I’m going to Washington D.C. for part of next week on confidential non-sewing-related government business. For those of you who automatically assume that anything that comes out of the Selfish Seamstress’s mouth is a lie, you’re usually correct, but this time I’m sort of telling the truth. In fact, my secret work for the government is part of why I haven’t gotten much sewing done in the last several days and don’t expect to for at least the next week or so. (If you were wondering, the DC visit is unrelated to recent alien abduction events. Also, I’m not involved in a lawsuit- they haven’t caught up to me yet.)
Once again, I don’t expect to have too much time spare time for shopping, but one never knows. (Does anything involving the federal government ever take less time than expected??) So, those of you in the know, where should I be doing my fabric shopping if schedules should permit? Where do the hip D.C. sewers (particularly those who are getting around via public transit) spend their time and money?
The Selfish Seamstress 
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March 13, 2010 at 12:55 pm
lorrwill
I was born there but left when I was a wee thing. This guy might know. Not that he sews but he is one of those street style photogs so he prolly knows DC pretty well.
http://www.curatorofdcstyle.com/
March 13, 2010 at 1:07 pm
andreahg
Too bad this trip wasn’t 6 months ago! The big G Street Fabrics in Rockville. recently moved to a smaller location and is no longer within walking distance to Metro. The DC area is so big, it makes a huge difference whether you are in the city or out in the ‘burbs. I can’t think of any fabrics stores within the city.
March 13, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Megan
Fabric shopping inside the District is a bit limited, but if you are near Georgetown (a short bus ride from either Dupont Circle or Foggy Bottom metro stations) I would recommend checking out Exquisite Fabrics http://www.exqfabrics.com/ It’s a fairly quirky store, and while I haven’t found heaps of great fabric there the button selection is worth checking out.
If you have a little more time for a side trip, hop on the red line and head up to the White Flint metro and check out G Street Fabrics. It’s less than a mile from the metro, and definitely worth the walk, as G Street has (almost) everything. Don’t forget to check out the $2.97 clearance tables to the far left of the store entrance — I’ve found a lot of great fabrics there. Walking directions from the metro: http://bit.ly/92MIcw
Enjoy your time in DC!
March 13, 2010 at 1:34 pm
A Peppermint Penguin
If only there were Sewing Related Federal Government business to report on. I’m certain that would be worth hearing about!
March 13, 2010 at 1:36 pm
heather
I think the G St Fabrics in Rockville is still walkable from the White Flint Station, although I haven’t been to the new location myself.
There is Exquisite Fabrics located in Georgetown, in the Georgetown Park Mall. http://exqfabrics.net/default.aspx I find the fabric selection worth a dig, but the prices can be a bit steep.
Enjoy your top secret trip!
March 13, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Ashley
I know nothing about DC fabric shops but I scanned your post before reading it through properly and my eye caught ‘hip DC sewers’ and I really began to wonder what new adventures you might have pursuing government secrets deep under the streets of Washington.
March 13, 2010 at 1:59 pm
cidell
Trena keeps a running post, http://theslapdashsewist.blogspot.com/2008/03/g-street-fabrics.html. For you, G Street in Rockville with some walking is doable. I wouldn’t even bother with Exqusite Fabrics in Georgetown (I was with her and it was a waste of time). If you had any time during the day, I would beg you to take the MARC to Baltimore. We have two really great stores. One that would paticularly suit your fabric tastes. But, neither really have late hours and one keeps banker’s hours.
March 13, 2010 at 2:00 pm
cidell
I’ll also add, that if you just want to have dinner on Mo, Wed or Friday night… I could meet you in DC or close enough by train for you.
March 13, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Emily
Ah–my heart sunk with news of the Rockville G Street Fabrics downsizing. Such happy memories of shopping there. They do have two branches of the store in Virginia that might be worth a gander–one at 7 Corners in Falls Church and the other in Springville. I had to go all way to Springville to find some fabric for my roommate’s bridesmaid dresses WHICH I MADE. Yeah, Selfish, not so much fun.
March 13, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Sara
I would try Exquisite Fabrics, I’d be interested to hear what you say. Particularly if you can go on a weekday and hang out long enough to talk with the proprietors, you may find you like the fabric selection there. The proprietors can seem kind of chilly at first, but you will win them over, I’m sure, just by flexing a little sewing knowledge. There’s a LOT of stuff in the back that they’ll pull out if you ask nicely and seem focused! I do like it there.
For designer secondhand clothing, if you’re into that sort of thing, near Dupont Circle there’s Secondi, a consignment shop, and in Georgetown there’s Annie Creamcheese as well as a few other consignment shops along the block near Annie Creamcheese.
We dress pretty dull in DC so you may not be wowed by the secondhand selection.
I haven’t been to G Street Fabrics in ages — literally, years. Last I went it wasn’t great BUT it was far better than any Joanne’s or anything like that. But it’s a schlep, particularly without a car — a doable walk from the Metro but around 3/4 of a mile each way along a well-lit sidewalk that abuts a five-lane freeway in the ‘burbs. So not one I’d be all excited to do.
My sense is that the hippest DC sewists go up to NYC on periodic strategic raids. But we get lots of chances to indulge in the creative arts generally here in DC because of the wealth of free and low-cost museums to visit. To wit:
Go see the Textile Museum near Dupont Circle, where there’s an exhibit of some avant-garde Japanese fashion. The Phillips Collection, just a couple of blocks away, has a Georgia O’Keefe exhibit on (I think they charge for this show).
Go to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, near Gallery Place & Metro Center, because duh, although there are no garment exhibits up right now I don’t think.
Go to the Hirshorn Museum at the Smithsonian for the Josef Albers exhibit as well as any other modern and contemporary art you’re interested in. Go to the Freer Museum to see the Peacock Room as well as the amazing (mostly east) Asian art collection in a great old Beaux Art Building. Go to the Renwick which is the craft museum near the White House — they just opened an interesting-looking exhibit on art from Japanese internment camps, I’m looking forward to getting to that one but I’m not sure it’s very textile-esque. Go to the American History museum to see the First Ladies’ gowns.
Enjoy your visit! You’re a little early for the cherry blossoms, I think, but spring is definitely in the air, you may catch a bit of forsythia.
March 13, 2010 at 3:04 pm
PEHudson
Hi! Love your blog – this month’s Vogue Patterns has a fantastic article on DC fabric shopping – I can scan it in for you if you wish!
It really is comprehensive and includes fabric shops by appointment only! How strange!!
I just got back to LA from Norfolk/VA and am going to DC for a week at the end of April and one week in May – so I too am going to hit up some of these finds!
March 13, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Ellen
I keep trying to find a reason to go to the DC area to go to G Street Fabrics. So sorry to hear they’ve downsized and aren’t as good, but on the plus side they have 2 more locations. Definitely take a look at that Vogue Patterns article that PEHudson mentioned… it will have all the info you need!
March 13, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Anonymous
I’ll add a vote for Exquisite Fabrics. It might not compare to NYC fabric shopping, but I find stuff there I don’t see anywhere else in the area, sometimes they have really good sales, and I think the owners are interesting and helpful. Take the Georgetown Circulator Bus from Foggy Bottom Metro. Or it’s a quick cab ride from downtown.
Marlena
March 14, 2010 at 7:50 am
Anon.
I moved away from DC 10 years ago, and the one condition that I had was that I got to go up to DC once a year to visit G St Fabrics. I don’t know anything about the downsizing, but it used to be fantastic: fabrics ranged from very expensive to dirt cheap, so you could always find exactly what you wanted.
March 14, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Auntie Allyn
I have nothing to add re fabric sites in the D.C. area . . . everyone else has that subject pretty well covered. However, if you need to know where to get a good martini, I’m your girl (in fact, I’d buy the first round if you’ve got the time)!
March 16, 2010 at 10:35 am
The Slapdash Sewist
I found the staff at Exquisite beyond chilly and into downright rude. They have some nice fabrics but the prices are ridic and with the reception I got I have no interest in returning. But I wouldn’t prevent anyone else from going! Georgetown is not metro accessible, but the Circulator buses are great ($1 and run every 10 minutes). You can hit the Circulator on the Orange/Blue lines from Foggy Bottom (make a left off the escalator, make a left at the circle, cross over to the way other side of the street, which is Pennsylvania, and look for the bus stop) or the Red line at Farragut. You can also take the #30 buses from the Yellow/Green at Archives/Navy Memorial, but it will be a long ride. You can also just walk down Penn from Foggy Bottom and you’ll eventually run into M Street, although Exquisite is in a little mall thingy pretty far up M Street so it will be a bit of a walk. The buses all turn right at Wisconsin, so you have to hike up M after that.
March 17, 2010 at 8:13 am
Vintage goodies to covet while I’m out « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] eBay, vintage patterns Nope, no time to sew. Heading off to Washington D.C. this afternoon for top secret government shenanigans. The closest I’ve even gotten to sewing in the last week is taking an occasional break to […]
March 17, 2010 at 11:10 am
Layla
if you have time there’s this exhibit I’ve been meaning to take in:
http://www.textilemuseum.org/exhibitions/current/Contemporary_Japanese_Fashion.html
also the G Street is no longer close to the metro. love the remnants table myself, though.
March 21, 2010 at 2:11 pm
Damage control and reputation repair « The Selfish Seamstress
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