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