The festive holiday season is in full swing here in Culpeper and at Exquisite Fabrics!

We are continuing our annual tradition of "full spools of ribbon for 50% off" during the holiday season.
Some of the most popular ribbons have always been the English plaid taffetas.  Just a touch of the right ribbon makes your holiday wreath, gift wrapping, or even your tree very special...more individual and less commercial looking.

The street here is all a-glitter with holiday decorations and lights.  Among the prettiest windows are those of our next-door neighbor, the Cameleer.  She has a huge storefront that reminds us of our Georgetown configuration.  Lots of windows to decorate!

If you want a taste of how things "used to be" in downtowns all over the place, including old downtown DC with Woodies, Hechts, and Garfinkels, come on down to Culpeper sometime during the holidays.  There aren't any moving displays, but there is the same homey and comfy atmosphere!

Happy Thanksgiving! We've got our shop all decorated for the holidays, and all of Davis Street and Main Street are adorned with the beautiful white lights on the town's ornaments. Today (Black Friday) saw some of our treasured customers make the trek down from DC amid heavy shopping traffic! We are so lucky and grateful to have such loyal customers.

Next week will mark our "Grand Opening" here in Culpeper...although we've been open for a few weeks. We opened quietly at first so we could see how organically the business would grow all by itself! It's been fun getting acquainted with our new surroundings and seeing the joy on our new customers' faces when they enter our new domain! It's also fun to discover that some of our former DC customers moved here before we did...fun to see familiar faces again.

Let the glitter begin!

One thing that we might miss a little bit about being "outside the Beltway" is the hustle and bustle of post-election and pre-Inauguration fever! And it does not matter from which political party, everyone wants a piece of any new administration--so there are lots of parties, receptions, and finally the multiple Inaugural balls before all the "policy people" settle down for a few months of serious work. Our collection of French laces and glittery fabrics and trims is well known and continues to be in demand for such gala occasions. One simple way to spark up an existing outfit for the festive season might be to add a beaded neckline treatment! Use on a sheath dress, incorporate into an elaborate bodice design, or embellish a simple cashmere sweater! 8 colors from which to choose: gunmetal, pink, gold, red, blue iris, silver, lavender iris, black.

Makes a thoughtful gift for your fellow fashionistas too!

Storm over, let the buttoning begin!

With all the knitting that has taken place since Hurricane Sandy was expected, we're getting a slew (seems like an appropriate colloquialism) of calls for buttons.  Glad to know that at least knitters could get something done in the dark!

Knitters generally love texture.  Here are some beauties, imported from France in four colorways and three sizes.  5/8", 3/4", and 7/8".

Blue Indigo sz 7/8" - $3.00Blue Indigo, sz 3/4" - $2.50Blue Indigo, sz 5/8" - $2.00Aqua, sz 7/8" - $3.00Aqua, sz 3/4" - $2.50Aqua, sz 5/8" - $2.00Purple, sz 7/8" - $3.00Purple, sz 3/4" - $2.50Purple, sz 5/8" - $2.00Apricot, sz 7/8" - $3.00Apricot, sz 3/4" - $2.50Apricot, sz 5/8" - $2.00

Book review

I finished a biography Rudolf Nureyev called "Nureyev: the Life" by Julie Kavanaugh.  Ms. Kavanaugh was given access to archives of the foundations left behind by Nureyev, along with large volumes of personal correspondence from his various friends and associates.  The book is absorbing, and well written.  I could have done without the overt recollections about the very personal parts of his life, but those are not a large part of the book.  Kavanaugh was able to reconstruct large pieces of his life as it unfolded in his birthplace in the old USSR, through his time at the Kirov, his post-defection life in London, his travels all over Europe.  She touched on some of his times in New York, and a little of California, but only briefly mentioned his "farm" in Virginia.

Why does a book about Nureyev interest us?  Because he was a lover of fabrics and textiles, and he brightened up our shop with his presence at both our Watergate and our K Street locations.  Although his temperament lives on in the biography and is some people's memories, I'm happy to say that we saw only his delightful side.  He would make the fabrics dance with joy as he handled them gently to see if they had a certain float-y or drap-y quality that he liked--but he loved stiff, waxy batiks too.

I'm not a balletomane, and Kavanaugh is probably writing to a more learned audience than I on the subject, so I learned a lot from this book.  She communicated his focus and his dedication to ballet (both as a dancer and as a choreographer), his lack of regard for hierarchy at times, and his passion for simple things away from the stage. His (irrational) fear of a return to poverty was an interesting part of his character, as was his attachment to gentle characters and his rage against bureaucracy.   All these traits almost point to a well-rounded individual!

Nureyev's dance transcended dance.  Films exist that convey some of the power and wildness that he brought to dance, but film also catches and preserves imperfections.  It's not very interesting to watch certain ballets on film.  But in short clips, one can see what enthralled audiences and the dance world--his pauses in mid-air during his leaps, his acting chemistry with Dame Margot Fonteyn, his athleticism.  Dame Margot herself looks as if she is suspended from a string.  They certainly were a great pairing.

Here's an early "Giselle" for your enjoyment.  Stay safe during the stormy weekend to come!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucWxfvoIi7E

Shoulder pads, blouse buttons now online

Thank you for the feedback about what you would like to order online at Exqfabrics.com!

Shoulder pads, zippers, and a selection of colorful blouse buttons are now available!

More to come...

Buttons in amber and pistachio

This week found us with a lot of "solutions" to the web site woes...not completely solved but now very workable.  Now it's "full steam ahead" on loading some of our merchandise on the site for you to see!

How do you like these buttons?  They're imported from the Netherlands.  We call them "amber" and "pistachio."  Soon to appear on our website, but available now in person!

The joys and pains of websites!

We now have a website for two reasons--for information for our customers (our location, hours, contact info), and for e-commerce.  Having a website of multiple layers and pages requires a big time commitment, and lots of creative energy, learning-as-one-goes, and sometimes, frustration.  But all in all, the website is evolving into a good vehicle for selling for Exquisite Fabrics.

Our customers urged us to sell online ages ago--almost as soon as you-know-who "invented the internet."  We have always felt that customers should be able to touch the fabric, because touch is also so important to us when we buy our fabric supply.  We realize, however, that there are certain of our suppliers on whom we can rely if we see something online that we like, and by the same token, our customers are familiar with our quality and would appreciate an "online presence" from us.  The availability of "good stuff" in the fabric world is becoming more and more limited at the consumer level, as more and more stores decrease inventory of dressmaking fabrics and turn to the more-profitable quilting and crafts sectors.

We still love silks, woolens, cashmeres, fine imported cottons, the seasonal variety of fashion fabrics, and extra special haute couture fabrics for eveningwear.  It's lots more work for us than it would be to simply order the latest quilting fabric lines, but we love it.

Creating the website is an important way to bring enjoyment to customers who can't reach our store.  As much as we enjoy the colors, textures, and tactile qualities of fabrics, we love to try to translate that to photographs for our customers to enjoy.  It's a joy to see how beautiful some fabrics drape and to be able to capture that feeling in a picture! You might have noticed that the pictures on our site are quite a big larger than those on some "e-commerce" sites.  That's because we are building the site ourselves instead of using a template.  We think it's important to have nice large pictures--it's more like being face to face with the fabric in our store!

Progress is slow on the website, though.  We wish it could be faster, but there seem to be lots of "issues" in the e-commerce hosting world, and we  just have to wait for the issues to be addressed and resolved, one by one.  The "skeleton" of the site is in place, though, so you can see how it will eventually guide you through a whole world of fabrics and buttons and trims to dream about....your 24-hour fabric store!

One issue seems to be with the Firefox browser.  One customer reports that the website looks truncated on her browser.  The website is optimized for IE and for Google Chrome browsers, so if you have a choice you might try using one of those browsers until the host gets back to us.

Another issue is "blank pages."  This is part of the process of building the skeleton of the site.  Not all the pages will have content until later.  You can help by suggesting what you would like to see on the site...our site is very "organic"...we give high priority to customer requests!

Happy postscript:  Many issues have been solved (thank you Intuit) and many pages now appear where there was "nothing" before!  Dig in!

Secret stash...guilt free

Happy Autumn!  Hope you are having a good weekend and that you have a chance to get out and enjoy the nice cool weather (after that summer we had~!).

This has been a happy week at Exquisite Fabrics.  A number of the neighboring businesses here on Davis Street are expanding into new niches, completing long-planned projects, celebrating anniversaries (hello Cameleer on your 20th!)  As if there were not already enough temptation in the gastronomy department, the Frenchman's Corner has added goodies (and they keep baiting us about it on Facebook)...fudge, brownies, pastries, and of course those Neuhaus chocolates. The Culpeper Cheese Company has a ribbon cutting next week. There's a new candy niche called "My Secret Stash" in one of the stores too.  Uh, secret stash?  Who, me??

Of course we fabric lovers might have a sweet tooth but our real stash consists of fabric.  And more fabric.  And all the stuff we need to keep that creative flame alive, even (especially) when we don't have time to do anything about it.

I'm thinking about our DC customers who are up against the end of the fiscal year (always a crisis at work) and thinking about how many 60, 70, and 80 hour work weeks we have all had to cope with, somehow.  Our "secret stash" of sewing goodies might just be sustenance for us.  I know mine has been for me.

So, when the new Burda book finally caught up with us (it had been shipped to Georgetown grrrrrrrrr) I took a few minutes and relaxed with the book, and picked a favorite pattern for this fall, Burda 7422. Unfortunately, I was so enthusiastic about it that we sold out today.  But more are on the way~!  Look at this style!

We have some coating weights and even some double face (reversible) coating weights

that would be perfect for this!  

Can't make it to our store? 

Tell me what you would like, and I'll try to post some choices online for you to buy.  

The week ended with a few surprises for us...several customers from our former locations popped in...to our great delight!  Some live in or around Culpeper, some in Fredericksburg, some in Stafford, and one couple was just driving through from Alexandria to North Carolina....well, it's great to see all the familiar faces and of course the new acquaintances too!  

New Culpeper store!

After a season of pondering whether or not, if, or where to open a new retail store, we came upon what we consider the perfect solution.  Beautiful, historic Davis Street in Culpeper.  Our new shop is ready!

Davis Street is consistently named as one of America's top ten "Main Streets" and Culpeper itself is known as one of America's top ten small towns.  If you've not visited at all, or if you haven't been there for years (as we hadn't), you will be amazed at the quality of life enjoyed here, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains and only 80 minutes from Georgetown/Arlington!

We were bowled over, first by the pretty "Main Street" look maintained in the compact business district.  From 100 year old Clarke Hardware, to the authorized Bernina dealer, to the Cameleer... there's even a working Amtrak stop right in the business district!  There's plenty of municipal parking, and the streets are pedestrian friendly, with numerous crosswalks (and the vehicular traffic is generally observant and courteous).  It's almost like the town stepped straight from the 19th century into very socially aware 21st, while maintaining a genteel character.  And, it's a survivor, having been hit hard by the August 2011 Mineral earthquake.

Secondly, the dining choices are delightful...some are sophisticated, all homey and in a good range of prices.  From the Frost Cafe for your morning coffee, to the Hazel River Inn or Thyme for your dinner, you cannot go wrong along Davis Street!  There's a much-loved hometown bakery called Knakal's...and if you want a chewy baguette, go to any of three places and you will feel like you are in a Parisian neighborhood.  Ditto cheeses, local wines, and Belgian chocolates.  So that's enough to keep us busy between customers!

Finally, when we feel adventurous, we can try a winery tour, or a farm tour, or one of the numerous hikes that are convenient to Culpeper.  Culpeper and the piedmont area are also hosts to many horse shows, polo and other equestrian events, and well organized guided trail rides.   Or raft down the Rappahannock River.

Tickle your tastebuds with a stop at a local orchard (observe orchard rules), like Roy's in Sperryville (Roy's Orchard & Fruit Market 540.987.8636 64 Old Hollow Rd / Sperryville, VA near "Little Washington" in Rappahannock County).  Culpeper County and environs is known as the market basket of the Washington DC area, since it provides much of the "local, farm-to-table" produce, dairy, meat, and other foodstuffs for so many of the newer restaurants . There are also two seasonal farmers' markets in Culpeper, one on Saturday and one on Wednesday.  You can find all this and a boatload of history in beautiful Culpeper County.

Please make it a day (or weekend) trip--combined with your first visit to our new shop--soon!

Seasonal store hours:   Wed-Thu  12Noon to 6PM   and    Fri-Sat 12Noon to 7PM.
                      Phone:    540 727 0396.






APA Great Places in America-Streets

Travel & Leisure 5 Easy Road Trips

2012 Great American Main Street Award

Buttons for your shopping pleasure!

It's such fun to be able to pick buttons to put online for you, I'm smiling even as I write this!  I'm going to have time to do lots of buttons in the very near future, but for now this should get us started.  Please get in touch by commenting at the bottom of this page if you want something specific, or if you want something you remember seeing in our store!  I won't publish these comments, so your information will remain private. For today, I concentrated on buttons that you might like to use on your new fall sweaters (or to use for updating your old fall sweaters!).  You can order these here, or look on our web page.  You can also contact us privately through our contact form if you would like to arrange payment by phone.

Click on each picture for a big image!

Ready for Fall sewing...

...but it's still summer....

Yes, it IS hot, but some of the very best fall fabrics arrive early.  It's best to plan ahead and remember that although the weather is brutally hot now, it is just as likely we will have an extreme winter as well!  That's the mid-Atlantic for you!

Heavy woolens were our best sellers last winter!  

Thread

Let's talk about thread you say?

There was a time that the types of thread available to consumers in the US was limited in some ways, but I wish I had some more of those threads now!

Top of my list was Molnlycke (that is umlaut o).   Molnlycke is a town in Sweden, but around about 1975 it was also the brand name of a fabulous long-staple 100% poly thread.  The thread came on dense heavy plastic spools which would stay put on the vertical or horizontal spindles of the day's sewing machines.  The color range was a lot more modern than its contemporary US competitors.  Sometime in the late 1980's, a big US thread manufacturer bought Molnlycke, and promptly put it out of the US market.  But I think they secretly studied how to make better thread, because almost instantly (20 years later) the thread quality of US manufacturer Coats and Clark improved drastically.  More on that later.


About the same time as Molnlycke appeared on the US market, a Swiss maker by the name of Mettler also introduced its line of 100% long-staple cotton ("silk finish" because of the smooth surface) and of 100% long-staple polyester (Metrosene).  The color range put everyone else to shame, and the spools were slim, very modern looking but at first a little wonky because the spools would not fit a lot of home sewing machines.  That problem was quickly corrected but the perception plagued them for a long time.   


About 5 years ago, Coats and Clark improved their thread line (old "Dual Duty" short staple poly/cotton blend thread would leave a layer of Coats and Clark color dust inside my machine anytime I used it).  It's now called "Dual Duty XP" (for "extra performance), and is very good quality now.


But how to choose from my favorite brands?  It is simple for me...natural fiber fabrics get Mettler "silk finish" 100% cotton thread (article 105).  Cotton thread is compatible for all natural fibers.  I don't buy the reasoning that you have to have very strong thread...you don't want your thread to abrade your garment fibers.  Another advantage of cotton thread--it's much more forgiving of color than is polyester.  With cotton sewing thread, you can also hand sew with ease.  

If I sew synthetics (can't recall the last time I did that) I use a poly thread.  Either the Metrosene or the Coats and Clark, whichever is closer in color.  In a pinch for a color match I have used poly thread on natural fibers, but rarely.  Poly thread has a way of kinking up when you are hand sewing, but if you use a shorter strand of thread, it is less of a problem. 


Both companies have a range of topstitching thread, but I like the results I get from using two strands of regular thread (stack two spools or bobbins on your thread spindle and feed through as one thread).  You can use two different shades, hues, or even totally different colors (or try variegated thread).  The heavier threads are handy for sewing on buttons.

So, in a nutshell, Mettler's "silk finish" article 105 100% cotton is my go-to thread. I'll continue to hoard my Belding-Corticelli wooden spools of silk size A and D (for sewing and for buttonholes)--they are just sooo prettty.   Happy Sewing!

About pins...

There are so many pins on the market for every kind of sewing and craft.  How does one choose?

Most important is the quality of the pins.  You want a pin that is nicely polished, with a perfect point.  Japan, England, and Switzerland are known for producing top of the line pins and needles. Some US companies subcontract to other firms abroad, but most of the time the quality control is good.  I've listed some of my favorites and their intended (or adopted) purposes.

My favorite all around pin is the glass head pin from Dritz.  I sew with silk and wool more than anything else, and the fine polish of the point on this pin is always reliable...won't snag your delicate fabrics.  The white glass head allows you to leave the pins in place while you press (although I don't press directly over them because I don't want an imprint on my fabric)...they won't melt (don't ever try that with a plastic head pin!).  They are also easy to find once-uh-dropped onto the carpet.  (bottom right)

Clover also makes a very good transparent glass head pin...even better for more delicate fabrics.  The Clover pins are longer and they will bend if you try to use them in heavier fabric.  (top right in the picture below)

Iris-Swiss pins are favored by professional dressmakers.  This all-metal product is affiliated with Schmetz.  These very fine pins do no easily bend, and have a very fine head.  They are perfect for sewing with all types of natural and synthetic fabrics.  (not shown here, they come in an orange box).

When I want to pin a larger piece with straight edges, I opt for the Dritz quilting pins (with the yellow plastic head).  These are also a very good quality, suitable to pin cottons, woolens, and stiffer fabrics.  (center bottom)

In a pinch, I discovered that the "Sew Perfect" pins are surprisingly good quality.  I've used the plastic head pins and the straight dressmaker pins.  These are pins that we recommend to beginning sewers because they are so reasonably priced and of super quality.  (left top and bottom)

Discard dull, discolored, or bent pins, and enjoy sewing with some delightful new pins!  Like a good pair of shears, they make the sewing process that much smoother and easier!

Where did they go?

Where did they go?

Some of our former neighbors at Georgetown Park have relocated to Arlington, and others remain in the general vicinity of the mall in Georgetown.  Some have not decided if, when or where they will relocate. As we get word, we will post some contact information here.

As of today,

Phoenix Bridal may relocate to Silver Spring, Maryland.

Joy of Beading has relocated to Arlington (5903 Lee Highway, near Harrison Street). It's pretty accessible by bus from Rosslyn. 

Fornash has relocated to Ballston Common Mall, in Arlington. 

Comfort One Shoes is now open at 1329 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Just a few steps from Georgetown Park!

Galerie des Parfums has not announced a new location yet. Here's their Facebook page. 

Total Party has relocated to the Ballston Common Mall. 

Rush Hour Printing has relocated to Ballston Common Mall. 

Meridian Health and Relaxation has moved to the 1600 block of Wisconsin Ave.

The DMV closed its Georgetown Park location in May.  Please refer to their website for the closest location or the temporary C Street location.

We haven't decided where to relocate, ourselves, but keep watching our web page for any news.  All in all, it seems everyone is making the best of the change!  

Frequently asked questions, and more~

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q.  Is there any news on a new location?
A.  Thank you very much for your interest--not yet.  We'll post the address and opening date when we find a place we really love!

Q.  Is there a way to buy silk fabric (or buttons/other items of interest) while you are temporarily closed?
A.   Not yet.  We are still setting up our storage, then we'll have to move again if we find a space.  Please have patience because we hope to list some things for online purchase.  If you let us know what you saw that interested you, we will keep our eyes open during our pre-opening phase.

Q.  I've sent you messages but have not received a response.
A.  We're sorry.  Some of the messages end up in our spam folder.  Unfortunately we cannot help you purchase anything from our stock right now.



OTHER QUESTIONS;

Q.  My friend says she buys Frida Kahlo fabric from you.
A.   We haven't had any and sorry to say cannot recall having seen any from our suppliers.  If you are talking about a print similar to a Frida Kahlo work of art, ask your friend what supplier is written on the selvedge edge.  You might be able to find the supplier online.  Some quilt suppliers have "inspired by" type prints as well as licensed prints.  Good luck.

All Done

...moving OUT, that is. We don't have a destination for our new location yet!

The fabrics and other merchandise were all safely transported on Saturday, and shelving and fixtures on Sunday. Then the tear-down of the unwanted shelves and fixtures began. That is time-consuming! There was a big ugly pile of scrap lumber in here until just now...Roy hauled it all to the recycling place (they burn it to generate power, so it's not just going to a landfill someplace).

Then vaccuuming out the sawdust and making sure we haven't left anything behind...

Whew. I believe some rest is in order.

Cleared out!

You won't believe this, but thanks to a few very supportive friends who don't need sleep, there is not one fabric that has not been taken to storage as of 20 hours since we closed here at Georgetown Park!

Thank you for being our customer!

Thanks for always enjoying our selection of fabrics, buttons, and trims, and for making the Georgetown store closing sale a thoroughly enjoyable experience for us and for your fellow customers!

We're outta here, check back often for updates.

And HAPPY SEWING in the meantime!

Check out this beading class

This is Aga Kruk's web page. Aga is the wonderful beader/teacher/salesperson who works for Joy of Beading, our former neighbor here at the mall.

You can take classes at Joy of Beading, or sign up for online classes. We have shared many customers, and today one of the customers brought a magnificent citrine necklace she had created. Of course she had to find fabric to make a matching outfit!

Last call for everything on the selling floor!

Fair warning--as you may know, we received a fabric shipment (very pretty/sophisticated cotton prints) on Friday, but we are not going to order or re-order anything else for the Georgetown location since the move is only days away. Hurry for best selections!

Sewing womb

One of the best "freudian slips" of the past month was a customer referring to her sewing room as her "sewing womb."

What would you change about your sewing area if you had a chance? My wish would be for more natural light and really just more time to sew a project from start to finish instead of in fits and starts!

Where did they go?

Some of our neighbors here at the mall have relocated, some are in the process, and some have not decided when or where they will relocate. As we get word, we will post some contact information here.

As of today,

Phoenix Bridal may relocate to Silver Spring, Maryland.

Joy of Beading has relocated to Arlington (5903 Lee Highway, near Harrison Street). It's pretty accessible by bus from Rosslyn.

Fornash is in the process of relocating to Ballston Common Mall, in Arlington.

Comfort One Shoes is now open at 1329 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Just a few steps from Georgetown Park!

Galerie des Parfums has not announced a new location yet. Here's their Facebook page.

Total Party is in the process of relocating to the Ballston Common Mall.

Rush Hour Printing expects to relocate to Ballston Common Mall.

Meridian Health and Relaxation has moved to the 1600 block of Wisconsin Ave.

We haven't decided where to relocate, ourselves, but keep watching our web page for any news.

What's that hat for?

One of our customers let us know that he was buying the buckram hat forms for beekeeping hats! It holds the beekeeping veil away from his face, provides ventilation, and the bees cannot sting through the buckram. Our neighbor keeps bees too...little tiny bees that love basil plants and are not at all aggressive. We love hearing stories like this.

Busy Saturday

Today we had a lot of fabulous customers who very much appreciated the bargains we have available on our fabrics, buttons, notions, and trims. It was a fun day.

One customer said that her family had been in the linen business in Belgium for generations. So guess what she bought? :)

That reminded me that our ancestors (a long, long, time ago, like in the 14th century) grew and traded in linen in the British Isles. Linen to this day is a much-loved and appreciated fiber in our family. Western European linen production is a very labor-intense and time-consuming process...much different from the "linen" (which sometimes isn't flax at all, but other fibers like ramie) production which takes place in the east.

Some of our customers are coming several times a week as they evaluate what they might "miss" from their stash during what seems to be our upcoming dormant period. Come join the fun, we'll be open again on Tuesday 2/28!

Our Facebook page has been updated.

Click here to visit our Facebook page.

Our big move!

Many of you remember when we moved from our former K Street location. It was a great move and we have very much enjoyed our location at Georgetown Park--but it's already time to move again! The mall will be renovated once most of the merchants are out. We hope the mall's new incarnation will be something very beautiful and useful! (Remember when there was a Garfinkel's here??)

We don't have a new location picked out yet--and we feel like we've looked everywhere--we are very spoiled I guess! But stay tuned here because we'll let everyone know any news via our webpage/here.

Meanwhile, we might explore how to put a lot of our buttons and interesting items online. That will make our customers who can't shop "live" very, very happy!

Why not check out our merchant/neighbors' moving sales while you're at it? Some are moving to Ballston, some have found spaces on Wisconsin Ave or elsewhere in Georgetown, and a few like us are still waiting for the perfect time and space.

Blazer button sets

This metal blazer button set features a lion and unicorn crest. Imported from the European Union, this set has eight sleeve size and three front size buttons in gold/brass tone. Perfect for single breasted blazers.

A very special buy--only $10.00 plus shipping. Regularly $25.50.

Makes a very thoughtful gift!