All you really have to do is mention the phrase “city full of cats,” and you’ve got Selfish’s attention. Throw in some fabric shopping, and I’ve got my hotel room booked. And I’m filling it with fabric.
Dan and I are on vacation in Istanbul. We headed out to the Grand Bazaar today, and I finally understood why my stuffy British 5th grade teacher would always say, “Behave yourselves. This is NOT a Turkish bazaar!” to us when the class got rowdy. It was complete sensory overload with massive crowds and thousands (not an exaggeration) of shop owners trying to draw your attention, and wallet, to millions of items for sale. [Some terms people called out to me today in attempt to get my attention: “Chinese!” “Japan!” “Ching chong! “Ni hao!” “Konichiwa!” and my personal favorite, “Hey! This is your neighbor! I found your neighbor!” (said by shopkeeper as he put his arm around a random, puzzled-looking Asian man.)]
Amidst all of the chaos, I stumbled upon the lovely Gülipek Tekstil in the fabric section of the bazaar. The shop is delightfully serene and organized, and it’s bright and airy compared to the other fabric stores, which skew somewhat cramped and dark. The offer wonderful, gracious, non-pushy service, and amazing quality silks for very reasonable prices (their asking price was about $18/meter, though asking prices in Turkey tend to have some give…) Feast your eyes and drool with your mouth (ew, not on your keyboard):
This store was definitely the gem of the entire bazaar for me. If you’re craving a little fabric shopping in Istanbul, don’t miss it! They stock only silk, and in the ever-elusive 140cm/55″ width. Better yet, they stock mostly what I consider to be “practical” weights of silk (i.e. more twill than chiffon).
There are a number of other little fabric shops along the fabric row of the bazaar, though not much offering fabrics that would work in my everyday wardrobe. There are quite a lot of traditional Turkish hand-loomed fabrics which are lovely but better suited in weave, weight, width, or drape to decor sewing, and lots of glitzy, twinkly, sparkly stuff. Don’t you think Selfish would look great in gold hologram foil?
Here are some other offerings that couldn’t quite tempt me:
So what did I end up with? Oooooooooohhhhhh….
Dan took that photo and I just had to put it in because it makes the silk look so luscious. Here’s a more informative picture:
These are all silk. The beige and orange one on the left is a silk twill from Gülipek. The aqua and brown geometric in the center is also from Gülipek- it’s the same weight as the silk twill (sort of a light dress weight), but it has a satiny surface, like a heavier-than-ususal charmeuse. And the teal and brown on the right is also a sort of dull, somwhat heavy charmeuse, but from a different store, the name of which I didn’t note.
And because a seamstress cannot live on silk alone, a couple of other purchases. The brown swirly print with tuquoise accents on the left was sort of pushed on me by an cheery old salesperson with whom I was communicating mostly through hand gestures and numbers punched into a calculator. I’m not sure I actually agreed to buy it, but he started cutting it anyway, and I guess I’m not sorry, as it’s a great print. Strangely enough, I just discovered that The Slapdash Sewist picked up the same fabric on her trip to Istanbul (what are the chances??) and that she also had the exact same suspicion that this “100% cotton” was actually rayon. (Hey, Trena! Wanna be twinsies?) The gray and white cotton hand-loomed ikat is the only fabric I bought that falls into the category of traditional Turkish textile. Like many of the other turkish hand loomed fabric, it’s very narrow (probably about 16″ or 18″ wide?) and I’m hoping to squeeze a pencil skirt out of it, if I’m not underestimating the width of my rear. It’s crisp like a taffeta with a nice sheen and I think the ikat weave will look very current. They also had some beautiful hand loomed silk ikat weaves in rich, intense colors, but they were only about 12″ wide, and I would have needed a LOT of yardage to piece everything together and match the large-scale pattern.
After today, I think I’m pretty much shopped out (not just on fabric, but on a whole mess of ceramics and lamps and spices and sweets on which Dan and I decided to splurge.) And so I think I’ll now turn my attention away from the men trying to get my attention, and towards Istanbul’s other delightful aspects.
52 comments
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September 11, 2011 at 9:35 am
Susannah
Am drooling… Thanks for the warning about the keyboard. Can’t wait to see what all this lovely fabric becomes! Enjoy the rest of your holiday…
September 11, 2011 at 9:45 am
Lakaribane
I made a mess too thankfully away from the keyboard. But I fear I have lost my dog’s respect because she cannot believe fabric and *gasp* a CAT could make me act in such a way. At least a bone or some bacon…
September 11, 2011 at 5:58 pm
selfishseamstress
Ooh! Pics of your dog, please! There are some stray dogs wandering around the city too, and they’re sweet, but somehow kind of sad- I think people aren’t as fond of them as they are of the cats. Sort of like the second-class stray animals in the city.
September 11, 2011 at 10:09 am
Lucy
Ooooooooooh. I am drooling, and gaping, and aboslutely heartbroken because my partner and I went to Istanbul during our month of travelling round Eastern Europe last September and WE MISSED OUT ON THE GRAND BAZAAR because we’d forgotten that it would be shut over Eid (because we are idiots).
He is being hauled through to look at your photos as we speak. I sulked for an entire afternoon last September, and I’m sulking now.
September 11, 2011 at 5:56 pm
selfishseamstress
Awww…. if it’s any consolation, there weren’t a ton of fabric stores actually selling fabric by the meter- more places selling scarves and towels and cushion covers. And although there are definitely a LOT of shops in the Grand Bazaar, they were mostly selling the same kinds of goods you see in the other shopping areas (ceramics, lanterns, leather goods, pashminas, janky clothes, belly dancing gear). Though the whole crazy thing was quite a sight to see, and a worthwhile experience :)
September 11, 2011 at 10:10 am
Vanda
Store that only sells silk!? Wowza! Great choices. Can’t wait to see your creations.
(You had me laughing our loud about the neighbor comment.)
“Do you know Mike from Canada?”
September 11, 2011 at 10:15 am
Dora
Ooh, great buys! The brown swirly print is my favorite. I am totally cringing/laughing (cringhing!) at the racially insensitive attention you got and feeling like I should apologize in the name of the Middle East.
September 11, 2011 at 11:12 am
Shams
Oh, man, I am drooling indeed. I’ve been to the markets in Istanbul, but at the time I wasn’t sewing and I didn’t even check out the fabric stalls.
Oh man. I loved my visit to Turkey back in the 90s!
September 11, 2011 at 11:14 am
deirdre
heh heh Istanbul (not Constantinople).
Great song and great silk!
September 11, 2011 at 11:33 am
Kathy
I admire your self-control in that textile wonderland. I would still be in the silk store, picking another one, and another one…
It sounds like a fantastic trip and I hope we get to see many more photos.
September 11, 2011 at 11:34 am
Rosie
I am so happy you could make it to Istanbul (Turkey). It is one of my favorite places in the world. I do hope you and Dan can go to the restaurant at the roof top of the Kempinski Palace and watch the sun set. Oy the fabrics in the bazaar …. you need more than 2 suitcases for sure.
September 11, 2011 at 11:45 am
Toby Wollin
You are amazing – I’d shut down in a place like that from the sheer sensory overload.
September 11, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Miss Celie
I think it was in Egypt that they kept calling out ‘Michelle Obama!’ or ‘Oprah!’.
September 11, 2011 at 5:52 pm
selfishseamstress
Haha! That’s awesome :) Thanks so much for visiting my blog, Beyoncé!
September 11, 2011 at 2:32 pm
lunachick265
Ooooh, you’ve inspired me to start planning now. I’m living in Germany, so that’s sounding like a lovely trip for Thanksgiving. Happy sewing!
September 11, 2011 at 3:06 pm
montanachic
I think the ikat pencil skirt will look amazing and I don’t even like ikat fabrics.
September 11, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Sewing Princess
I loved Istanbul and the food. At the time I was not sewing though…so I never looked into fabric. Must plan a trip to go back.
September 11, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Ruth
If you want to see Turkey alla Turka (as we say), try going to one or two of the Sultans’ former summer palaces. There’s Buyuk Camlica and Kucuk Camlica on the Asian side (practice the pronunication with the hotel receptionist). Get the ferry to Uskudar and then a taxi (about 12-15 lira, but taxi drivers are usually very honest – perhaps because last year one got three years’ in jail for overcharging a tourist by about 50 lira!).Both have restaurants and fantastic views of the islands, great food and incredibly cheap (local prices). Then there are all the other summer palaces on the European side (Pembe Kosk, Sari Kosk), great views, and relaxing away from the bustle. And a boat trip along the bosphorus. But don’t be “had’ by the hustlers. You can get to the islands by ferry for about 5 lira (but restaurants are expensive there because you are kind of hostage once you arrive!).
Here’s a tip: haberdasher’s (TR: Tuhafiye). But I know you are going to look at istanbul’s other charms.
Oh yes, and it’s true, sometimes you really can’t trust them on the fiber content thing, but to be honest sometimes the salespeople are just downright ignorant, not actually lying. I had one really confused when I insisted that “viskon” and “pamuk” (cotton) are not the same thing. And they tend to call anything that sews like linen “keten”, whether it is linen or cotton or a mix – seems to just mean (“a more or less natural fiber”). I learned all the Turkish words for the fabrics and then found that the salespeople don’t actually know them in the main, sigh!
September 11, 2011 at 5:51 pm
selfishseamstress
Thanks for the tips! We’ve already done a boat ride, and it was fantastic :) And yeah, I’m pretty sure that the salesperson was just mixed up :)
September 11, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Lena
Why not Constantinople? We should respect history anyway right?
September 11, 2011 at 5:50 pm
selfishseamstress
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_(Not_Constantinople)
September 11, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Reethi
I loved Istanbul – it was one of my favorite places. There’s a nice fabric store on Iskadil Cadesssi – mostly wool, pretty reasonable prices… I didn’t explore the Grand Bazaar long enough to find the silks, sigh. Perhaps a return trip is in order.
September 11, 2011 at 7:06 pm
amberelayne
Selfish, you are a goddess and your purchases are very appropriate to your station! I’m very jealous, I took your warning and put a towel down first. I do like the kitty picture as well…. I come back from trips with lots of furry creature (scaly creatures too) pictures :)
September 11, 2011 at 7:52 pm
CANDICE LOUISE
Yummy Fabrics!!!! Congratulations on these great finds!
September 12, 2011 at 10:13 am
Reethi
Oh, and as an aside, my favorite Istanbul get-your-attention comment? “Hey lady, where’s your husband?” I was too busy laughing to be offended.
September 12, 2011 at 10:31 am
brocadegoddess
Ooh! This is so great, and so timely! My new husband and I are going to Turkey for our honeymoon the first half of Oct and spending a week in Istanbul. I’d been warned away from buying anything at the Grand Bazaar, but a WHOLE SILK STORE!!!!! My husband will likely not be too fond of you by the time we’re done there!
Btw, did you haggle with the store owner(s)? If so, what did you get the prices down to, roughly? Just to help me guage. And please, please do post any more fabric/sewing-related finds you discover over the rest of your trip!!
September 12, 2011 at 1:45 pm
monika
i gre up in bulgaria, right next door to turkey, and silk was a staple in my young (sewing) life. a trip to turkey was forbidden in my youth then–the iron curtain and all–but as soon as i could travel i went to turkey. first trip, in ’89, i cam home with 24 fabrics! i was 19 and my mother gasped. she aptly stated that i have no sel-control–i still don’t when it comes to fabric. thanks for the reminder and happy sewing!
September 13, 2011 at 1:09 am
subversivesewer
I’m really sorry you had to endure those ignorant comments while you were shopping! It sounds like you didn’t let it get to you, though. I’m glad you had a nice time. I really enjoyed the pics, especially the cat one! This is likely the closest I’ll ever get to turkey being a social worker in Florida with 3 kids! I bet I’m not the only one who occasionally lives vicariously through you!
September 13, 2011 at 7:52 am
Nikki Herriott
Oh wow! I want to go now! That shop look amazing, not to mention the fabrics. I’m useless at haggling, I normally get my other half to do that, but I’ve haggled with Thai people without a word of English and just a calculator doing the talking!
That middle silk, the aqua and brown, is oh so lovely and the pic makes me want to feel it right now! Although I really do think you could have bought some of the gold hologram stuff… :-)
September 13, 2011 at 11:29 am
Elaine (nobody you know)
I really, really, really hate you.
[Disclaimer: But not in an “online threat” sort of way. Just in a “humorous, sarcastic, can’t wait to see all of the awesome garments you make” sort of way.]
September 13, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Anne-Marie
Wonderful land… this is where you were.. ohhh I won’t be able to sleep.
September 15, 2011 at 3:09 pm
The Slapdash Sewist
Ha! I saw that fabric and was like “Wait a minute…” I missed the silk seller, apparently, though I’m happy with my two fabrics. I hope you’re having better weather than we did! Everyone loooves Istanbul; we thought it sucked. Mostly because it poured the whole time and was 20 degrees colder than the weather prediction so we weren’t dressed for it.
September 16, 2011 at 7:40 am
Sarah M
Selfish & Slapdash ending up with the same fabric from the Grand Bazaar? It just smacks of a mysterious textile conspiracy. Thanks for sharing the fabric love. My favorite is probably that orange ogee silk print, and then the ikat. I guess it makes sense that the hand loomed fabrics are narrow. Can you imagine trying to hand weave on a 60 inch/ 2.5m loom? Now that I think about it, can you imagine trying to hand weave? Have a lovely trip!
September 19, 2011 at 3:02 am
Aless
Last year DDH and I were in Istanbul for a couple of days before our 2 week tour of eastern Turkey departed, and of course we went to the Grand Bazaar- twice! I also went into that silk shop (recognisable by its neatness!!)-TWICE- but couldn’t choose…….As we had another 9 weeks in Europe after the tour (which meant big full suitcases), I only bought a scarf and some beautiful beads in a smaller bazaar nearby. Absolutely LOVED Istanbul.
September 29, 2011 at 1:20 am
Bri (@shoesaremymuse)
Oh my goodness, this looks like paradise, such beautiful fabric!
September 29, 2011 at 3:58 am
Gail
I never thought of Turkey as a fabric destination. Great choices in your backpack.
October 1, 2011 at 4:16 am
frifris
I’m way behind, but yeah! You’re back! I’m so delighted. I’ve really missed your post. Now I better start reading the new entries. Great, looking forward to this.
October 17, 2011 at 10:25 pm
Stacie
Dear Selfish,
Oh how I envy you – galavanting through the streets of Istanbul, scattering your American Dollars hither and thither… (sigh.) :)
October 24, 2011 at 11:51 am
Tina Cassara
That silk! There is a wonderful young designer from the Ukraine who used it in her line for a skirt. The Gulipek and the teal and brown look identical. I just splurged on an amazing top of hers and saw photos of the Fall line. Beautiful work. Bobkova is the line–www.bobkova.com. Take a look before you make your pencil skirt. I love to sew but occasionally am compelled to buy something way out of my budget, just to quell the want want want.
Glad to see you back.
Thank you
Tina
October 24, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Mevlüde
I live in Bursa-the city that is very close to İstanbul and the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire. I’m really sorry for those rude behaviours. If you have a chance to come to Turkey once again, don’t miss Bursa. It used to be on the way of the Silk Road. So there are about 40 shops that only sell silk in Koza Han( Queen Elizabeth II also visited Koza Han:) http://www.kozahan.org/eng/default.php )
October 30, 2011 at 5:16 pm
Hana - Marmota
Fantastic finds. I’m drooling. Inside my mouth, so my keyboard is safe.
Speaking of cats and cities, I’d recommend Latvia. Liepaja, namely. I didn’t try fabric prospects there (probably not so high), but the cats, oh, the cats!
December 21, 2011 at 7:17 am
Ioanna Papachristou
Why do you say Selfish in Istanbul (not Constantinople)????
Why????
March 9, 2012 at 6:56 pm
dikisdersi
hello …
If I had recognized earlier and very cheap to you OSMANBEY I would offer to take the fabric markets. If you come back another time to discuss with the hope of our country …
April 8, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Sufiya
AWWWW, that kitty is SO CUTE!!!!Those great big ears are so precious!
And, SS, I can see that we are going to get along just fine…we definitely DON’T share fabric tastes…I LOVED just about everything I could see in that shot of the fabrics you ‘didn’t like” (those gaudy Russian fabrics with the big pink cabbage roses! Yum! Paisley! >sigh< ) and I LOATHED your choices (Eurgh, brown and blue together makes me GAG), so I will never have to worry about you hogging all of some fabric or other because chances are I won't like that fabric anyway! (Although I did rather like the bright 'feather'-patterned fabric, I admit)
I like animal prints too, (but not giraffe, no matter how cute the accompanying pictures), we may possibly lock horns over that, I admit (I would gladly "get physical" if it came to deciding who ended up with some of that Alexander McQueen digitized multicolored snakeskin print, f'r instance, or some ocelot print fake fur) but other than that we are at opposite ends of the fabric spectrum and the twain is not likely to meet….
You are also much funnier here on your blog than you are in Vogue, but that's probably because you have to 'tone it down' for them, right?
April 9, 2012 at 4:13 am
selfishseamstress
Hahhaa, I don’t know that we’d get along *that* well ;)
April 9, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Sufiya
Ah, but we both share a love of ‘selfish sewing’ (life partner is STILL waiting …and waiting…and waiting…for his boxer shorts, f’r instance. I figure if I make him wait long enough, he’ll go out and BUY them) and I like your “disagreeable” writing style; so refreshing after all the “niiiiice”!
Just because we wouldn’t touch each other’s fabric choices with a ten- foot pole (I would probably make an exception for that stretch leather or that feather fabric, though) won’t stop me from checking in occasionally to see what you have made…at least your sewing skill is beyond reproach!
April 9, 2012 at 5:01 pm
Sufiya
Oh, and there’s the cat thing too. I LOOOOVE black cats! The picture of the CUTE black kitty included with this post won me over TOTALLY.
October 12, 2012 at 11:37 am
ozlem
Hi, this is the first time I found out your blog. I’m from Turkey and I would recommend other bazaars are very cheap so you can find really nice deals. A dollar or two dollars of per meter sounds good huh? Qualities are also awesome.. Any way I loved your stuff…
February 13, 2013 at 7:19 pm
nata
selfish, loved your choices… i just arrived couple hours ago to Istanbul and can’t wait to get lost in the bazaars… hey ozlem! where would you recommend me to get nice silks and cottons?? thanks in advance
October 1, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Jessica
HI Ozlem
I am in Istanbul right now, was in the Grand Bazaar this afternoon and did not find much at all. I had read the original post before I came but was very disappointed this afternoon. I will go to Sultanhamam tomorrow I think but I have to leave on Thursday. If you have any information for me about the “other bazaars” I would be grateful particularly if they are easy to get to from Sultanahmet.
Thanks
January 14, 2013 at 6:25 am
Pink Stockings Women
I truly appreciate this post. I’ve been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my
day! Thank you again!
April 16, 2015 at 7:05 am
agata
Can you post the address of the silk store? Maybe you did and I could miss it.