teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Saturday 8 June 2013

Welcome To My Second Home - The City Quilter

Update - The City Quilter and the ArtQuilt Gallery are now closed

Earlier this week I posted this photo on my Instagram

I appropriately captioned it 'My second home, The City Quilter, Manhattan'

As the 'likes' came in my internet quilty friend Julie over @Jolie Maxtin made a fab comment that made me giggle "You just can't stay away from there can you" to which I replied "no, it's my addiction! My husband's arranging to have his salary paid directly to them, he says we might as well cut out the middle man ;) ".

Anyway, this got me thinking that as I talk about The City Quilter so much in my posts, maybe you'd like to take a look around for yourselves? So I dropped by again - you see I really don't need much of an excuse and it means I get to say 'hi' to all my wonderful friends who work there too - and I've taken lots of photos around the store to share with you.

Walking in at the main door - this week you are greeted by Liberty fabrics - this display changes regularly and all the 'new arrival' and 'seasonal' fabrics are also in this entrance area.

To your right The City Quilter's exclusive range of NYC fabrics and other NYC themed fabrics too.

More 'new arrivals' to your left

The colour wall - all quilting fabrics are sorted by colour - this is such a huge help when you're selecting fabrics. Here's Yellows through to Greens.

And the other end of the colour wall moving through to Brown/Grey/Black

Quilting threads and Kaffe Fassett's and the walls are hung with items made by the staff and the patterns and kits are all available in store.  The large quilt on the wall is 'The City Quilt' as featured in the Winter, 2013 issue of "Quilt Trends' magazine and was designed by my favourite City Quilter teacher Christine Janove, who taught me to quilt.

This centre section has buttons and felts and all those 'texture' tone on tone semi-solids like 'Timeless Treasures - Sketch', suedes, etc.  Under the front desk, there's a great selection of white and cream fabrics.

More of the 'semi-solid tone on tones' - oh and there's my daughter, Flicky, just walking into the photo on the right - wonder what project she's planning for me next!!!

This section to the back of the store has along its walls all the notions, tools and accessories that you could ever want, along with ribbons, embroidery threads, templates and patterns.  The two stands on the back wall are 'Sale' fabrics and to the left of these is a doorway to the basement and the long arm machine area.  The centre stand is children's fabrics - girls to the left and boys to the right.

A close up of that central 'children's fabric' stand - girls' side.

More children's fabrics - boys' side and soft accessories.

Moving through towards the Batik area - the circular stand in front of us is pure Tula Pink right now but it does change regularly - if you've not come across Tula before then have a read of my Tula Pink Trunk Show post.  You can see the wonderful Nancy, CQ's very own Doll and Felt Maker, in the background at the cutting desk serving my Quilt Guild friend Maria.

Again the Batiks are all arranged by colour making selection sooooo easy.

More Batiks, and I recognise that red and aqua Melissa Crawley La Femme fabric on the left - I'm currently working with it on another project for Flicky, and at the back there're rolls of laminates.

The City Quilter is an authorised dealer for Handi Quilter and Bernina - to the right there's an HQ Sweet Sixteen on the table (top of my wish list) and to the left is the Bernina area - pop in and you can try before you buy on these great machines.

The CQ classroom - obviously not set up for a class here but just look at all those lovely Bernina 550QEs waiting to be put to good use.  I've spent many fun hours in here and, of course, this is where I first learnt to quilt (read all about how I started quilting here) and where I found out that I'd won last year's Bernina Day Creative Challenge - (see my prize winning book covers here) :)

Another view looking back at the Bernina demo area on the left - oh dear, I've just realised I've not photographed the Echino//Essex Linen sections to the left of those machines and that's quite possibly my favourite section of the whole shop - how did I manage that?!!!!!!- and there's 2 centre stands with all the quilting/sewing books/magazines you could ever want.

And here's the Solids section - Kona and Michael Miller - that's at the entrance to The Art Quilt Gallery.


So that's it, a trip around my favourite and local quilt store.  There's something for everyone and the staff are just the best.  Lots of help and knowledge on hand and don't forget the incredible range of group classes that they run or you can do private classes if that's your thing.  The Art Quilt Gallery is a great source of inspiration - just take a look at my post about the exhibition 'Sunshine and Shadow' by Deb Hyde.


UPDATE!
Since writing this post I've actually started work at The City Quilter - you can read all about it in this post

Sonia, You'll Never Believe It - I Just Found The Golden Ticket!!!


If you're a sewer/quilter visiting NYC you have to make time to visit CQ, chances are you'll probably bump into me in there - and if you do my husband has just one request ... please stop me buying any more fabric!!!

UPDATE - The City Quilter closed its doors in October 2016

And here's something that I found out that is so interesting for those of you from England or Australia who can't visit Manhattan - there's two national rate numbers you can call to speak directly to The City Quilter staff to ask questions and place fabric orders:

London: 020 8123 5193
Sydney: 028 0050 292


For details of other fabric, yarn, trim and notion stores that I've visited around the world along with the NYC stores I love, exhibitions and events I've attended and wonderful people I've been lucky to meet click the links below or in my side bar :D



Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.


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47 comments:

  1. Well if the rent didn't bankrupt me in NYC, living near that shop definitely would! Divine x

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    1. It's the best Gertie and let's not even start to discuss the price of fabric - Americans are often horrified at the Manhattan prices but I'm constantly comparing them to England and thinking 'what a bargain'!

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  2. Ahhhh! It's all so familiar now! I love it! What an absolutely awesome store, I had so much fun there. I can even see the fabrics that I brought home in your pictures. Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I guess I should visit this place when I come to NYC. This kind of store is what we need in Germany. Our stores are so much smaller.

    Nana

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    1. You have to add it to your 'to do' list Nana - oh and by the way it's closed on Mondays so don't visit then! :)

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  4. One more reason I'd love to live in NYC!

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  5. Maravillosa y fortunada de tenerla cerca.Me encantaría perderme en esa tienda.Ojala hubiera una en mi zona,aunque fuese más pequeña.

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    1. Soy muy afortunado de tener esta tienda en mi puerta! :)

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  6. OMG, what would I even look at first? Maybe that Tula Display!

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    1. I have bought much from that display stand and come to that from all the others as well, oh dear!!!

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  7. Oh, what a shop! I wouldn't mind being lost in there for a week or so.

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  8. ooooh, I am in New York for the weekend....this was just added on my list of things to do :-)

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    1. Oh wow, that's amazing and makes blogging feel so worthwhile - hope you're enjoying your time here and that you love the store as much as I do :)

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    2. I went - loved it....this is what I bought: http://factotum-of-arts.com/2013/06/09/new-york-the-city-quilter-fabric-stash-additions/

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    3. I'm just so delighted and I loved your post about your visit, thanks so much for letting me know, it's made my week :)

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  9. I haven't been to the city in a while but I'm hoping to get down there soon...I want to check that place out myself. Thanks so much for the tour.

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    1. You've got to pop in Michele. There's Purl Soho as well, very cute and looks fantastic, very stylish but the choice isn't as large and the prices are higher - usually $1 more/fat quarter. So many people talk about Purl Soho - I know their blog's amazing but it's all about the marketing - if you're just interested in the product then The City Quilter is the place to shop. There's another store too, Pins & Needles, it's on Upper East Side, again marketing itself at the top end and with the smallest choice ever - just not worth a trip out unless you happen to be in that area anyway.

      Don't forget Mood either, you're not going to get quilting fabric there but it's heaven for every other type of fabric and trim - and a must-see if you're a fan of Project Runway. :)

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  10. OMG! There's NOTHING like that, not even a quarter of that in my local shop (and largest store in Cornwall) - I'd get lost in there for days!!!

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    1. And then there's the difference in US/UK prices that we were discussing Stephie. I've just come back from Seville and I didn't buy any fabric - it was 18 Euros/metre and the choice of quilting cotton was incredibly limited and not all that exciting - just wasn't worthwhile :(

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  11. Tres jealous! Thanks for the tour, my bestie is a knitter rather than a sewist, but I will be sending her to visit when she's in NYC at Xmas :D

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    1. Oh a knitter, then she really must visit Purl Soho, Knitty City and/or Lion Brand Yarn Studio. I'd make Purl Soho first choice and, of course, they also sell fabric and have the amazing Purl Bee blog for quilting/sewing/knitting/crochet :)

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  12. Oh My Word!!!!!!!! I think I'd have to make a few visits just to try and take it all in!!!! It's a shop I'd love to visit, but am pretty sure Mr f&f is pretty pleased we don't live close to it, we'd be bankrupt very quickly, but very warm tucked under quilts!!!!!!!!

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  13. Wow! I now see why it is your second home - it's lovely and gorgeous and big and colorful and full of so much goodness! What a wonderful glimpse into your home away from home ~smiles~

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  14. What a fantastic shop! Can see why you'd call it a second home!

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  15. What a great post, Chrissie! It's so fun to see where you shop. I wish I had a place like this near me!!

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  16. Another thing to visit if I make it to NYC again (also, the Tenement Museum, because I am a dork.) I didn't realize you'd only started quilting when you moved here! I wonder if your husband would have been quite so eager to take you to the store if he'd known what it meant for his bank account. ;)

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    1. With regards to my husband, I think not, however, he only commented last week that the change in me over the last year is quite incredible as I'm no longer a Luddite (I think that comment came on the back of me panicking when he dropped my android phone and I said that I really hoped it wasn't broken because I couldn't live without it!).

      We're members of the Tenement Museum, we absolutely love it - def put it high on your 'to visit' list! :)

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  17. I don't often (ever?) go to brick and mortar quilt shops. (hangs head in shame.) This is a great post that tempts me!

    (BTW, I love your quilty "confession" on the link-up. My husband found a children's book at our local library about a "Quilter". She had long, ill-groomed gray hair and was wearing a brightly-colored loose, flowy outfit. I guess that is what children's book illustrators think we must look like, HA!)

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    1. What an image, that's exactly what I thought in my pre-quilting days - I've learnt a lot since then! :)

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  18. Incredible! If I ever win the lottery, I'll be straight on a plane!

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  19. OK so I am drooling!! What an amazing shop.I am not surprised that you 'live' there.

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  20. Drool!! I love seeing other people's fabric haunts! :)

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  21. Wow! This place looks like heaven! No wonder its your second home!

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  22. When we were in NYC last September, this shop was on my list of places to go, but our time was so short, I had to miss it. =( Thank you for sharing pictures. I almost feel like I was there. =)

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    1. Hopefully my post has tempted you to put it top of your 'to do' list next time you visit?! :)

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  23. Now green with envy Chrissie and that is before I even think about the price difference!

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  24. I love that place too! And the Art Quilt Gallery ... I think we will be able to visit both in September again - yay!

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  25. Oh my God! It's huge! I think I would pass out if I came in and saw all that fabric!!!

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    1. Looking forward to visiting your store Jo when I'm in Edinburgh over the next two weeks and hoping I'll be able to pop in on a day when you're there :D

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  26. Oh, what a paradise!
    My heart jumps, wishing we will get such a great store in Germany

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    1. All the visitors to the store tell us how wonderful it is, I think even if you don't sew you can enjoy all the colours and prints, there's so much to look at :D

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  27. I want to go to New York. Please Santa.

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  28. What a fun post, Chrissie. At this time of the day I got to shop. (Too bad that shop isn't in my neck of the woods. It's a nice one! and just happening across your daughter there... priceless!
    Hugs

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  29. Chrissie,
    Love this shop!!! I am in NYC every month or so and always stop in. Of course two blocks down is Doughnut Plant...and you can make it to your train from The City quilter in 10 minutes. Say Hi to Cathy for me--she stopped by my booth at Quilt Market! Love the NYC laminates!

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I love to hear from everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my blog and share your thoughts. Please leave a message to let me know you visited, it's a great way to get to know you all better too :)

Chris Dodsley


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