Notes from my most recent trip to Paris!

The auctions never disappoint...

And neither do the chateaux...

Le sigh! This chateau has a curse: It is told that a young woman was doomed to be locked in one of its rooms forever (I'm totally making this up), only allowed to be left alone to embroider endlessly, day after day. 

Oh wait. I mean, that's my personal fantasy.

If I had this place, I'd probably want a lot of beautifully stuffed birds like the ones I saw at the auctions:

They'd go well with the dead hare painting I acquired last year! Remember that? 

I didn't make it in to Au Ver à Soie in 2018, so I made sure to visit their showroom this time...

I'm happy to just wander around Au Ver à Soie, nosing into every corner...

But, this is a business and I am here on important embroidery work! So, I put together a wholesale order at their famous counter while I was there.

Though Au Ver à Soie's showroom is not open to the public, they do have an annual open house! Check out more info on Nuit de la Broderie.

Musée Bourdelle is one museum I'd never visited until I learned about the extremely popular and widely publicized exhibit Back Side / Fashion From Behind:

This exhibition was presented by The Palais Galliera (The Museum of Fashion in Paris) which is currently undergoing a massive renovation. It was fantastic to see these pieces from their collection so thoughtfully placed throughout the Musée Bourdelle.

If you follow Sublime Stitching on instagram, then you may know I've been...um...knitting. I actually bought some needles and wools while I was there just because I was dying to knit something. ("Something" always being a scarf.)

Whenever I admit (in a hushed tone) that I've been knitting, everyone insists that I go to La Droguerie. Which, I did. And it gives me the knitting wants so bad. Though of course, whenever someone suggests I should check out La Droguerie I have to be annoying and explain that I first visited their boutique back in 1994, when they were located in the Marais. I should stop doing that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just get to SAJOU already! Okay, okay...here it is:

See what I brought back from Sajou for you here!

I can never resist picking out out a palette like this for myself! I don't even need this stuff! I already have too much! I am powerless against it! Oh, and while I'm shouting...

Guess what? Sajou is now offering beginner embroidery classes with Sublime Stitching patterns! Do you have any idea how excited I am about this, mom? 

Taught in-store by the lovely Rebecca Devaney, an École Lesage trained, haute-couture embroiderer and historian who has worked in the houses of Yves Saint Laurent, Céline and many others:

(The classes are taught in English, but Rebecca also speaks French fluently.) If you're in Paris, email Sajou to get in on one of these workshops! 

I need une pause...

Two and half hours later...that's better. Though I did come home with 'the gout'. No, not really, but I can't imagine how I didn't.

Guess who else I met up with while I was there?

Do you know the embroidery work of SiwooinParis? Camille and I have met up three times now, and it's always a highlight of my trip to spend some time with her. She's a little camera-shy, but she brought one of her works to show me! Her work is really tiny, playful and delicate. 

I also met up with Nadia Albertini, another camera-shy haute couture embroiderer and historian who you should follow on instagram. Yes, les brodeuses are circling Paris. 

So, why Paris all the time? Why don't I ever travel anywhere else? I do, I just have an extremely soft spot for France like everyone else (that, and I do have a degree in French don't you know), and a long personal history with Paris.

But for me, there is something very extra special that I love in France:

My niece's grandparents. I've known them for 25 years. Aren't they adorable even though he looks so grumpy? He's going to twist my nose for putting his photo up like this. Tant pis! On est adorable!

À la prochaine...

Notes from...
Sublime Stitching in Paris 2017
Sublime Stitching in Paris 2018

I brought back for you...
Sajou collection here
Au Ver à Soie collection here

Rebeccas Devaney
Nadia Albertini
Siwoo in Paris