I initially thought that this blog post was going to be a complete fizzog (technical term for failure) as I began my tour of Boston’s finest sewing and yarn stores. My first stop was Newbury Yarns which was very close to where we were staying. Unfortunately it is closed temporarily, so that was the first no-go.
I was keen to go to Windsor Button, but this is what I found:
Gah! Ok, onwards to Winmil Fabrics, which has got nice reviews
See the closed door? Yup, closed down!
All those lists of fabric shops in Boston need some serious revising. Three out of three so far. Then I cruised on to China Town to Vans, and it was open (when we figured out which door to go through), but I didn’t find anything I wanted to buy, although the African barkcloth was nice.
I was feeling pretty despondent, and Mark and I were heading back to our apartment when a stranger raced up to us and said hello. I thought she was going to ask for directions and was getting ready to profess ignorance, when she said that her name was Sharni, she lives in Perth and she follows this blog. What are the chances?? We had to have a photo of course, and this might amuse some of you!
Yes, Sharni is supermodel tall and immediately bobbed down to stop me looking like a MIRL!! I really wish I had asked her about her blouse – that looks like a Liberty fabric to me. We had a very quick catch up and she alerted me to a fabric store in Charles Street which hadn’t appeared in my initial searches.
The shop is Mercer’s fabrics and is a lovely shop full of interesting things and nice fabric. In the window is a Singer 222K Featherweight which was donated to the shop, how lucky were they?!
I felt a little frisson of pride when I saw Megan Nielsen patterns on display. So funny to see a Perth designer popping up elsewhere in the world!
As you can see by the bag in the photo below, I did indulge myself a teeny bit. 
We decided to head out to Harvard University and I was delighted to find a fabric store nearby. It has a gorgeous name, and the contents certainly lived up to the promise.
This shop is large and seems to sell everything, including almost every type of indie pattern. I was in heaven!
The fabric range was glorious and I was so tempted by the double gauze and the flannel, but I have serious luggage weight restrictions so didn’t indulge.
The yarn was scrumptious, and I could have bought a lot, particularly of the locally produced wools, but already have so much….
There are many other fabric and yarn shops in the Boston area, but these are the ones I went to, so this review is by no means comprehensive, but these shops are all within walking distance of downtown Boston.
This takes me back! I went to Windsor Button often when I was a college student. Too bad to see so many shops closed, but the new places look like great fun.
I know Mercer’s! They were Grey’s Fabrics before and they moved to this new location, if I’m not mistaken. I bougtht some lovely R Kaufman mammouth flannels there. Next time, I’ll make it to Gather Here as this place sounds like heaven to me. How lucky you were to meet this lady from Perth. I really wish I was there with you. But God, Sue, you’re strong, visiting all these yarn and fabrics stores and not buying anything? Impressive willpower!!
I am quite impressed with myself, but it’s only because I’ve been so weak in the past and now I have too much of everything. However, NYC may prove to be my undoing!!
What a small world it is to run into someone from your hometown on the other side of the world. I love how you fit in plenty of sewing related activities into your overseas travels. Your husband must have the patience of a saint 😊
I know, it was wonderful! and yes, my husband is a saint!!
LOL! I snorted my cup of tea when I saw that picture. Hilarious! But how amazing and wonderful to be recognised from your blog in Boston and by someone from Perth. You must feel like a celebrity. How brilliant also to have found all those patterns. Can’t wait to see wot you got!
I knew you would like that photo, and I did feel marginally famous. I didn’t buy a single pattern!
I heard you came to Gather Here and almost died – I worked later that day. Isn’t it a wonderful store? Wish I could have met you, but glad you found some open fabric stores. We (Boston) have lost a bunch to retirement and other issues over the past few years, including one that used to be about 0.75 mile up the street (yes, same street) from Gather Here. But Mercer’s and Gather Here are wonderful – glad you got to visit both.
Oh Ebi, what a terrible shame, but I did love that shop!!
Ok that is just so funny! All your travels and someone from Perth stops you on the street AND gives you directions to a good fabric shop!
I know, so amazing!
What nice stores! I would love to.pay them a visit some day. Fabric shops in Germany usually don’t sell Indie Patterns, pretty dumb if you ask me!
Yes, that’s really strange as most sewers now want Indie patterns!
How sad – so many closed shops.
I admire your restraint. I was in Carlisle recently and called into Linton Tweed ‘just for a look’ and came out with a remnant. *sigh*
Only one??
I know! (There wasn’t too much in the box, thank goodness 😉)