, just remember that if you ever intend to visit.

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Stunning Osc@r de la Rent@ silk twill SOLD

GONE NOW THANK YOU

Next up, a superb silk twill from the late great designer Osc@r de la Rent@.

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Crimson stars viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW, THANKS

A lovely knit beauty this one, with a blizzard of deep red, snow and grey flowers storming the black surface of another wonderful quality viscose/lyric fabric.

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Edelweiss on red viscose/lycra stretch SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Delicate white flowers adorn this red knit in a perfect little print.

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M!lly link print fine silk twill SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

M!lly developed a series of link print fabric from small to large scale and based a whole range around them.  This silk comes from that range.

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It’s Milly Feathersssssss…. SOLD

SORRY – IT’S GONE

Alrighty, this is possibly one of the most popular of all the Milly fabrics, with simply unbelievable jewel colours in a stunning digital feathers design.

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This is a silk charmeuse, and it’s a dress length, and I suspect trigger fingers will be needed.

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Blue batik flowers cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Here’s a charming cotton voile in a perfect blue…

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…not periwinkle blue, not delft blue.  Does anyone know which blue this is?

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Anne K1ein tropical jungle silk/lycra SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW, THANKS

You know some fabrics come along and you just want to pet them all the time?  This wonderful Anne K1ein silk is one of them.

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Whether it’s the lustrous surface, the slightest suggestion of crinkle texture or the spring of a bit of lycra, this silk demands to be stroked. (more…)


Tropical boho french cotton voile SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS SOLD NOW – MANY THANKS

I’m not sure I should go on about what sort of ideas I have in mind with a fabric because I’m sure there are a 100 better thoughts out there, but I’ll do it anyway with this piece!

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Bright mediterranean medallions viscose/lycra SOLD

NOW GONE, THANKS

Another bright fabric, quite irresistible if you have a love of colour, especially reds.

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This print makes me think of geraniums and other bright flowers on a white balcony in summer.

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Cream & black dot & stripe silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW, THANKS

This is a lovely, classic silk with just a bit of difference in the pattern and the silk quality…a lovely crinkle silk that gives the fabric that little bit of wearing ease.

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This silk is opaque and has a lovely weight and drape and feel. (more…)


Caribbean beaches cotton voile SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Here’s a top-length piece of cotton voile from the racks of my favourite fabric shop in NYC.  Everything that ends up in the shelves of this store comes from the studios and workrooms of designers, most of them NY based.

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With the bright, sunny, summery thing going on with this fabric, it seems perfectly suited to summer on the beach or by the pool in Australia…or the Caribbean…

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Marbled animal print montage silk/viscose SOLD

NOW GONE, THANKS

Do you ever wonder how designers come up with a certain print?  I do, this one more than many others.  It is a little bit of a crazy print when you dive in the detail…

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…this marbled montage of cheetah and leopard prints and dissected views of agate and andalusite all swirled around each other like coffee trails in cappuccino froth.  Who thinks of that sort of combination? (more…)


Summer sunset striped silk SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW – MANY THANKS

I saw a photo in a magazine of the striped top worn by Giovanna Battaglia, included in the collage at the bottom of the page, and went in search of some striped silk so that I could produce a top like this.

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I thought it was one of the most stylish uses of stripes I’d seen in a long time…there was just something about it.  (more…)


Stunning Missoni wool SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Yes, we are heading into our warm half of the year, but there may be some lovers of fine designer wools who keep an eye out for the next great piece of fabric, no matter what time of year.  And this stunning Missoni wool certainly qualifies as worthy no matter what the weather.

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Impressionist flowers viscose/lycra SOLD

GONE NOW THANKS

Another gorgeous stretch fabric for tops, an easy summer maxi-dress or pull-on skirt.

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Blues/white marbled surface effect viscose/lycra SOLD

THIS FABRIC IS NOW GONE – MANY THANKS

Superb quality viscose/lycra stretch, like liquid, with a stunning hand and drape.  From the French mills, bought in the NYC garment district.

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