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An Online Extra to Threads magazine
The Threads Shopping Spree 2003: Kate Davis Wins
Join Threads editors and Kate as they take the New York City garment district by storm
by Carol Spier
Last spring, Threads sponsored its first-ever Shopping Spree contest, offering entrants a chance to win a trip to New York City with $1,000 to spend on fabric, as well as a visit to the Threads offices in Newtown, Connecticut. Our lucky winner (out of more than 25,000 entries) was Kate Davis, an enthusiastic sewer and Threads subscriber from Portland, Oregon. Kate made her maiden voyage to the Big Apple last November with her husband, who was scheduled to run in the New York City Marathon. It's up for debate who pounded more pavement that week: Kate covered a lot of ground as she shopped, visiting five fabric stores, two button shops, and a notions vendor. Follow along as Kate, assistant editor Judith Neukam, and I make our way through New York's fabric mecca, and peek in on her visit to the office. Finally, take a look at Kate's first finished Spree garment -- you'll love it.
November 3, 2003
The day is unseasonably warm, reaching 83 degrees early on. All stores have retired their air conditioning for the winter. Our plan of action: Visit a number of shops, collecting swatches of possible fabrics; take a break to choose the best; and then retrace our steps to make purchases.
 First stop: 10 a.m.
Carol and Kate (at right) pose with the bronze garment worker who sews perpetually at the corner of Broadway and 38th Street.
10:05
Kate begins to gather swatches at Poli Fabrics, on 40th Street, helped by a lovely woman named Lucia.
11:00
Forget the swatching plan -- Kate has fallen for 3 yards of black-and-tan Italian novelty fabric for $106, at Rosen & Chadick.
Noon
After another hour of swatching (wool bouclé, quilted silk, double-faced cotton velvet, printed silk, wool jersey, embroidered dupioni), we stop for a serious New York delicatessen lunch.
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 1:00 p.m.
We head to B & J Fabrics, where serious shopping occupies the next several hours. Here Kate takes advantage of the windows to evaluate colors and check her pattern yardage requirements.
2:45
Working on one of the large tables in the middle of the B & J showroom, Daniel cuts and folds as Kate looks on.
Total damage: $404.
3:15
We catch our breath over cold drinks; spread out Kate's collection of swatches; check the patterns to see how much we'll need of each; pull out a calculator to see how much Kate can acquire with her remaining $490. Exactly enough.
3:30
Shopping time is limited, but we're focused and fast. Kate returns to three shops and purchases yardage of the winning swatches.
4:15
There's no place like the garment district for notions, so we make a stop for shoulder pads, separating zippers, chalk markers, etc. Another $60 spent.
5:00
Still needed: buttons for the jacket to be made from quilted silk. We make a whirlwind trip to M & J Buttons, where Kate spends $22.
5:30
We're rather worn out by the heat, and agree that Kate can spend the remainder of her money without help from Carol and Judith. Off we go for a quiet, relaxing supper.
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Next day, November 4, Kate comes to Threads
After unpacking her bounty so the entire staff could admire it, Kate had her measurements taken by Judith. We were eager to see how a computer draft and one done by hand would compare, and commenced on the quest for that perfect pants pattern.
10:50 a.m.
Kate looks on while Judith starts the computer draft.
11:00
Judith aligns the 8 1/2- by 11-inch printouts on a light box so they can be accurately taped together to form the full pattern.
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 11:10
Threads marketing manager Nancy Clark joins the fun to watch as Judith prepares to cut her draft from muslin.
3:00
Senior editor David Coffin refers to Threads #89 as he drafts using ruler and pencil. . .
3:05
. . . and whips up a muslin to fit.
The verdict? Both patterns fit quite well, and Kate preferred the computer version, so we perfected it, and transferred it to paper.
We said good-bye to Kate around 5, and sent her back to New York to finish the week vacationing with her husband.
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December 2003
Kate sent us a photo of herself, modeling a chic coat made from one of her fabric purchases, a burgundy quilted silk (Burda 8603). She added a touch of coordinating paisley-print corduroy at the collar and big, black frogs for a closure -- not the $22 buttons she'd gone back to buy! We can't wait to see where they turn up. .
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Carol Spier is editor of Threads.
New York City photos: Judith Neukam; Threads office photos: Carol Fresia
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