Friday, July 3, 2009

A Crazy Quilt Treasure Hunt - LA Fabric District

Nicki and Carolyn taking a trip through some of the stores in downtown LA's Fabric District. If ever you get a chance to go....GO! It is a Crazy Quilters dream!

Beads, beads and more beads!!!!! Wall to wall - floor to ceiling!

Satins, silks, wedding fabrics in every color and design - just beautiful!

Absolutely gorgeous silk dupioni in every color and tons of beautiful Asian brocades! This by far was our favorite store - Silk City. For a kiss on the cheek you can even barter with the owners for a better price !


Me in one of the many fabric stores..... you can walk on buy ...there's another one just feet away.

Not a great shot but this is just one of maybe 20 aisle of sequin appliques - it was a warehouse full! The owner showed me boxes and boxes of beautiful items from the 30's, 40' & 50's that they used on costumes - just beautiful!

Laces, trims & ribbons by the tons - floor to ceiling! (Berger Beads)

Carolyn being shy............. NOT! LOL!
Last month while out in California I went on a wild Crazy Quilt Treasure Hunt with my friend Carolyn ( Sunshine Designs ) from the HGTV Board. I have always wanted to spend a couple days wandering around the LA Fabric District and I have to tell you - a couple days just wasn't enough! We had a ball and only hit about 15-20 of the shops out of 100's! OMG! I think we could have probably have spent a week there if we had more money!

Prior to me flying out to CA I had sign ups for the girls on the HGTV Board for a Buy In. We had a total of 65 ladies who all wanted in on the goodies. It was fun spending someone elses money but I had to control myself as I could have spent thousands of dollars more - the place was like walking into a CQers Candyland! Thanks Carolyn for holding me back!

On the first day our first stop was at a well known bead store called Berger Beads - we spent at least 3 hours in that store alone going through beads, lace, trims and charms. I bought so much the first day I had to have it shipped home. Funny how when you are buying that many beads all at once it looks like a ton but when you get it home and divide it up into 65 piles it almost looks like nothing....guess we'll just have to go back again with more $ LOL!

We went back to Michael Levines both days. Not a store that you can bargin with but the fabrics for quilting are to die for - just gorgeous and at $5-$8.50 a yard- all high end quality. The laces, ribbons and trims were plentiful but bit high in $ but so well worth checking out. My son gave me some fun money to spend on myself so you can be sure I bought a few pieces that I normally would not have. Thank you Jason.

By the time I had everything packed and ready to ship home I was lugging 4 boxes to UPS. They sure made some $ on me that day but 5 days later they all arrived at my home in MA just waiting for me to cut & divide. All the CQ packages are just about home to their new owners now with hopes that every one is happy with what was picked out. I can't wait to get started making some new blocks with my goodies and dying up some of the laces - you can be sure that the next time I say "California here I come" it'll be another trip to the Fabric District. Carolyn... get your walking show ready!

15 comments:

  1. WOW WOW WOW, I envy your trip and getting to look at all those gobs of things that could be used for crazy quilting. So much fun. I am sure you did a fantastic job shopping:):):):)

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  2. If I ever get to the USA you can take me on a trip to LA's fabric district (I'll pay! cos lets face it I will have won lotto to be able to do it!) and we can have fun fun fun. What a fabulous district to go to for a CQer asnd congratulations on the birth of your twin grandchildren!
    love n hugs bear xoxoxoxo

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  3. The feather boas are so you :-) Sounds like a great time. Where your arms sore from picking up all that fabric and your sides sore from laughing?

    Love all the CQ treasures, I have used a couple pieces of trim already and plan to use several pieces of the fabric for my County Fair blocks.

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  4. Good thing that fabric district is so far away....that would be a money trap for sure...you and Carolyn look like you were in heaven! Love all the goods...thanks!
    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

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  5. I sure wish we all could have been with you! That HAD to be a ton of fun!

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  6. WOW! that looks like so much fun. Grandbabies and shopping who could ask for more!!!

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  7. GAH!!! Droooool..........

    That district looks like heaven!!

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  8. What a treasure, I'm sure you had a wonderful time!

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  9. Hi Nicki! Nice to see you! It looks like you had a blast!And you don't look like a Mom 2 to grown men!

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  10. Nicki:

    I don't know who was holding who back, but neither of us did a very good job of it!!!

    Every time I think of our trip to the Fabric District, (getting to hold your grandbabies, getting to hug each other any time we wanted to, spending time together being incredibly silly,) I get the biggest dopey grin on my face.

    Love you, girlfriend!!!
    Carolyn
    http://sunshinedesigns-carolynphi.blogspot.com/

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  11. I am soooooooooooooooo jealous and am going to HAVE to get there... All I could think about was there had to be COOL old MOP buttons... my never ending quest... If you get there before I do you will have to look for some for me...
    Gerry K.

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  12. Wow, you've been busy! I'm still hoping you'll teach another crazy quilt class at Saftlers....any chance of that in the future? Hope all is well with you. :)

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  13. Nicki, Was just catching up on your blog tonight and boy, did I enjoy your trip through the fabric/bead/lace stores...what fun that must have been...thanks for the tour...and have a wonderful weekend. pat

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  14. Nicki, it sounds like you and Carolyn had so much fun...
    cheers - FDS

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