Exploring The Garment District - Gotham Quilts, Midtown Manhattan

What's happening in New York City?  Well, there's a new fabric studio in town, and that's something we all love to know about.

It's possible you've heard of the store before. Gotham Quilts has been selling fabric online for the last 18 months, and just a few months ago they opened their studio in midtown just round the corner from Macy's - you can't get much handier than that can you?!  I've been friends with the co-owners Andrea and Ivete since I came to live in America and I'm delighted for them that their fabric store dream is coming true.

Gotham Quilts sells the latest modern fabric collections, all those fabrics you're looking to purchase that you see when you're scrolling through Instagram and reading the blogs. It was fun to see the fabrics displayed in the studio.

Alongside quilting weight cotton, there are soft and scrummy lawns, voiles and double gauze and some gorgeous canvas and home dec weight fabrics too.

Shelves of American Made Brand Solids, cross weaves and more and tone on tone prints.

Let's take a look around the rest of the shelves of fabric available in the studio:

Fancy taking a class while you're in New York?  Why not treat yourself and travel in maybe even bring some friends and enjoy a sewing class right in the centre of the city?  Check out the class calendar here.  Max class size is six with Pfaff machines, drop in sewing tables, design wall, ironing boards, cutting mats and super comfy chairs provided, not to mention access to all the scrummy fabric.

Gotham Quilts also hosts the NYC EPP Meetup group for English paper piecing and all other types of handwork every Thursday evening 7 pm to 9 pm.  This is a free group, and you can find out more/sign up here.

Did you notice Andrea's original Yuma Quilt on the design wall?  I love her pattern design, and I was excited and thrilled to see a made-up kit of my own solid colourway for Yuma on sale in the studio.

You can read all my tips for the Yuma QAL and see more of my finished quilt here.

Of course, there were other patterns, kits and books available in the studio too!

I love Andrea's version of the Social Tote - Anna @Noodlehead's collaboration with Carolyn Friedlander and Gotham Quilt's own Fabric Nerd patch is perfect on the front.

Now this may sound a bit crazy, but I was so pleased to see that Gotham Quilts stocks Olfa rulers - these are my favourite rulers - I love how clear and uncomplicated the numbers and lines are.  Trust me, not all brands of ruler are equal, and I have experience of many brands that my students bring into the classroom and then struggle to use.  There's no messing with an Olfa ruler if you haven't tried one keep your eye open for them when you're notion shopping. 

Even if you're not heading into NYC then check out Gotham Quilts' website where you can search fabric by type, designer, manufacturer or colour.  I love searching by colour, I prefer matching my fabrics by colour rather than collection, so this works brilliantly for me.  Be sure to check back regularly as alongside regular sale items The Gotham girls frequently discount new collections - through to 8 January 2016 there's 15% off the new Cotton + Steel collections.  

I also love the fat quarter bundles they put together, and for some of the bundles, you can choose whether you want fat quarters, half or full yards.  The bundles are available in store too.

Interested in finding out more?  Here are all the details:

Gotham Quilts

40 W 37th St, Suite 603
40B W 37th St - from 17 October 2017

New York

NY 10018

Phone: (212) 220-3958

Website / Classes / Blog / Facebook / Instagram

Studio open hours:
Tuesday-Friday: 1 pm - 6 pm
Saturday + Sunday: 11 pm - 4 pm
Late night Thursdays: open until 9 pm

Updated 21 February 2016:
Exciting news - I'm going to be teaching some classes at Gotham Quilts starting March 2016.  You can read more about it in my post here, and you can keep up to date with my teaching schedule here.

Updated 13 October 2017:
Gotham Quilts IS MOVING - from Tuesday, 17 October 2017 you'll find them in the same building as before - but now they have a street storefront.  They're to the right of  Exquisite Gems & Jewelry on street level.
You can't see the studio from the street, the building is right next door to Exquisite Gems & Jewelry and Dunkin' Donuts.  I took the pics below from the street outside so you can see exactly where the door is - go through the glass doors under the number 40 and take the lift up to the 6th floor, door 603 where one of the girls will buzz you in.

So what did I buy, well I couldn't resist the cross weaves, the colours are saturated and soft, and I love the visible texture of the cross weave

and this bundle of Kotoritachi Japanese fabric had to come home with me too - like I needed more Japanese fabric after bringing home a whole suitcase full only a month ago!!! 

and just a few more - Large Plain Yarn Dye by Jennifer Sampou for Robert Kauffman in Charcoal and also Denim and Lonni Rossi Concentric Circles in Black and Garden.  Loving the Gotham Quilts tote bag too.

.

So next time you visit New York drop by the Gotham Quilts studio and say "hi" to Andrea and Ivete - tell them I sent you!  Oh, and you might want to snap up some super gorgeous fabric too while you're there ;D

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 sidebar :D

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

Click to follow me on

 Follow

Related Posts: