THE CITY QUILTER New York, NY
 From the smallest town to the biggest city the quest for a quilt shop ranks at the top of my favorite things to do! When planning my move to the East Coast I had visions of being in the midst of so many quilt stores that I wouldn't know which to go to first. So consider my disappointment after passing through the rolling meadows and vast mountain ranges of the land's of quilting - Ohio and Pennsylvania - to reach the shores of New Jersey and not a scrap of quilt fabric to be found (except my own stash)! |  Karen Haynes cheerfully cutting my fabric pieces!  The college where I taught - Marymount Manhattan College - is one of the buildings on this fabric panel! |
So I searched beyond these shores, across the bay of the Atlantic, under the Hudson River and into New York City (a 30-minute train ride). I ended up in Manhattan's Chelsea District in front of THE CITY QUILTER which became my favorite quilt store instantly. Here I thought I would share an amusing and somewhat embarrassing story of this first quilt fabric trip which, if you ever visit NYC and this shop, will be to your benefit!
I was so excited to finally end my East Coast quest for fabric, not just any fabric - but the best 100% cotton quilt fabric, that when I finally turned the corner onto West 25th street and saw the shop sign I started walking as fast as New Yorkers do! Through the windows I could see thousands of bolts of fabrics, quilter's shopping, assistants cutting... and so with much vigor, a little too much, prepared to enter. Ok, so this is where things went a little wrong...instead of the door flowing open with my enthusiasm I was stopped short as my face almost met with glass and my momentum propelled me backward. Stunned! The door was locked! My first thought besides hoping no one saw that and to my embarrassment was the disappointment of them being closed. This couldn't be - I had the hours right! Walking back up to the door I tested it again, then pulled it toward me ... still no go. Then I noticed a little note taped to the bottom of what looked like a doorbell you find on a house? If I remember correctly the note said, "Press for entry". So of course I did and was buzzed in immediately. I didn't realize you can't just walk into any store in NYC and so from this experience I learned to look for those little buttons first and now I can shop NYC and not look like a newbie tourist anymore." So look for the buttons!"
I have been shopping at The City Quilter for 4 years now and absolutely love everything about this shop - the people are the best and the selection is incredible - all 4,000 sq ft and with over 4,000 fabric bolts! I moved away from the East Coast over a year ago and with a vacation planned to visit NYC this summer - a stop into this shop was on my to do list!
 A few years ago The City Quilter expanded and now houses an Art Quilt Gallery. |  |
It was nice to see familiar faces again - Karen Haynes always helpful and smiling, even with now 15-month-old twins, was still there! Of course I couldn't walk out without buying fabric and took home a collection. Two fabrics that I don't quite have a plan for as yet are shown below. These were designed especially for The City Quilter and NYC! If you are a quilter, sew, felt, knit, or just love textiles and projects you have to put this shop on your to-go-to list while in the city!
 "Susy's New York" by Susy Pilgrim Waters/Lilla Rogers Studio. A very modern, picasso feel to this depiction of the sites of New York City. |  "All the Buildings in New York" by James Gulliver Hancock. A beautiful pastel, vintage feel depicting the most incredible architecture of NYC. |
RSS Feed
