Michael Levine's and the Fabric District

If you live anywhere in Southern California and you sew, if you haven't already, you must go into downtown LA to go shopping for fabric. I go as much as possible, and usually buy more than I can use in a reasonable amount of time. It was much worse when I actually worked in the fashion district. :) So I went downtown for a job interview, and I got there a little early. I can't go to that area and NOT buy fabric. So I figured just a quick stop at Michael Levine's and I would go along to my appointment. I found the most beautiful fabric there. It's a silk stretch silver material, and just so beautiful. It was a little pricey at $18/yard, but it was worth it. I can't wait to make a beautiful top out of it. :) I also got some really cool stretch pleather from a jobber down the street for only $3/yard!

So if you plan on going fabric shopping down there, let me give you a few tips.
1. Plan on making a day of it. There are so many places to look, you don't want to try to rush.
2. Wear comfortable walking shoes, bring sunglasses, wear sunscreen, and bring bottled water. Make sure you wear comfortable, lightweight clothing that isn't your nicest stuff. This isn't exactly the place to wear your latest designer duds.
3. Bring cash for parking. Make sure you park in a self-park lot where you keep your own keys. If you live in LA, take the Blue Line and/or the DASH. It will save you a ton of headaches from trying to find parking!
4. If possible, go on a weekday morning. If you only have the weekend free, go on Saturday. Sunday is the worst day of the week to try to go, hands down. Avoid going there on Sunday like the plague.
5. If you are driving, mentally prepare yourself for lots of crowded one-way streets (it's so worth it though!)
6. Be careful where you eat. :) There is a Pollo Loco and Starbucks around 9th/Santee that are good and you will come out alive.
7. Know that restrooms are very hard to find, and most are scary. I would recommend going into the building where I used to work if you need a public restroom. It's called the California Market Center, and there is a public restroom in the downstairs lobby. It's a huge building that takes up an entire city block, so you can't miss it. It's off 9th and Main, and Los Angeles, etc.
8. If you plan on buying a ton of fabric, you may want to consider bringing one of those little pull cart things that old ladies use to bring home their groceries. :)
9. Michael Levine's is the be all and end all of high end discounted fabric. They have two locations across the street from each other. One has apparel fabric, and the other has home decorating fabric. Upstairs from the home decor store is their outlet store, "The Loft." This is a must see. :) They often have sales where the fabric is $1 per pound! All of the fabric there is super cheap and sold by the pound. This is where that push cart thing would really come in handy! I've gone in there and bought pounds of fabric, and then had to carry it to the train. Not the brightest thing I've ever done, but it was worth it.
10. Other than Michael Levine's there are tons and tons of little tiny shops lining the streets. They are all "jobbers" which means they get limited amounts of fabric at discount prices. If you see something you love, and think you may need a lot of it, but all that you can when you see it. It may not be there if you come back in a few weeks, and they can't reorder anything for you.
11. Most jobbers deal in cash only, but some will take credit cards. Be careful about using your credit cards in some of these places though. They also will usually charge you less if you pay cash. Some will let you haggle if you are buying a decent amount of fabric. Prepare like you're going to a swap meet - bring lots of small bills. You can't haggle them down to $2 per yard and then hand them a $20.
12. Shop around a little before you start buying. A lot of the jobbers carry similar fabric, but some of the prices vary greatly.
13. Keep in mind what you're looking for before you start out. If you are looking for lace or bridal fabrics, there are a number of stores that carry these type of fabrics exclusively. There are other stores that carry only stretch fabrics, or primarily faux fur, lots of plaids, etc. If you're looking for something in specific, feel free to email me! I've been down there so much I practically have a mental map of all of the stores and their contents!
14. My last tip is to actually go with a map. You can find these online at http://www.fashiondistrict.org/ and printed versions in the little info stands throughout downtown. It's better to have one before you even venture down there. This map will explain to you all of the different districts in downtown and where you can find them.

Please be sure to take a look at my Etsy shop and MySpace! www.urbanconstruction.etsy.com and www.myspace.com/urbanconstruction